This is a guest post by Sujata Das.
Goa- the quintessential annual retreat for Mumbaikars! If you live in Mumbai and are a foodie and water babe like me, it is definitely a must visit. Golden sands, endless sky, surfy water till your eyes can stretch a food lover’s paradise and so much more.
After 3 short, work and leisure trips, it was time to explore Goa in its full bounty. So on the occasion of my best friend’s birthday, we decided to visit Goa. This trip was only about visiting far away beaches, skipping the regular crowded party jaunts and eating at some of the best places that Goa has to offer.
Day 1: Visiting the extreme Northern end of Goa
After landing in Goa early morning and checking in at the flat (very generously offered by my employer ) to stay in Candolim, we booked a car for 4 days straight as our itinerary was fixed and booking one car for all 4 days meant discount and a good deal. Post a scrumptious breakfast at the German Bakery (Candolim) of coffee, cheese omelette, croissant and Nutella pancakes, we headed for Arambol. The drive to Aarambol took a good 1 hour.
Aarambol Beach:
Aarambol is a small fishing village with a huge settlement of Russians staying in cottages for months or years together. This place, until a few years back, used to be the nude beach of Goa. Unfortunately due to a rape case by a localite, nudity is prohibited. But that doesn’t mar the beauty of the place. This place has a surprise in store- A sweet water lake, the sea on one side and a sweet water lake on the other with just a patch of sand separating the two. This is where people strip down and take a black mud bath. This place is a hidden gem! One needs to trek down to find the hidden beach and sweet water lake.
To arrive at the place, you need to take a very long stroll down the main beach and you will arrive at the rocky end of it which has a small flea market and cottages. It seems like a dead end but it’s not. We almost got lost between the rocks and assumed such a place does not exist and were about to return when a few localites helped us out. Following the winding path in between the small souvenir shops at the flea market, with sea beside roaring and splashing water, we arrived at the beach which is entirely detached from the other side. There were 2-3 shacks, a handful of Russians and foreigners loitering around and us. It was definitely the quietest beach on the northern end! One can literally hear the wind blowing so hard that it’s deafening. The lake has water during monsoons and it’s the best place to get your skin rejuvenated and mind relaxed. There is a trek down from the sweet water lake into a hill side forest which leads you to a Banyan tree and this use to be a home ground for the hippies.
We relaxed for a few hours on a beach recliner under a huge umbrella, eating some sea food and doing nothing, with no mobile network whatsoever (unless you try out the shack WiFi). None to disturb, our minds drowned in the music of the waves and the wind. Pure bliss!
Ashwem beach:
Our next destination was Ashwem Beach. A short drive down from Aarambol is a road winding down beside the beach, a rarity even in Goa, what with all beaches mostly camouflaged by shacks and hotels. It’s in between Mandrem and Morjim beach and just a few kms away from Chapora fort (Dil chahta hai fort). You know you are in Ashwem, when you see few shacks and tourists. It is mostly thronged by Russians, Israelis and Europeans.
After basking in the sun at Aarambol and having some tid bits, it was time for us to have a proper meal in Goa. At the extreme end of Ashwem beach is a quaint little French restaurant called La Plage. Excellent ambiance, very cool n calm atmosphere, just what you need right after a good sun bath. It is here that we tried blue mussels for the 1st time, it was prepared in butter garlic white wine sauce and served with toasted crisp bruschetta. What a beauty it was! Strongly recommend. The mussels, beef carpaccio, burgers are particularly good and the place in itself is a must visit just for the ambience. We ended up spending the entire afternoon there. During sunset, we did some beach shopping and took a long walk down the beautiful and absolutely gorgeous 1.5 km stretch of beach, one of the best that Goa has to offer. The waters were inviting and clean.
On the way back, we stopped at Calangute at The Chocolate Room for the best chocolate cake that I could buy for my ‘chocolate lover’ roomie’s birthday. Another must visit for dessert lovers in North Goa
For the grand celebration of my roomie’s 30th birthday, at night, we took a local cab to Love, Passion Karma(LPK) , a club built in an around a water body. It is a must visit for its ambience otherwise passable. We ate, drank and danced the night out and finally returned after a long and beautiful day!
Day 2- Sundowner
Giving the regular north Goa beach and touristy places a miss, , we decided to laze around for a Sundowner party at Thallassa, Vagator. We started the day with a visit to my favourite breakfast place at Goa, The Lila Cafe, Anjuna. We chatted up with the sweet old German couple who owns this place and settled in to grab a ham and buffalo mozzarella croissant sandwich and strawberry milk shake. Must visit yet again! This place has its own vivacious charm and the food is fresh and good. The croissants are a must have.
We then went to the Anjuna flea market, shopped for a few souvenirs and in the afternoon went down to Thalassa, a Greek restaurant in Vagator at the hilltop with the most magnificent sunset view. We lazed around with some cocktails, some straight shots and lots and lots of food. Fried Feta cheese, stuffed squid, lamb koftas and white chocolate cheesecake et all. The waiters are friendly and chatty. One of them even did us a favor by keeping our corner sunset table, even during rush hour!
Post sunset we caught up with my ex colleague and localite Deepti and we went for dinner to Souza Lobo at Calangute. The restaurant is located at the touristy end of Calangute and was a let-down after Thallassa even though the food was good. Try their Goan Prawn curry and fried calamari if at all you happen to o visit there. After day of food adventure and relaxation, we finally retired for the day
ProTip:
- If you are foodie and want to explore the best of food joints in Goa, save all the money by staying in an economic and centrally located hotel, hostel or guest house. You can also save up on travel by renting a bike or a car.
- Be wary of the cab drivers, bargain and also be careful of the roads you take. Try and book cabs via local contact or take recommendation from your trusted hotel or lodge owner. Keep a map handy and act calm, note down cab number. Message it to a confidante. Talk or fake talk over the phone to a localite friend giving exact location. Also chat up with the driver and sound informed.
- We ended up spending more and I am sure you can visit the same places in a budget vacation as well.
Stay tuned for part 2, as we take you through our next days of beach hopping in South Goa.
Lokyana 