Go ahead, defy your overseas
friends in their adamant insistence that having fun in Goa only involves drunken
dancing in a club and a gorgeous tan from saltwater swimming.
It’s been said time and again
that Goa is much more than just the beach. But most of these articles tend to
be published during the monsoons when a day at the beach is pretty much a wet
blanket. But it doesn’t always have to be so.
Here’s a chance to get away from
the crowd-choked areas that call all and sundry during ‘season time’ and still
have photographs that will make your social media followers go green.
Karting: Feel a bit of the adrenaline
rush and zip around a track where you can’t endanger the general public. You
don’t need to be a speed junkie to enjoy karting; a little competitive spirit
will do just fine. Children and adolescents find racing around bends bordered
by rubber tires quite exciting, so it’s also possible for parents to keep them
busy while they catch up on local gossip.
Boating at Mayem Lake: Remember those
school trips as a child? Or perhaps even a family trip where you were plonked
into a pedal boat and forced to pose with the sun in your eyes? It doesn’t have
to be this traumatic. Mayem Lake has its own charm with its placid water, lush
greenery all around and a large shady park to finish some reading in. Goa
Tourism runs the Mayem Lake Resort with self-contained cottages should you feel
like soaking in the vicinity. In the nearby Kumbhar vaddo, artisan families make Ganesh idols out of terracotta – a
change from the regular clay idols.
Live in a Portuguese mansion: Pretend
you lived in a bygone era without the stiff frills of aristocratic society.
There are a number of old Portuguese mansions across Goa that offer a trip back
in time. Some built as far back as the 17th century, they are filled
with antiques, paintings and curios that each tell a story; and rooms that
whisper rumours about the people who lived there over the ages.
Go off the grid: Yes, literally. Leave
everything behind and live without a fridge, fan or easily accessible shops. Is
the city soul in you already scared? Don’t be. Tucked away in the Western Ghats
is a farm that indulges in what it likes to call ‘micro tourism’ with simple
eco-friendly solutions, lots of outdoor activities including an overnight trek
in the wilderness and a fusion of multi-cultural cuisine out in the wild.
Sounds too good
to be true, but Off
The Grid certainly delivers.
Pedal your way around Goa: Before the
festive spirit leads to all sorts of lazy indulgent malaises, repair that
forlorn bicycle and pedal into the hinterland. Stay away from the touristy
areas where over-enthusiastic bus drivers can turn your legs to jelly. Try the
stretch from Chandor to Quepem and its surrounding areas where you can stop and
admire the golden fields.
Stop at the Palácio do Deão in Quepem to
admire an ancient legacy of architecture, art and décor, and perhaps grab a
bite to eat.
Kayak down a river: Stretch those arms
and get yourself up a creek. With a paddle though. Goa has more beautiful
rivers than you’ve cared to notice. Exchange loud-mouthed tourists, pesky sand
bugs and the stench of jet ski fuel for a light kayak and oars, thick foliage
bent double over the river banks, and perhaps a mocking monkey or two.
Goa Kayaking has a number of options.
Stuff it: Eat more spoonfuls of
indulgent food than your brain can comprehend. When your workout programmes
reward you with a cheat day, an all-you-can-eat buffet is what you ought to
gift yourself.
Make some high-flying pals: These will come
without the pretentious behaviour affiliated with the human sort. Grab a pair
of binoculars and head into thickly wooded areas. You’ll get a lesson in
silence (switch those phones off and stop chattering), patience and
observation. There’s a vast range of species out there so you might want to lug
along a copy of ‘The Book of Indian Birds’ by Dr Salim Ali, the 13th
edition of which has illustrations by Goa’s own Carl D’Silva.
Get a personalised
introduction to Goa’s avian treasures with Rahul Alvares.
Don’t overthink it; simply get
that calendar out and cross out dates. Friends and family will thank you for a
refreshing change to the fun times they’re used to.
This article was first published in Goa Streets on November 21, 2014.
