Sea spray, suntans and parties retreat as greenery, the quieter side of the state sees a steady influx of domestic travelers
Sea spray, suntans and parties retreat as greenery, the quieter side of the state sees a steady influx of domestic travelers
The deep forest at Asonora is off limits. But steep, winding roads lined with tea shops lead to a plateau, just a short walk or climb. Here, if you’re lucky, you’ll see peacocks clamoring as brown-headed barbels startle you with a sudden call. Here, dirt roads lead you to an impressive view of the village, which is full of grazing land and forests.
Two kilometers away, the Club is Mahindra’s biggest asset to date: nestled in this quiet village in North Goa. The 33-acre property is the newest to offer experiences that a typical Goa-going tourist might not be familiar with. Devoid of sea spray, suntan and rave parties, Goa’s green, serene side is the star here.
The state is witnessing an image shift, impacted by domestic tourists and long-stay travelers who come here through the pandemic. Leaving the neon party scenes and bustling beach shacks of Anjuna, Calangute and Baga, they now come in search of hiking trails, serene villages and local food.
The property is surrounded by hills and dense vegetation. photo credit: Yash Mankotia
Vijay Gawade, a naturalist who leads the hiking trails for Club Mahindra Asonora, confirms that it is one of the most favorite outdoor activities of his guests, especially families. And, more so, ever since the pandemic began. As he takes us through the road to Asonora, we see a Brahmanical kite, a swallow, a cuckoo, a magpie and a red-mustched bulbul. We engage the local community to find more trails nearby,” says the enthusiastic trekker who is from North Goa himself, adding, “When it rains, it is even more beautiful.”
date with dolphin
“We have always felt that the northern part of Goa is virgin in nature,” says Prateek Majumdar, Chief Marketing Officer, Club Mahindra. he adds. “Most of the tourists visiting Goa have done the commercial part of Goa at least once – especially those over the age of 35, with families and children.” The property often hosts three generations of families, as this quieter side of Goa tends to be more inclusive for young children and elderly grandparents.
These visitors now want a place where they can spend time with families and with nature. Since the pandemic began, Prateek says he has seen a huge increase in experiential services: a desire to go for nature walks, bird watching experiences. Amit Kumar, General Manager, ITC Grand Goa says, “The homey style and local cuisine has also created a lot of interest in the minds of our guests. Nestled amidst swaying coconut groves and sparkling lagoons in Cansolim, South Goa, the luxury resort now seeks to meet the changing demands of post-pandemic travelers with curated village trails and Goa’s culinary masterclasses. “Even in a holiday destination like Goa, more groups are looking for meaningful experiences,” says Amit.
A view from one of the Terra Conscious Trails | photo credit: Terra Conscious
Pooja Mitra, co-founder of Terra Conscious, a social enterprise that curates nature-based travel experiences with a special focus on marine and coastal conservation, agrees that “there is a need for offbeat experiences in terms of more travelers.” There has been a change in terms of exploring and supporting nature-based travel ventures,” it said, adding, “There is a concern among locals that the large-scale tourism activities along with the development of its associated infrastructure include fragile coastline and biodiversity.” affecting diversity.”
She thinks the change can be attributed to a number of factors. If we are looking at it from the lens of a pandemic, “probably because a lot of people moved here from other cities for longer periods – migration/workplace etc – during the peak of the pandemic. We have more people here in the off-season than in non-pandemic years. So that allows even those who give experience in the off-season to see increased traction. ,
A Kayaking Trail by Terra Conscious | photo credit: Roshan Gonsalves
In addition to its conservation work, Terra Conscious offers two experiences (November – May) called the Ocean Biodiversity Experience and the Mangrove and Estuary Experience, designed to raise awareness about Goa’s coastal ecosystem and marine wildlife. There are boat trips.
“We have organized Kayaking Trail to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves in Nerul River, Candolim,” says Pooja. They also lead cycling and nature walks to learn about Goa’s plateau ecosystem in partnership with academic researchers. The team is working with the Goa Forest Department to develop guidelines for responsible wildlife-based tourism and organize capacity building programs for boat operators and guides.
“Being a part of the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot, we are home to marine mammals, crocodiles, sea turtle nests, coral reefs, otters, diverse bird species, insects, leopards, bison and even tigers. Lucky for those who have been told. Mhadei. Therefore, routes offering visitors to these habitats and species are popular and are becoming increasingly knowledge-driven as well,” says Pooja.
Vivenda dos Pahalcos, Majorda | photo credit: special arrangement
Beach Out, Heritage Inn
The centuries-old Portuguese houses have always attracted international tourists. Lately, domestic travelers are also looking for heritage homes to visit, especially on frequent visits. Vivenda dos Pahalcos in Majorda to the south, with an Airbnb listing, a 100-year-old, “carefully renovated” Portuguese home with an in-house tuk-tuk facility, has been hosting a lot of domestic travelers lately. One half of the property used to be a Hindu house or farmhouse and the other, Portuguese, and all of its rooms are named after places where host Simon Hayward and Sister Charlotte visited and loved. “When I got home about 18 or 19 years ago, all my friends were saying I was crazy, and that I had to live north and within two miles of Baga. But I fell in love with this house.” But Majorda Beach has always had a charm that, to an extent, still stands in contrast to the commercial beaches in the north, Simon says. “Many of our guests are those who have come to the South for the first time,” says Simon. “In season, most of our guests were from Europe and England: those who wanted to escape the European winter. Now, instead of just the season, there has been a huge increase in the number of domestic tourists during the year.”
Maria Dey, whose Figuedero Inn, a 430-year-old mansion that is also listed on Airbnb and surrounded by coconut plantations and lush grazing land, has been seeing more visitors since the pandemic. “We have a lot of young couples and families coming over,” she says. Most of his visitors come looking for the “different side of Goa”. The growing crop of young businesses that specialize in heritage and architectural trails like Make It Happen and Soul Traveling is testament to the same.
Parag Ragnekar, wildlife conservationist and head of Mrigaya Expeditions, says, “In the late 80s and 90s, Goa was a major birding destination for foreigners, especially Europeans. “They will come on leave for two weeks for this. But other aspects like culture were not of interest. Now, people are discovering culture and heritage. Recently, I took a group on the Nature Trail and they wanted to see how the local bread was made. They may not be hard core wildlife-enthusiasts, but they still want to get bits and pieces of everything. ,
Apart from the wildlife sanctuaries, the coastal mudflaps at Agasam, Zuari and inland water bodies at Curtorim village and Carambolim are the hotspots for birds. In monsoon, the plateaus are worth seeing, says Parag. “Plateaus are misunderstood as an ecosystem habitat. Although they are considered barren, they hold a lot of life.”
In the north, those looking for a more laid-back and quality-driven experience are choosing to stay away from the main beach areas and head north to Mandrem and Morjim. And in the south, perhaps in areas like Patnam and Galjibaga. The movement to the south is being driven, at least in part, by social media. Pooja says, “You just have to look at the development on beaches like Palolem, Benaulim and Agonda which caters to the visitors, to know that it is not based on recent trends, but the ever-increasing interest in all parts of Goa. including the hinterland.