Paradise Found ; Georgina Rodgers Relaxes on Goa’s Golden Beaches

By Georgina Rodgers

HURTLING along in our clapped-out 4×4 vehicle in the oppressive heat of the mid-morning sun, we swerve suddenly to avoid yet another wandering cow.

In Goa, there are no road markings, few traffic lights, and seemingly no right of way.

The same rules, it seems, apply to the hordes of stray animals that appear only too happy to take a midday nap in the middle of the road.

A single bead of sweat clings tomy forehead, and I amtrying hard to not think about the delicious rogan josh that I devoured the night before.

It seems like we have been travelling for days – in fact, checking my watch, I realise it has only been two hours – but Goa’s bumpy roads make even the shortest of journeys a bit of an ordeal.

“Almost there,” our chirpy driver, Sam, chuckles, before turning onto a stony dirt track.

“No-one knows about this beach, they want to keep it private, so remember – this is our little secret!”

As we emerge for the overgrown track, I realise the car journey was worth every minute.

Before us stretch miles of golden sand as far as we can see.

Palm trees reach up for the sky, and the only noise we can hear is the sound of the Arabian Sea as it crashes rhythmically against the beach.

ANOVERNIGHT stay at the private Cola Beach, in Goa’s far south, is just one of the many optional excursions that independent holiday operator Jewel in the Crown offers to its guests.

We stayed in one of just 12 self-contained, luxurious Rajasthani tents that even have private en-suite bathrooms attached.

Most of our days were spent just lapping up the sun, swimming in the sea, eating delicious home-cooked food and aiming for complete relaxation. It wasn’t hard – it was the perfect respite after leaving the UK’s dark and wintry days behind.

The best time to visit India’s smallest state is between the end of October and the end of April, after which it becomes very humid and the monsoon rages.

There is virtually no rain at all during the winter months and temperatures hit around 30C every day.

In the morning, we knewour stay was complete when we saw the distant shapes of dolphins dipping in and out of the surf past our beachside hut, and a small sea otter poking its head out of the waves in our direction.

Relaxing on beautiful beaches has always been Goa’s main attraction – and, given that the state boasts 100km of coast, there are plenty of deserted locations from Morjim and Aswem in the north to Vagator in the south.

For a busier sunbathing experience, head north to the bustling centres of Baga and Calangute where you can bag yourself a bargain in one of many beachside shacks selling an array of jewellery, clothing and woodwork.

Just remember – be prepared to barter. Sidney, our wonderful rep, summed it up in a sentence: “I want you to walk away and be ashamed at how cheap you are!”

It is very hard to spend money here – you can satisfy your tastebuds with a three-coursemeal for as little as pounds 5, a large beer costs around 80p and you can even bag a made-to-measure silk shirt for pounds 10. Getting around is also cheap and easy, with shorter taxi journeys for as little as 50p.

Hippies first stumbled on this piece of paradise back in the ’60s. It was a colony of Portugal until 1961 and, since then, more and more backpackers, couples and families have been attracted to its laid-back vibe, multicultural atmosphere and welcoming locals.

We were staying in the livelier north at the two-star Senhor Angelo Resort, in Calangute. Although the rooms were fairly basic by European standards, what the decor lacked, the hotel staff more thanmade up for with their charmand desire to help.

With Elton John’s Greatest Hits on replay, there was always a friendly face at the poolside bar ready to offer us a bite to eat or a drink.

For foodies everywhere, dining in Goa is an absolute delight combining a range of Indian, tandoori and seafood dishes.

Our first evening meal took us to the alfresco After Seven restaurant, located between Calangute and Candolim, where a three- coursemeal including their house special – chargrilled steak cooked to perfection – washed down withmango cocktails, cost about pounds 10 a head.

The curries were full of distinctive flavours – spicy but not too hot, and never too heavy like English versions.

Plantain Leaf in Calangute’s bustling centre is definitely worth a visit – the vegetarian restaurant was packed with Indian visitors, which is always a good sign, and the menuwas enormous.

Avisit to India wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a spice plantation. We went to the 200-year-old Savoi Spice Plantation, in Ponda, which displayed a huge array of spices.

As we walked around, attempting to dodge the enormous spiders, our guide made us identify the correct spices.

Later, we had the chance to taste them, as we enjoyed a fantastic lunch served on banana leaves.

This trip is easy to combine with a visit to Dudhsagar waterfalls, which are two hours inland.

The waterfalls – literally translated as the ocean of milk – are the second highest in India and plummet from 610mabove sea level. They are spectacular enough to entice a steady streamof visitors from the coast into the rugged Western Ghats, where some tourists are brave enough to bathe in the refreshing water.

The waterfall itself is accessed via a short trek through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary. En route, hordes of monkeys prise bananas and nuts from the hands of unsuspecting guests – one even opened my fingers one by one hoping for a tasty treat.

If animals are your passion, then a trip to Goa isn’t complete without an elephant ride. We spent two days in Shanti, a tiny hamlet located within the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.

On the first day, we were lucky enough to ride a very friendly elephant into a river where we sat on her back as she sprayed us with cool water. Her reward? Bunches of tasty bananas bought from a local Goanmarket, followed by a coconut scrub of her leathery skin as she relaxed in the cooling waters.

We stayed again in a self-contained hut that was far more sophisticated than I had imagined, with an adjoining open-air bathroom and twin beds. All in all, it was comfortable – as long as you don’t mind sharing your space with the odd creepy-crawly.

Waking in the early morning, we had a wander around the jungle before breakfast. It was the perfect way to start the day.

Away from the towns and villages, Goa has some stunning scenery and much of it is still untouched by mass tourism. As we watched the sun rise up over the hills, I knewI’d definitely be back.

GEORGINA RODGERS went to Goa as a guest of Jewel in the Crown Holidays, which offers a special price for 14 nights’ B&B at Senhor Angelo Resort, in Calangute, for pounds 399 plus pounds 50 fuel supplement on selected dates between February 22 and April 14. Manchester departures cost pounds 20 extra. Jewel in the Crown reservations: 0870 067 2352 or online at www.jewelholidays.com

would you take the Kids?

CHILD FRIENDLY

GOA is best known as the destination for a beach holiday, so children will have lots of fun building sandcastles and playing in the sea. They will also enjoy the local wildlife at one of the many sanctuaries in the region.

The Bhagwan Mahavir Bird sanctuary and Mollem National Park (tel: 226515/224132) is the largest and is located within the foothills of the Western Ghats, near Molem.

Deers, Malayan giant squirrels, cobras, sloths, leopards, elephants and tigers all live there, and you can climb up watchtowers near their waterholes to get a look at them drinking.

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