Arjun Mehta
Adventure Travel Writer
Old Goa's Baroque Churches
The Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses the preserved body of St. Francis Xavier. It's been nearly 500 years and the body remains intact — a fact that draws both devotees and the curious. Nearby, the Se Cathedral is the largest church in Asia and has extraordinary painted altarpieces. Old Goa is fifteen minutes from Panaji by road and receives a fraction of the footfall of North Goa beaches.
Fontainhas: Goa's Latin Quarter
Fontainhas in Panaji is a grid of narrow streets lined with brightly painted Portuguese-era houses — ochre, indigo, lime green — their windows framed by carved wooden shutters. The neighbourhood has a handful of excellent cafes, independent bookshops, and art galleries. The best way to see it is on foot in the late afternoon when the light turns golden. Entry is free; no tour guide required.
Sahakari Spice Farm
Forty kilometres from Panaji in Ponda, Sahakari Spice Farm offers a 90-minute guided walk through four acres of spice cultivation — pepper vines climbing areca palms, vanilla orchids, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The tour ends with a traditional Goan lunch served on banana leaves. Booking in advance is recommended; entry with lunch is ₹850 per person.
Dudhsagar Waterfalls by Jeep
The four-tiered Dudhsagar (Sea of Milk) waterfall drops 310 metres and is one of India's tallest. The only way in is a 45-minute jeep safari on forest tracks through Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. The entry point is Mollem National Park; shared jeeps depart from the forest check-post and cost approximately ₹1,200 per person. Swimming is permitted in the pool at the base, which is a rare thrill.
Feni: The Spirit of Goa
Cashew fenny — distilled from the fermented juice of the cashew apple — is Goa's indigenous spirit and a GI-tagged product. Several small distilleries in Querim and Pernem welcome visitors during the cashew harvest season (March–May). Watching the extraction and double-distillation process, then tasting fresh fenny straight from the pot still, is an experience no food lover should pass up.
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