I have to admit, the Goa vacation was more an “Ok, fine!” reaction to pandemic peer pressure. Having said that, seeing a place after 13 years does evoke a range of emotions!
In fact, Goa is a bundle of memories anyway! Our first visit was in 1997 – a college trip, and we were in Miramar when we heard that Princess Diana had died. I didn’t know then that this would be my home for two years at the dawn of the millennium. Our first vacation after marriage was Goa again, and we dropped in annually for three years from 2006, until we dropped it from our travel list altogether. And then it was 2021, and the world had changed!
When I was planning the trip, I was actually surprised at the distances. I used to ride a 10-year old Kiney from Ribandar to Arambol and Palolem! I could have done things so stupid and joyous only when I was that young! Almost exactly half my current age! But wait, we were on a vacation during a pandemic – masks, face shields, temperature checks notwithstanding! Especially since…
Mukesh Rishi at the airport meant that I almost had a Bulla fanboi moment, but D distracted me (I’m sure, on purpose) and ensured I couldn’t get a selfie! :\
Getting there
We got ourselves a cab from the airport. Fares start at Rs.1950. It takes a little over an hour and a half from the airport, and the driver told us how there would be practically no one at Agonda! Ha! A nice little nostalgia trip happened on the way when we passed the Verna Industrial Estate. I took a photo to send to my classmate – this was where we had done a project a couple of decades ago.
Stay
Agonda over the standard destinations up north was a choice in favour of relative serenity. Yes, there are trade-offs, and we’ll get to that. A recommendation and a few reviews led us to The Bay, which cost us Rs.7500/night, breakfast and this view included.
Groups with noisy little people or grown-up little people are an unavoidable annoyance in India, and Agonda is no exception. It didn’t help that the hotel had tables set up in front of the cottages, for dinner. On a relative note though, the beach was tranquil, especially during our chosen times – before lunch, and late afternoons and nights.
The hotel can arrange autos and cabs for you to get around. Make sure you negotiate prices before you start.
Do
There are a bunch of places to visit around – the rock formations, the Turtle Head view, the Cola beach nearby (apparently if you’re lucky, you could catch some bioluminescence after moonrise). The hotel can also arrange a river cruise, and the regular beach activities.
But then again, why do anything when there’s so much nothing to do! So our time was mostly spent thus –
Lounging Inside Lounging outside
That’s not to say we did nothing. We did walk around a bit, catching funny boat names..
…and trying (and failing) to catch the sunset at Cabo de Rama, a 20 minute drive away. If you want to see the fort, make sure you get there early – it closes by 5PM.
Eat & Drink
Now this is stuff we take seriously. Agonda is really not the place for Goan gastronomy, but that’s something we knew beforehand. Remember trade-offs? There is an amazing dearth of pork and beef in this part of Goa for some reason!
We went to Simrose only for beef, and that was just about okay. Madhu makes a pretty neat Calamari in butter sauce.
Kopi-Desa promised much but they have a smaller menu for lunch and even in that, they aren’t very aware of what is available! Not recommended.
Kamaya is a nice place to grab lunch – a nice view and they make an excellent Carbonara. D tried the Eight Finger Eddie IPA and loved it. To the extent she left her entire kamaayi there! We realised it later in the evening, and thankfully, the wallet had been kept safe!
We also visited Palolem for old times’ sake. It was absolutely crowded, but we found a nice spot at Silver Star (formerly Cocktails & Dreams) to watch the world go by, while gorging on some excellent chilli beef.
The place you must visit though is The Fisherman’s Wharf. I think they have three outlets in Goa. We visited the nearest one in Cavelossim (this is definitely Putin country, judging by signages!), and had a great experience. Super food – everything we tried was excellent, and wonderful ambience with live music and a beautiful river view (reserve well in advance and ask for it specifically).
Peach Sangria & K Smoked & Fish Ambotik, Beef Assad, Pork Vindalho & Sannas Old Fashioned & Pineapple Margarita
I do wonder if we have to wait another decade for the next visit. One never really knows.