Susegad, Salty Breeze And Beach Therapy Make Goa The Perfect Getaway

If I had to describe Goa in three words, I would say lush, calm and introspective. 

I visited Goa for the first time when I was in school with my family and I kept returning. In the last 6-7 years I must have visited the place three to four times every year – that’s the effect it has on you.

Last year we were building a house in Goa and did some light installations inspired by the tropical region. We used new materials that we generally don’t use such as rattan, embalmed dried leaves and the entire pursuit led to the Goa Collection for Klove Studio.

There are many great places to stay in Goa even though I mostly stay with friends or rent a place and now I have my own place. But I had a rather nice stay at Shunya Noi Varo, a Goan heritage villa tastefully done up in contemporary Scandinavian aesthetics. The old school Taj Holiday Village Resorts is great too.

Jevon borem!

You are spoilt for choice when it comes to food here. The constant fixture in all of my trips in the last few years has been Prawn Balchao and Mackerel Recheado in Vinayak Restaurant. I would recommend grabbing a meal at Sakana, The Lazy Dog and The Burger Factory. Gun Powder is also a popular option for many tourists.

While all these serve amazing food, I also found some hidden gems in Goa such as the ice cream parlour with amazing gelatos in Anjuna beach.

Go with the flow

Just being in Goa can make you feel like never leaving. The laidback, relaxed attitude, the beaches, the food and more importantly, the place has different things to offer to different people.

It’s very holistic, relaxed and at the same time there’s a notorious angle to Goa as well, so there’s everything for everybody. People who live in Goa have a transformative way of living and I see that positive reflection in the lives of a lot of my friends, who have now moved there. 

My recent trip to Goa in October was fraught with thundershowers and cyclone warnings. It didn’t stop raining even for a minute and we spent most of the time indoors. Even then I ended up having the best time ever.

Goa just looks so beautiful during the rainy season and it was like seeing a different side of the city. I plan to unravel another side of the coastal state by trying a more local approach and less tourist-y visit. There are some brilliant churches that I want to visit and of course, Panjim has long been on my must-visit list.

I really think the Goan susegad way of life is best applied to a trip too, just head here without an agenda and go with the flow.