Insider’s Guide: 27 Best Vegan Restaurants & Cafes in Goa in 2023.
As a foodie, I’m always on the lookout for vegan, healthy, organic, ethically-sourced, ideally gluten free, world-inspired food.
All posts filed under: Goa
My Alternative Travel Guide to Goa.
Beyond the beaches, crowds and cut-copy-paste lists, my unique guide to offbeat Goa, featuring responsible travel experiences discovered over the years!
Alila Diwa: A Little Bit of Goa and A Whole Lot of Luxury.
In Majorda Goa, a unique boutique hotel with Goan-Portuguese-Balinese architecture on the edge of the rice paddies. Welcome to Alila Diwa Majorda Goa! When I dream of Goa, I don’t hear the roar of the ocean or feel the sand on my feet. I hear the pitter-patter of rain on old Portuguese roofs and the chatter of women in their rice paddies. I feel potent home-brewed Urakh smoothly slipping down my throat, a burst of flavors from fiery curries on my tongue and my mind slipping into a susegado mode. Earlier this year, when I landed in India after a six-month sojourn across Central and North America, I knew I needed Goa as much as I needed a cocoon of luxury to call my own. Alila Diwa was the kind of place on my mind, and this is why I loved staying there: Floating on the edge You know that feeling of lounging on a relaxing beach chair, floating in a pool that has no edge, shades on your eyes to keep the sun out, the wind ruffling your hair, a cocktail …
The Joy of Slow Travel.
I’m sitting on a window sill as I write this, feeling the cool breeze on my face and watching the incessant rains spring new life into the wilderness that surrounds my (temporary) home in Goa. The joy of driving, walking and just being in the monsoons is not mine alone. The village folk are out in their carpet-like rice paddies, tilling the land in their colorful ponchos, humming along cheerful tunes at the late monsoon arrival. It took me a few days of being here to slip into the susagade mode of Goa, feeling content with life, appreciating the little things like hot tea and freshly-baked Goan poi on rainy evenings, happy to gaze out at the wild beauty that surrounds me. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.
Goa is a State of Mind.
A poem on green Goa, dedicated to the Goa state of mind <3 Every monsoon, when most tourists leave, I try to find my way to Goa. The lush rice paddies, the stormy Arabian Sea, old abandoned Portuguese houses and that distinct Goa in the monsoon feeling beckons. I’ve put together an alternative travel guide to Goa, highlighting incredible responsible travel experiences to discover Goa beyond the beaches and crowds. I’ve written about mindblowing experiences in offbeat Goa for those who really want to get off the beaten track. I’ve even traversed back-lanes and obscure neighborhoods in search of Vegan(vegetarian) friendly restaurants and some of the most authentic Goan food in North Goa But the Goa state of mind isn’t easy to describe or capture in words. In this little poem on green Goa, I give it a humble try: A poem on green Goa Every summer, Goans moved base to Calangute Beach Four times its current size, in days of no electricity No beach shacks, no sunbathers, this was the era of hippies The …
A Visual Journey Through Goa in The Monsoon.
Goa in the monsoon is a whole other tropical universe – lush paddies, deserted beaches, flowing backwaters, so much to love. A few days ago, I reluctantly bid adieu to Goa, and followed my heart to Kumaon. As I snuggle up in a cosy room in what was once a hippie town near Binsar, I reminisce about my time in the hinterlands of Goa. Whizzing around the lush green landscapes of a Goan village, the cool breeze in my hair, a light drizzle splashing off my face and the salty aroma of the sea breeze. Goa in the monsoon made me feel a sense of liberation that I’ve tried to capture in this photo essay: WHIZZING AROUND GOA ON MY BIKE With the wind in my hair, and lush green fields swaying in the backdrop. SOAKING IN THE SERENITY OF GOA’s BACKWATERS watching men fish, smoke and socialize. CRUISING THROUGH GOA’S RIVERINE BACKWATERS with my host from Cancio’s House, on a speed boat. Definitely Goa’s best kept secret. GOA IN THE MONSOON SPECIAL: MR CROC, …
10 Local Restaurants for Authentic Goan Food in North Goa.
On the search for the best Goan food in North Goa? These are my best finds over several foodie monsoons in Goa, updated for 2022! My time in Goa has busted two myths – that Goa is only about the beaches and crowds, and that Goan food has nothing to delight vegans or vegetarians. I’ve been indulging my taste buds in local delights. Home-baked Goan breads called Poi and Pao, seasonal vegetable curries cooked with Goan spices, homemade appetizers, and Goan sweets / desserts I had never heard of before. Also read: Insider’s Guide: Best Vegan Restaurants and Cafes in Goa in 2022 Here are ten Goan restaurants that delighted me, culinarily and otherwise. And for you seafood and meat lovers out there, my friend vouches for these even with carnivorous taste buds! 1. Venite, Panjim: A glimpse of Goan cuisine The first thing you notice about Venite is its charming decor. Little balconies lit up with dim lights overlook the street, each with a table for two. Lamps made from coconut skin adorn the …
Offbeat Goa: 12 Mind-Blowing Experiences.
I’ve spent months seeking out Goa experiences you won’t find in any travel guide. If you’re looking for offbeat places to stay in Goa or places to see in Goa other than beaches, go after my finds! On a rainy afternoon, wrapped up in my blue poncho, I drive my bike past verdant rice paddies, abandoned railway tracks and sleepy hamlets. The search for soulful Goa experiences leads me to little-known islands in the interiors of Goa. On the empty ferry, the surprised driver asks me why I’m going there. Why? Because these islands are covered in mangroves and home to mist-laden meadows. Adorned with old Portuguese homes. Large populations of birds and tiny populations of people who, far from the beaches and revellers of Goa, exemplify the susagade (content) way of life. Goa experiences off the beaten path I’ve spent two blissful monsoon seasons discovering Goa experiences beyond the beaches. Take my list and go, and soak in moments you never could have imagined: 1. Discover the sleepy Chorao Island – my favorite among offbeat places in Goa In the heart of North Goa, this …