Chilling in South Goa – 1 week in Benaulim

Kali

7 years ago

1 week chilling in Benaulim, South Goa

Overnight Bus from Mumbai to Goa

The sleeper coach left Mumbai hours behind schedule, ploughing through the evening rush-hour traffic, picking up delivery boxes along the way and eventually headed south for Goa. I had planned to travel from Mumbai to Kolkata (Calcutta) crossing India from West to East coast, some 2,000 kilometres overland, but Juan refused to go to another big city, and anyway we wanted to get down to our dream destination of Kerala. I only chose South Goa to break up the journey and ended up staying for a week captivated by the infinite beautiful beaches.

Goa is a world apart from the rest of India; this state was under Portuguese rule from 1510 until 1961 and the seafaring nation has left its mark. The local families are mainly of Christian descent, the streets are clean and tidy, the typical houses are freshly painted in pretty colours, and there are no homeless people or beggars in sight. After a tedious journey the overnight coach dropped us off at Margao where we took a short tuk-tuk ride to Benaulim.

Benaulim – South Goa

Benaulim is a quiet seaside village in South Goa with a laid-back atmosphere and a sprinkling of expats who return for a few months every year; it’s not a party resort.

Budget-priced Minria Guesthouse is a lovely place to stay. Minria suggested we stay for one night and then move into an apartment for six days.

It was nice to have our own space, shop for breakfast and lunch at the local stores and fruit stalls. I took advantage to catch up on my writing and then spent the afternoons walking along the immense sandy beaches. This is a cool place to be, especially if you’re a digital nomad like me!

Benaulim Beach

It’s a five minute walk from the village down the lane to the shore. There’s no seafront as such just a sprinkling of thatched wooden restaurants with tables on the sands, perfect in the evenings for a romantic candlelit dinner.

The wide beaches stretch into the distance as far as the eye can see, a few sun umbrellas and loungers to laze on with a fruit cocktail, a gentle breeze in tropical air, far removed from the madding crowds of Mumbai. Although the sea doesn’t look rough there are undercurrents in the water so you need to be cautious out swimming but don’t worry, the surf patrol guys are on duty up and down the coast to save you!

It’s a good stroll up to Colva, a lively resort which seems popular with day trippers or expats eager for a Saturday night out. On the way you’ll pass some cows chilling on the beach – Goa is a legend for its beach cows and large Kingfisher beers, yes there’s no super tax on booze here! Vasco de Gama is on the horizon, the largest port city in Goa it is named after the illustrious Portuguese discoverer.

The coastline southwards is just as stunning, the fine golden palm fringed beaches hiding holiday huts and the occasional luxury complex. It’s totally impressive, the endless sands stretching to infinity…well almost. It’s a 20 kilometre walk along this fabulous stretch of South Goan beach, from Majorda down to Cavelossim, and Benaulim is somewhere halfway.

South Goa is one of Asia’s dream wedding and honeymoon destinations, an exotic choice for Indians and couples from around the world wanting somewhere special to tie the knot. Not surprisingly we came across one; the lucky groom and his bride in traditional gown having a professional photo shoot on the sands with the blue ocean as a backdrop, while the beachfront hotel was setting the scene for the ceremony beside a stylish flower arch.

The local fishermen have a more challenging day by the look of it. The traditional wooden outrigger canoes look picturesque against this scenic background until you see real life kick-in and a team of wiry men manually hauling the heavy boat out of the sea and sliding it a good 100 metres up onto dry sand.

Late afternoon seems a popular time for parasailing, exhilarating and fascinating to watch until a guy nearly crashed onto Juan’s head. More relaxing and safer to film, a lady was meditating crossed legged contemplating the sun setting over the ocean. That is the most memorable time of day, the hazy orange sunset of Goa over the Arabian Sea.

Goan Cuisine

We found a favourite restaurant which served good food and cool lager at reasonable prices…the legendary large Kingfisher beers! I love the Goan specialties, Chicken Xacuti cooked in a tangy sauce made with local spices and roasted coconut, grilled Kingfish fillet with prawns and the hot Vindaloo curries.

I ignored invitations to a silent party and trance dances (Goa is one of the top nightlife hubs in the world) and chilled in Benaulim for 1 whole week, the only ‘excitement’ an illegal dhirio bullfight, a contest of strength between two water buffalo beasts in a local field full of men goading them on and no doubt betting on the outcome.

It was time to leave Goa and head for Kerala, to discover the exotic landscapes of India’s deep south…

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