Sumeet Bhobe, (CEO, Snip) shares his recommendation about what Goa has to offer
An ideal place to trot to this season is:
I would recommend Viva Chorao; perched high on the hill, you can see the Mandovi lazily meandering its way through the mangroves into the Arabian Sea.
Things you must see and do at that place are:
Order a pint of beer. Consume. Repeat.
Some delectable Goan dishes that you must try are:
Shark ambot-tik and Rawa fried Chonak fish with Goan par-boiled rice for lunch or dinner and Prawn rissois (deep fried pouches of creamy shrimp).
A local restaurant for a traditional Goan culinary fix is:
Babazin’s at Verem; unbelievable view and truly home style food. Mum’s Kitchen for curetted and hard-to-find recipes.
Things that you must add to your itinerary for an ideal day in Goa:
Join in one of the free cycling rides conducted by ProByk. You will see an entirely different side of Goa and get some exercise! Check their Facebook page for schedules.
The most scenic place in Goa is:
The inner reaches of Palolem are lovely for the beachniks but Chorao Island is quite brilliant too. Take a day trip to this quaint island village fringed by mangroves and exotic birds. This is the kind of place to retire to, if you’ve got high blood pressure.
A heritage site that you shouldn’t miss is:
Most definitely the 14th century Shiva Temple built by the Kadambas in Tambdi Surla. No one knows how and why it was built deep in the jungles of Sattari. You could drive there, but It’s worth trekking through the emerald jungle to reach this archeological masterpiece. Youth Hostel of India conducts regular treks in the monsoon season.
A night club where you must party at is:
I’m not much of a party animal, but it’s a close call between LPK (Verem), Tito’s (Baga), and Sinq (Sinquerim)
The best place for all the shopaholics to be is:
Goa is not a destination for High Street or Luxury brands. However, you will find really unique and reasonably priced designer wear at Sacha’s Shop in Central Panaji.
The best place to experience wildlife in Goa is:
Salim Ali bird sanctuary in Chorao and of course, the various nightclubs dotting the Candolim – Calangute coast 🙂
For us at Planet-Goa, our team is driven by that feeling of exhilaration that one gets when discovering that something ‘unique’ and ‘new’ about Goa for our ever-so-discerning readers.
