Sights in South Goa
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Polem Beach
Goa’s southernmost beach, ranged along a beautiful small bay, is seldom-visited but makes a fine spot for a seaside stroll or a picnic on the deserted sands, with a beautiful view of a cluster of rocky islands out towards the horizon. Tourist development hasn’t yet made it as far as Polem, and the beach retains a decidedly local feel, with a handful of fishermen bringing in their catch to the northern end and nothing much else to keep you company except scuttling crabs and circling seabirds. For a fishy lunch so fresh it’s still dithering, stop at the Kamaxi Hotel among the palms, run by the eccentric local Laxaman Raikar. He also stocks Kingfisher, if you’re in need of s…
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Cabo da Rama Fort
A fort, named after the god Rama of the Hindu Ramayana epic fame, has occupied this bluff guarding the mouth of the Sal River for centuries, and came into Portuguese possession in 1763. Used as a prison until about half a century ago, there’s not much to see these days, though the drive through thick coconut forests is a real treat, and it’s without doubt a windswept and melancholy spot with a couple of cold-drinks stalls at the entrance, a luxury the poor Portuguese surely never had.
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Cola Beach
Faded signs from the main coastal road direct you down to hidden Cola Beach. Park, and hike down over the headland to get to this quiet, picturesque cove equipped with just one rustic beach-hut operation and a whole lot of blissful solitude.
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Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
About 9km east of Palolem, and a good day trip, is the beautiful, remote-feeling Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa’s second-largest sanctuary and easily its most accessible, if you’ve your own transport. Don’t expect to bump into its more exotic residents (including gaurs, sambars, leopards and spotted deer), but frogs, snakes, monkeys insects and blazingly plumed birds are in ample supply. Marked trails are hikable; set-off early for the best sighting prospects from one of the sanctuary’s two forest watchtowers – though heed the park warden’s recent warning: ‘Don’t climb too high, madam, for ladder is under repair.’
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Utorda Beach
A clean, if slightly characterless stretch of beach, Utorda makes for a pleasant afternoon. Approach via sandbag stepping stones and rickety bridges over a series of fairly stagnant pools, and take your pick from a ragtag bunch of beach shacks, most of which come equipped with sunbeds. Like Arossim and Velsao further north, the pretty coast is offset by the hulking Zuari Agro chemical plant, but it’s nevertheless popular with holidaymakers from the surrounding swish resorts, and comes equipped with a functioning lifeguard.
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Varca Beach
Varca, a seemingly endless palm-backed strip of sand (punctuated here and there by the grounds of a luxury resort or a whitewashed Christian shrine), is quiet, calm and almost entirely hawker-free, making it easy to find a quiet spot all to yourself. Outside the resorts, one good access point is the portion known as Zalor Beach; follow signposts from Varca village, near the church. ‘You are being watched, ’ declares a final sign when you arrive, ‘No spitting or abusing children.’
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Velsao Beach
Velsao Beach makes for a quiet place to get away from it all in the company of just a lifeguard, a scattering of tourists and a flock or two of milling sea birds. The beach road travels through thick coconut groves past dozens of old bungalows, whilst the coastal road around this stretch makes for a delicious countryside drive, fringed with lily pad– studded lakes and paddy fields, and coconut groves stretching gently down to the sea.
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Fernandes House
A kilometre east past the church, and open to the public, is the Fernandes House, whose original building dates back more than 500 years, while the Portuguese section was tacked on by the Fernandes family in 1821. The secret basement hideaway, full of gun holes and with an escape tunnel to the river, was used by the family to flee attackers. A minimum Rs100-per-visitor donation is expected.
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Savoi Spice Plantation
Nearby, the 200-year-old Savoi Spice Plantation, whose motto is ‘Organic Since Origin’, is less touristy and elephant-free, but you’ll find a warm welcome from knowledgeable guides keen to walk you through the 40-hectare plantation. Local crafts are for sale, and you’ll be welcomed with fresh pomegranate juice, cardamom bananas and other organic treats.
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Betul
A small, sweet workaday village hugging the Sal River estuary, Betul will be your introduction to southern Goa if you’re heading down the coast via the Candolim ferry. There are few specific sights here, but it’s worth climbing up to the cross-topped Baradi Hillock viewpoint, especially for sunset, to see the glorious southern beach stretching off into the distance.
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Rajbag Beach
Quiet little Rajbag is these days dominated by the presence of the luxury Intercontinental resort, and most of its visitors are consequently hotel guests. It makes for a nice walk, however, from Patnem Beach to the north, clambering across the rocks along the way. Like many beaches in this area, though, beware a treacherous undertow when swimming.
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Galgibag Beach
Gorgeous, deserted Galgibag is one of the last preserves of Goa’s endangered Olive Ridley turtles, and is a beautiful pine-backed stretch of deserted sands. Don’t come here to swim – undertows and currents are strong – but it’s unsurpassed for a quiet, nature-immersed walk.
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Tropical Spice Farm
One of the best spice plantations to visit is the Tropical Spice Farm, 5km northeast of Ponda. An entertaining 45-minute tour of the spice plantation, followed by a banana-leaf buffet lunch, is included in the price, and elephant rides (Rs 500) and bathings (Rs 600) are also available.
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Butterfly Beach
Hire a local boatman at the north end of Palolem Beach or in Colomb Bay to ferry you up to Butterfly Beach and back, relishing the views of untouched coastline along the way.
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Church of the Holy Spirit
The richly decorated Church of the Holy Spirit is certainly worth a look and can be positively exciting when a big service is taking place.
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