“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”
Gary Snyder
Off-the-Beach Nature Trails in Goa
December is a month when most of us plan up holidays with friends and family. Sometimes even solo. There begins our search for a unique destination. One that tops every list of must visit places and is evergreen through the year owing to its spectacular beaches, is Goa.
Hoping to look beyond beaches, I discovered few pristine off-the-beach nature trails during my 10 day stay at North Goa. While most of them were walking trails, a welcome change was a boat ride to spot dolphins. The best thing about all these experiences is that except for the dolphin spotting and the trek at Lower Fort Aguada, rest all are possible to do anytime of the day. So pack your rucksack, get into sturdy shoes and comfy clothing, and get set to go!
Dolphin Watch on Nerul river
Just ahead of Sinquerim towards the Upper Fort Aguada is a quiet flowing Nerul river. One haunt of the famed Dolphins found around Goan waters. An early morning tour starting at 7am with a friendly local boatman led us to the open expanse of the vast river. Binoculars in hand, we peered into them in all earnest to spot the joyful creatures. And yes, we sighted them all right. Not just once, but three times over!
The river cruise also covers two points of interest – the Fort Aguada Jail and the bungalow of billionaire Jimmy Gazdar. The Portuguese era jail is a lonely and fearsome place where escape is only a dream. It is being converted into a museum now.
Jimmy’s bungalow, as locals call it, is a palatial mansion designed by Gerard Da Cunha and is famous for its rocking parties of A-Listers. The property is of course off limits but exquisite gazebos, multiple landings and manicured gardens are visible from the boat.
Trek at Lower Fort Aguada
Just off the main Fort Aguada road, a narrow, partially paved lane leads to Taj’s signature property – The Taj Fort Aguada Resort and Spa. A few steps down the main entrance and one can see a large rampart of the Lower Fort Aguada. A popular hangout zone for visitors of the Sinquerim Beach. 250m ahead is another rampart, and most people end their walk here.
The more adventurous of the lot does a trail walk that starts just behind this rampart and leads as far as the Upper Fort Aguada. There is only a heavily trodden path going up and down the cliffs and through the wild bushes and grass growing around.
A good 40 minutes of walk takes one past another rampart, some ruins of walls and Devil’s Fingers, a geographical rock formation on the rocky beach below. Spectacular views of the sunset greet us here, but if you’re a photographer, it’s best attempted early in the morning as I did. And if you catch a frolicking dolphin in the deep sea here, that’s a bonus. Anti-skid shoes and a water bottle are a must for this easy to medium trek.
Walk to the Chicolna Lake
Of any places in Goa that are hard to find on Google Maps, this is one of them. The heart-shaped lagoon in Chicolna is near Bogmalo beach in South Goa. Locating the closest point to park the vehicle and walk to it is an adventure by itself. After a bouncy ride to the parking lot and the rocky walk to the cliff, you reach the point where romance takes over.
A perfect heart-shaped geological wonder greets your eyes. Well, almost. A rain-water lagoon, it loses its “shape” in the drier months. Still, the location is refreshingly quiet, the views are inspiring and the sparkling clean water a definite invite to swim.
Deep inside Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
Chorao island near Panaji is a short ferry ride away from Ribandar ferry wharf. It houses the smallest protected area in Goa that is the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. A jungle of mangroves hosts the local and the migratory birds from time to time. Also rare marine species.
There are two ways to explore the sanctuary – one, a short 1 km walk within; second, a canoe ride around the mangroves. The well laid out walkway goes through dense mangroves and has an information centre and a watchtower to observe the avians.
Waterfalls at Harvalem
After what seemed like a drive across the state of Goa to its eastern periphery, the Harvalem (Arvalem) falls welcomed us with a 7m wide embrace of water mist. A popular swimming hole and rafting trail is what the cascade offers to the visitors.
Also, the ancient Buddhist caves (Pandav caves) and the Rudreshwar Temple are close-by. What’s more enchanting is the tiny village around the steps leading to the waterfall. Half a day well spent amidst heritage, nature and culture.
