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DAY 5: Southern Hospitality
To spend a day on Goa’s more serene and soft-spoken side, head south. Begin with a visit to the Goa Chitra Museum (St. John the Baptist Church Rd., Mondo-Waddo, Benaulim; 011-91-832-657-0877; goachitra. com; admission, AU$4), artist Victor Hugo Gomes’s extensive ode to Goan history,
crammed with 4,000 regional objects, including farming tools, kitchen utensils and rare pottery. You can stock up on souvenirs at Margao Market (Gandhi Market Rd., Margao; Mon.–Sat., 8:30 a.m.–9 p.m.), a series of stalls in south Goa’s capital city where you can sift through spices, soaps and household goodies. For a dip, there is no prettier perch than Palolem Beach or its slightly smaller neighbor, Agonda Beach. Declared one
of the safest swimming spots in Goa, the former is a picture-perfect bay and a worthy kayaking and paddleboarding destination.
DAY 6: Bird’s-Eye View
You can hop on a morning ferry from the Ribandar jetty (about halfway between Panaji and Old Goa) for the 15-minute ride to sleepy Chorão Island and its main attraction: the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (Chorão Island, Panaji). Here you’ll find yourself amid kingfishers, purple herons, white egrets, woodpeckers and cormorants, among other feathered folks. If the tide is high, boatmen, whom you’ll spot near the ferry landing, can take you on a canoe tour of the mangrove- heavy isle (1.5-hour ride, about AU$13). Come evening, try your luck at the Deltin Royale (Noah’s Ark, RND Jetty, DB Marg, Panaji; 011-91-869-859-9999; deltin.com;
admission, from AU$48 a person, including
a buffet dinner, unlimited drinks and playing coupons), a plush four-decker casino cruise— India’s largest offshore gaming complex— with Vegas-inspired entertainment shows.
DAY 7: Meditative Magic
Soak up Goa’s signature susegad spirit in Mandrem, a northern fishing village turned hideaway. As the region’s unofficial yoga and Ayurveda headquarters, the town and its laid- back beach are the backdrop to the Ashiyana Yoga Center (Junas Waddo, Mandrem; 011- 91-985-040-1714; ashiyana-yoga-goa.com),
a picturesque retreat and spa nestled among swaying palms. Drop-in yoga classes are available. Or indulge in a relaxing treatment at the highly rated Shanti Ayurvedic Massage Center (Junas Waddo, Mandrem; 91-880- 620-5264; one-hour massages, from AU$59), where you can choose from options like warm-oil and herbal-powder massages, spa pedicures and henna tattoos. Wrap up your day at Molly’s Beach Shack Restaurant (Molly’s Nest, Mandrem Beach; 011-91-787- 575-0217), where you can sip a sundowner, sink your toes into the sand and gaze at a
fiery sunset as you bid your Goan holiday a reluctant farewell.
STAY
RCI AFFILATED RESORTS IN GOA INCLUDE:
Karma Royal Palms #3594
The Royal Goan Beach Club at Royal Palms
is an elegant colonial-style complex with various apartments and villas.
Member Review: “We felt right at home.”
Karma Royal Haathi Mahal #4129
This resort blends an Indian and Goan atmosphere with modern Western amenities. The central feature of this spectacular resort is a 3-tier swimming with sunken bar surrounded by landscaped gardens and waterfalls that also include water slides, a jacuzzi and a children’s pool.
Member Review: “Prompt and friendly service.”
Royal Karma Monterio #3820
Nearby the Royal Goan Beach Club, watch
the Arpora River flow to the sea, or take a 10-minute walk to Baga Beach, one of the most picturesque beaches in Goa.
Member Review: “The swimming pools are well-maintained.”
26 JANUARY 2017