New business-class seats seemingly pop up every few months.
30.07.2024 - 16:23 / lonelyplanet.com
Jul 30, 2024 • 10 min read
If leisure had a poster child, it would be Goa.
One of India’s smallest states sits on the western coast, bordered by the Arabian Sea. It enjoys popularity for being a destination that offers something for every kind of traveler, from the hippies to the adventure junkies. Need a relaxing vacation? Check. Need to improve mental health and wellbeing? Check. Need to eat your weight in good food? Check. Need to party all night? Check. Need to immerse yourself in culture? Check. Need to get cozy with nature? Check. Goa will help you tick off every item on your to-do list.
Four centuries of colonial rule have fed into the state’s ethos, impacting every aspect of its identity. Goa may have changed dramatically through the years, but there is a new generation of Goans who are hard at work to showcase (and preserve) its traditions. This is a boon for locals, and travelers alike.
Good things come in small packages and Goa offers the best of a travel destination in one neatly wrapped, captivating package.
When in Goa, drink local. Goa’s state drink is feni, a potent homegrown spirit made with the juice of the cashew apple, or the sap of the coconut palm. Cashew feni is double distilled, and the first distillation yields a refreshing drink called urrak – also a hit, especially in summer months. These spirits are only found in Goa and are an integral part of the state’s identity. Start with urrak or a coconut feni, which are milder, or look for a feni cocktail in the nearest bar.
To learn more about this drink visit a cashew farm, Fazenda Cazulo, for a feni tasting conducted by Hansel Vaz. Vaz is the founder of Cazulo Premium Feni, and for a decade, has been working tirelessly to popularise this spirit and bring it recognition. There, you will learn about the process, see the instruments used, taste some expressions and understand how feni pairs with food.
Local tip: Goa is also home to a burgeoning craft spirits movement, and some distilleries like Paul John, Tamras, Maka di, and Goa Brewing Co, are open for tours.
Goans love two things with passion: football and music. If seeking a better understanding of the latter, step into a 200-year-old Goan home in Panaji. It’s a house that overlooks the river, and one section has been converted into the Centre for Indo-Portuguese Arts (CIPA).
Part of this is Madra Goa, a small room beautifully decorated with oyster shell panes, tiled awnings, printed umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, and the Goan ghumott (percussion instrument) and the Portuguese guitar. One wall has been painted to look like a street in Lisbon. It is in front of this “street” that celebrated Goan fadista (fado singer) Sonia Shirsat, accompanied by musicians (and sometimes,
New business-class seats seemingly pop up every few months.
This is part of Global Sounds, a collection of stories spotlighting the music trends forging connections in 2024.
If the end of summer has you craving more vacation time, a new offer could be just the ticket. Wizz Air, based in Budapest, recently announced an «All You Can Fly» subscription pass that allows travelers to journey throughout the world for just a few hundred dollars. For a very limited time, the program is only €499 (approximately $537) per year, and the price jumps to €599 (approximately $657) from August 16, 2024. Travelers can begin using their flight pass for flights after September 25, 2024. While the program has the subscription fee, the flights are technically not free. Travelers are charged a small €10 (approximately $11) fee for each flight segment they book, according to the program's terms.
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