Temples, Spices and Old Goa

Destination	Departure	Return	Price Includes	Price
Temples, Spices and Old Goa	9.30am	4.00pm	Entrance Fees, Picnic Lunch and Travel	1500 Rs/-

 

Tropical Spice Plantation

Hidden away from the tourist hotspots of Goa are huge spice plantations that produce many of Goa's fantastic aromatic spices. Once at the plantation you will either make your way over the riverway by bridge or by boat depending on the season, once on firm land you will be welcomed with a herbal tea and a leaflet briefing you about the plantation.

A guide will then take you on a tour of the plantation which will last about one hour, the guide will explain about all the spices and plants you discover and tell you about their medcicinal properties. Black pepper, cardamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, chillies, coriander and all spice are just some of the spice plants you will find in the plantation. Varieties of Cashew trees, betelnut palm trees and some tropical fruits like Star fruit, Custard apples, Papaya, Bananas, Pineapples and the Citrus fruits are also found in the grounds.

There is the chance to see a kingfisher dive into the water, watch the monkeys playing in the trees, and watch one of the staff climb the trees and swing from tree to tree, as this is how the fruit is collected, the normally cover 60 trees, swingingfrom one to another without going back to earth.

After you tur round the plantation, you will be served lunch in an open air restuarnt by the riverside, the lunch is a very tasty local meal served on a banana leaf, accompanied by a sweet dish and a tipple of cashew feni (Goan speciality), or Urraq (a light version of feni). While relaxing with your lunch, you might get glipse of a few of the nearly 80 species of birds that have been sighted within the plantation, birds of paradise, cuckoos, koel, cousals, owls, maina, horn bills, pittas, parrots and large eagles are just a few of the birds living around the grounds.

Depending on season, there's the chance of a paddle boat or row boat down the river to look more closely at the beautiful birds in their natual environment.

 

Old Goa and Temples

Old Goa is known as the spiritual heart of Portuguese Goa, it receives a stead flow of tourists, but not too many to spoil this beautiful peaceful churchlined town.

Occassionally you might be lucky enough to see a great pilgrimage to the tomb of St Francis Xavier in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The Se Cathedral, the largest of the churches here, it was built in the first quarter of the 17th century. Inside it has richly guilded panels in the main altar showing the maryrdom of the saint. The buildings in the center of Old Goa are surrounded by oddly shaped trees that curve their way upto the sky, they make great pictures with the clear blue skys of India as a backdrop.

It's a great place to unwind and view the beauty of these magnificent buildings. From here we drive to the spice plantation and visit a Hindu temple along the way for pictures and a chance to sample some of the foods, sold by locals along the way.