Goa, India (CNN) – In July, when the threat of Covid-19 diminished, the Goa government declared the popular Indian state open to domestic tourism after months of closure.
Since then, thousands of travelers have flocked to this safe beach resort. The traffic congestion during the day is back and the decibel levels have risen at local nightclubs as the party returns to Goa.
But was this destination once linked to unprecedented hedonism and unbridled commercial tourism in its old ways, without considering the negative economic, environmental and social impacts?
This group of 20 tourism businesses, established in 2018, is committed to practicing and promoting responsible and sustainable travel.
Here we examine the offerings of several of the enterprises in more depth and find out how they work to rediscover Goa for good.
A conscious approach to dolphin watching
The Terra Conscious Ocean Biodiversity Expereince tour includes dolphin watching.
Ulrich Müller / Terra Conscious
The most popular experience is Ocean Biodiversity Experience, which includes dolphins and lasts about three hours.
Just after dawn we set off with a merry fishing boat to the estuary of the Chapora River before leaving for the sea.
Mitra presents a fascinating information session on the humpback dolphin in the Indian Ocean – even using a stuffed toy dolphin as a demonstration prop.
But it is not dolphins that we encounter as we enter deeper waters. Just below the surface are a multitude of ailments.
Mitra says they are attracted to the increasing number of plankton near the coast – a result of global warming – while their predators (sunfish and turtles) are declining for the same reason.
“We need to think of the marine ecosystem as one interconnected world where everything touches on everything but existence in isolation,” says Mitra.
After some time, a flash of gray and pink appears as the mammals graze through the ocean in search of prey. They come up and move so fast that it’s hard to see more than a fleeting glance, but it’s exciting nonetheless to be so close to these beautiful inhabitants of the depths.
The skipper does not try to chase them and causes a stress reaction.
Mitra explains that Terra Conscious has partnered with the traditional boat operators watching dolphins to give them a larger share of the business, while at the same time raising their operational standards to meet globally accepted ethical standards for conducting such voyages.
But perhaps the most innovative program is a partnership with the Goa Forest Department, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) India and Drishti Marine Services, in which they report on (and save, if possible) the marine life trapped on Goa’s numerous beaches.
Terra Conscious’s specific role, along with the IUCN, is to coordinate the operation on a daily basis, while the two groups also maintain a beach database that is submitted to the Forest Department from time to time.
Fresh food, fresh ideas
Goa’s Prana Cafe serves dishes made with locally sourced organic ingredients.
Thanks to Prana Cafe
Some Goa restaurants are also responding to the call to make a greater commitment to sustainability.
“The idea of Prana relates firstly to the food being brought to the table absolutely fresh (it is never stored for another day) and secondly to the predominant focus on the use of local organic ingredients,” says founder Vikram Malaney .
Dishes range from delicious shrimp dumplings flavored with ginger and garlic to hummus and couscous salad. Innovative smoothies are made from unique ingredients such as goji berries, almond milk and dates.
The cafe is housed in a rising thatched hut built in the traditional Tamil Nadu coastal style, using exclusively wood and palm leaves without the use of concrete or nails. Solar panels are used to heat the water.
Throughout the space, creative artworks donated by painters are invited to join their annual artist field.
Once a week a farmers market is held, while guests are invited once a month to take part in a beach clean-up.
Profits are donated by a family foundation and are used to sponsor educational films focused on environmental issues, as well as to provide free consultation services with local NGOs who need help conceptualizing, implementing and monitoring their projects.
Enrich local experiences
Make it Happen offers guided walks through Goa’s colorful Fontainhas area.
Thanks to Let It Happen
Goa has a rich cultural heritage that stems from centuries of Hindu, Muslim and Christian rule among the Portuguese, who are often overlooked by the crowds rushing to the beaches and casinos.
Victor is a strong believer in community-based tourism, which means making it happen, contributing to the local economy by creating his tours through livelihoods (cafes and eateries on the go, and supporting local musicians and dancers).
“We combine experiences for life lessons to develop with each personal interaction on our tours,” says Victor.
The flagship tour is a walk through Fontainhas, the Latin Quarter of Panjim, the largest and oldest region in Asia.
Fontainhas is named after the small fountain that bubbles at the foot of the Altinho hill. Its narrow streets, filled with standing balconies with wrought iron railings and walls cheerfully painted in an abundance of colors from yellow to magenta, are a pleasure to explore.
During a recent tour, our young guide lets us taste our typical Goan sweets at the venerable bakery on January 31, while the tour ends in another cafe, Nostalgia, where we are treated to a soulful rendition of ‘The Girl from Ipanema ‘by local musician Maxie Miranda.
Our second cultural decline is an e-bike tour through Divar Island, a large river island on the Mandovi River. Here lies a piece of rural Goa that clung fiercely to its past. That is, 6,000 residents who have rejected all attempts to connect them by bridge to the mainland.
We ride our bikes on a battered old motorboat that rides across the Mandovi and is transported into a tranquil world of paddy fields, winding roads and lovely churches.
Across the island are fascinating traces of a Hindu civilization extinct under Portuguese rule, including hidden idol caves and ancient ruins of temple baths. After three hours of exploration, a delicious vegetarian meal at the Devayaa Resort is a welcome end to the tour.
Educational Adventures
Konkan Explorers offers tours of Goa’s beautiful mangrove forests.
Ranjan Pal
“As a trained anthropologist, I was always intrigued by the complex relationship Indians had with the natural world, while as a trained sailor I was able to draw on my nautical experience of growing up as part of a sailing family in Marseille,” he says. to CNN. Travel.
“Konkan Explorers was for me the obvious way to combine these two passions.”
We board the small, specially designed fiberglass red mangrove boat from the Chopdem ferry and soon ascend the Chapora River upstream when the tide pulls out.
Conservation is part of the package and solar panels on the canopy provide the power to control the navigation equipment and the marine toilet.
We sail together for about an hour before dropping anchor in the midstream near a large mangrove swamp, where we sit on the expedition kayaks and head down on the swamp.
Soon we are engulfed by a mysterious shady green world, while gray great apes float out of sight and repel mangrove crabs under gnarled tree trunks. The water is shallow here and at some point Ribo jumps off to do a mini-biology lesson.
Several of us follow it and sink into a nutritious black slime, which Ribo encourages us to plaster on our faces and arms until we look like rogue commandos.
Then it’s back to motherhood and time to get up.
The whole tour is fun and fulfilling, the extreme professionalism of the crew and the detailed knowledge-based information session that Ribo gave ensures a positive experience with water.
Behind the scenes, Konkan Explorers is committed to protecting the environment in which it operates. The entire crew takes part in a clean-up ride on the river every two weeks. Twice a year, the crew brings together local school children as part of their efforts to educate local residents about the importance of protecting the area.
Luxury in a natural setting
Cabo Serai cottages offer easy access to the sea.
Thanks to Cabo Serai
The palace cottages are equipped with all luxuries and offer easy access to the sea, which fills a secluded cove with steep black cliffs. Built on stilts and on high ground to minimize the structural impact on the jungle environment, all constructions were executed using wood and native materials such as laterite stones, mud and coconut.
Water is served in copper dispensers to eliminate disposable plastic and waste is carefully managed through waste separation and composting.
“At Cabo Serai, we are proud to have instilled a culture of awareness in our staff and in our product that enables us to offer guests a true experience of well-being and sustainability,” explains Trupti Wesley, director of the resort .
This commitment to sustainability also extends to the restaurant’s menus. Dishes are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced locally.
In terms of community involvement, Cabo Serai hires a significant number of staff members from the surrounding villages, organizes their cleaning beaches and sterilizes and feeds the stray dogs in the vicinity of the resort.
For those who want to explore, Cabo Serai offers some very interesting routes with panoramic views of the cliffs, including one to the distant fort of Cabo De Rama, one of Goa’s five main forts.
Built by the Hindu Soonda dynasty, the invading Portuguese were withdrawn from them in 1763, using it as a main bastion of their coastal defenses. The sprawling fort lay in ruins and there is nothing left but the ramparts and a few iron cannons, but it offers an impressive view of the Arabian Sea and has a functional chapel attached to St.