India’s dream destination has taken brave leaps towards sustainability and here is how…
Tourism in Goa is estimated to spike in the coming years. Amidst the hustle-bustle, the idea is to preserve Goa’s cultural and natural heritage without meddling with its tourism industry. Centred around this goal, a couple of initiatives have sprung up—all geared towards twisting the age-old narrative of vacaying in Goa.
Artisans in Goa have come up with their community markets to sell sustainable and eco-friendly products: New Earth Gathering, Anjuna Flea Market, and Calangute Market Square are slowly becoming tourists’ favourite places to stroll around and buy souvenirs. This availability of sustainable products—skincare, home décor, vintage, apparel, and edible items, also promotes the necessity for reusing and recycling. Dotted across Goa are these markets held on different days of the week. The Zero Waste Heritage Market is an amazing line-up of music, shopping, cuisines, and culture with plenty of street festivals and workshops. These community spaces have come across as a viable alternative to beach hopping and boozing for many travellers.
The strolls come with breakfast options which turn into mini picnics and offer ample scope to know the heart of Goa in all its unadulterated authenticity. Through the lens of the guides, the hitherto unnoticed details of the place are magnified to create a kaleidoscope of wonders and bewilderment. Based on themes or interests, you can sign up for architecture, local cuisine, art, and culture to know Goa intimately. The trips are both fun and educational, an extravaganza for those who are keen on indulging in the history and past glories of Goa.
Goa has a booming e-biking network with curated and guided tours which offer a chance to descend into the hinterland and explore nature, untainted. From islands, beaches, forests, and architectural hubs, to touristy spots, the immersive experience of the tours increases by leaps and bounds with the bikes. As you wheeze through these spots, you will be enlightened about the lesser-known and quirky aspects of Goa with the help of local guides.
In a bid to equip people with the essential life skills of growing their food, in an organic way, entrepreneurs have come together to prepare group projects wherein participants will work at nurseries and learn the art of farming. With this knowledge, people would be proficient at farming at any inch of available green space, be it on the terrace, garden, or balcony. As candidates engage in growing organic, healthy, and nourishing foods, it creates a distinct core memory of having visited and lived in Goa.
The foray of vegan kitchens, which include cafes and restaurants, into mainstream tourism has also led to the mushrooming of vegan food and farming. This steady demand for vegan and organic food ingredients, in turn, has been a great help to local farmers. From one-pot meals to thalis, soups, snacks, bowls, and all sorts of lip-smacking veg platters, plant-based kebabs, curry, and deserts, owners have been luring tourists after a day of hectic tripping. Many places are also dabbling in international cuisines based on vegan ingredients. Organic grains are also being sold along with fresh farm produce to restock the kitchen shelves and add a vegan twist to everyday recipes. About time that food connoisseurs turn this land into one eccentric food festival.
Besides these novel initiatives, boutique hotels are a promising new addition keen on introducing guests to an alternate way of staying in Goa. At the end of the trip, maybe you would be blessed with a new thought process of living life sustainably?
