Places I‘ve been to: Cavala, Goa

In life, I have found someone who fuels my wanderlust and shoots it to a whole new level, and for this I consider myself fortunate beyond all reckoning.

We both find our comfort in the rev of the engine and the familiar sight fo the highway riding into the horizon. We try to accomplish at least three road trips to Goa per year, if not four. The car has been our faithful companion for these trips, thank you. No, we do not take the Bombay-Goa NH17, there’s no fun on a 2-laned, 2-way highway where incidents lurk on every dangerous turn, no sir. NH-4 is or preferred route, and so is Cavala, our preferred resort in Goa, whose people have been seeing our faces since over 9 years now.

While on the Mumbai Goa, Highway, take a right (or left, depending where you’re coming from) from O-Coqueiro, towards Calangute. Ride past the old houses and a big church and turn to go to Baga road. Take the road the leads to Baga beach and in 10 minutes you’ll reach a fork: one road from here will lead you to the beach and the other to the Baga bridge. Cavala, sits comfortably on this fork, inviting you into its premise, protected by the big Almond and other kind hearted trees who have offered shade to many a traveller, while the people at Cavala offer beer.

For me, the first drink at Cavala has to be Kings Beer. In fact, I seldom remember drinking water, unless it’s used for mixing whisky, but anyways, let’s keep the booze story for later. Cavala was recommended by an acquaintance. He described the place as quint and happy and we decided to put it to test. Those were the years of shallow pockets and overnight bus journeys, when we needed peaceful open arms of comfort more than anything else at dawn. This was one of my first visits.

Cavala obliged and how. And Kings Beer has, since then, continued to revive my faith back in mankind.

The place greeted us with its bright blue laughter. The chairs and those hard wooden benches of the open air restaurant are more comforting than plush leather. The tariff won’t make you bite the lip. Remember, I mentioned shallow pockets earlier and Cavala was quite friendly with me during those days, and is so, even still. I personally like room no. 12, a suite that has a terrace that’s as big as the room or room no. 15, with a balcony overlooking the Baga bridge. I have spent hours in the balcony, chatting, sipping and watching numerous birds that visit the resort. The food briskly touches the local cuisine’s genre, but we have eating joints at Goa allocated for that sector (another time, another story). I strongly recommend continental here. Fine, have your Lasagna and baked crab, but please don’t miss the Chicken Liver Pate. The complimentary breakfast comes with eggs of your choice, but if I were you, I would ask for Poi, the local bread instead of slices or toasts. However, I’ve rarely had lunch at Cavala, we are too nomadic in Goa for that. The place shines brightly with its lights during evenings, when the who’s who of Goa (most of them are the owner’s friends) shake a leg to Spanish, retro or rock tunes delivered by live performances.

Oh yes, they distill their own Feni too. Trust me when I say so, for I've had a few Fenis in my life: the Feni at Cavala can only be compared to the exclusive custom-made Feni, which hardened uncles in Goa order at home in liters. And Feni isn't much fun if it's not smooching music. Tidal Wave, one of Goa’s most popular rock bands play here pretty often. Of course you have a book a table in advance to get a comfortable place near the bar, which, after certain time, doesn’t matter. With high spirits, people take to their feet and get jiggy with it, or try to, till the deep end of the night. A night at Cavala is a must for any Goan visit, and a stay at Cavala is a must for a life time. Certainly, I have lost track of the times I had visited Cavala.

And I can’t even begin to tell you how many visits are pending still.

Cavala on Trip Advisor Cavala's Website

#Goa #Cavala #Fun #Feni #India