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by michaelhudson
Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, United Kingdom
December 14, 2005
Far away from the beaches on the outskirts of Ponda, a visit to Sahakari Spice Farm is one of Goa’s most memorable and informative day trips.
As we entered the grounds, we were greeted with a traditional dance, a garland of flowers, and a short presentation on the history of the plantation, accompanied by drinks of coconut milk; hot lemon grass, ginger, and cardamom tea; and handfuls of cashew nuts from a coconut bowl. The 40-minute guided tour that follows takes in only a small fraction of the estate’s 130 acres but is extremely interesting, with explanations of fenni (the local firewater) distillation, the extraction of cinnamon from tree bark and energy from cow dung, plus the financial and medicinal values of spices such as vanilla, coffee, coriander, black pepper, and turmeric. The commentary is a little earnest but thankfully more anecdotal than scientific, and the pace of the tour is very easy, with lots of stops to view the spices close up and pose for photos. The route is also impressively scenic, winding along the river bank, across wooden bridges, and past drying spices and even a pair of elephants, which you can ride or bathe for an extra fee if you wish.
Back at the beginning, it’s time for the buffet lunch, consumed out of coconut shell cups and bowls and betel nut plates. With coconut ashtrays and bamboo napkin holders, only the metal cutlery is environmentally unsound. The food is varied and filling but nothing spectacular, with a choice of plain or jeera rice, chicken or vegetable curry, dhal, bread buns, fried potatoes and kingfish, salad, pickle, and roast papad. A dessert tray of watermelon and pineapple slices arrives after you’ve finished, and you can pick your own bananas from a big bunch hanging nearby. Soft drinks are extra, but you can drink as much cashew fenni as you’re able to free of charge.
The day ends with the bill--300 rupees per person for the tour and lunch, plus a 20 rupee service charge per group--and a visit to the farm shop, where the selection is good but the prices higher than you’d pay at the likes of Anjuna Flea Market.
Travel agents at the main beaches operate day trips to Sahakari, but it's best to come by your own transport in order to combine the spice farm with the nearby Hindu temples. Local buses run regularly from Panjim to Ponda, from where you can walk the remaining 3km, take a taxi (50 rupees), or wait for one of the buses heading east out of town. Although it's still very touristy, the plantation is a fascinating counterpoint to the beaches. However, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with children, as it's a long day with the travelling and there is very little to appeal to kids other than the elephants.
From journal Three Weeks on a Beach: Goa