The Frommer's Perspective
by V. M. de Malar
Last Friday's column was inadvertently cut short, just where we were
about to take a look at Goa through the prism of Frommer's travel
guide.
It's a mainstream American publication that caters to those with lots
of cash and healthy respect for luxurious bathrooms, pristine lodgings,
impeccable service, and exclusivity. And, rather suddenly, Goa has
shown up on its Top Ten list of must-see-places for 2006.
It's the only Asian destination to pass muster, we find ourselves in
unfamiliar territory as a trendy escape for the world's moneyed
travelling set, in rarified company with California and Kenya's
savannahs and millionaire's retreats in Molokai.
It's a long way from the tourist Goa that we recognize, the hippie
paradise that still flickers in pockets of Arambol and Anjuna where
the far-out familiarly blends with ultra-budget accommodations,
moonlit parties, and a spaced-out, anything goes, vibe.
This isn't even backpacker Goa, as defined by the ever-present Lonely
Planet guidebooks, where curiously identical troupes of young people
from around the world dutifully trudge around from approved guesthouse
to approved beachshack to approved tour-guide, where every rupee is
accounted for in advance, where red faces and arguments ensue if the
price wavers above what is noted down in the canon.
No, this is a different Goa has developed only in the past five years.
It's not open to the general public most of the time, you and I are
not necessarily welcome unless properly introduced, walled-off rather
than open to prying eyes, it's where the top end of Goa's marketplace
is going and that is mostly a good thing even if we still don't
exactly understand what's happening.
Look at the Frommer's announcement (www.frommers.com) of Goa's
selection, and you can clearly see the emerging trend. Among the ten
hotels selected, none of Goa's famous five-star establishments got the
highest rating despite all their hype, despite magnificent locations
and grounds.
The only two hotels in Goa that earned Frommer's top ranking are tiny
boutiques -- the pioneering Nilaya Hermitage in Arpora, and Neville
Proenca's low-profile little Pousada Tauma in Calangute. If you wanted
a room at either this week, prepare to pay between 12,000 and 15,000
rupees per night, and be thankful that we're not in peak season, when
prices almost double.
Frommer's perspective on Goan restaurants is also interesting. They
don't recommend Souza Lobo, or Martins, or any seafood restaurants
that Goa has become famous for. There's no Venite, the Panjim fixture
which draws a steady stream of backpackers. There's no O Coqueiro, the
Porvorim landmark that continues to churn out Goan staples. Instead,
there's an unfamiliar trio of establishments that are the only ones to
get Frommer's top nod -- Le Restaurant in Baga, The Banyan Tree at the
Taj Holiday Village, and Copper Bowl back at Pousada Tauma.
Again, the accent is on perfect presentation and superb service, on
perfectionist chefs and exceptional atmosphere.
You can expect to easily drop 1000 rupees per head at these
restaurants, that's still a bargain to Frommer's readership and still
great value for money when compared to the rest of the world, or even
Mumbai. There are more; Horseshoe on Rua de Ourem in Fontainhas, where
Chef Vasco turns out a masterful version of Luso-Indian cuisine, and
Bomra's, the wildly distinctive Burmese restaurant on an otherwise
undistinguished stretch of the road to Fort Aguada.
It's a healthy trend in our tourism marketplace, this Frommer's guide
should serve as inspiration and encouragement to our entrepreneurial
class.
We all need to understand and acknowledge that quality
always counts, that we've made far too many errors in
leaning towards the charter tourism business that has
brought in meager rewards while simultaneously destroying
much of the charm that Goa has always sheltered.
Next time you're in Calangute, pass through the purposely unremarkable
entrance to Pousada Tauma. You're immediately transported into a lush
tropical vision of laterite villas surrounding a twinkling swimming
pool.
Flowers are everywhere, birds flit back between the exotic palms,
absolute peace and quiet reigns, the staff glides soundlessly back and
forth, this is the Goan experience that dreams are made of. This is
Frommer's must-see Goa, and you must see it too before too long.
