Hotel Review: Indulge In Sustainability And Wellness At Cabo Serai, Goa 

Over the last few years, I have visited Goa so often that now it ceases to surprise me. From the jazzy clubs to the susegad charm of Canacona, my Goan travel tales have been so experience-rich that nothing was left to tick off the bucket list. (Or so I thought). However, one visit to Cabo Serai, a luxury retreat in the heart of South Goa, popped my illusion that the land of sun and beaches has nothing left to offer me anymore.

My taxi took off from Dabolim Airport, and an hour-and-a-half later, I had left behind the familiar sights of Goa to reach a mud road leading to the property, which was perched almost 100 ft atop a secluded hill. The sun shone with a ferocity I had not seen in a while, and the waters of the Arabian Sea in front took on a shade of blue only seen in glossy Bollywood movies. A few winding stone steps led down to the Cabo de Rama beach, but the picturesque view of the sea from amongst the coconut trees made me halt every once in a while. Instead of stopping to smell the roses, I was stopping to breathe in the fresh sea air.

A short walk on the beach led to a bridge over a shallow stream with tourists paddling away on kayaks. I wondered how much farther I needed to walk when I stepped inside a coconut grove. Was it my imagination, or did the air feel cooler, the noise of the waves quieter? I didn’t have much time to ponder these questions as a golf cart came rambling by to pick me and my luggage and transport me to my cottage.

The Stay: Cabo Serai In Goa

The property, built on a sprawling 15 acres of land, has eight luxury cottages and three luxury tents. Owner Riad Fyzee bought the land almost two decades ago. Surrounded by lush greenery from all sides and captivating views of the sea below, it impacted him, and he envisioned opening an eco-conscious luxury retreat here. “There were over 700 coconut trees, around 250 cashew trees, and many more trees of local variety. We kept it all as it is easy because we wanted to maintain the connection with nature,” said Fyzee.   

I kicked off my stay with a light salad, prepared with local organic ingredients, at the restaurant before being escorted to my cottage. An expansive deck balcony offering spectacular sea views caught my eye as soon as I entered the spacious cottage. I could imagine myself curled up on one of their comfortable chairs and losing myself in a good book – a mini selection of them on the table – a gesture that could not have gone unnoticed by a book-lover like me. From the plush interiors designed with modern amenities to the selection of organic teas and coffees, everything has been designed with comfort, sustainability, and luxury in mind.

Built on sustainability, the cottages have been designed with eco-friendly materials such as wood and native laterite stones. There was no single-use plastic item, with water served in copper dispensers. Fyzee informed me that even their waste disposal system allows for wet waste composting and recycling.  

The long drive, delicious meal and the promise of a charmed stay made me head to bed for a quick siesta—this was Goa after all – with everything around asking me to slow down and take it easy. A sundowner awaited me in the evening, but not before I took a leisurely dip in their swimming pool. The swim revived me, and I was ready to be transported to the top of a cliff in a golf cart. What awaited me was a scene right out of a romantic film—I was at the edge of a cliff with the sun setting over the azure blue waters, glass lamps lit with candles and a comfortable perch for two replete with soft cushions and a small table.

Dining At Cabo Serai, Goa

The server brought me a peanut, cashew chaat, and a refreshing kokam cooler. I spent a quiet evening, munching on the chaat, admiring the views, and wishing I had someone to share this experience with. Oh well, next time I come here with a date, I promised myself. The resort also organises candlelight dinners on the beach – another reason I need to come back here with someone special.

When I returned to my cottage to retire for the night, a pleasant surprise awaited me: rose water, chickpea flour, and coconut oil mixture kept in the washroom. All natural ingredients meant to be applied to the face and skin to wash off the heat and humidity and feel refreshed before tucking oneself into bed – small, little touches that elevate one’s stay.

Nearby Experiences

Early next morning, I found myself heading down to the Cabo de Rama beach, barely a 10-minute walk away from my cottage via a shortcut near the restaurant. As soon as my feet touched the clean white sands of the beach, I took a deep breath of the mildly salty air and headed straight towards the inviting waters tempting me since the day I arrived. Having the beach all to myself was a luxury, especially for a Delhiite like me. The sea was a gorgeous shade of turquoise blue in the morning, and I waded in the calm, shallow waters until the sun forced me to head back.     

After a hearty breakfast of fresh-cut fruits, orange juice and avocado toast, I set out to check the property, accompanied by Praveen Kumar P, the yoga instructor who doubled up as my daily guide. Down the winding path we went again in the golf cart to the organic garden. Butterflies flitted across my path as I made my way through the garden, which had a number of vegetables growing on one side. I spotted spinach, snake gourd, amaranth, coriander, black pepper, cucumber, pumpkin, kokum, lemongrass and aloe vera before spotting the fruit garden where bananas, papayas, pineapple and mangoes were aplenty. Most of these are used in the restaurant to prepare dishes and drinks. Now I knew why the fruits I had in the morning tasted so fresh, and the fish curry I had the night before had the tang of kokum.

In the evening, Kumar accompanied me on one of the biodiversity nature trails – they offer quite a few, including a village tour of the nearby fishing community and a waterfalls trail. He took the lead, and I followed behind, reaching the cliff where I had a memorable sundowner the previous day. The sky was clear and a lovely shade of blue. In the distance, tiny boats slowly made their way in the sea, which glimmered like diamonds under the evening sun. A cluster of rocks below caught my eye, and Kumar informed me that the locals know it as the lying Buddha. I edged a little closer to the cliff, and sure enough, the rocks did seem to resemble a sleeping form of Buddha.

We kept moving slowly, halting only to spot a kite in the sky or sip water from the bottle. The path veered off to another sharp drop. As I reached the edge where waves came crashing down on the rocks below, with nothing but me, the vast blue sky and the endless sea, I could only think of Irrfan Khan's dialogue from the movie The Namesake: Remember that you and I made this journey together to a place where there was nowhere left to go.

Oh, Goa! Thank you for surprising me, yet again!

The Information | Cabo Serai, Goa

Address: Cabo De Rama Beach, Canaguinim, Goa 403703

Tariff: Starts at INR 12,000 and above during the off-season (April to September), and INR 15,000 and above during October to March

How to Reach Cabo Serai?

The resort is approximately one-and-a-half hours drive by road from Dabolim Airport. You can hail a taxi from there.

For bookings and other details check their website: https://www.caboserai.com/   

When Is The Best Time To Visit Goa?

Goa can be visited all year round. For pleasant weather the winter months from mid-November to mid-February are ideal. During monsoon from June to September it is less crowded and makes for an ideal getaway.