Why WFH? Work from Goa!
The ideal dream for a Goa WFH is full of sunshine and crashing waves. Every tourist, digital nomad and globetrotter has a certain idea of how Goa looks. We know, we had it too! Well, most of us. Until we spent a few monsoons here and were made privy to a very charismatic secret – the state’s monsoon makeover! How could we have missed this? Remote work can be fulfilling in a rainy Goa.
Here are 7 beautiful things that should hype Goa up as a monsoon WFH destination –
Table of Contents
1. Waterfalls
Come July and Goa bursts up with all kinds of waterfall treks. An ideal WFH break would be to go trekking! The monsoon season in Goa is defined by people exploring forests and bathing in rivers, packing picnic lunches and trekking with raincoats. It’s good exercise and breathtaking beyond your wildest dreams. Some of the more popular waterfalls are Dudhsagar, Netravali, Surla, Harvalem, Hivrem, Chavarnem and a few other secret ones. If you make the right friends you might just get to see them! Just be careful and make sure you don’t wander out on your own if you don’t have the right experience. Remember, you’re doing this for fun!
2. Chikhal Kalo
Amongst the places to visit in Goa during the rainy season, no one will say Mashel. Mashel is a small village in Ponda, the only one in the state with a temple dedicated to Devaki-Krishna. Devaki was Krishna’s mother and this mother-son relationship isn’t celebrated as the rest. So to honour this and to celebrate Krishna’s childlike nature, Goans celebrate the mud festival. Chikhal in Konkani is mud and kalo is a mix. The old and the young get together to play in the mud and lose all their inhibitions! What would be a better WFH fun activity opportunity than the rainy season in Goa?
3. Spice Plantations
The best part about rains in Goa is the vegetation that comes to life! Goa is all shades of green and grey and our hearts skip a beat when we’re in the thick of it! The best place to indulge in nature’s company are Goa’s spice plantations. They’re some really fun tourist destinations in Goa that aren’t talked of much. The owners take you around their plantation, talk about some fascinating history and science and feed you a scrumptious hot authentic local meal. What’s not to like here? You’re in Goa, it’s raining and you’re enjoying some good food in nature’s company!
4. Sao Joao
It is said that St John was in his mother’s womb when she heard the news of Jesus’ birth. He was so happy to hear it that he leapt with joy in her womb! Every year, Goans celebrate St John’s birthday by getting a little tipsy and jumping with joy into wells and rivers! What’s more, they even dress up for this festival! They wear headgears called copels made from creepers called Sao Joaoche vaal ( St John’s vine), play loud music and dance a lot! Of the festivals to celebrate in Goa during monsoon, Sao Joao bags a recommendation. It’s just the after WHF workday party you’re looking for!
5. Ganesh Chathurthi
Call us crazy, but Goans love their Ganpatti Bappa (that’s what we adoringly call lord Ganesha). We await his birthday eagerly and all the pomp it brings! Bringing home a Ganesha idol and taking it back for visarjan eventually when in Goa’s rains is another exciting feeling of its own. Not to forget, Goans make a mean patoli – a dessert made of rice batter with coconut jaggery filling, steamed in aromatic turmeric leaves.
Other delicacies that have won our hearts-
- Kulkuls
- Nevreos
- Modaks
- Chakris
The list is endless! You can even pack these to snack on during your WFH days. So yes, if you’re looking for rainy season activities in Goa, this local festival awaits you.
6. Walking Around
Call us boring but we think dressing up in a raincoat and aimlessly wandering on Goa’s pretty village roads is a monsoon activity. One of my personal favourites. Some of the roads, especially in Saligao, Anjuna, Assagao and even the villages in the South of Goa like Rachol are lined with thriving paddy fields and palm trees. You can spot snails, earthworms, butterflies, dragonflies, peacocks and all kinds of wildlife that’s grateful for the downpour! The rainy season in Goa is a song that makes your heart feel full of gratitude and we promise you, you’d never want to stop walking through it! NomadGao is open and looking for some company on its strolls.
7. Bonderam
Boderaam is one of the lesser-known local festivals of Goa. There are three major communities on the island of Divar. All of them were each other’s rivals. To avoid any skirmishes and maintain peace, the villagers decided to mark their territories with bandeiras, a portuguese word meaning flags! So even today, this event is remembered and celebrated with much gusto!
People dress up, have floats, music, dance and of course…flags! If you’re looking for fun things to do on Divar island or in Goa’s rains, attending the Bonderam carnival is something you shouldn’t forget!
Final thoughts
So whoever said monsoons in Goa are boring, you’re missing out! A rural workation will open you to exploring new things, experiencing a land for what it is and give you a very unique taste of offbeat Goa. If nothing else, you’ll brag about having done something that’s not mainstream, like we are right now. If not that, a good cup of hot, spicy, mulled wine just hits right in the cool rainy season in Goa. So when the time’s right, google the festival dates, make bookings with trek organisers, spice plantations and NomadGao since you’re planning to bring your work along and let Goa’s monsoons do the rest! We promise you, WFH cannot get better than this.
