Planning for a vacation in Goa this monsoon? Kaia, Ashvem is ready to welcome you

A Goan couple on a motorcycle pass a cross placed by the roadside near Ashvem beach, in north Goa. Pic/Getty Images

Relaxing
Tour & Taste
Adventure
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Ancient & Historical

There is a steady patter of rain on a roof embellished with coconut palms and paddy grass. Occasionally, the monsoon wind howls, showing us who is the boss in July. Bamboo and local Chira stone dominate the architectural framework at KAIA (@kaiagoa), Ashvem's new hospitality outpost. The 14-room resort in north Goa, neatly sliced into two--the Village with 10 rooms and the Villa, with four rooms - is readying to welcome its first visitor. Founder-partner Dhaval Udeshi is joined by Nikita Harisinghani, who leads concept, design and marketing; Pawan Shahri, who handles business strategy, and actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is investor at Chrome Asia Hospitality's debut hotel project.

Pointing to the trees on the property, Udeshi says they have worked around them. "Why cut them, their roots run so deep."

English Project

The roots of Ashvemkars go deep too, we realise when we meet locals Lawrence F, Nazareth D'Souza, Peter Fernandes and Oswald Britto. The quartet, living in the vicinity, say that Goa is better connected with the Mopa airport. The fact that the hotel is having a monsoon launch during a season where the Goan spirit of Susegad (laid-back) is so pronounced that one could not only be reclining on a hammock strung between two coconut trees, but even fall off it and still not bother getting back up, "is proof Goa is changing. Here, the community has employment during what was traditionally considered downtime," say the residents. More guests mean that many more residents can rent out their houses for home stays or connect with Airbnb through the year. A young Goan we meet says that for the youth, the hospitality ventures offer fruitful gap employment until they bag a job on a cruise ship. Then there are those like Britto and Fernandes, who swear, "we will never leave Ashwem".

A room with a view

The hotel too does not want its guests to leave in a hurry. They'd be happy to have visitors book a long stay, treat it like home, write a book and be inspired by the sunset. A walk with locals, fishing with the community and beach clean-ups are part of the leisure itinerary for those who wish to connect with the community outside. The other plan is to invite resident experts for a cooking workshop. Simmer and serve is chef Mohit Savargaonkar's job, and he whips up small plates that tease and big plates that appease. We tried and liked the rancheros (fried eggs, refried beans, salsa roja, pico de gallo, sliced avocado) and the quick, healthy Mexican bowl. Inspired by regional cooking techniques and ingredients available around, he serves a beetroot dip with poee or leavened bread traditionally made by Goan bakers or poders. The chef, who replaces the usual hat with a trendy headband, tells us, "We procure cheese from a Swiss resident who runs a fromagerie 5 kms away from here."

The towering hourglass-shaped bar was created by a team of eight artisans over 400 hours

Post-meal coffees can be savoured at a roastery within the property where you inhale Pranayam style and take in the aroma of freshly roasted beans. Goa is tripping big on coffee right now, with hip bars dotting the green. Has the land of feni switched to frappuccino?

Those in the mood for something stronger can trudge to the towering hourglass-shaped bar created by a team of eight artisans over 400 hours. The mixologists will encourage you to make your own cocktail, so don't be daunted. You can lean against a tree in the interiors, put on some of your James Bond swag and say to the experts 007 fashion, I'll have mine shaken not stirred.

We suggest that you sign off with a sound healing experience with local musicians, the outrageously talented Sina Siav and Ulyana Astania, the artistes behind Navakuna Academy & Records. They hold sessions on the property to demonstrate the healing power of sound. Siav plays the didgeridoo, an Australian aboriginal wind instrument, and hand pan with aplomb, while the sound of the waves complements Astania's arresting voice. And just like that, we are at the crux again, which was ‘go vocal for local'. But the sound workshop showed us that it is pretty good when locals go vocal too.

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