I could clearly see two sets of leopard tracks in the firm sand and paused my Garmin to consider my options for a few minutes. Do I continue in the hope that the cats are now dozing in the morning sun or do I turn back towards the village? This was my fifth early morning run through the jungle and while I was happy to have confirmation that leopards exist in this part of paradise, I was a little uncomfortable of their possible proximity. Having assessed the potential risks I decided to bravely carry on and in reading this you will know that I survived!
These runs were one of the highlights of my recent week at Agonda Beach in Southern Goa. They not only took me through the jungle but also past temples, mangrove lagoons, yoga retreats, colonies of fruit bats and once (that was enough!) into the more bustling resort of Palolem.
Agonda Beach is a picture perfect 2.5km stretch of sand and one of four protected beaches in India. 20 or so turtles lay their eggs here every year and these eggs are gently gathered and moved to a guarded area on the beach. As a result, there are tight controls around the types of buildings, lighting and music levels and I felt like I had travelled back 25 years in time when most of the beaches in SE Asia were similarly undeveloped. The gentle pace of life revolves around daylight hours and the west facing beach provides a stunning sunset view.
Dogs and cows are ubiquitous; gangs of dogs patrol their patches of the beach although their night time escapades can be a little noisy. The cows are fairly harmless and groups of ladies do a great job of cleaning the beach every day.
On the small street running parallel to the beach are numerous small shops selling the usual Indian fare – spices, bedspreads, cushion covers, silver jewellery and cheap clothing. Restaurants are also plentiful; with appetising South Indian fare and a good selection of international food should you ever need it. Needless to say, the juices and lassis were delicious and £10 a day will feed and water you very well!
It’s possible to rent motorcycles and taxis and to arrange excursions further afield but once you’ve installed yourself in paradise it becomes increasingly difficult to leave…..
Where I stayed: Agonda Villas (http://agondavillas.com/)
How to get there: fly to Goa airport or to Mumbai and then take the train to Madgaon. A taxi from Goa airport to Agonda costs £20
Eating: these are some of the restaurants we tried and enjoyed: Mariposa, Agonda Corner, Madhu’s, and Greenland
