Dudhsagar Plantation

In the early 1980s, a young couple returned to Goa with their two children and a dream.

Doris and Ajit Malkarnekar took up a barren land suffering from the effects of deforestation and spent the next three decades turning it into a successful tropical plantation, and then, a home. 

Today, that home is Dudhsagar Plantation – a homestay offering the best of Goa: natural beauty, good food, and a taste of the slow life. The 50-acre property's tucked away among houses in Karmona, near Mollem Biodiversity Park. The entire plantation serves several purposes: it's a spice farm, a cashew farm, and a biodiversity spot too, home to insects, butterflies, and birds.  

Ajit and his son, Ashok, look after the property now and are usually on hand to tell you the family history, walk you through the plantation and talk about life in Goa.

Why stay at Dudhsagar Plantation?

At Dudhsagar, there's always something to do, or not do. 

It’s a homestay that promises time with nature and delivers excellently on that front. With only five cottages, you're guaranteed a peaceful stay. The only sound of habitation comes from the kitchen – otherwise, the silence is loud and golden. There are no parties and boisterous evenings but, instead, retreats and yoga and mindfulness activities. Nights are made for stargazing and watching fireflies, and days are meant to laze by the pool or go birdwatching. 

What are the rooms like at Dudhsagar Plantation?

Sweeping lobbies and airconditioned rooms are swapped out for mud pathways and cottages, lined with rows and rows of trees. There's a circular dining area with a high roof, open on all sides, which serves as a reception. 

The five cottages are built with bricks and feature a tiled roof. They're simple one-bedroom spaces with open-to-sky spacious bathrooms (maybe don't bathe at night!), plus a small balcony sit-out space, ideal for evening tea. Simply furnished, too, with a bed, a study table, and space for bags. 

Keep in mind that the cottages aren't air conditioned. There are fans, but the rooms stay cool because of the natural building materials. Keep the doors shut, though! The lush surroundings may translate to a visit from a friendly lizard. 

What’s there to eat and drink at Dudhsagar Plantation?

The meals at Dudhsagar Plantation were the highlight of my stay. Farm-to-table's a daily ritual practiced here, and you can be sure it's not the buzzword type of place, simply because of the sheer quantity of Goan produce on hand. 

There's no fixed menu. You mention if you want a meal, at additional cost, and they'll serve you one in mud pots or kunddlems, with coconut shell spoons. Meals are usually vegetarian – coconut-flecked seasonal vegetables, homemade pickles and chutneys – and the food's mildly spiced and not overtly oily. Seasonal fare's prioritised – so colocasia and tarkilo in the monsoon, raw jackfruit in summer, and vegetable curries made with banana flower and papaya all year round. Look out for cashew season, because they often curate entire meals around the cashew apple! 

What to do at Dudhsagar Plantation?

Dudhsagar Plantation swings both ways, activities-wise. There's space enough to chill out and enjoy the peace, but you like to be out and about, you can do that too. 

Skip the spice farms dotting much of central and South Goa for a spice trail – they call it a farm walk – because here is a thorough introduction into popular spices and their use in Goan food. The walk takes you past fruiting trees, herbs, and vegetables, and if you ask nicely, you can also learn about composting, irrigation and planting. Definitely seek out the blooming bimbli/ tree sorrel and bite into its crisp, piquant fruit. Birdwatchers, get your binoculars out and try to spot one of the 220 birds noted in the region.

There’s a natural swimming pool on site, which doesn’t have that stark, chlorine tint but a plant-based filtration system keeping the water clean. 

They also conduct yoga retreats, workshops on meditation, and art classes throughout the year. 

A distilling experience on site

The biggest activity draw is in summer, when their distillery is functional. A restored heritage distillery on site distils cashew feni, sold under their brand, Ouro. Their Finding Feni farm-to-bottle experience takes you through all the steps: plucking the cashew apples, stomping on them, fermenting and distilling the juice, and tasting the fresh urrak (the first distillate of cashew juice). As bonus activities, you can try roasting cashew nuts too. 

What's the area like around Dudhsagar Plantation?

If you drag yourself away from the bounties on-site, Dudhsagar’s prized location will reveal itself to you. A short distance away is the starting point to the trek/ jeep ride to Dudhsagar Waterfall, one of those must-visit Goan sites. If wildlife sightings are your jam, there are safaris from October to May through Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.

The top of your list must include a visit to the Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla Temple, a vision of Kadamba architecture in black basalt stone. A longer drive away are the stately old Goan (not Portuguese!) mansions in Chandor, the Selaulim Dam whose duckbill spillway is a monsoon treat, and a visit to Goa’s oldest prehistoric site, the rock carvings at Usgalimal.

In the summer, they can organise a walk through the neighbourhood, and take you to a swimming point. In the monsoon, they will take you to a hidden stream for natural fish spas.

Time Out tip: Each season offers something unique. In the monsoon, for instance, the preferred activity is the bioluminescence night walk showing you glowing fungi in the forest.