The 5 best restaurants in North Goa: April 2017

Friday 28 April 2017

Corporate team building activities in Goa

When people come together and collaborate for a common cause, ideas are born. For a team to succeed, it’s imperative that all the participants get involved and contribute. As Henry Ford once said

“If everyone moves forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

These words still hold weight, not only in the corporate world, but in every aspect of our lives. So what exactly is team building?

What is Team Building?

Team building refers to the various activities undertaken to motivate the team members involved in these activities and increase the overall performance of the team. Activities involved ranges from outdoor beach water sports to indoor programs.

Why is Corporate Team Building important?

The practice of team building brings people together by encouraging collaboration and teamwork. The set up of these activities are such that the team members involved use their competitive spirit in a casual way to attain a particular goal. Team building activities help in fostering harmonious communication channels, deeper discussions and genuine rapport.

To cater such an environment and employee mindset at the workplace, reputed corporate firms often introduce team building activities for their employees every year.

Here are some corporate team building activities in Goa

Kayaking

The group is divided into teams. A relay race will take place where teams have to compete to win. A marker buoy is set afloat in the water. Each team has to race against time and kayak themselves around the marker buoy and back to the beach further handling the kayak to the next team member.

Catamaran Sailing

In Catamaran Sailing, 3 to 5 participants comprise of one team. With 3 members per catamaran, a team member can sail their way across one or multiple buoy’s indicating completion of a milestone. In the final round, 2 participants from the first 2 rounds can be nominated.

River Rafting

In the case of river rafting, no buoys will be involved. A 4-6 member team can be formed and the task at hand will be to reach the final destination. Team members will have to work together to ensure the raft is mobile at all times in turbulent waters. Be prepared to experience that euphoric feeling.

Stand up paddle Boarding

As the name suggests, for stand up paddle boarding the participant has to stand up on the board as shown above. It may be a herculean task for overweight participants, so a solution to that will be lying on the board and swimming. Depending on the team members capacities, options of either standing for the longest time and paddling at a marked distance or lying on the board and swimming up to a marked distance could suffice for the stand-up paddle board task.

Beach Volleyball

This sport doesn’t require much explanation. the basics rules of playing volleyball apply. The only difference is that instead of the rubber turf, the teams will be playing on the beach sand which is divided by a net. The match consists of 3 or more sets and the team with maximum points wins a set. The referee will coordinate the game.

Tug-of-war

Another sport that required no explanation. A fibre battling rope is used here and opposing teams member will pull the rope till one team overpowers the other. Care tips such as keeping the back straight during the activity and other guidelines are provided by the instructor.

CAUTION: Make sure safety boats and certified lifeguards are available on site in case of any unforeseen circumstances. It’s always better to plan advance precautions.

As an employer, a team building activity will be the most important investment you will ever make as it builds employee trust and encourages communication,which overall promotes a healthy corporate culture.

Don’t forget to share this post and for any team building insights, I will be happy to help you. Hit me back at info@atlantiswatersports.com

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Sunday 23 April 2017

Top 5 activities to do in Goa during the monsoons.

Gone are the days where the monsoon season was deemed to be unsuitable for holiday makers coming to Goa. In fact many domestic tourist flock to Goa, one reason being cheaper deals on hotel accommodation offered this season. On the other hand you will also find relatively empty beaches, congestion free roads on a weekend and great customer service at your disposal.

Because of this tourist influx, adventure activities have continued to remain functional from June to October. But due to the seasonal transitions, you won’t find the usual beach/adventure sports activities. Say for example Scuba Diving, which closes for the monsoons and reopens around October. Same happens for the Dhudsagar waterfall trip. But then there are activities which continue to remain functional thought the monsoons.

So to cut out the confusion and to give you a clear picture of what’s happening in Goa this season, we present you the top five activities to do this monsoon season in Goa.

Fly boarding

Not something one immediately associates with Goa but Flyboarding has been steadily gaining momentum in Goa. The movie bang-bang shows Hrithik Roshan performing some crazy fly boarding stunts. So here is your chance to try it out Fly Boarding, but minus the gun play. Fly boarding is safe for non swimmers provided you don’t push the panic button.

River Rafting

For the adventure junkies river rafting is a sweet deal. The experience is really addictive as you get shoved in the raft which drops at different water levels leaves you with a heady feeling. With Goa’s seasonal rivers, rafting should be included on one’s “MUST-DO” list

Trekking

Admire the sights, sounds and voices of Goa’s landscape while trekking. Recommended for folks who want to take a break from the hustle-bustle of city life. This activity is highly recommended for nature and adventure lovers. So if you are one of them, perhaps a Trek to Tambdi Surla should be in your Goa holiday literary.

Water Sports Package

Banana Ride at Baga Beach, Goa — Bumper Ride at Baga Beach, Goa

JetSki, Speed Boat, Banana Ride, Bumper Ride and Kayaking. All of these clubbed in a single water sports package. After going head-on against the turbulent waves, Kayaking on the beach will provide you with a sense of tranquillity of calmness as you paddle yourself in these waters. You will definitely feel a level up after trying all of these adrenaline boosters.

Adventure Boat Cruise

The cream of the crop of all is the Adventure Boat Cruise in Goa. This package is a perfect combo of adventure sports, sightseeing and leisure activities. What you get is Kayaking, Snorkeling, Stand up paddle boarding, fishing, dolphin sight-seeing and more. With 2 scheduled departures in a day, one can be very flexible in making the most out of their holiday in Goa.

So we here wind up with the best activities you can do in Goa. Do let know what you think about these in the comments below. Don’t forget to like and share this. Wish you an adventurous day ahead !

Wednesday 19 April 2017

WATERFALL TRIP

To make the most of this exciting trip you will need to start your day earlier than usual in Goa! We will be sending our company vehicle to your hotel to have you brought to Mollem by 8:30am. At 9am we will commence our safari in an open jeep to the Dudhsagar Waterfall, through the Mollem National Park this should last us 45 minutes to an hour. Children up to three years young can join in on this exciting trip, provided they are accompanied by an adult or legal guardian.

We should reach the Dudhsagar Waterfall by 10am and will be there for about an hour. The Dudhsagar waterfall is one of the 100 highest waterfalls in the world, named after its water that turns a milky white colour due to its fast paced flow. It is a four tiered waterfall and is worth the trip. The water plunges from approximately 2,000ft and is believed to be the highest in the country, the waterfall ultimately flows into the Arabian Sea. You must carry your swim suit or extra clothes on the trip post your dip in the waterfall. Once we reach the base of the waterfall you can swim and rejuvenate in the flowing water or just dip your feet while snacking on our complimentary refreshments. We provide life jackets that help keep you afloat while you enjoy the site of the monkeys (Langoors) in the surrounding foliage.

Moving on from the waterfall, our experienced tour guide will accompany you through the famous spice plantation nestled in the heart of a tiny yet beautiful village called Keri in Ponda. Where you will enjoy a guided tour and have eager elephants waiting to take you for a ride, literally or even have you bathe them! The experience with the elephants is one of a kind and cannot be missed. When in Goa you must eat famous Goan dishes that are ever present in the traditional Goan food buffet we serve you at the spice plantation. The buffet caters to all and has a wide variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

After gorging on the delicious food and with renewed vigor we will make our way to Old Goa and tour through world heritage sites which come under UNESCO’s protected zones as well, like the 400 year old Se Cathedral and Basilica of Bom Jesus. The basilica holds the mortal remains of the famous St. Francis Xavier.

By 5pm we will embark on our journey back from Old Goa and drop you off at your respective hotels, bringing our day long tour to an end.

Goa To Promote River Tourism

Being the number one domestic travel destination for Indians and a cheap yet exotic and cultural tourism hotbed for foreign travellers, Goa’s beaches have experienced massive tourist footfall for well over two decades. This trend has in time put immense pressure on Goa’s coastal manmade and natural resources, and has therefore forced Goa’s tourism industry to switch its focus to Goa’s rivers/backwaters with their rich ecosystems and picturesque landscapes that remain comparatively untapped.

An official attempt to revamp Goa’s river systems is underway with Goa’s Chief Minister reportedly stating that the government’s priority is Goa’s waterbodies with waterfronts like the Chapora River undergoing a revamp as well. He continued to state that the portion of water/land between Chapora and Colvale could also be developed as an area of tourist interest.

House Boat Day Tour - Chapora River — House Boat Day Tour – Chapora River

As the record stands, Goa’s waterbodies are cumulatively about 650km in length, with the chief minister’s sights set on utilising an extra 250km through dredging. Continuing his dialogue on Goa’s tourism industry’s need to tap into its waterway’s potential to earn foreign exchange, he stated that a tourist who lands at Goa’s international airport at Dabolim should be able to commute to beaches like Baga, Calangute, etc. not only by road but via boats as well, thereby reducing the pressure on roads. He went on the conclude that river jetties near Goa’s quaint inland villages should also be constructed as a way to divert pressure from the already overburdened beach belts.

Sunset River Cruise - Mandovi River — Sunset River Cruise – Mandovi River

With Goa playing host to around 4million tourists each year, such steps as formerly mentioned are the need of the hour. Having said that, sustainable development is key if Goa’s to have any chance of maintaining its culture rich and aesthetically pleasing identity for time immemorial.

Aguada Jail To Be Repurposed

The famous Aguada Jail also known as the Portuguese Jail or the Central Jail at Aguada is synonymous with Goan sightseeing tours. Tourists experiencing the surreal moment of inmates serving life and short term sentences waving at them while they waved back, will now be a thing of the past, as the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) plans to turn the now empty prison into a tourist attraction soon.

With the prison now lying abandoned for almost a year after the prisoners were transferred to a new jail in Colvale at the end of May 2015, the GTDC’s mega plan to transform it into a museum of sorts is now underway.

GTDC’s spokesperson addressing the topic said, “The 17th century structure has some historical landmarks And Darashaw; Co Pvt Ltd, the project development consultants, have researched and surveyed every aspect of the structure that will need to be given prominence, based on the historical and heritage value,” the spokesman said.

The space will soon house viewing galleries, tourist information centres, amenity zones, activity zones, and revamped temple and chapel areas. It will serve as a memorial to the freedom fighters and the young women and children who gave up their lives to liberate Goa from its then overlords, the Portuguese.

“The old Central Jail at Aguada is very well known not only as a prison but for its history and heritage”, GTDC’s Chairman Nilesh Cabral was reported as saying.

Much like Alcatraz in San Francisco, Charles Street Jail in Boston, Oxford Jail in England, Cellular Jail in Andaman and the Dhagshai Jail in Himachal Pradesh, the latter two of which date back to the British era; the Aguada Jail will too be repurposed to illustrate its pre and post Portuguese history.

“GTDC has requested the government to turn this vacant structure as a tourist spot. The Corporation has started working on a project that will preserve the heritage structure and showcase Goa’s freedom struggle,” Nilesh concluded.

Tourists and locals alike are wait in anticipation for the repurposed Aguada Jail to be open for public viewing in order to experience the insides of the prison much like its inmates did, though in a more convict free and enjoyable setting.

Facts sourced from ‘The Deccan Chronicle‘

Tuesday 18 April 2017

Dudhsagar Waterfalls Trip: Adventurous journey through the wild and untamed jungles

“When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, ‘What is the sound of the waterfall?’ ‘Silence,’ he finally told me.”

Dudhsagar waterfalls is one of the most gorgeous water falls in India. It will hypnotize you , lead you into the land of dream and purge your soul. Dudhsagar literally means “Sea of Milk”, is often referred as one of Goa’s best kept secrets. This is where mandovi river plunges to the depths from a height of 600m, breaking into thousand shards of crystal. Streams of milk curving down the mountain leaves you enchanted and mystified. Adventurous journey through the wild and untamed jungles of Mollem National park holds the power to calm the agitations of your soul.

Waterfall Story

Legend of dudhsagar is the folklore of an alluring princess who lived with her father in a splendid palace made of ivory on the mountains. The princess loved to saunter through the wilderness and the lake amidst the dense jungle was her treasured retreat. She loved to sip on her honeyed milk before taking a bath in the lake. One day while she was bathing in the lake, a prince happened to pass by. Prince bewitched by the beauty of princess, went next to the lake to get a perflect glimpse of her. However, she felt interrupted and shrouded herself behind a cascade of milk that she poured from the jug. The Milk, symbolizing the chaste maiden, is said to have fallen from the mountains, forming the mesmerizing waterfalls.

Thrilling off Road Experience

This mighty sea of milk on the edge of high peaks of the Sahyadri Western Ghats should be on your bucket list if you are the sorts who travel for soul rejuvenation. The momentum of waterfalls is so strong that from a distance it looks like the area around the waterfalls is covered with clouds. The jeep safari starting from Mollem, through the lush jungles of national park and finishing with the spectacular view of gushing waters of the dudhsagar rivulets, gives a thrilling off road experience The roads leading to waterfall remain closed during the monsoon and opens in October. The steep mountain terrain also offers a thrilling trek as an experience. The route starting from Kuveshi village provides for a stimulating trek for the undaunted souls. .

Bathing Experience

Dudhsagar waterfall gives you an incredible bathing experience making it one of the most phenomenal bathing destinations across the world. The beautiful mountain with lush green trees and the milky water makes it exotic. Swimming or bathing activities under this fall is simply breathtaking. The couple of pools created by the waterfall gives you an unique experience that will lure you to this place again and again.

Dudhsagar waterfall: How to get there:

Dudhsagar is located at Goa-Karnaka boarder. There is no direct way to reach Dudhsagar. It is approximately around 60kms from Panjim and about 46 km east of Madgaon and 80 km south of Belgaum.
Dudhsagar will commence after monsoon season (first week of October). Our Dudhsagar package includes pick up and drop services from the hotels booked in Calangute, Baga, Arpora, Nagoa, Candolim, Sinquerim, Nerul Area. We also provide transport from other areas but extra charges will be applied in that case. Guided tour around Spice Plantation is another highlight of our package.