Gypsycouple

Is it the backwaters, the tea, coffee or spice plantations, the boat races, the monsoons, the elephant and tiger sanctuaries, the temples, the wellness retreats, the food, or the beaches? Munnar is possibly the only place we associate with Tea, Coffee, and Cardamom plantations, all at the same place. The second time we visited was in August, a few years back, where we were prudent enough to book rooms in advance, this time within a coffee plantation. Munnar remains a destination I would recommend to people in a heartbeat – especially since it has all the 3 things we look for in a destination – great weather, good activities/experiences, and helpful people.

It works equally well for a weekend bike trip or a date night making it an invaluable part of a men’s wardrobe. These generally provide for a boxy fit but are usually available in vibrant colours making them a great choice as a mid-layer or outer layer in more moderate temperatures. I’ve paired them with slacks as well as denims and worn them to meetings as well as fine-dine restaurants (although I generally prefer wearing a woolen blazer to such places) and never felt underdressed. For me personally Sweatshirts for men are the go-to mid-layer when paired with woolen coats or blazers and outer-layer when paired with a shirt.

Goa is divided into two parts by tourists – North Goa which is frequented by mass tourists, party hoppers and backpackers & South Goa which is synonymous with pristine beaches and luxury hotels. Although North Goa has its share of undiscovered (by mass tourism) beaches and South Goa has its share of beach shack hopping budget tourists, the definition holds for the most part. The team including Chef Peter, Chef Pranav, Chef Veronus and Chef Mohnish made sure our vegetarian diet didn’t restrict us from appreciating all that the different cuisines had to offer. In the buffet section, we found multiple types of stuffed Indian bread (paranthas), as well as multiple types of other Indian breakfast items including poori bhaji (deep-fried savory with potato curry), sevaiya upma, bonda (deep-fried stuffed savory) among others.

Given that a lot of tourists do not experience Goa beyond the beaches, we’ve shared a Goa-Beyond-The-Beaches checklist for you, hopefully, you can share your discoveries as well with us in the comments. If you’re fond of Italian cuisine like us or just feel that the Italian countryside is romantic, Tuscany Gardens serves some fabulous Italian dishes (and one of the best Panna Cota in Goa) in a rustic Italian countryside setting. If Venice is more your thing, head over to stay at the Leela where they’ve built a fantastic set of villas around some reclaimed lagoons offering you beach access just a hop and skip away as well as water-views right from your balcony. If staying is out of your budget, head over to Riverside at The Leela for a wonderful waterside experience, Greco, a Greek-themed restaurant under a bougainvillea at Radisson Blu, Toy Beach Club for partying vibes at Candolim beach, A reverie in Calangute & Thalassa, another Greek restaurant on a cliff overlooking the sea at Vagator for fabulous meals in some of the most romantic settings in Goa.