Goa, against the tide

Look beyond sand, sea, sun and shacks on your next Goa vacay. Check out these unusual new pit stops

- Karishma Kuenzang

The Great

Bath History with a side of sabzi

The name kind of gives it away. The Great Bath is designed after one of the most recognisable sites from the Harappan Civilisation, which lasted from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. The décor includes replicas of the Dancing Girl figurine and the bust of the Priest King. No need to disrobe, for this is not a communal bath. The 200-capacity restaurant is al fresco and sits right in the middle of the courtyard of the 3102BCE resort in Vagator.

Ishaan Bhutoria, 26, who launched the place in April, studied hotel management at Les Roches, Switzerland, and was keen on the ancient-India theme. "We want guests to savour delicacies from the far corners of our age-old civilisation," he says. The menu covers Bihari, Bengali and Rajasthani favourites for now. He's hoping to develop and present rare preparations from these regions soon.

And where else would he do this but Goa, which hosts tourists from across India. "The appreciation from the sheer variety of people you get to receive is the best part of the state," he says.

Goa Jazz Academy

Riffing on an old tune