Water, Water, Everywhere...

...And many drops to drink. From a water-themed retreat to the best new gastro-bars, a flow-with-soul sort of Goan holiday.

- AMIT DIXIT

Neemrana's Three Waters, Betul, South Goa

Time flows differently in this sleepy corner of South Goa, as subtle as the ebb and rise of the tide. From my balcony at Neemrana's Three Waters, I observe a Great Egret prance playfully between the fishing boats moored on the banks of the creek.

Betul is a village of fisherfolk, and has the aroma to prove it. It took restorer Aman Nath's fecund imagination to join the dots and come up with the name. The Three Waters are the Arabian Sea shimmering in the distance, the Sal River which flows into it at this very spot, and a sweet water spring nearby known for its restorative properties. To those waters, Nath playfully suggests a fourth, the property's tranquil pool, and even a fifth, the rain that falls so generously from the Goan sky.

The original building dates back to 1907 when it served as a Portuguese customs house, and current owner Victor Gomes' prolific collection of rare sea shells adorns the Sea Horse restaurant on the ground floor. A building in an identical style has been added at the back; the exposed red laterite façade of both contrasts beautifully with the surrounding greenery.

It really is criminal to do anything in. South Goa, but depending on your interests, you can pack in a lot. I kept it modest, walking up to the tiny Betul Fort next door, which was commissioned by Shivaji in the 17th century, and drinking in the stunning view. In the distance lay a pristine beach accessible only to fisherfolk, but Three Waters guests can enjoy a candlelit barbecue dinner there. They can also try their hand at fishing. Heritage lovers will enjoy gawking at old Goan homes in Margao and in the villages of Assolna, Velim and Cuncolim. Cabo de Rama Fort is within easy reach. But by evening you must return, as I did, to the cosy embrace of this home away from home and tuck into some sumptuous Goan fare at the Sea Horse.