Sahakari Spice Plantation in Goa

The most popular spice plantation in Goa is Sahakari. Everywhere offer to visit the plantation Sahakari and Dudhasagar waterfall as part of a single tour. The cost of her $110 (about 3000 USD). By taking this tour you get:

• Half a day on the road on Indian highways. The waterfall is far from the waterfront. The drive will take most of the money for the tour. There will be no scenic views along the way.
• You will see the plantation "at a gallop." If you can, you will hear something from a local guide.
• You will see the waterfall up close, and it is beautiful from afar.
• They will tell you that lunch is included in the tour. But it is included, but in the entrance ticket to the spice plantation (400 rupees, approximately 200 USD per person).

Living in Colva convenient to see the beach in South Goa, spice plantation, Dudhasagar waterfall and go to Hampi.

Goa Spice Plantation (Sahakari) how to get there on your own:

You need to take the Margao to Ponda bus. It takes about 40 minutes to get there. The buses run on schedule, but often. Throughout Goa, never waited for a bus at all: came, sat down and went. The price of 30 rupees (about 15 USD). In Ponda, change to a bus towards Molem. Get off at Sahakari Spice Farm. The ride takes about 15 minutes, ask for Sahakari Spice Farm, as just Sahakari may not be understood. The bus fare is around 15 rupees (7 USD). Entrance to the plantation 400 rupees/person (200 UAH).

Of the disadvantages of traveling alone: drawing up the route, finding a bus, transfers. But what else to do on vacation, where there are especially no attractions? Every day you think where else to go today. And of course the buses are not as comfortable as the sightseeing transfer. But who goes to India for the comfort?

The advantages of going to the Sahakari spice plantation on your own:
You are given a separate guide who will answer all questions that arise during the tour. This is the main thing here. Without a guide everything looks like grass and palm 1, palm 2. And with the story of the guide becomes apparent how vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cashews, betel, curry, etc. grows.

After the tour, you have unlimited time to walk through the plantation and see and touch everything again yourself. In fact, plantation is a big word. There really is a plantation, but allocated for tourists not a small area - mini botanical garden in our words. In an hour you will learn every bush. At the top of the plantation find the parking elephants (2 pcs). They can be fed, ridden and even bathed. You can go again with some group and listen to the story of another guide, they are different, checked). The cost of this tour will cost you up to 300 UAH per person. How to visit the Dudhasagar waterfall for free we will tell in another article.

For lunch at the plantation can not count on much - the food is local, very specific. Rice is not tasty, the rest is all spicy and not understandable taste.

We did not learn much, but it is interesting:

• Vanilla is expensive because of growing and ripening conditions (up to 9 months).
• Betel is a local "drug", sold as we have cigarettes. Hindus chew betel, not smoke cigarettes. It is a nut that grows on a palm tree.
• Curry is the local saffron.
• The locals make moonshine from the "apples" of cashews.
• Most importantly, we saw how to grow all the basic spices that we use at home day in and day out.

Do I visit the spice plantation at all?

If you are close by, yes, such as Colva Beach. Going from Arambol, Palolem is not worth it.