MOJIGAO: THE PERFECT MONSOON JUNGLE GETAWAY

August 1, 2020

The best thing about my job is discovering new places. The gems take you by surprise and I always love how many amazing spaces a tiny place like Goa has to offer. One of the most recent – and very welcome – surprises was Mojigao Wellness Village in Assagao.

I recently got to know Mojigao owner Moshe Inbar. His decision to give up his life and career in Israel to move to Goa has been fortuitous for us all. His first venture being the stunning garden café and lifestyle shop Artjuna has been a favourite since it opened years ago.

On one of his jaunts through Goa’s villages, Moshe chanced upon a stunning piece of land in Assagao, thick with foliage and the tranquillity of nature. Fast forward through a well-researched vision and lots of hard work and we have Mojigao Wellness Village, a haven in the jungle.

Rustic, peaceful and quite contained within itself, Mojigao peeks through the lush tropical scene as a micro-village with gorgeous cabins, a superb café, an eco-pond and a yogashala. It’s been around for some time but has managed to fly right under my radar. My happy discovery of the café a few weeks ago turned into a solid resolve to return for a weekend staycation.

This would be my first since March, and it seems as if the lockdown has only pushed many among my social circle to seek out safe havens such as Mojigao for a short refresher. It’s odd how exciting travel is in these strange times – even if it’s not very far from home. I hadn’t realised how much packing a bag was part of the excitement!

I was greeted with lots of familiar faces on arrival and it deepened my delight for what I was in store for over the weekend. The property is filled with greenery of various shades with fruit and flowers of every hue. Nestled amid this are wood cabins crafted with local timber and finished without chemicals, to stay in line with the eco-friendly ethos of the place. All boast jungle views, air-conditioning and private verandahs with sit-outs, and to keep you connected with the chaos of the outside world, free Wi-Fi.

Mojigao’s yogashala sits atop the naked summit of a hill, commanding breathtaking views of sweeping greenery all around. Pre-Covid, the valley around Mojigao filled with the sounds of chill-out live music shows, and we’re all hoping it returns to this scene soon.

The relaxing café at Mojigao usually sticks to vegetarian and vegan offerings, but on Saturdays, they add seafood to the menu as well. We were in for a treat with Chef Daniel Azulay, a mindful eating experience featuring a whole variety of tapas.

The innovative spread included ceviche shrimps with mango and mint, Mediterranean quinoa with fish, arancini shrimps on tahini, mashed yam with tomato sauce and more. To warm up on the cool monsoon evening was Moroccan harira soup and some lovely homemade focaccia. To finish off, we indulged ourselves with chocolate fondue and meringue pavlova with gelato.

To while away the restful time at Mojigao, we sauntered through the well-maintained gardens, taking in the water bodies, wells, flora and fauna that basked in the intermittent rain and sunshine.

Mojigao Wellness Village certainly proved a more than welcome change of scene with its cosy rooms and gorgeous balconies providing the perfect setting for a monsoon weekend.