On a hot sunny afternoon in Agonda, South Goa, establishments on the coast are being sealed following an order of the High Court of Bombay at Goa. Yet, the shore welcomes tourists, for whom the beach is the best reprieve from the summer heat.
“The heat has come in early, and since we cannot place any sunbeds on the beach, our guests have been finding it difficult to adjust. Coming to stay near the beach and having to stay inside does not make sense to many,” says Robert who manages the front desk of a resort.
Since Agonda Beach has been declared a turtle nesting site, there are no sun beds and visitors need to bring their own towels if they want to lie on the sand. Yet, despite the hot sand, there are no complains.
“It is not a big deal if there are no sun beds. The good thing about this beach is that it is quiet. There is no loud music and hence no noise. You can hear the waves breaking,” smiles Andrew from the UK.
Tourists, however, have found ways to beat the heat. “We were using umbrellas in the water because it gets really hot by afternoon. Since we love the beach, we thought of carrying our umbrellas with us to keep the sun away!” joked Trina.
“It is hot some days and very hot on others, but everything cools down by night; so, there are no reasons to complain. When it becomes unbearable, we get back to our rooms and chill through the afternoon,” discloses Vivek, an advertising honcho from Bangalore, who works out of Agonda.
“The old timers are used to these changes in weather, but the first timers are amused. Apart from swimming on the beach, there is nothing much else to do here because of the restrictions as this is a turtle nesting site,” explains Robert.
Kayaking and canoe rides are two water sports activities available, but most tourists enjoy a good swim because the waves do not break easily along the coast of Agonda.
“We have a yoga class in the evening, and there are a few places away from the beach which serve some good food. If we want to party, we drive to Canacona or Patnem,” discloses Ravi and his Japanese partner, Yeku.
With the government authorities having to seal 76 establishments, some visitors have had to leave the beach and head to other places. But, the traffic in the market does not seem to have been affected even though tourists had been roaming all over the market place.
“I have had to move from one end to another as the place I had been staying has been told to shut down because of some licensing problems. It was no big deal as I got another place nearby,” admits Cicleta from Italy, who has been a regular for years.
With the government authorities having to seal 76 establishments, some visitors have had to leave the beach and head to other places.
Restaurants are not full, but customers appeared to be in a relaxed mood in the establishments that were functioning despite the falling footfalls.
“Some places have been shut because of the High Court orders, whilst a few are closing down because it is time for the season to come to a close. We do not get much business during the morning session, but by afternoon, the crowds start to drop in,” admits restaurateur, Pratap.
The heat is taking its toll on all. But at Agonda, it is the silence that soaks the mind with tranquility and makes each day feel cool.