Goa Spice Plantation – In And Around Ponda

Not many who come to Goa know that amidst the stunning coastline, thousands of coconut trees and forest also lays plantations that clearly making it presence, only it might be a bit spicy for your taste. Before you begin adding up, let me clarify that I am taking about the lesser known, but growing in popularity Goa spice plantations.

Incidentally all the spice plantations are situated in and around Ponda, which is away from the main tourist attractions of Goa. Thus it is ideal for non-tourists areas of development like industry or spice plantations. Nestled in the fertile Western Ghats and away from the more saline coastal areas, it is soon developing into a tourist spot with a difference.

The Goa Spice plantations are home to the exotic spices and fruits that is unique to only a few places in the world. You can have your own spice guide, who can rattle away so many names and all the possible details about the spices that you are bound to feel a bit overwhelmed.

Spices like Black pepper, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cloves, Chillies, Coriander, Cashew, Betel nut palm are the major spices grown in the goa spice plantations. One can view the locals who climb the betel nut palm with relative ease and then swing the hollow palm to move to another tree. Also you are bound to taste the local drink the stronger feni or the milder variant urrack made out of the cashew fruit straight from the small distillery.

The Goa spice plantations also are famous for a variety of tropical fruits like Custard apples, Papaya, Bananas, Pineapples, Citrus fruits. Most spice plantation also grows a very rare spice like vanilla. One spice plantation grows a range of medicinal herbs on the high altitudes of the mountains.