Casa Anjuna, Goa – sleeping

This converted Portuguese mansion offers four types of rooms, each with it’s own charm.

1. Standard rooms start at $108 in the low season and are lovely. (Casa Special Rooms)

Room 7 (A block first floor, overlooking the front garden)

Room 6 (A block first floor, overlooking the front garden)

Room 9 (A block first floor, no balcony)

Room 8 (A block first floor, no balcony)

Garden rooms G1 & G2 are in a bungalow in the front garden and share a common entry.

Pool rooms 1&2 are in a bungalow next to the pool. P1 is opposite the restaurant.

2. Luxury Rooms (Casa Favourite) start at $122 in the low season

Room 1 (Ground floor A block) has a lovely verandah onto the front garden but could lack privacy in the busy season.

Room 2 is at the other end of the verandah and is also a luxury room.

Room 4 has a lovely verandah, but it looks on to the restaurant.

Room 10 (first floor A block) has access to two nice shared areas with Room 11.

Room 11 (first floor A Block)

Room B1 (ground floor B Block)

Room B2 (Ground floor) B Block

Room B3 (first floor B Block)

Room B4 (first floor in B Block)

Room 12 (A Block second/top floor, overlooking back garden) next to suites.

3. Suites (Casa Luxury) (A Block second/top floor, overlooking the pool/back garden) start at $222 low season

Shared areas on top floor A Block (shared by Room 12, Mango Suite, Palm Suite)

Mango Suite (lots of room, but not as charming as other rooms).

Palm Suite (more charm than Mango Suite, and lots of room).

Also in the Suite category is…..

Room B5 (Ground floor B Block) (Opposite Room 1 in A Block)

and…

Penthouse suite (top floor B Block) has lots of room, and a kitchen.

My favourites were the Luxury Rooms (Casa Favourites) Rooms 1&2, on the ground floor of A Block as they have the lovely verandahs overlooking the front garden and are close to the shared areas. (But they would lack privacy in the busy season). Room 4 on the ground floor near the restaurant in A block is nice in very low season if it’s quiet (but otherwise would be very public).

The Standard (Casa Special) Garden Rooms are lovely, private and over look the front garden. They are ideal for two couples who are travelling together as they have a shared entrance area.

Luxury Rooms (Casa Favourites) Rooms 1,2,3& 4 in B Block are also very nice (and could be more private than rooms in A Block), but are away from the restaurant and shared areas.

Standard (Casa Special) Rooms 6& 7 in A Block on the first floor, are also nice (7 has a great bathroom) and have small balconies overlooking the front garden. Room 6 nearby is also nice with plenty of room, but no balcony.

The Suites are not very attractive (but the Palm Suite is the best as it does have a four poster bed.) However, there’s lots of room if you need to fit in an extra bed.

Standard (Casa Special) Room 5 on the ground floor of A block has a verandah like Room 4, that overlooks the pool but is more private. It is near the restaurant and could be busy. Room 3 in A Block is on the ground floor at the bottom of the stairs and probably not very desirable.

Public Bar Dining, Manuka – a quick look

The Public is a good spot for a meal with friends or a drink, but does get busy and noisy. Two for one pizza night on Mondays is good value.

Moroccan Lamb Pizza $22

Salt & pepper squid salad $21 Shredded iceberg, fresh chilli, crisp basil & nam jim dressing

Slow cooked lamb $23 With quinoa tabouli, mint yoghurt, fresh pomegranate & pistachio crumble

Burger $20

Casa Anjuna, Goa – eating

The garden setting restaurant at Casa Anjuna serves meals, snacks and drinks throughout the day (very handy if it’s rainy).

The room tariff includes a generous breakfast with both western and delicious Indian options.

Besan ka cheela Goan pao

Aloo Paratha

The lunch and dinner offer a range of classic Goan dishes and are a good option if you want to eat in.

Chicken Xacuti and Kuchumber salad

Prawn curry & rice Prawn vindaloo

Fish Masala Rava Fry Marsala papad

Asian foodie travel – what to pack

Pack lightly and plan to wash and wear, to leave plenty of room to fit in shopping. Metallicus stores have great, quick drying, no iron mix and match pieces that roll up to almost nothing, often on sale. Join the loyalty club at no cost and get $15 off a shop each month that you spend at least $1. Rinse clothes out each night in the basin, using soap/bath gel/shampoo provided, wringing out well, laying flat in a towel, rolling it up and twisting it. Hang clothes on clothes hangers in air conditioning and they will be dry by morning.

Women

Men

Add sunscreen, insect spray (Bushman’s), alcohol hand rub, camera, phone, iPad/tablet/power plug adapter, toiletries, underwear, makeup, hairdryer, ear plugs, first aid kit (consult your own medical practitioner for your individual specific needs, but ask about medications for treating gastroenteritis and cold and flu (and preventing malaria)) also documents including e-ticket, passport, visa, booking confirmation print outs, insurance details, money, ATM cards if using, small change purses.

A 70 Litre backpack with wheels and daypack/ small bag is ideal. (Kathmandu has some good options when they are on sale.)

It’s a good idea to pack essential items and a change of clothes in carry-on luggage in case checked-in baggage is delayed.

Also consider packing a light extra bag that packs thinly, to carry-on extra shopping or fragile items on the way home.

Casa Anjuna, Goa – gorgeous shared spaces

While most of the rooms at Casa Anjuna’s are lovely to stay in. one of the villa’s best features is all the shared spaces to enjoy.

Balcony on first floor A block (outside rooms 10 & 11) Front garden

Restaurant

Pool

Foyer A block

Casa Anjuna, Goa – ideal spot to stay in the rainy season

Casa Anjuna, in quieter , leafier Anjuna, North Goa, is a converted Portuguese mansion, packed with character and charm.

It is open and full of gorgeous spots to sit, making it ideal in the rainy season for sitting and drinking marsala chai or a gin and tonic and watching rain fall on the lush garden setting.

Most rooms feature four poster beds and antique furniture and many have sit outs and balconies. There are so many lovely rooms, it’s hard to pick and even the base level rooms are a great choice.

Staff are friendly and immensely helpful, there’s a lovely pool, the restaurant offers a range of good choices and room prices start at $108 in the low season.

Floriade – A Canberra Spring Festival with food!

Floriade each spring in Canberra, is undeniably about flowers.

But a closer look reveals plenty of opportunities to try, taste and learn about new foods and wines.

And there is no more gorgeous setting for picnicing on the wide range of foods for sale.

Around Anjuna – Goa

Anjuna is well known for it’s huge Wednesday flea market (October to April only), its hippy history and it’s parties. In low season however, it’s green and quiet ( really quiet as lots of places are closed).

Good places to eat in low season include Curlies that stays open all year round…

And Villa Anjuna Guest House….

…and the Burger Factory.

Oxford Arcade is a terrific small supermarket stocking great buys including alcohol.

$AUS3 for 750ml gin

The new Chong Co in Woden – a great spot for lunch

Not to be confused with the Chong Co restaurant close by in the Woden Southern Cross Club, the new Chong Co Woden that has opened up on Corina Street in the restaurant strip on the outside edge of the Westfield mall, is excellent.

It shares the same great dishes as it’s sister restaurants in Kinsgston Foreshore, Belconnen and the Southern Cross Club, and serve sizes are equally generous. The green curry (vegetarian was $14.90) we shared between two was truly delicious and plenty for both of us.

Vegetarian Green Curry $14.90 Two serves rice ($3 per person)
Too lovely to leave, staff are more than happy to bundle up any of the precious flavours to take with you.

The atmosphere is pleasant and staff are lovely. The Chong Co inside the Southern Cross Club is still my all time Woden favourite as the decor, space and ambiance are so special, but if you aren’t with a member, then this Chong Co, open to the public is the next best lunch option in Woden. It is also helpfully slightly cheaper.

Highly recommended. As it’s popular, it pays to make a booking. The phone number can be tricky to find – 0262823001