If the gods were to peep down from heaven right now, they’d see a crowded squiggle by the Calangute Beach in Goa. From heaven, the human sea perhaps look like ants at work. Or, pilgrims’ progressing.
But if the gods were to peer harder at the heaven’s calendar, they’ll realize these are no sedulous ants at work; they are merry makers who have flocked to Goa to ring in Christmas and New Year in the state known for its silken sand and dazzling sunshine.
Wait. Do you loathe the clutter of public beaches? Do you yearn for a private beach where you can sink your toe in sand and forget the woes of the world? That’s too much to ask for in Goa, ain’t it?
According to government regulations, coastal land up to 500 meters from the High Tide Line (HTL) and a stretch of 100 meters along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations is Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Not even a handful of ritzy properties in Goa can puff about a private beach.
Destination One, a gourmet-hub within the premises of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s (GTDC) Calangute Residency Resort on Calangute Beach, can. Remember, this is not any luxury property hard selling itself as beach wedding destination. This one actually has a private beach, a 30,000 sq ft space by the Arabian Sea, perfect for
weddings and beach parties.
Recently inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar, Destination One has four venues: Escapade, fine-dining eatery; bakes, salads and beverage at Café Hangout; a hip lounge bar called Panacea which has the license to stay open till 5 am; and Sea Lawns that sits smug by the sea. Everything under one roof.
That gourmet hub began as a dream for Rajesh and Soniya Srivastava, the promoters of Destination One. They wanted to create a 5-star celebration hub by the silken sands where food is as fabulous as the music and the wine selection as eclectic as the dishes on the menu. Rajesh is a trained telecom and electrical engineer, but infrastructure is his forte (he is currently also working on Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue).
When the Goa government called for a tender for the space behind Calangute Residency, Rajesh stepped in along with his dream. That was nearly two years ago. What was once a crowded beach laden with garbage has been sedulously metamorphosed into a luxury hub.
At Destination One, food is not, well, just any food rustled in a kitchen just any which way. Rajesh and Soniya roped in chefs with the best toques: Chef Mohd Kaleem Qureshi, Masterchef Son Boon Sriphirom, Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, President’s Award winner of Best Chef in India, as well as sommeliers Magandeep Singh, India’s first French-qualified sommelier, and flying sommelier Gurjit Singh Barry.
At the inauguration, Nilesh Cabral, Chairman, GTDC, said, “The USP of Destination One is the private beach. Such exclusivity is perfect for beach weddings and parties.” GTDC is bustling with ideas to make Calangute a wedding destination.
Parking, the monstrous nemesis, is being tackled with a Korean firm that is working laying bricks for a 1000-car puzzle parking facility. That done, the 1-km stretch to the beach will turn into pedestrian-only zone.
For its inaugural evening, Destination One was dressed like a beach wedding venue – gig lamps, golden settees,
enormous white candles, flower bouquets, sheer curtains, ribboned chairs…. After lighting the lamp, Mr Manohar Parrikar, then Chief Minister of Goa, mused what Rajesh will call his next luxury property. Destination Two is too cheeky, Destination 1:1 too trite. Call it Destination One Up, Mr Parrikar suggested.
From heaven now even the gods can identify that crowded squiggle on the map. It is Destination One in Goa’s Calangute Beach.
Fact file:
Destination One
Calangute Residency, Calangute Beach, Bardez, Goa: 16 Website: www.destinationone.co.in
Preeti Verma Lal
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