Journey through vast swathes of paddy fields and lush countryside to find the idyllic North Goan village of Saligao. Lined with coconut palms and quaint houses, Saligao’s narrow streets can hardly contain the energy and vigour of its vibrant community. Join us on this walking trail as we explore the popular local sights and cultural delights of Saligao!
Highlights
Dive deep into stories of migration that have contributed to the unique and harmonious social fabric of Saligao.
Explore the scenic landscape and interact with locals as you soak in the distinct spirit of Saligao’s village life.
Visit the breathtaking Mae De Deus Church – a rare specimen of Neo-Gothic architecture in Goa.
Enjoy a special performance by a local musician.
Savour high-tea hosted by a local family at their beautiful Indo-Portuguese home.
Experience led by a knowledgeable localstoryteller.
Visit to Goa’s only Neo-Gothic church (entry inside the church is not permitted).
Visit to the church cemetery.
Access to the village wards.
High-tea at an ancestral Indo-Portuguese Home.
This is a walking trail, and we do not use vehicles within Saligao.
Hotel pickups and drops (although this can be arranged at an added cost).
Meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
Sightseeing points that fall outside of the curated route.
We do not provide umbrellas, raincoats, hats/caps, face-masks or sanitizers.
Please carry your own water bottle.
We recommend wearing comfortable footwear and using sunscreen.
Please also carry your own umbrella/raincoat or cap/hat/sunglasses (as the weather dictates).
What time does the experience start?
Fixed departure experiences are available everyday at 4:00pm.
How do we reach the meeting point at Saligao Church?
The location link will be sent to your mobile along with the details of the walk and the name and contact number of your storyteller.
Is there parking available?
Yes. There is ample parking space around the meeting point.
Can this heritage walk be done using a vehicle?
While we ideally recommend experiencing Saligao through a walk, we understand that some travellers may have physical limitations. A tour by vehicle can be organised as a special private experience, where we will do our best to ensure that the experience remains as close as possible to the walk.
Is photography permitted?
Yes, photography is permitted in the Latin Quarter. However, while doing so travellers must take care not to trespass on private property and respect the privacy of local residents.
Will we be entering any heritage houses?
Yes, the experience will include a visit to a local Indo-Portuguese heritage home.
Can we consume beer / other alcoholic drinks during the experience?
No. It is not recommended to consume alcohol during the experience. However, the experience will culminate with a sumptuous high-tea at a local Indo-Portuguese home. Alternatively, you can book our Goan Feni & Tapas Experience for a more immersive experience on local Goan cocktails and cuisine.
Do we need to wear face masks?
It is mandatory to wear face masks, use sanitizers and maintain social distancing in all public spaces.
Are Covid-19 protocols followed during the heritage walk?
All Covid-19 safety precautions will be taken by us. Our Storytellers are all double vaccinated, wear face masks, maintain social distance and avoid physical contact. All enclosed spaces will be sanitized by us.
Are washrooms available?
There are a few cafes / restaurants around the meeting point where washrooms can be used with permission form the management. Washrooms will also be available at the Indo-Portuguese home we will be visiting for high-tea.
All our tour presenters and hosts will be wearing a face mask.
We will avoid physical contact with guests like handshakes.
We will be serving refreshments / meals (if applicable) in places that follow hygiene and sanitary guidelines approved by Make It Happen.
All enclosed spaces will be sanitized.
Cancel up to 7 days before the Experience start time for a full refund, or within 24 hours of booking as long as the booking is made more than 48 hours before the start time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
If we cancel the experience due to unavoidable circumstances, then a full refund will be processed.
For groups sizes of 15 and above, refund upon cancellation will be provided if cancellation is done 7 days prior to the booking date of the experience.
Our Storytellers
Our experiences are led by passionate, professional, English-speaking local storytellers.
The storytellers, mostly very young and who are at the beginning of the career have been trained to acquaint themselves with the history of each location before they start entertaining the tourists. This is very evident because at each location they had the right information to convey and all very courteous.
For this tour we had Master Abhijit Ramesh as our story teller. Very sporty, soft spoken and fully acquainted with history behind each place of worship . He made sure that we did not miss any aspect of each building & Churches . He ensured that we left more than satisfied with Tour. The visit to Madam Rosa Bungalow was the Icing on the cake,
Each tour confirmation from Make it Happen had a web link so that we could go through the link and get prepared for the tour. The brochure which they had left at the Taj holiday Village travel desk was very well designed. Simple caricature and easy to understand text. Keep it up. Source: TripAdvisor
Khivraj Sancheti
Wholesome Experience Dec 2021 - Solo
I had traveled to Goa for a weekend in December and wanted to do something experiential and offbeat. A friend suggested I check out Make It Happen and their excursions around Goa seemed perfect for me.
The Saligao Village Saunter turned out to be a wholesome experience as we explored a quaint part of Goa that not many people consciously explore. Abhijith, who led the experience, was energetic, warm and welcoming. I am definitely signing up for more local experiences with Make It Happen whenever I'm back in Goa. Source: TripAdvisor
Noopur L
The Saligaon Saga Dec 2021 - Business
We loved the walk, starting with our story teller : Amreen, who beautifully captured the soul of Saligaon for us. We must have crossed the church, those beautiful heritage homes and the streets quite a few times, but never paused to know the stories behind them. It isnu2019t physically demanding as well, just in case thatu2019s a worry.
Must thank Murali who helped us with the bookings. Overall, would recommend the walk to everyone. Source: TripAdvisor
Subir Jha
Must Do in North Goa Oct 2021
Saligao is a small village in North Goa that has so much to offer. It is a beautiful one with paddy fields, coconut tree flanked roads, gorgeous old Indo-Portuguese houses, and a splendid church.
Over and above these points of interest, we were blown away by the history and stories of the early settlers of Goa and how the entire tour is woven around an eminent personality. What was amazing was that we got to visit this personality's house, have high tea there, and even meet the people who are the direct descendants of the family we learned about in the story.
It was in all, one of the best tours we have done! Highly highly recommended! Source: TripAdvisor