Everyone thinks they know Goa. Beach parties, cheap beer, sunsets over the Arabian Sea. And sure, all of that is real - but it's barely the half of it. According to Siddharth Kerkar, a Goa-based artist and restaurateur who has spent his life rooted in the state's creative and culinary scene, the places worth seeking out are the ones that don't make it onto the standard tourist circuit.
Kerkar shared his personal guide to his home state with Condé Nast Traveler, and the result is a genuinely refreshing alternative to the usual Goa playbook. Think less full-moon rave, more quiet village temple and family-run kitchen.
Culture first
As someone who operates in both the art world and the restaurant business, Kerkar naturally gravitates toward spots where creativity and community intersect. Goa has a surprisingly rich arts scene that often flies under the radar - galleries, cultural centres, and heritage spaces that tell a more layered story about a state shaped by Portuguese colonialism, Hindu tradition, and a fiercely independent local identity.
For visitors who want to engage with that history rather than just soak in the scenery, leaning into Goa's cultural institutions is the move. The architecture alone - old Latin Quarter streets, whitewashed churches, ancestral homes with their distinctive porticos - rewards slow, curious exploration.
The food you actually want to eat
Kerkar's restaurant background means his food recommendations carry real weight. Goan cuisine is one of India's most distinctive - built around coconut, kokum, toddy vinegar, and seafood, with Portuguese influences woven throughout. But the best of it is rarely found in tourist-facing restaurants. Local joints, family recipes, dishes tied to specific villages and communities - that's where the real flavour lives.
His picks reportedly lean toward places with genuine roots in the region, where the cooking reflects actual Goan life rather than a sanitised version of it designed for outsiders.
Finding the quiet
Perhaps the most valuable thing any local insider can offer is directions to the places that aren't overrun. Goa's northern beaches have been a backpacker and party destination for decades, and some stretches feel more like a theme park than a coastal paradise. But the state is large enough - and diverse enough - that genuine pockets of calm still exist, particularly heading south or inland.
Kerkar's version of Goa sounds like a place where you can actually hear yourself think, eat something extraordinary, and leave feeling like you've seen something real. Which, honestly, is all any of us want from a trip.
The full guide is available at Condé Nast Traveler, and if you're planning a visit, it's worth bookmarking before you go.
