There’s lots to do near Redi Beach Villa in Goa

There are wonderful walks to be had on Paradise beach. Tiroda Creek is perfect for kayaking (we have one double kayak and two single kayaks). There are a couple of fishing rods at the villa. Ask Rohan and the team for advice and best times to go kayaking or fishing.

There are other stunning beaches in the area. They get busier the further south you go, so Paradise beach on your doorstep is the perfect place to be.

There’s usually a jolly troop of harmless langurs (monkeys) lounging around.

You’ll be astonished and delighted by the number and variety of bird life. Redi Beach Villa is a great place for some bird watching. You’re likely to see white-bellied sea eagles, pariah kites, sandpipers, plovers, curlews, kingfishers and bee-eaters. Our favourite viewing spot is only a 12-minute drive away (Mahadev can show you the way) where you can also see storks, ibis, water hens, cormorants and hoopoes. Watching the flocks coming home at twilight is magical. There are a couple of pairs of binoculars and bird books in the villa for you to use.

Mahadev can arrange dolphin watching and fishing trips with the local fishermen. The best time’s just after sunrise.

About ten minutes’ walk from the beach house is this village temple, the foundations of which date from the same era as Yashwantgad Fort.

Dating back to the Vijaynagar period in the 15th and 16th centuries, this amazing fort is just a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach house. Well worth a visit. Mahadev can show you around.

This relaxing Portuguese tavern style eatery and bar is only a 15-minute drive from our house. Best to book. Call +91 77200 56799.

A hip French beach shack on Ashvem beach, lunch and dinner daily. Definitely book. Call +91 98221 21712. 45 minutes away.

South Indian cuisine (in Assagao), lunch and dinner daily. To book, call 0832 2268091. 50 minutes away.

High-end Burmese cuisine (in Assagao), lunch and dinner daily. Definitely book. Call +91 97675 91056. 50 minutes away.

Modern international cuisine (in Assagao), lunch and dinner daily. Definitely book. Call +91 98224 84051. 50 minutes away.

There are some good ones in Arambol (20 minutes) Mandrem (25 minutes) and Ashvem (30 minutes). Good food and inexpensive.

Also fun are the bars along the other northern Goa beaches. For example, Prana Café in Mandrem.

For some local scuba diving, jet-skiing and parasailing, try some of the places along Paradise Beach.

Rahul Malaney runs a very well-regarded Vaayu kite surfing school in Mandrem. Call +91 98500 50403. Definitely book.

Rohan can arrange for yoga teachers to come to the house. Book early. There are also some drop-in classes at yoga centres like Ashiyana in Mandrem. Rohan can also arrange for two masseurs (the excellent Guru and Sandeep) to come and give you a massage in the house. We reckon the best time for a massage is twilight, on a lounger on the sun deck.

Our favourite spot is the Friday night Goa Collective market at HillTop in Vagator. It has hippy stalls, a great food court and live music. It starts at about 6pm and entry is Rs 100 per person (about USD1.25). Next best is the Saturday night market in Arpora (a bit more crowded, but free entry).

Other markets include Anjuna Flea Market (late morning to early evening on Wednesdays) which has a compelling mix of Indian handicrafts, jewellery, knick-knacks and hippy fashion. Tip: avoid the early stalls and head for the beach where there tends to be more interesting offerings. There are good beach shacks for lunch or sundowners. One of our favourites there is the multi-story beach shack Tantra – great fun.

For more local colour, visit Mapusa Market (Fridays all day) – a traditional town market with a full array of food, spices, clothing and so on. This is the place to stock up on spices, cashews and the like to take home.