Sawantwadi Palace

An hour inland from Goa’s Mopa airport, the coast recedes and the forested hills of Sindhudurg take over. Sawantwadi lies here - a former princely capital, easily bypassed by beachbound travellers and all the more compelling for its quiet. Konkan in character and unhurried in temperament, the town takes its name from the Sawant Bhonsle dynasty, whose kingdom was founded in 1627. Long known as the land of artists, Sawantwadi is distinguished by its lacquerware tradition and by Ganjifa - intricately hand-painted playing cards. Both have been sustained for centuries by the Sawant Bhonsles, who still reside within the Sawantwadi Palace - the town's pride. Right outside the gates lies Moti Talao, the placid "pearl lake" that gives Sawantwadi its postcard-perfect look. Framed by the semi-evergreen backdrop of Narendra Hill, the lake is the social heart of Sawantwadi, its bridge and lakeside promenade drawing locals for evening walks, sunset views and leisurely boat rides.

While Rajasaheb Khem Sawant VI and Shubhadadevi Bhonsle remain gracefully in the background, the palace’s present chapter is led by Lakham Khem and Shraddha Lakham Sawant Bhonsle, members of the family’s nineteenth generation and graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. Rather than preserve the estate as a relic, they have reopened part of it as an art hotel shaped by the things they know best: Sawantwadi’s craft traditions, the family’s history and food. From the restoration of Taisaheb Wada to menus that move between Malvani cooking and contemporary influences, they run the palace with a local team, many of whom have been with the family for decades.

The best experiences at Sawantwadi Palace are less about sightseeing than about being introduced to the region by people who know it intimately. A private Ganjifa workshop reveals the meticulousness behind the town’s most distinctive art form, while a museum walk and hi-tea with the Sawant Bhonsles (with Sushi, the resident golden retriever, likely joining) bring the palace’s history into the present. 

Beyond the palace, a guided walk takes you through Sawantwadi's craft lanes, ending with lunch at a village home. Pinguli village is a stop for those drawn to the leather puppetry tradition. Spend a day on the unspoiled shores of Shiroda or Vengurla, watching migratory birds move through. And for those who want to disappear entirely, there's a private picnic on the family's 28-acre estate at Amboli Ghat, where the Western Ghats take care of the rest.