Backwaters

Goa is the most amazing holiday destination which houses exciting allurements like the pristine beaches, foamy waterfalls, exquisite temples, gothic churches, magnificent edifices, colonial buildings etc. Backwaters are one of the attractions which beautify the elegant terrain of Goa. Goa is exceptionally blessed with nine dominating rivers and 42 tributaries which endow perfect trails for backwaters. What is a ‘MANOS’?

A manos is an automatic sluice gate made by man and run by nature. It con­sists of a series of thick wooden planks on a pivot. When the tide of brackish water comes in, the gates swing open automati­cally to allow fish and prawns to come in and spawn. Inland, in the khazan, a pit or ‘poiem’ has been dug to allow the young fish to mature. Then, when the tidal waters retreat, the sluice gates open and the adult fish, prawns and crab are almost sucked out into the river where they are caught by a net.

Every year, the rights to each manos is sold to the highest bidder. The money (in this case Rs 1.4 lakh annually) goes back to the community to protect and maintain the whole khazan. So part of the khazan is essentially a natural fish farm, surrounded by paddy fields of rice that have evolved to grow in slightly saline conditions.

Besides the wild surroundings and natural splendor you’ll come across fascinating sights of the locals getting involved in their daily life and engrossed in their daily chores. It is a perfect journey where you can relax on board with a drink and enjoy the fluctuating panorama of the sheer natural beauty around.