Otter Creek Tents

Rooms

The pastel-coloured tents are named after marine turtle species (Hawks Bill, Olive Ridley and Loggerhead) which used to be common in these parts (sadly little has been seen of them since the 2004 tsunami). All sit facing the creek, which runs parallel to the sea. Inside they're calm and airy, with muslin-screened four-poster beds, white and blue fabrics, stone floors and bamboo poles. Each has a writing desk, a chair, air conditioning and a safety box, as well as a full ensuite bathroom with a toilet, running water and a hot shower. There's also a handy padlocked cupboard so you can stash your luggage securely.

Best of all, each tent has its own private jetty over the creek so you can commune with nature and watch the numerous birds - and the otters from whom the creek takes its name. You also get an outdoor dining area, with canvas deckchairs and hammocks to laze the days away.

Features include:

• Fan
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Meals are taken in the on-site Beach Shack restaurant, shared with The Beach Houses. Dinners of fresh South Indian dishes include grilled or fried fish, curry and rice, squid salad, and a host of veggie options. We enjoyed the spinach paneer, and thought the poppadoms sprinkled with tomatoes, herbs, onions and chillies made a tasty entree. Tandoori dishes are also available, there's Italian coffee (a rarity in India), and fresh fruit juices are available - we watched a team member shimmy up a palm tree to fetch a coconut.

For breakfast, we tucked into pancakes with bananas and honey, fluffy herb omelettes and variations on the full English. Lunches are often western in style, perhaps: pasta, sandwiches, bruschetta. Each tent also has tea and coffee-making facilities, as well as an honesty minibar of cold drinks.

For something more romantic, private dining can be set up under a shady banyan tree.

The nearest beach restaurants are about a mile away, with plenty of choice; La Plage, run by a French couple, does wonderful food and desserts.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Relax on your private jetty, watch colourful birds flitting through the trees, and keep an eye out for otters in the creek. Field guides on the wildlife are available
  
• Amble along the semi-private white sand beach, sunbathe and swim in the salty seas, or ride the waves with a bodyboard (can be borrowed on site)
  
• Head out to sea with local fishermen (staff can put you in touch) to spot dolphins leaping in and out of the waves. You might even spy them from the shore if you're lucky
  
• Haggle at Anjuna’s famous flea market, south of Mandrem and past the villages of Morjim and Siolim - request a car and driver to take you
  
• Just 4km further south of Anjuna is Arpora - its weekly night market should not be missed
  
• Spend a day in Old Goa (a 45-minute drive). The former Goan capital is a World Heritage site famed for its churches and tomb of St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa
  
• Visit Panjim, the current regional capital: walk along the Mandovi River and quaint streets of the Bairro das Fontainhas (the old Portuguese quarter)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Wildlife

Kids

Children over 12 are welcome if sharing a tent with an adult; extra beds cannot be provided.

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Otter Creek Tents are near Mandrem village, about 7km south of Arambol and about 10km north of Siolim in southern India.

Staff prefer to keep the exact location secret, as they often have A-list celebrities staying there.

By Air
Manohar International (25km away) is the closest airport, about a 40-minute drive. Dabolim International (70km away) is the region's main airport, approx. 1.5 hours' drive. It's easiest to arrange a transfer through the houses' staff (particularly due to the 'secret location'). You will have to walk the last 500m on foot and cross the bamboo footbridge to leave the outside world behind.

Getting Around
You can hire a driver and a car that carries up to 4 passengers for exploring the area. You can also take your life into your hands and hire a motorcycle, but this isn't recommended for the faint-hearted.

Detailed directions with more information on the house's location will be sent to you when you confirm your booking through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Goa and getting around