On a recent trip to Goa, I lucked out on accommodation near a beach frequented by olive ridley turtles. The journey from Pune had started when students in the liberal arts college where I teach had been sent home in anticipation of a third wave of Covid-19 cases. In Goa, on the western coast of India, the tourism sector, like the turtles, was behaving according to the season, however. Scooter hire operators were doing brisk business again and restaurant shacks were filled up.

It’s my first morning and, hunting for breakfast, I spot an eye-catching sign: a turquoise surfboard with yellow lettering hitched up on bamboo rods. Sold by the makeshift marketing, I find myself in a tree-canopied eco-resort with surfboards and stand-up paddleboards for rent; an art gallery; yoga, conscious breathing and ecstatic dance classes; as well as the usual dine-in and stay options. Impressively, the entire enterprise is largely biodegradable—partition walls are woven from coconut leaves and supporting beams and pillars rely on bamboo.

• Tags: Aileen Blaney, India, Issue 29