Making a Mess: Experiencing the magic of a mud bath in Goa

A mud bath in Goa a day, can keep all your stress away. Goans and travellers alike swear by the healing properties of Goan clay. You wake up early or head out in the evening, cross sprawling fields and flowing rivers and reach a spot that belongs just to you. There is a small natural pool surrounded by nothing but peace. You watch the time go by as you dip into this pool and massage your skin with clay while catching the sunset. It’s just you, your friends and an abundance of nature to help heal your soul. 

If you’re someone who hasn’t yet tried a clay bath in Goa, this blog will inspire you to plan your next nature spa session.

What happens during a mud bath in Goa?

Goa is a tropical state known for its fertile soils and soft clay. It’s perfect not just for growing paddy (rice), but also for a restorative and rejuvenating nature spa sesh. The Soul Travelling team will take you to a local field on the outskirts of Divar or Chorao Island in Goa. Here, you walk some distance until you reach a natural water body. This water is often collected for irrigating the neighbouring fields or because a river’s distributary ends there. At the bottom of this pool, you will find some extremely fertile and soft soil.

It’s rich in various minerals and uncontaminated by any pollutants because of its location. All you have to do is wet your skin, scrub the soil on your body and let it dry. Like a face pack. Once it does, you slowly wash it off with the water. When you immerse yourself completely into the process, not only will the clay cleanse your skin, but the therapeutic routine will help you slow down too.

The tradition behind a Goan mud bath

It is believed that Goans have been doing these mud baths for centuries. It’s an age-old practice being passed down through generations. Who knew, right? (We did) 

According to Rajat, Soul Travelling’s Ambassador and resident of Divar, the importance of a clay bath in Goa can be traced back to the basics of Ayurveda.

“The earth and everything on it are made up of 5 elements”, he says “- earth, fire, sky, water and air. Our bodies too are made of the same 5 elements, also known as the panchtatva. The combinations of these vary from person to person which determines our overall physical constitution, or doshas. All three doshas i.e. vatta, pitta and kafa are present in every human being, but one or two can be more predominant. These further help maintain the systems in our body and our lifestyle determines how well they all work together.

According to our ancestors, the soil is one element that can overpower all these elements. A fire can be put out with soil and water can be contained in earthen pots.”

When modern medicine wasn’t prevalent in Goa, the locals used to do a salt bath once or twice a year. This was usually done to relieve body aches. These salt baths and mud baths in Goa happened in summer providing respite from the heat. 

“Along with body aches, the salt and clay baths in Goa also helped maintain blood pressure, control body glucose levels and relieve joint pain. Goans would go during the full moon and no moon since it influenced the tides.”, Rajat adds.

How does a mud bath in Goa help you detox?

Goan mud baths often take place in and around the Khazan lands – unique architectural structures designed more than 3500 years ago by Goa’s indigenous tribals. These Khazans conserve saltwater that can then be used to fish prawns, irrigate land and pan salt.

When you soak in salt water, the water from your body moves out through osmosis. This is due to the difference in concentrations of salt inside and outside the body. When we bathe in saltwater during a mud bath in Goa, it can help clear mucus congestion within the body and increase the amount of electrolytes such as Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium helping regulate stress and improving sleep quality. Apart from that, the nutrients in the clay itself help remove dead skin cells and increase mineral absorption into the skin. 

The clay you find at the mud bath sites in Goa comes all the way from the Sahyadri mountains, carried as silt with the rivers that empty into the Arabian Sea. The soil carried by the Mandovi contains red laterite rock and many other dead plants like the mangroves that are known for their medicinal properties. 

So, why opt for a saltwater bath in closed rooms when you can do it under open skies, right? 

Ready to take a rejuvenating break in Goa?

A mud bath in Goa can help you in more than one way. It can relieve stress, improve blood circulation and soothe your sore muscles. Moreover, taking a few hours to go far away from the crowded lanes and beaches to spend some time in complete quiet can be meditative. If you’re convinced about taking a mud bath in Goa, our local ambassadors can take you to the best spots!

Call or message us on: +919529490245 or book a Mud Bath Trail in Chroao here.