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You'll cross to Divar Island by ferry before sunrise and watch Placido climb bare-footed up a coconut palm to collect the morning's sap. Back on the ground, you'll taste the toddy fresh and slightly fizzy, still warm from the tree, alongside a simple breakfast he lays out on a mat.
Toddy tapping supplies both a traditional drink and the base sap for jaggery and vinegar, but fewer young Goans are training as tappers, making the trade increasingly rare on the islands.
Toddy tapping is practised at dawn across Goa's coconut groves, a skill traditionally passed between generations of Bhandari and Christian tapping families on the river islands.
We're still verifying a practitioner for this experience — check back soon.
Early morning
Ferry crossing and walk to the coconut grove
Dawn
Watch the palm climb and sap collection
Morning
Fresh toddy tasting and breakfast
Difficulty
Easy — mostly observational, tasting included
Age suitability
16 and up
Palm climb at dawn
Collecting toddy sap
Morning tasting on Divar IslandPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Is toddy alcoholic?
Fresh toddy is mild and only lightly fermented; it grows stronger through the day, which is why tapping and tasting happen at dawn.
How early do we start?
Pickup is typically around 5:30am to catch the first ferry and the morning tap.
“Watching Placido climb barefoot with no harness was genuinely astonishing.”
Vikram S. · 5/5
“The island at sunrise alone was worth the early start, the toddy was a bonus.”
Clare D. · 5/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.