Why I chose a studio by the river in Siolim
Not the sea but a river, not a resort strip but a village that keeps its own hours: what I looked for in a first home, and why Siolim was it.
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In short
- I chose a studio beside the river in Rai, Siolim, in North Goa, as the first home of The House of Nivak: 650 sq ft for two, with a balcony over the river, the palms and green fields.
- I wanted a home that belongs where it is. Siolim is a lived-in village on the Chapora, with old Indo-Portuguese houses, St. Anthony's Church and the São João feast every 24 June.
- It sits almost in the middle of the north: Morjim is across the Siolim bridge, Vagator and Anjuna are a short drive south, and Assagao and Mapusa are inland.
- I kept the listing plain: the river, not the sea; a first floor, by stairs; and 75 Mbps Wi-Fi as a number rather than a promise.
- It's named for what it looks at. Rivara comes from “river”, and its small mark is two waves.
I chose Rivara for the river. When I started The House of Nivak, I wanted its first home to be one that could only be where it is, and a studio beside the Chapora in Siolim, with a balcony over the water, the palms and the fields, was exactly that.
This is the thinking behind it: what I was looking for, what Siolim gave me, and what I decided to say plainly. If you're choosing where to stay in North Goa, some of it may help you choose too.
What I was looking for
I started the House for a simple reason: I wanted to stay in places that felt like they belonged where they were. Too many stays look the same wherever you go, with the same grey sofa, the same wide-angle photographs and the same promises that don't quite survive check-in. So the first home had to pass one test before any other. Could it only be here?
In Goa, the obvious answer is a sea view. I wanted something slower: a place where you notice the light change on the water, where mornings start with the village rather than the traffic, and where an evening doesn't need a plan.
- A village, not a strip. A place with its own life, where the church bell keeps the time and the baker still comes by bicycle.
- Water in view. Something worth looking at from a chair, morning and evening.
- Reach without the noise. Beaches, cafés and markets close enough for a day out, but not outside the window.
- A room that works. A proper desk, Wi-Fi with a stated speed, and a kitchen you can cook a real meal in.
Why Siolim
Siolim is a lived-in village on the south bank of the Chapora. It has lanes of old Indo-Portuguese houses, St. Anthony's Church at its heart and a baker who cycles past with a horn, and every 24 June it keeps São João, with the sangodd boat parade on the river. It's a village first and a destination second. That was the order I wanted.
It also sits almost in the middle of the north, which matters more than it sounds. Cross the Siolim bridge and you're in Morjim, where the quiet coast begins: Ashwem, Mandrem, Arambol and, at the very top, Querim. South are Vagator's red cliffs and Anjuna. Inland are Assagao, for long lunches, and Mapusa, the market town. You can spend a morning on a quiet beach and still be home on the river for sunset.
Morjim and Ashwem
The start of the quiet north coast, and where I'd send you first for a swim and a slow afternoon. More in the best beaches in Goa.
Olive ridley turtles nest at Morjim in the cooler months, so give the nesting areas room. Swim only between the lifeguards' flags, and not at all in the monsoon.
Photo: Agyar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vagator and Anjuna
Red laterite cliffs, sea views, cafés and the Wednesday flea market in season. It's where North Goa goes out in the evening.
Outdoor music stops at 10 PM in Anjuna and Vagator.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsAssagao
Leafy lanes, restored mansions, small galleries and some of North Goa's most loved restaurants. Go for lunch and stay for the afternoon.
Mapusa
The market town. Its market is open every day and liveliest on Fridays, and I've written about it in markets in Goa.
Photo: Aaron C, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsWhy a small studio for two
I'd rather open one home done properly than ten done quickly, and a small home is one I can get right to the last detail. Rivara is a 650 sq ft studio for two: one double bed, a green velvet sofa, a desk by the window, a kitchenette and a balcony. It suits couples, solo travellers and anyone working remotely, and stays of 28 nights or more are welcome.
Getting it ready was its own story, with a carpenter, a painter, a kitchen equipped down to the salt and pepper, and a fridge chosen with Goa in mind. I've told it in getting Rivara ready.
What I chose to say plainly
A first home is also a list of things you decide to say out loud. Rivara is beside the river, not the sea. It's on the first floor, reached by stairs. The Wi-Fi is 75 Mbps, a number rather than a promise. One security camera covers the building entrance, and there are none inside the studio.
None of that is a secret, and none of it should be a surprise. I'd rather you knew all of it before you booked than found it out after.
Why it's called Rivara
Every House of Nivak home takes its name from its place, and Rivara comes from “river”. Its small mark is two waves. It's named for what it looks at, which seems right for a home whose best seat is a chair on the balcony.
How I'd spend a day in Siolim
What is there to do in Siolim? Less than in Anjuna, which is the point. This is the day I'd plan for a friend. There's more in things to do in Siolim.
A slow day from the river
- MorningCoffee on the balcony while the village wakes up. Then across the bridge to Morjim or Ashwem for a swim before the sun gets high, or a walk on the sand in the monsoon.
- MiddayA long lunch in Assagao, or back to the studio for the heat of the day, which in Goa is never wasted time.
- EveningBack to the river for the light. Thalassa, Fireback and Hosa sit on the river in Siolim, and that's where I'd book dinner.
- LateBoilermaker, ranked No. 8 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026, if you want a cocktail, and a taxi home. Otherwise, the quiet.
What comes next
My plan is a house of homes across India. Not a chain, and never a copy: a home in the hills, a home on the backwaters, and places I haven't found yet, each with its own story and the same care. I'll open them one at a time, and only when they're ready.
None of them will be a copy of Rivara. For now there's one home, two chairs on a balcony and a river that keeps its own pace. I'd start there.
Questions people ask
Because I wanted a village and a river rather than a beach strip. Siolim is quieter and lived-in, and Morjim beach is just across the Siolim bridge, so the sea is close without being outside the window.
It's my house of homes, each one shaped by the place it stands in and described honestly. There's one so far: Rivara, a riverside studio in Rai, Siolim, North Goa, for two guests. The rest will come across India, one at a time.
I did. I'm Nivedita, and the House is mine to run. I'd rather open one home done properly than ten done quickly, so the homes will come one at a time.
Yes. It sits almost in the middle of the north: Morjim is across the bridge, Vagator and Anjuna are a short drive south, and Assagao and Mapusa are inland. Mopa (GOX) is the closer airport. I've written more on staying in Siolim.
From “river”. Every House of Nivak home takes its name from its place, and Rivara's small mark is two waves.
Sources and checks
- The House of Nivak: Rivara's listing facts
- The House of Nivak guest guide (facts checked 27 Sep 2026)
Opening days, prices and seasonal rules change. I check them before every update; please confirm anything time-sensitive before you go.
