Elevate your Goa experience with a thrilling 160 feet bird’s eye view and panoramic vista, all while enjoying delicious snacks and refreshing drinks! 

SHERYL GONSALVES & KALYANI JHA | NT 

People have often told me that I have my head in the clouds. This idiom almost came true for me when I had an adventurous outing at Grand Hyatt Goa, organised by Horisen Sky Experiences.

Barely able to contain my excitement, my colleague, Kalyani, and I sat in comfortable rotating chairs. The safety measures, strapping us in, made us feel secure. As we mingled with others, sipping on colourful mocktails, I didn’t even notice that our chairs, along with the entire table, had already started ascending towards the blue sky, for the movement was so gentle.

When we were halfway up there, I must admit that I started to mildly panic and grabbed the edge of the table. I dared to look down, which accelerated my adrenaline, but that didn’t stop me from shakily trying to snap a few pictures. Fortunately, soothing songs were playing, which helped calm down my racing heart. That was when I really began to soak in the visual treats around me.

In front of me was a panoramic view of the sea blending with the sky. It looked like a gorgeous painting with different shades of blue along with a subtle sunset. Apart from this, I admired the coconut trees, which seemed like they had been shrunk, dotting the green landscape below me. Seeing the city skyline was impressive as well. I was in awe of the lady opposite me who rotated her chair, had her legs dangling in the air while holding her drink and clicking pictures. As for me, I was perfectly content keeping my feet on the footrest provided and eating the snacks served. I almost burst out laughing when the song ‘Calm Down’ by Rema and Selena started playing.

We were given a tray of delicious goodies like spring rolls with classic Asian flavours, chicken sliders, tomato pesto bruschetta, and cucumber cream cheese sandwiches. To satisfy those with a sweet tooth, there were crunchy, chewy red velvet cookies and an ‘apple crumble tart’ consisting of soft, delicious sponge cake with a hint of crunch, which was my favourite.

To ensure that everyone got a good view of their surroundings, the table gently rotated mid-air a couple of times. By now, I got used to my temporary seating high above the ground and admired the sky turning darker, which brought about an even more peaceful atmosphere. The lit-up hotel and other buildings stood out against the shadows of the night and were a sight to behold.

Vinay Kasetty, co-founder of Vindev Groups and Horisen, is the man behind the sky experiences in Goa. As a metallurgist and mechanical engineer, Kasetty came up with this concept at Grand Hyatt Bambolim two years ago.

“As part of Lakshmi Group, my previous company that I worked for, I have had the opportunity to be part of some projects of ISRO and DRDO. During the research and development phase of Mangalyaan, the idea of experiences above the ground came up,” which was later developed into Sky Experiences, says Kasetty.

Apart from their signature sky experience, TUV certified Horisen also offers tailored events like birthday parties, corporate meetings, anniversaries, proposals, and more. “We customise each experience to fit unique requirements,” says the founder. The minimum time for the experience above the ground is 40 minutes, which is flexible according to the planned event.

Currently, there are five sessions in a day timed well so you can choose from breakfast, lunch, high-tea, sundowner, and dinner with a menu curated by the chefs from Grand Hyatt. “Dishes tend to get cooler faster at height. Keeping this in mind, menus are pre-decided,” says Kasetty.

The activity in the sky comes to a halt in June, July, and August due to the unpredictability of weather in the monsoon. “The deck is prepared to sustain the wind pressure of 30 km per hour. Every session, we monitor the wind pressure, and we take weather reports into consideration,” he shares.

Up to 24 people can be seated at a time. The barely noticeable ascent and descent, breathtaking views, adrenaline rush, food, and sense of safety makes the experience ethereal and memorable, and is definitely worth going for.