Goa, the Party Planet of India: Travel Guide for Tourism & Trip Planning
Bustling beaches to swerving ocean waves, Goa has a lot of wonders and fun up its sleeves. This is not an ultimate guide nor the most perfect blog you will find on Goa claiming to cover each and every place, monument, building, hotel or lodge as claimed by other blogs. This is my personal trip experience which I am conveying to my readers in order to offer my opinion on specific places in Goa I’ve been to. My Goa trip has really been a wonderful experience altogether.
Read on to know more.
My Goa trip starts from an inadvertent plan when I was staring at the river Ganga while standing on my balcony perched on the 20th floor of the highest tower in Kanpur. I could see how the peaceful yet unforgiving river the Ganges flows unfazed by what lies ahead and continues its advance to become one with the oceans. In the very next moment, I began feeling this itch of being on a beach with a vast sea extending to the horizon.
Now time travelling to the part where I land in Goa.
I boarded a flight from Lucknow and landed at the Dabolim Airport. Got off and rushed to Grand Hyatt where I scheduled my stay for two days. My personal advice here would be not to invest more thoughts into planning a trip to Goa, but pick a date, book tickets and just leave!
Oh boy! what a treat it was. I even received a beautiful gift from the management of Grand Hyatt when I showed up. I would thank them to be so hospitable and welcoming to their guests with the perfect gestures and etiquettes.
Now I will simply break down my visits with an overview of the places and stuff I explored. This will keep your attention to the relevant details you need to learn. To prevent writing a whole book on Goa, I have not included stark details about a place that would make this article too long to read.
Beaches: Calangute
Beaches are the most visited places in Goa for leisure activities. Nothing is better than drowsing or frolicking on a peaceful and less crowded beach such as Vagator and Calangute. I visited Calangute and rested for quite some time on the shores. Having a Nariyal Pani while gazing at the horizon is perhaps the best thing one can do if peace and serenity rule their minds. Chugging a few beers will add more fun and the sea breeze would turn you even higher. There’s nothing much to do at the beaches except bathing in the waves, strolling on the sand, playing around with balls and some adventure sports which I have mentioned below.
Anjuna Beach
The Calangute beach located ~11kms from Panaji is a hotbed of party-goers, adventurers and shoppers. Yes, this beach even has a market which sells almost all the stuff a traveller would want to buy. If you prefer a non-vegetarian diet, you can explore some of the most common seafoods that not only seduce your
tastebuds but are also light on your pocket. Step into the Chelsea Beach Shack ṣand where you can find Lemon fish, Pomfret, Red Snapper, Kingfish, Fish fingers, prawn curry for a delightful foodie experience. People from all over the world flock to Goa to chill on its beaches, savour the seafood only to return once again on another hot Goa trip.
If you prefer mountains over beaches, read my other account of the Auli mountain range.
Nightlife
Adventurers can go visit the Baga beach, Aguada Fort and St. Alex Church which are located nearby Calangute beach. Finding one of the most revered psytrance festivals or full moon parties can send in a gush of adrenaline and euphoria throughout your existence. Psy music festivals such as Hilltop etc are most prominently known throughout the world, and are attended by numerous individuals donning fancy dresses, dreadlocks and tribal tattoos. Be careful though! These events are rife with peddlers offering psychedelic drugs at drooling prices. Believe me, Goa trips are incomplete without attending these compact music festivals. I attended one of the most attended music festivals in Goa but have eventually forgotten the name. lol!
You can also find adventure sports right at the Calangute beach such as Parasailing, Jetski, banana ride, and Bumper ride. You can treat yourselves to short boat rides, zoom of on ATV quad bikes and do some dolphin spotting in Palolem. If you want to go on an even greater thrilling experience, you can visit the Vagator Beach and Candolim beach in North Goa that is in proximity to the Calangute beach. Tito’s Lane is perhaps the most bustling place in all of Goa, or so they say.
My Stay at a Villa
The southern part has some of the best villas in all of Goa, I may be getting biased but that’s what I have known after travelling frequently to the locale of every part. I stayed in one of them and the vicinity captivated my senses to the full potential. Ridden with swamps and vegetation, the villa appeared a fantastic place to be. The food was good and the staff was hospitable. Nobody bothers you as you’ve got a whole villa at your behest.
You can find some of the most alluring villas in South Goa due to their close proximity to beaches and Portuguese influenced architectures. Grounded in peace, these villas can be a perfect getaway for you and your other half if you plan to spend a vacation with peace avoiding the noise. Though you won’t get that happening crowd, and the sultry environment with hippies headbanging to hypnotic Anjuna beats, your serene stay won’t be as clamorous.
But Goa is not just about partying, partaking and beach strolling, unbeknownst to most people, Goa is also famous for its medicinal herbs and rhizomes that grow abundantly all over Goa. Known for their medicinal purposes, these plants are a vital part of Goa’s medicine and treatment which the locals most widely use.
Forge Spiritual connections with higher consciousness
Chauranginath Temple: Calangute – Anjuna Rd, Sim Vaddo, Arpora
To get a taste of spirituality, you can visit any retreat such as Ashiyana, Mandrem, The Mandala, Mandrem, Swan Yoga retreat, Lotus Sutra and many more. The surreal experience gained here will be a catalyst in calming your senses. One can indulge in various mind-expanding activities such as Yoga, meditation and reflection in tranquil places surrounded by nothing but nature.
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