Goan urban legends.
No wonder GOA islands used to be a part of the hippie trail movement in the 60’s. The hippie trail was a form of alternative tourism, and one of the key elements was travelling as cheaply as possible, mainly to extend the length of time away from home. India is perfect for cheap travelling, and you find many souls that hang in there for months. Many hippie souls..:)
Energy levels in Goa are very low, and it almost brings you a beautiful permanent peaceful state of mind. Time goes slow almost as if it has stopped.
No wonder meditation and yoga has its origins there. Now I understand how you can easily stay there for six months without even blinking. Its unique ambient drew you in more and more.
I must mention here that India is not for everyone- its sanitary conditions are on many occasions below the standard, and you can never drink any other water than from a sealed bottle. You will come across dirt, poverty, mess but it is one of a kind place that I think everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime.
South of Goa vs. North of Goa
North and South of Goa differ. North is known for more rough areas, party scene and quite a significant local community, however, South is cleaner, more relaxed and beachy. I stayed in both places, and each of them had to offer something unique.
Goa offers a little bit of everything, it is a pretty cool place to visit.
- South of Goa– The best part of Goa, highly recommend staying for a couple of nights in Agonda Cottages, right on the beach(pictures above in the intro). From there you can travel anywhere using local tuk-tuk or hired a motorbike (Enfield seems to be popular there, see the pic below).
- North of Goa– the busiest and low-end part of GOA is Arambol. It’s a downtown with busy clothing stalls and cheap accommodation. Arambol Beach is the most famous spot. I would recommend as a day trip; it is quite dirty. During NYE whole beach turns into one big party! A lot of local people join parties there so I recommend finding out more secluded NYE beach parties.
Visit Ashvem – a cool spot to stay a couple of days. Lovely beaches, restaurants and vibe. An absolute must for a romantic dinner, visit French restaurant LA PLAGE located at Aswem Beach, Morjim, Near Papa Jolly Hotel.
Stay a couple of nights at Jamboree Creek accommodation in Ashvem – cute little bungalows with hot showers. Clean with a swimming pool, quite affordable too!
Check out Vagator Beach, a gem of Northern Goa. Visit Chronicles for spectacular sunsets, music and some delicious Italian food.
Secret beach spot Khola Beach in South Goa
Only 15 min away from Agonda Cottages, this tucked away beach is not achievable without going through some little rough road through the bush, but once you get there, it’s a true paradise.
A characteristic quality of Cola Beach( pictures below) is the natural pure blue lagoon, which waa created by a flowing rivulet nearby that empties its fresh water into the Arabian Sea.
If you fall in love with this secluded spot you can book a couple of nights at Dwarka Eco Beach Resort right by the water.
Flea Markets
Every vintage lover wouldn’t miss Goan flea markets. You can find absolute treasure there. Flea markets are cool to hang out at, a lot of them offer live music and plenty of good food.
Anjuna market every Wednesday in Anjuna Beach is the most popular, but every Saturday there is this market on Arpora Hill, between Baga and Anjuna, is known as much for its party-like atmosphere.
Party Scene
Goa is known for its enormous music scene; you want to check out this excellent venue called Leopard Valley in Agonda- Palolem. Music, fire, stones and amazing vibes!Catch a tuk-tuk and they will take you there.
Food
I was never a fan of Indian food but after my trip to India, I love it now 🙂 Don’t forget to try the local hero dish – Vandaloo.
In South Goa soon after sunset, there is plenty of places that open their food restaurants at the beach so you can enjoy a relaxing dinner by the candles with spectacular seafood of your choice.
How to get there:
It is probably the best to fly to Mumbai or Bangalore and from there catch a local 1-hour flight to GOA. At first, I was scared to fly with local airlines, but they turned out not be that bad after all.
You can choose between Air India, Jet Airways, Indigo, Spice Jet. Indigo was the most flexible and easy to manage.
You then need to hire a taxi or a bus to take you down to the beaches.It might take up to 1-hour drive or more.
Check these 10 best bungalow in Goa
So what is Goa best for?
Frankly, it offers an eclectic mix of everything.
Beaches, parties, tropical paradise, hippies and spiritual awakening…
This post is also available in: Polish
Interesting !