Goa is one of the most outstanding holiday destinations on the globe with an abundance of sun-kissed beaches, beautiful coastlines, a stunning nightlife, and a vibrant lifestyle. Every year, tourists from all over the world flock to this beachside destination to explore its various colors dipped across 50+ beaches spanning the gysy culture of North and the serenity of South areas. You have to have a perfect Goa trip planner to ensure a happy and safe holiday.
This is a place that has abundant experiences for different types of tourists and guests from the romantic tourists to the adventurers. Guess what, you can even explore some of India’s top-rated schools for the best yoga teacher training here.
We’ll go through the key details you need to be aware of in this guide.
1. Getting a visa for Goa
If you are not a Indian citizen, you need to get a visa for India. As of now, India does not offer visa-on-arrival or visa-free entry to non-Indian citizens, but there is a facility of eVisa and you can apply for it online. It is more or less hassle-free and does not require prolonged waiting or standing in the queue at the airport like you do when you get a visa on arrival. You can check the option of iVisa for a simpler alternative since the Govt. of India website for eVisa is not that functional or smooth.
Do remember that e-Tourist visa fee is non refundable. The validity of the same is 30 days after your arrival in India.
If you are not familiar with such processes or don’t want to spend such things on your own, please consult a reputed Goa tours and travels company. They will do it hassle free. Obviously, it will add extra cost to your overall Goa trip cost. Decision is yours.
2. The best months to visit Goa
Since India experiences a variety of seasons owing to its position on the map, the beautiful island has various seasons too ranging between low tourist seasons to the peak of tourist season. The timings of rush of travelers as per months as follows.
- Less visitors: May to Mid-September
- Peak season: October to February
- Super high season: November to December
It is very important detail, whether you do solo trip or with friends and family. It must be in the utmost priority of your Goa trip planner.
3. Keep your documents safe in a sling bag
There are two ways to keep your important documents such as driving license, visa and passport safe when travelling. Either carry these along with you wherever you go. Just make sure these are kept safe in a fanny bag or a sling bag. An alternative is to keep the original documents safe in the hotel room’s locker. You can carry soft copies of the documents in your phone.
You can also save all the official documents / files in PDF format and upload on Google Drive or save in your mobile. We suggest to use the cloud based saving, as it become handy any point of time. Your dependency of mobile will cut off via this.
4. What to pack?
Pack light, but pack well.
Look into the current weather conditions and the travel guidelines before beginning to pack. Some of the essentials that are must-have are:
- A pair of funky slippers
- Sunblock lotion
- Beach wears
- Cotton dresses to beat the heat
- Sarongs
- Shorts
Also carry a mosquito repellent next to your first-aid box.
5. Where to stay in Goa?
There are several amazing stay options, including the bed and breakfast places, five star hotels, beach resorts, hostels and many more. Most tourists rarely look beyond the basics such as Calangute and Baga. You can book other places that are less crowded, Panjim being one of those where the cruise casinos are located.
If you are travelling during the peak season, then it is better to make the booking in advance so that you do not have to hanker for a place to stay when you are here in the middle of nowhere and most good places here get booked much before the city reaches its peak season. You can even stay at a recognized residential 200 hour Yoga TTC in Goa to follow yoga amid the beauty of Goan resplendence. You can book it through various Goa tours and travels companies. Your itinerary of sightseeing in Goa will depends on it.
6. Haunted places, locations to avoid
You come here to enjoy. So, stay away from haunted or unsafe places. Three Kings’ Church: Spirits of three kings is one such spot. Jakni Bandh bridge is also considered as evil place. Some locals says that they hear voice of crying children at night. Believe or not, NH 17 is said to be haunted by three witches who are crazy lovers of non-veg food. So, if you are on this route, avoid carrying any kind of meat, chicken or similar food.
‘Ghost Hotel’ is nearby Agonda beach. Because of some legal issues, it could never built completely. So, it got abandoned and now got covered with random trees and bushes. The list is long and covers many more such places, bridges and remote areas.
7. Do budget travel from the airport
Have you considered all commute information in your Goa trip planner? If you are on a budget travelling, then the real challenge begins at the airport where there are no autos (tuk tuks) in sight and the cabs are expensive. In such a scenario, you can save money by booking a cab from the prepaid booking counter for taxi services at the exit gate of the airport.
Take my words, it will make a huge cost benefit for you. In case if you have friends or relatives and they can pick you up from the airport, then it will be the best. It is one of the important things to consider in planning of Goa trip cost.
8. Best way to explore Goa
Since the public transport is not that frequent here, especially in offbeat zones, it is better to rent a vehicle like every other tourist does. You can rent a car or a scooter to explore the city like a free-spirited being. You can get a scooter for Rs. 300 a day. Just make sure you are carrying your international driver’s license.
On a safer side, please wear a helmet. Don’t worry about the petrol. There are tons of houses and shops in entire city, who sells petrol in water bottle. You can also refer trip advisor Goa to find so many less known locations.
9. Seafood is love
If you love seafood, then you are most likely to love Goan food as well. If you enjoy Indian food on occasions and the spice is something you love, and then do remember to give it a try. You can try a fish curry with steamed rice for a complete local taste.
You will have lot of options to choose from roadside shops to high rating hotels. But, in my experience you can’t beat the taste of local people’s kitchen. Ask to a local guide or random shop keepers about the best joint to satisfy your taste buds. As it coastal area, you have huge menu to select from. Make a list of all such options in your Goa trip planner.
10. How to avoid getting ripped off?
It has sparkling flea markets that buzz with shoppers bargaining to get the best price for the products they want to buy. It is simple, the better you negotiate, the better price you get. As a rule you can start with a higher price and then haggle half way through.
You need to establish that you are a native person and have lots of other shops to get your things done from. It is all about how much can you bargain. Use local dialogs and body language. The flea market works on latest trends of fashion and style. You can’t expect the stuff to be of high quality. If you shop in bulk, do demand for more discount.
11. Find the best parties in Goa
It is the place where psychedelic trance was born and since then, the place is a famed party destination across the globe. You can find some of the best parties at Anjuna and Vagator regions. Best agents of Goa tours and travels can also suggest you some.
You would love to party all night. The nightlife is bright and shiny here, with tons of options to choose from. You can also choose beach shacks, pubs and small joints. If you have deep pockets, you can go to SinQ. It is an elite place with all glam sham, beautiful decor and pool. If you want to go immersed into Neon, Club Cubana is the word. Cantare will give nostalgic feeling of old and authentic place. The choice is yours! If you trust remarks of netizens, check the ratings on trip advisor Goa section.
12. Be safe
The city is known for safety across the globe when it comes to the local life or the tourists’. Just do not push it deliberately. For instance, do not leave your drinks unattended or leave your belongings anywhere. When you are stuck somewhere, do talk to a local for help.
Be respectful to all. If you are drunk, please don’t do any kind of nuisance. The locals will not try to take advantage of your condition, until you go berserk. As tourism is the main source of income for local people, they are friendly and helping.
It is important to respect the local culture and lifestyle just like visiting any other destination or country during your traveling to Goa. Do not litter on the streets or drive while sloshed at a party. Enjoy the vibrant vibe of it and keep smiling.
Author Bio:
Laura is blogging at Goa Yogashala, a website that offers best yoga retreats and yoga teacher training for yogis around the world. Always on the lookout for interesting places to visit. It took him 25 years of his life to realize where the true calling lies, but once that was done, there’s been no looking back. Since the last ten years that she is on the go, She is sharing his travel experiences by writing about them.