My Goan odyssey

Goa, for me, is the beach capital of India. The place has so much energy, amazing nightlife, unparalleled natural beauty, lip-smacking food, authentic and stylish cafes, enthusiastic throng, charming Portuguese houses adorned with the old bygone era and what, not the list goes on and on and on…

Every time I heard about Goa, I felt that people know only the usual sun sand and sea side of it, a little beach hopping, lazing at the shacks, partying at Tito’s and a few sips of Feni that’s all covered the itinerary, little known that Goa is such a gem and has so many offbeats and hidden charms to admire. So let’s get away from the gray beaches and crowded streets for a while and let me take you to the other side of goa which is so scenic yet calm and a perfect break from all the hustle bustle.

Also, see Discover a sleepy village of Goa: Aldona

•  Dolphin watching – This is the most fun-filled activity which I enjoyed a lot. The boat ride starts either from coca or Sinquerim beaches and took 1 hour and made you spot these lovely creatures playing joyfully with the waves or sometimes swimming ahead of your boat as if guiding towards the shore. Charges 300/- per head.

•  Ferry Ride – Take a small ferry ride in the river water for free and enjoy the beauty looking around the mangroves. Ferries/jetty has been used since earlier days to take people and their vehicles from one side of the river to the other.A small amount of  Rs10/- charged only for four-wheelers.

•   Soak in the Old Goan Charm – I visited goa during Christmas time when all of the states was soaked in the Christmas spirit. Relive the old Portuguese charm wandering the streets of old goa. Explore the beautiful churches and iconic Portuguese houses and various small bakeries and if you are lucky, you can witness the beautiful Goan traditional marriage like I had witnessed.

•   Drive carefree – Away from the traffic and the crowds drive the scooter where ever you want. Take the roads less traveled towards the beautiful sleepy villages of goa. The aim is not to get anywhere, but to just let yourself go along the endless rice paddies and palm-fringed interiors and quaint environment.  We Indulged ourselves in the local ambiance, hogged on to some cheap but best local delicacies and interacted with the lovely locals.   Scooter/bikes available at a rent of 300/- per day which can go high up to 1000/- in peak season.

•  Jazz up the nights – Goa is filled with many authentic and lovely cafes. Experiment visiting some of them each night. Live music and Goan inspired food make for a fun evening for all.Taste the local cuisines and hit the dance floor till the wee hours.

•   Mandovi river cruise – The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) runs various river cruises on the Mandovi river during daytime and sunset in Panjim. On board, you can enjoy the goan folk dances and enjoy the drinks with the amazing view of the sunset. Charges are 300/- to 500/- per head based on the type of cruise you choose.  There are also a few private firms that offer a variety of exclusive cruises or boat tours for sunset views. Like Deltine Royale and Casino Royle.

•   Flea Market and Night Bazzars – Flea Markets in Goa are the perfect shopping destination and provides varity of stuff, junk jwellery , silver jwellery, bags, dresses, swimware, sleppers, handicrafts and much more. The flea market at Anjuna Beach is the most famous among them which held at every wednesday at day time. Though the days there are very humid so as an alternative to the sweltering Wednesday afternoon you can pay a visit to the Saturday night markets which sure makes the most of the pleasent Goan evenings.

So next time ditch the regular beach visit and don’t tell yourself you have been to Goa if you haven’t had experienced these. Let me know any offbeat thing which you did in Goa, would love to do next time.

Thanks for stopping by 🙂