‘Goa never disappoints’ is a common thought you’ll hear from everyone, the one-off travelers as well as the Goa regulars. The Portuguese heritage and the chilled out vibe in the air exerts an almost magnetic pull on anyone wanting to party, relax, explore and do something new.
The North-South Dilemma
If you can take out time and experience both the parts, go for it! North Goa can be perceived as the true party center in Goa. Naturally, a lot of diverse folks, Indians as well as foreign tourists, can be seen flocking in this direction which is also why several beach resorts can be easily found here. One such option is Beleza By The Beach in the south, which some people have had great experience with.
Calangute is a well-known place to be which has Baga beach, and the relatively peaceful Candolim beach to its south. Beautiful beaches such as Dona Paula, Anjuna, Vagator and Sinquerim must have a place on your north Goa checklist along with the forts Aguada and Chapora. The local markets, shacks, and carnivals offer a lot of exciting discoveries, especially for the first-timers.
South Goa is relatively less populated and hence seems very spacious and well spread out geographically. Therefore, many resorts in south Goa are lavishly built satisfying the need of a luxurious vacation. There are fewer but exotic beaches. Overall, a whip of class and modern lifestyle sophistication can be seen to have taken over south Goa. The beaches that are a must on your checklist are Varca, Palolem, Majorda, Colva and Benaulim.
It is a popular trend to locally hire a two-wheeler and explore the Portuguese architecture draped churches, forts, markets, seafood joints and bars in your own leisure time. Goa beach resorts tend to be overbooked during big festivals, carnivals extended public holidays and around Christmas – New Year. Remember to be an early bird!
Adventure Sports
Water sports are always in their prime here. You may research specific sports and the respective beaches which are popular for those sports. Another way to uncover your wild side is to plan your adventure holidays in Goa before you even step out of your home in Goa’s direction. This is possible by booking resorts in Goa like Club Mahindra that offer comprehensive packages for water-skiing, paragliding, angling, jet-skiing, scuba diving, etc. in their proximity.
By availing a package that has several activities or may provide scope for more than two people which is ideal for families and friends can also mean substantial savings.
Local Cuisine
The main ingredients are local and the variety of seafood is massive along with a good deal of fresh meat making it to the palette. The cooking generally involves several spices and many dishes are straight-up Portuguese. Best resorts in Goa can be known by the fact that they’re able to get it all under one roof for you!
*Club Mahindra is India’s largest vacation rental company with over 40 resorts in India and a few more abroad including Dubai & Pattaya.
We’ve managed to visit India a couple times now but never made it to Goa, grrr! Hoping to get back in April and must get there, it looks amazing. Thanks for the inspiration!