Goa is one of those states that I think has fascinated me, although it is undeniable that it has spas that meet expectations. There is fine sand, crystal clear sea, vegetation, exoticism and sunsets that do not need Instagram filters. I had to face the chaos of cities like New Delhi or Calcutta or Varanasi and had been overwhelmed by vendors especially in cities like Agra and Jaipur.
Now I look back and wonder if I really liked Goa for its warmth or if it was simply that in contrast to the rest of the country I found a delicious breath of fresh air amid the chaos, pollution, crowded streets and the millions and millions of people.
Goa, a Portuguese colony for more than 400 years captivated me by its silence, by the slow pace of its people and by the conversations less focused on the commercial and more on the cultural exchange and the curiosity of the locals. Goa still attracts thousands of partiers who seek to gather on the beaches and enjoy the raves of techno music, the Goa trance style of the place.
Especially when Christmas and New Year approaches, young boys and girls mainly from Europe and Israel flock to Goa. The Sunburn Festival, Asia's biggest music festival takes place in Vagator in North Goa, every year between Christmas and New Year's Day.
This pilgrimage goes back to the 60s when the hippies ended up in this part of India, for its climate, landscapes and perhaps a tolerance towards drugs that were not available elsewhere. The Magic Bus left Amsterdam, sometimes daily to Goa via Kabul.
Over the years it became the ideal place for tourists who want to enjoy the sun and the beach in the best western style in a bikini and drinking beer in beach bars, along with yoga classes, brushstrokes of spirituality and nocturnal firestones with soft drugs especially the feni and happy lassi.
The old hippie landmark of the 1960s is now welcoming new alternative backpackers who travel to eat vegan and do yoga, but also many affluent tourists who stay in luxury resorts. It is especially a holiday spot popular with Indians who come to see the beach and party in this state, where the legislation is much more flexible than in the rest of the country, including alcohol.
Day 1
I love to escape the winter at Christmas. Then I do not have to cook or decorate a Christmas tree or buy any gift. I also like to travel in winter, as then the weather in the native climes slowly gets dull and dark. This usually starts in November. The darkness bothers me and then the gray and drizzly weather! That makes me tired. I want to go to the light! Where to travel? This time I decided to go to southern India in Goa.
Just in time for Christmas, I flew to Goa. When I completed my 300-kilometer trek around the Annapurna Mountains, I spontaneously booked a flight to Goa on the 24th of December via Jaipur. The prospect of sun, warmth and beach party after the cold in the mountains seemed very tempting. To avoid unnecessary transfers and long waiting times, I have chosen a non-stop flight.
After much weighing on the way to get to Goa, we decided that it was best to take an Air India flight from Jaipur. That meant a 4-hour stopover in New Delhi and a stop without getting off the plane in Bombay. A lot of people told us not to move out of the airport. There is not much to do. We listened and did not leave the airport.
New Delhi airport has everything spotlessly clean and there are lounge chairs to sleep on if you have many hours ahead. We ate a Mcdonald's Chicken Maharaja Mac and we took two hours of nap.
We reach the small Dabolim airport in the morning with many expectations and eager to finally see the beach. And so I landed in Goa on Christmas Eve, exchanging the 7 degrees cold in Kathmandu for the 30 degrees warm beach of Candolim. After a full hour, we leave the airport with our luggage. Our transfer bus takes us to the hotel in Candolim in 45 minutes. In the light of the day, waiting taxis and a service counter comes to my attention.
Nevertheless, I'm glad to have a pre-booked shuttle. I was surprised by the Christmas decoration that laughed at me in Goa from all sides. I did not expect that, because there was hardly anything to see in Nepal. But Goa was once a Portuguese colony and probably has a high proportion of Christians because of this, so Christmas is a big deal here.
We chose to go to the beaches of South Goa, which they say are very calm and beautiful. I remember the exact moment when I left the international airport in Goa. At the door, dozens of taxi drivers crowded around offering their services to any point in the smallest state of India.
The air felt clean and something made me think and feel that this was not India. The first thing we did after getting out off the airport was to find someone to share a taxi like good backpackers we are already and we found a couple of Israelis. They were super talkative. They told us how much they like India, that they have come four times, that we cannot leave without seeing Hampi and that because they are from Israel, everything is cheaper.
They also told us about the situation in their country. We hallucinated when they told us about their experience in the army (both men and women have to spend a few years mandatorily in it). During the taxi ride, we crossed several towns, including Margao. The postcards through the taxi window followed one another with palm trees, paved roads in very good condition, colorful houses in the small clean towns that ran along the road, smiles in passing, salty air and tranquility.
I had to rub my eyes a couple of times and incredulously verified my location on my mobile. Am I in India? The app confirmed the location. But all these qualities that I could easily use to describe what I was seeing, clearly contrasted with those that draw in the minds of readers.
Half an hour later the taxi driver left me in front of the guest house at Agonda beach. It was right in front of the town church. I had booked a very basic but super cozy resort, with cabins on the seafront and bungalows with bathroom in the garden.
I sat on the balcony in front of what would be my room. I was gazing around listening to the sound of silence in a country where the norm is strident noise. I was fascinated. Suddenly a strong breeze warned me of the approaching tropical storm. We went to dinner at a nearby bar. We ordered burgers and a beer.
Day 2
We woke up with some great views. After a good night's sleep, I have breakfast with milk coffee and bread toast. We go to a beautiful beach called Cola Beach, which is about 15 minutes by scooter. The beach of 2km of white sand is located in a large cove. It is semi-virgin and is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and palm trees. This beach combines a freshwater lake with the Arabian Sea.
There is a small freshwater lake for swimming or kayaking and some beach huts too. The adjoining beaches are even quieter. The water is very hot, as in Thailand, although yes, the sea is not as transparent as in the Andaman Sea. It is an idyllic and quiet place, where there are no harassing sellers. Early in the morning, around 7:30 am, we can see dolphins from the shore of the beach that come in search of small fishes.
We arrived just at the end of the monsoon and the tourist season had not yet begun. There were hardly any accommodation and food options. So we took a tuk-tuk and went to the next beach. We visited Cabo de Rama, an old Portuguese fortress of which only a few ruined walls remain, but with beautiful views.
We cross the mangroves of the Sal River in Betul, a fishing village, and we reach the beach of Varca. Finally, we were in Benaulim, a quiet beach with some bamboo huts and few people.
From Mobor to Colva, there is a virgin beach more than 10 km long, with a fine white sand. On this extensive beach, in the areas of Mobor, Cavelossim, Carmona, Fatrade, and Varca there are some scattered luxury resorts filled with mainly Russian and Eastern European tourists.
Colva is a place that at first sight is not very appetizing. It was crowded with people. There are motor boats for excursions and vendors offering all kinds of water activities. It is very focused on local tourism that arrives here from the city of Margao, which is only 6 km away. From time to time we see a bar or restaurant that offers its hammocks and umbrellas to those who buy a drink and also grilled fish freshly caught from the Indian Ocean.
The Agonda church is beautiful and the beach is very good. The problem was that it was all closed, covered with blue tarps and under maintenance. At night we see a parade through the streets to celebrate Holi. For dinner, we order rice, fish, dal and palak paneer. In the appetizers, we find the warm goat salad. The half-cooked tuna is absolutely divine. We also try the rhubarb crumble.
Day 3
We left for Palolem, which is the most developed beach in the area with colorful cabanas. Palolem beach is reputed to be the best in Goa. As it receives more visitors, it has a greater offer of hotels and restaurants although we are not in high season. We went walking along the beach looking for accommodation and try to get rid of a lot of commission agents.
In the Goa travel guide, it is defined as the perfect beach, a wide semicircle of white sand surrounded by a lush palm grove and all the necessary services for all budgets. I find a crowded place, with hundreds of more or less stable buildings covered by blue plastic, shops, bars and cabins raised on bamboo for rent. These can be attractive in isolation, but in such a large amount they give that a grotesque appearance.
When they saw us with backpacks, they approached us offering everything (hotel, taxi, boat). They are a real pain! I get out of there as fast as my legs allow. I walk across a sadhu, an ascetic who renounces everything material to seek union with the divine through meditation, living on alms. His hair and beard are very long.
He wears a simple loincloth and his body is covered with ashes, which gives him the appearance of a living statue. I give him some coins and he greets me by joining his hands.
Prices are expensive compared to other places in India, but being in paradise comes at a price. The chosen one was an inn, with a good room and what we liked the most was the swimming pool. After settling in, I went for a walk and eat breakfast of bread toast and fruit juice.
The next thing we did was take a bath in the sea, which we were looking forward to. The water of Goa is not crystal clear and it is not a place to snorkel or dive, but the beaches are very long and full of palm trees. Of course, the water is like a broth. The good thing is that there is nobody and we are practically alone with the cows and crabs.
Here we spent the day resting and eating good fish. We eat tiger prawns in garlic butter at one of the many restaurants on the beach and then lie down to take a nap and enjoy the sun. Palolem is a great idyllic cove with white sand flanked by palm trees. I enjoyed a beautiful sunset and then a beautiful full moon.
The town is a street parallel to the beach with low houses, a large Catholic church, and a few shops. We find a very commercial street, with all kinds of products for tourists like clothes, accessories, spices, travel agency, pharmacy, and internet cafe. The main street is lively with restaurants and clothing and jewelry stores.
There are many tourists (backpackers), but it is not cramped. In Chaudi in Canacona, near Palolem, there are several tailors where they make custom-made clothes.
In the evening we had dinner in the guest house. It was the best thali that we have eaten so far. The menu was a good choice for a rich and cheap dinner. It has the vegetable and chicken curry, chapati, rice, vegetable salad, dal, raita and a dessert.
As it seems, the Full Moon Party was invented in Goa! We enjoy one here in the middle of nature. It was nice with good music and fire shows. It reminded me of the Koh Phangan full moon party in Thailand!
Day 4
We woke up and we changed accommodation to a much cheaper one. It was all very new and clean with a huge room and terrace. It is located on the main street of Palolem where there is a little more activity, with many shops and restaurants. After breakfast of croissants and coffee at the guesthouse restaurant, we rented bikes and we went south to see Patnem beach.
This beach is really deserted. It is not as pretty as Palolem but the water is cooler and there are more waves. We were enjoying the feeling of having a beach for ourselves. In addition, the road there was very pleasant among palm trees, cows, and local businesses.
We head to the small but very beautiful Honeymoon beach by boat. We see the dolphins and the beautiful beaches around Palolem. In the afternoon we returned to Palolem to eat something on a terrace on the beach and watch the sunset. We have a great chicken korma and naan.
In a day, many more tourists had suddenly appeared and there was more activity. We move across the Palolem beach as much as possible. The more time we spend in it, the more we like it. We stayed all the time in the water catching waves, but without a board. We did not see any place to rent.
At night in Palolem people gather on the beach to have a few beers in the sand. The firecrackers are here too. We have a beer under the light of the moon. The truth is that it was luxurious because the temperature was perfect and there were no mosquitoes.
And 100 meters from the beach, two trucks arrived one with a giant figure of Ganesha and another with speakers from which Bollywood music was played loudly. Locals and gurus gave everything dancing in honor of the elephant god. On the way back, in the hotel restaurant, I had a good fruit salad with a banana lassi.
We head to the silent disco party at Neptune Point. It is a silent rave, that is to say, we celebrate with a headphone. There are multiple DJs mixing at the same time so we can choose between different musical moods depending on our taste. Depending on the music chosen, we have a small blue, red or green light on our headphones so we can see who listens to the same music and dance together.
I really loved this concept! Already we can adjust the volume in the headphones, which avoids damage to the eardrums with too loud music as is often the case in nightclubs. And what's more, when we want to talk to people, we just take off the headphones and talk normally without having to scream to hear the noise.
After a dinner with the Goan thali with prawns peri peri and the chicken cafreal, we head back to our resort.
Day 5
After having breakfast at the guesthouse of bread toast with jam and milk coffee, we left for Calangute. When we arrived in Calangute I almost went crazy again with all the traffic jam, after days of silence and an unusual calm in this country.
So we continued on to Anjuna. At 9 we went to Vagator to see its beautiful beaches. Vagator has two beaches separated by a rocky promontory. To the south is the quietest with a cove surrounded by palm trees. In the southern part of the small cove, I see every day a group of Westerners, all young, and some couples. They have mounted a kind of makeshift camp among the palm trees.
There are hammocks hanging and some carpets on the floor. They seem to spend the days in that place. It gives the impression that they live nearby, if not permanently, but for a long time. I guess they are something like new hippies and they look very happy.
To the north of the rocky ledge is Big Vagator, an extension of fine white sand ideal for walking. At the end of the beach, a short climb to the nearby hill leads us to a 17th-century Portuguese fort. From here we can see the endless beaches to the south and the almost virgin territory to the north, beyond the Chapora River, whose entrance from the sea is controlled by the Chapora fort.
We take the opportunity to go to the famous flea market in Goa. The corner is quite touristy. Beach vendors are more or less insistent.
We then head to Old Goa. Old Goa is an enigmatic and exciting place. It is a city of cathedrals, basilicas and convents half eaten by the surrounding jungle. Some of them are only ruins. We walk through the silence of the huge buildings haunted by vegetation and try to imagine what life was like here when in the city Europe and India were united.
We see the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the Mecca of the Catholic world that houses the remains of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa. I decide to cruise on the Mandovi river. The boat is filled with tourists. In the middle of the main deck begins a karaoke show entertained by the travelers of the cruise. They alternate to sing on the stage.
We go further south, to Quepem, where is one of the most beautiful houses in Goa. It is the former home of the Portuguese founder of the city of Quepem. The setting is beautiful and the garden too! Not far from Quepem, we also visit two other houses in Chandor. We are greeted by the owner of the place who tells the story of the house. There are beautiful furniture and valuables. It is a real trip back in time.
Then we returned to Panaji where I have already said goodbye to the driver. It's a very quiet little town, with an air of old colony stopped in time. I stay at a resort. It is not the eighth wonder but it is not bad.
I do not know yet how the price of the hotels works because the Palolem room was like that of a 4-star hotel. I went to eat at a great place with sea views and free wifi. I have shahi chicken korma, dal, and rice. In the afternoon I went around Panaji, visiting points of interest as in the Lonely Planet travel guide. I see the library, the Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, and St Sebastian Chapel.
We went for a walk through Fontainhas, an old Latin Quarter. It is a very nice walk between what were the old Portuguese style colonial houses. I have an orange juice in a good place to rest for a while. Then I take some walks on the beach and the cloth, and handicrafts stalls until the time of sunset.
The sun is descending like a huge disc and fills the river with orange reflections on the shores of the palm trees that jut out over the rest of the vegetation. Then I went to the Santa Monica jetty to catch a cruise on the river at 6 in the afternoon. I liked this beach but I liked Palolem more.
We settled in Candolim for the night. The rooms are spacious and well decorated. The real plus of the hotel is its superb swimming pool and there is a bar to sip a cocktail while staying cool in the water. There is also a spa for a massage and a gym.
We head to Arpora to see the night market between Baga and Anjuna that has been one of my favorites in Goa! Between Baga and Anjuna, is one of the largest clubs in Goa, at the top of a hill. We have a drink and party on the dance floor with a DJ that plays till late at night.
On the way back I dine near the guesthouse with batata vada, an exquisite fruit salad, and a papaya lassi. We also taste the local drink called the Feni. It is like a mojito, but with cashew nut instead of rum.
Day 6
The buffet breakfast is royal, with both western pastries and Indian delicacies. The breakfast set includes a tea or coffee of our choice, a fresh fruit juice, two cooked eggs of our choice and a large bowl of muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt that we can drizzle with honey!
We head to Arambol, one of my favorite places in Goa. It has become a rallying point for all new vegan or vegetarian hippies. There are yoga practitioners, meditators and all kinds of Oriental philosophies and therapies such as tai chi, reiki, qi-gong and Bollywood dance.
I discovered tantric meditation, which is a form of meditation applied to love. With exercises, practiced alone or in pairs, we learn to feel more sensations. Even if we are not really part of this movement, which is my case, we appreciate the joyous harmony and brotherly love that emerges from it. In addition, it is also a good place to enjoy the beach.
The beach of Arambol is also very nice. We see the sunset on the beach. At sunset, there is a drum circle in Arambol. The jugglers come to practice with the last light of day and sellers of trinkets display their goods on colorful fabrics. Tam-tam players gather in a big circle to play music and make the audience dance.
We go down a little further south. Walking along the beach we arrive quickly enough to Mandrem. In this atmosphere of peace and love in the evening, we go to a bar in the forest with alternative music concerts, famous for its nightlife.
The Greek salad with chicken and moussaka are exquisite. I had a prawn sizzler, a meal served on a hot plate with fries, rice, noodles, and vegetables with a huge shrimp. In addition, there are performances of Greek dancers. There is a beautiful atmosphere with painted alley like the soil of the Cyclades.
Next morning we took a bus to throw ourselves back on the road to Gokarna. We still had to visit one of the places we most wanted to see in India.
I can tell you that Goa is the ideal place to stop along the way and regain strength. It is quiet, relaxing, a small return to a western world of burgers and pasta, shorts and tank tops, characters from all over the world and night parties with trendy music as in any city. In short it is the Ibiza in India!
Goa has seemed like a good destination to rest a little after making the route to the north, which is crazy. But it does not have much more than beaches, palm trees, and cheap beer. I loved Arambol in the north Goa, but my favorite was Palolem.
Day 7
I stayed for a day in the hostel. We are in the pre-Christmas time in Goa. In the afternoon, the hotel invites us to bake a joint cake. That sounds exciting. Large quantities of nuts and dried fruits pile up on a large table in the hotel lobby. Another table abounds with alcohol like rum and brandy. The cake gets a treat! Equipped with plastic gloves and chef's hats, the cheerful mixing of ingredients begins.
Next to me, an Australian, Scandinavian and Englishman mix with me. This will be a typical English Christmas cake! Afterward there is coffee, tea, and biscuits for all the hard-working helpers! In the lobby, the Christmas tree glitters. Christmas music is playing. At almost 30 degrees heat, it seems a bit strange. I am missing only the White Christmas by Bing Crosby!
At 0 o'clock I actually wanted to watch a midnight mass. When I found none, I strayed to the beach. I noticed that on Goa the change from 24 to 25 December is more like New Year's Eve, namely with rattling fireworks. Anyone who was up to something started firing, which was explosive enough to think that World War III had begun. We are quite tired and fall into bed at about 4 o'clock in the morning.
Day 8
When I stood in the supermarket the next morning, I saw things that I had not seen for months. There is dark bread, cheese, and pork sausages and yes the beer! So I bought my dignified holiday feast.
At the entrance of the beach are small booths to buy missing items like towels or souvenirs. The dealers are pretty quiet. They are only allowed to sell in front of the beach so as not to bother the bathers.
The beach is wide with fine sand. What I miss for a really picturesque beach are palm trees or shady trees. Beach shacks and small restaurants line the beach and provide sunbeds for a fee. The ocean current is very strong. A walk along the rushing sea leads to the beach of Sinquerim and the first towers of Aguada Fort in the south. On this site, the beach is also made with palm trees. Toward the north, the beach merges seamlessly with Calangute Beach.
The decision to fly to the beach was definitely the right one. In Nepal, after my trekking tours, I always had the urge to go somewhere. At the moment this urge is completely gone and everything is super relaxing. My life is now in eating, lying on the beach, swimming and drinking beer.
In the late afternoon, I go along the main road with small side streets in both directions. There are souvenir and clothing shops of all kinds, as well as small supermarkets. The restaurants offer Indian and international cuisine. The menus are in Russian too. The bars invite for a delicious beer.
Candolim is firmly in the hands of package tourists. What I had not considered in my spontaneous Goa flight booking, was that the time shortly after Christmas to New Year is the absolute peak season. Although the time of the hippies and their music is long gone in many places parties and techno music has replaced them.
At the end of December, during Sunburn festival hundreds of visitors come here. The room rates rise three to four times and it is increasingly stressful. Especially Anjuna, Baga Beach and Calangute are said to be very crowded. So I moved to the quieter Benaulim in South Goa that night.
Day 9
Next day I drive to Gokarna, a coastal town in Karnataka, where it should be a bit cooler. There I want to spend the New Year's Eve on the beach.
