Wondering where to stay in Goa? Or what’s the best time to visit Goa? Read these useful Goa travel tips and plan your holiday better!
When it comes to top travel destinations in India like Goa, writing a travel guide or travel tips becomes literally challenging. I mean there is so much to see and do in Goa that compiling it all in a list is a tough task.
And then, there are all those striking dissimilarities between different parts of the city to add to the struggle.
So yea, writing a few travel tips for Goa, and claiming them to work everywhere is impossible.
Useful Goa Travel Tips
But attempting the impossible, here are a few useful Travel Tips for Goa that I carefully gathered during my one-month journey. No matter where you stay, these travel tips will help you throughout your trip.
And if you are interested in visuals here’s a video from my Youtube channel…
Best Way To Travel In Goa: Hire A Scooter
As I said in one of my previous articles where I talked about Different Beaches Of Goa – Goa is massive. So, to make sure you see most tourist highlights in the least possible time, you need to have your own vehicle. Hence, rent a scooter.
Renting a Scooter in Goa is neither expensive nor hard. You can find one at nearly every corner of the city. Just ask any local around you and they will either direct you to a shop 100m away or hand over their own scooter to make a few quick bucks. Speaking of the cost, however, at most places you can find an automatic 150cc scooter for 300 Rupees a day.
Having your own vehicle will give you more freedom than you can imagine. When I stayed in South Goa, I rented a scooter for only 3 days, and I explored more places in 3 days than my entire 2 weeks in the town put together.
Since my idea of holidaying in Goa was to only laze around and relax I didn’t need a scooter. But if you’re visiting for just a few days, and want to explore more in less time, having your own rented scooter is a must.
Where To Stay In Goa
Goa can vaguely be classified into two territories: the crowded North Goa and the peaceful South Goa. Though it doesn’t mean that the entire North is crowded and bustling, most of it, in fact, is. Similarly, most of South Goa is peaceful.
Having said that, if you’re one of those people who are looking for peaceful beaches, head to South Goa.
I had personally spent most of my time staying at one of the South Goa beaches. My three favourite beaches in Goa are Cola Beach, Kakolem Beach, and Agonda Beach.
If, however, you are looking for an intense party scene and vibrant and louder surroundings, Baga, Candolim, and Calangute Beach would be my top three suggestions for you.
Book A Place In Advance
I know I rarely advise booking a hotel in advance, but today is an exception.
Because Goa is a popular destination, booking a place in advance makes sure you don’t run out of places on your preferred beach. If you’re visiting during the peak holiday season, book your accommodation at least two weeks in advance.
Again, if you’re looking for quiet beaches or a neighbourhood that is literally isolated, Kakolem Beach in South Goa is your kind of place. If, however, you want something more happening, head to Palolem Beach. Do a little research before you travel to find a locale best suiting your taste.
Out of my previous experience, I can particularly suggest Hotel Sonho Do Mar located at Agonda Beach. You can also try Baga River Villa which offers a luxury stay on Baga Beach. Baga Beach and Agonda Beach are two real gems of North and South Goa.
Best Time To Visit Goa
Goa can be an expensive destination during the winter months of December, January, and February because of the peak tourist season. And perfect weather is the reason behind it.
Winter months invite waves upon waves of tourists. Naturally, prices for everything – from food to accommodation to local taxis – surge. Summer months (when a 40-degree Celsius temperature and 80% humidity) on the other hand, are just too unfavourable to travel. So, what is the best time to visit Goa? I say monsoon. During monsoon, the weather is not too harsh and the prices are not too high.
The average temperature during monsoon is between 25 and 30-degree Celcius. And because not many people visit Goa during monsoon, hotels and flights aren’t very expensive.
Another reason to visit Goa during monsoon is its lushness. The city is at its greenest during the monsoon. The rivers are all full, and so are the lakes and ponds. The waterfalls look all mighty and alive. Dudhsagar Falls, a famous landmark is simply breathtaking during the monsoon.
So, if you will ask me, monsoon time remains the best time to visit Goa.
Don’t Just Keep Drinking Beer
Most people (particularly if I talk about North Indians) spend their Goa holiday mean visiting the same beach-shack and drinking the same beer every day. I remember when I visited Goa a few years ago with a bunch of college friends we did the same thing. We spent almost a week there and did not see anything beyond the beach we stayed at. We would go to the same place every evening, get super drunk, only to spend the following morning sleeping and resting in our hostel. But during my previous solo-trip, I found that Goa has more beyond beer and beaches.
Apart from comparing different beaches, and exploring a few historic forts, there are adventure activities like scuba diving, parasailing, jet-ski and more. I was surprised to know that I could even try Hot Air Ballooning in Goa.
I mean I understand that partying and experiencing nightlife is a thing to do in Goa but the fact that there is so much more to see and do there cannot be disregarded. So experience Goa beyond just getting drunk every evening, and you can thank me later!
How To Travel To Goa
By Air
The best way to travel is by flight. Flights remain pretty decently priced from the most prominent cities in India like Delhi and Mumbai. It is only during the peak winter season that the price of flights can really shoot up. To travel from Goa airport to the city, you can hire a cab from the prepaid taxi stand. There are no Ola and Uber in Goa which is a little disappointing.
Typically, a Delhi to Goa flight costs somewhere between 3 to 7 thousand Rupees.
By Train
If you are a little short on budget, travel in Indian Railways. I have personally travelled from Delhi to Goa on a train and the experience was great. It is possible to travel on a train from Delhi to Goa for less than 1000 Rupees in sleeper class. If you want a little more comfort, book a seat in a 3AC class. Trains generally take around 25 hours between Delhi and Goa.
By Bus
If you’re coming from Bangalore or Pune or Mumbai — that is not over 600km from Goa — you can even travel in a Bus. You can find luxury overnight buses from all major towns that cost around 1500 Rupees. Travelling on a bus is a lot less hassle than travelling on a train. Tickets are moreover readily available.
If you’re driving and coming from Pune or Mumbai, read this Mumbai to Delhi Coastal Road Trip Itinerary.
And now, a video from my Youtube Channel to help you (visually) understand things better…
From where to stay in Goa to how to travel, these are the few top tips I tell people from my one-month trip. All in all, it’s a beautiful destination as you don’t mess it up by overdrinking. There isn’t a lot to see and do!
Here are my recommended Top Tourist Destinations in Goa, Guide
What are some good Spots in Goa that you can visit while your trip?
It’s Really good. I like your article, This Content is very useful for me and i hope it will be useful for all users. Thank you very much for sharing this article. I got more information
Goa is the best place to relax and chill out your holiday and explore it.
Thats a detailed and very informative article about GOA. Great job, Dev.
Hey Dev, I think everyone can relate your blog where you talked about beer and beer if one visited Goa during college days and this is true in my case. My gang always used to plan Goa trips and think of spending the whole night drinking and dancing. Those were some wow days. Such a wonderful blog.
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