And rightly so! From its vast expanses of beaches to the other innumerable tourist attractions, the whole place teems with stuff that can allure you once and hook you for a lifetime. Exactly the stuff a dream holiday is made of.Here’s what struck me most -
Goa, according to me, is one of the very few really clean places in India (this is from what I saw and I have to mention that in my one week stay, I did see quite a bit) No wonder it is a westerner favorite in the east.
The people are a chirpy lot with a ready willingness to help visitors anytime. But of course, no place is devoid of crooks, so that extra bit of caution would always help.
The distinct Portuguese influence still prevalent among the Goans. The Portuguese ruled Goa for about 450 years before leaving for their homeland in the sixties. The legacy they bequeathed still remains.
Here’s a list of recommendations – must-dos and must-sees – from my experience, for anyone who is planning to visit the Goan paradise, sooner or later.
The obvious ones first -
Avoid a peak summer visit unless you want to darken your skin. And carry a good sun block cream (above SPF 15) anytime of the year.
Avoid monsoons (So it is said. I personally have never been to Goa during the rains)
Carry light and comfortable clothing and footwear. Avoid heavy ones – denim wear, shirts, formals and the like. (They wouldn’t be of any use anyway)
Do your researches before booking your accommodation. There are plenty of options to choose from. Choose wisely.
Try staying in North Goa if you don’t want to miss the action. There are plenty of beaches with a lot of crowd there – Baga and Calangute being the most popular. But don’t rue if you have already planned your stay in South Goa. Relatively lesser crowd there and with a piece of luck, you could have a part of the beach all for yourself.
More about the beaches before moving on
Beaches
(This is simply a mention of all beaches we had been to, either on a quick visit for a couple of minutes or a more extended stay for a few hours/days. I am also listing down a few beaches we never paid a visit to, simply because we thought they were all similar to the others or because of lack of time. Of course I am sure there are more beautiful beaches that I have no clue of and hence failed to mention.)
Vagator
Supposedly the most beautiful of the lot. The shore is notably rocky and presumably attracts a lot of Bollywood stars for the customary song-and-dance sequence.
Anjuna
More popular for its flea market than for the beach, I believe. But we were warned to avoid this market simply for the over-the-top prices of goods. The same would be probably available for at least 1/3rd of the price elsewhere after a good deal of bargain.
Baga-Calangute
Positively, the ‘fairest of ‘em all’. The rows and rows of beach shacks that cater to your appetite and plenty of water sporting points that cater to your spirit of adventure are good enough reasons.
Benoulim
Our haven in Goa during the stay.
We stayed at a resort, a cool 10-min walk from the beach. The beach road is an absolute beauty for walkers. Lines of shops on both sides of the road, selling little trinkets, Tibetan and Kashmiri ware (don’t know how authentic they are, though), clothes and colorful lampshades are a sight to watch. Every other building lining the road (in fact in the whole of Goa, I noticed) is a restaurant or a bar catering to your ‘palatal’ needs. A leisurely afternoon in the beach followed by a lazy stroll on the road – my description of heaven.
Skipped these beaches for the reasons already mentioned
Miramir
Dona Paula
Colva
Cities
Panjim:
A must see place. Plenty of shopping joints and an Eden for wine and spice aficionados. Goa is famous for its cashews and spices, but considering their exorbitant prices, I think a buy is worth giving the skip.
Vasco:
We failed to visit Vasco, since there was no time or enthusiasm left to spare. This is one disadvantage, I believe, when you stay in South Goa. These happening cities are a good 1-1.5 hour taxi drive away from the southern hub and leaving behind the cool shades of the beach shacks and biking away everyday to North Goa was something that we couldn’t get ourselves to do.
Margao: 
Southerners, don’t lose heart! Margao, the heart of South Goa is no less an interesting place. The railway station at Margao (also called Madgaon) is one of the biggest and the best I’ve seen in the country. A very helpful place to gather information would be the GTDC office behind the Municipal Building in Madgaon. There are lots of places of interest in and around Margao. The Church of Holy Spirit in Margao is one example I can think of. Some other places around Margao are mentioned below.
A list of places we happened to visit, with the areas they fall under and the ratings.
Loutolim
Mini Goa (with Big Foot) * * ½
Mini Goa showcases what they call ‘Goa a hundred years ago’. A few sculptures depicting old Goan occupations are displayed. Rs.20/- is charged which is reasonable. What is not, however, is the charge of Rs.100 for a visit to an old Portuguese mansion which incidentally happens to be the ancestral house of the proprietor of Mini Goa
We never visited this place, but heard that it certainly is worth a trip
Rachol Church * * * (for the impressive façade)
This is the famed seminary where young priests are trained. We visited it mid-afternoon when there really was no one to let us in. An early morning trip is recommended
Chandor
Sri Chandrashwara Temple & Menses Bragnza House- Rating Unavailable
We missed these places too, but they were highly recommended. Definitely worth a visit!
South Goan churches and temples
Church of St. Francis Xavier * * * *
The topper, easily. The magnificent 500-year old building is worth your trip to Goa. Be it the imposing exterior or the resplendent interiors, every bit of the place is memorableSri Shantadurga and Mangeshi Temples * * * ½
Very easily a must-see for every Hindu and a certainly good option for non-Hindus are well. The architecture is very different from the other Hindu temples one gets to see all over India. The photos would explain the rest.River Cruise * * * *
One of our most enjoyable experiences. A one hour cruise in the waters with a good VJ, good dancers, even better singers and partying co-passengers is bound to leave one happy
Water Sports * * * *
We simply opted only for a thrilling water scooter ride and I’d give full marks to it. More adventurous people should not skip para-sailing, scuba diving and the like.
Dolphin Trip * * ½
There wasn’t much these creatures gave us to see except for a fleeting glimpse here and another there. But dolphins or no dolphins, a trip on the open sea on a rickety boat (with your life jackets, of course) with cool breeze currents brushing past you, is not worth a miss
A compulsory agenda item for avid (and not-so avid) bikers. The greenery that engulfs you and the clean roads, not to mention the sparse vehicle population on the roads (mind you, I am not talking of the cities here) are a welcome change from the tension-ridden rides back home in the city
It scores a five, notice that?The best Goan experience, the very reason people flock to the place, in herds. Here’s a guaranteed formula for bliss – stretch on the beach-side bed under a shade, propped up on a pillow. Get your food to the bedside and read a book or let loose your creativity. Gaze at the rolling waves, go for a stroll and let the waves crash on your legs and watch the sun dip into the waters. Gently fall deep asleep under the stars, beneath the open skies.
A remarkable way indeed, to end the memorable Goan vacation.
