A proud moment for me to start this blog and this is my 1st of many posts to come.
Hmm... Since you have landed into this website, it seems you are as much pissed off as I am by receiving multiple Candy Crush requests in Facebook.
Hmm... Since you have landed into this website, it seems you are as much pissed off as I am by receiving multiple Candy Crush requests in Facebook.
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| Goa-Senquerim Beach, Candolim |
An ideal getaway destination to visit if you want to leave behind the hustle & bustle of busy City life. Although India is officially an Independent & Free Nation. But one must visit Goa to understand and feel the true meaning of FREEDOM.
But all this comes at a price. And trust me when I say that A Holiday in GOA can be a Ripoff experience if you're travelling for the 1st time. Most of the times you would end up overspending your budget mainly due to lack of information.
So Below I list down Tips and travel hacks based on personal experience.
Things you should know about Goa.
Getting there:
Distance from Mumbai to Goa is about 600 Kms. If you're planning to drive in a private vehicle all the way, then its about 12-14 hours worth of travelling. Other modes of travelling are Train, Bus and obviously Air, but here we're discussing how can minimize your cost of travel.
Cheapest mode to travel would be to take a train from Mumbai. Availability is a problem during season time so plan in advance and book tickets on www.irctc.co.in. Tickets to from Mumbai to Madgaon costs about Rs 360/- in Sleeper Class in most of the trains. But if you are planning your stay in North Goa, better book tickets up to Thivim (Really small railway station with just 2 platforms. Don't expect much.)
Lot of travelers are unaware of the fact that Madgaon is about 60 kms away from the popular tourist hub of Calangute & Baga, where as Thivim the distance between Thivim and Calangute is on 20 kms. It can cost your as high as Rs 1500/- for a cab ride from Madgaon to Calangute. Yeah!! I know exactly what you're thinking. Getting around Goa is more expensive than reaching tickets to Goa.
So once you get down at Thivim, it should cost you Rs 350/- in a Rickshaw (Always bargain and negotiate for a better deal, off season rates are Rs 250-300/-) to Calangute or Baga. Cabs are also available, of course if you are in a group of 4 or more, go for a cab, should cost you about Rs 550/-
Stay:
Calangute and Baga has about 500 hotels & resorts and countless home-stays and guest houses. If you are planning for a 2 star or 3 star hotel then expect nothing less than Rs 2500-3000/- per night for a couple. Instead opt for a local home-stay or guest house option. Now every-time I've been to Goa, I opted for the same and found a Fully loaded T.V. (I mean a TV with standard cable connection), Refrigerator, English toilet and a Bathroom with Geyser. All these at just Rs 900/-and below. If you cant beat the heat, for additional couple of hundreds you can switch on the already installed air-conditioner in the very same room.(Mostly every home-stay and guesthouse have AC's in all of their rooms. They charge Rs 200/- per day on an average if you want to use them. You can request the Room owners to have the rooms cleaned once a day at no extra costs.
Things you should know about Goa.
Getting there:
Distance from Mumbai to Goa is about 600 Kms. If you're planning to drive in a private vehicle all the way, then its about 12-14 hours worth of travelling. Other modes of travelling are Train, Bus and obviously Air, but here we're discussing how can minimize your cost of travel.
Cheapest mode to travel would be to take a train from Mumbai. Availability is a problem during season time so plan in advance and book tickets on www.irctc.co.in. Tickets to from Mumbai to Madgaon costs about Rs 360/- in Sleeper Class in most of the trains. But if you are planning your stay in North Goa, better book tickets up to Thivim (Really small railway station with just 2 platforms. Don't expect much.)
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| Goa-Thivim Railway Station. |
Lot of travelers are unaware of the fact that Madgaon is about 60 kms away from the popular tourist hub of Calangute & Baga, where as Thivim the distance between Thivim and Calangute is on 20 kms. It can cost your as high as Rs 1500/- for a cab ride from Madgaon to Calangute. Yeah!! I know exactly what you're thinking. Getting around Goa is more expensive than reaching tickets to Goa.
So once you get down at Thivim, it should cost you Rs 350/- in a Rickshaw (Always bargain and negotiate for a better deal, off season rates are Rs 250-300/-) to Calangute or Baga. Cabs are also available, of course if you are in a group of 4 or more, go for a cab, should cost you about Rs 550/-
Stay:
Calangute and Baga has about 500 hotels & resorts and countless home-stays and guest houses. If you are planning for a 2 star or 3 star hotel then expect nothing less than Rs 2500-3000/- per night for a couple. Instead opt for a local home-stay or guest house option. Now every-time I've been to Goa, I opted for the same and found a Fully loaded T.V. (I mean a TV with standard cable connection), Refrigerator, English toilet and a Bathroom with Geyser. All these at just Rs 900/-and below. If you cant beat the heat, for additional couple of hundreds you can switch on the already installed air-conditioner in the very same room.(Mostly every home-stay and guesthouse have AC's in all of their rooms. They charge Rs 200/- per day on an average if you want to use them. You can request the Room owners to have the rooms cleaned once a day at no extra costs.
Getting around:
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| 2 Wheeler's for rent available across Goa. |
an Activa or equivalent for as low as Rs 250-300/- per day and if you want to experience Goa on a Cruiser Bike like a Royal Enfield or Bullet, they are available at Rs 450-600/- per day. And if you are in a group and want to stay together all the time, opt for an open Maruti Gypsy or Mahindra equivalent for Rs 1200-1800/- per day. Now these vehicles when handed to you comes with just the amount of petrol to get you to the nearest fuel station. Fuel stations are located at a distance of 3 kms from Calangute at a small town known as Saligaon. In case you run out of fuel at any point in time then just walk up to any general store and ask for Petrol as locals sell petrol openly across Goa. You can fetch a liter at Rs 80-100/- from any vendor and at Rs 60-65/- at fuel stations. Prices of fuel are lowest in the state of Goa. GR8 Job BJP Govt !!!
Visit:
Once you get your hands on a vehicle, the first thing you should do is... PLAN YOUR DAY. Understand Goa is not a town, its a State. Its vast, vivid and multicultural. So unless your schedule is planned you wont be able to experience Goa to the fullest as the distance between one point to another is long and sometimes misleading (Unless you love to get lost like me). Roads in Goa are clean and well maintained to give to a pleasurable driving experience, it maximizes with the natural greenery that accompanies you along.
If you are in North Goa don't make the mistake of exploring all the beaches in one day. Like I mentioned planning your day is very important.. If you take an overnight train from Mumbai to Goa. You should reach and settle down in your guesthouse by 11 am in the morning. Fort Aguada is one of the major tourist spots in North Goa and a Major tourist spot. Good place for photo op. Returning back from Fort Aguada, visit one of the most picturesque beaches, The Senquerim Beach. This beach is an extension to the Candolim beach but its much cleaner than the other North Goa beaches. If you are in Goa for Water-sports activity, try the water sports at Senquerim beach instead of Baga beach especially parasailing. The view from up-top is heavenly. Charges Rs 1500/- for a couple. Avoid Jet-ski, its a complete ripoff with nothing exciting at all for Rs 300/- per ride. Banana ride is fun but be sure to carry an extra pair of clothes as this ride will completely surprise you in deep sea, charges Rs 200/- per person. Needless to mention Calangute and Baga which are iconic tourist beaches of North Goa ate slowly loosing its natural charm due to endless crowd & pollution. However the State Govt. is putting in lot of efforts to maintain the upkeep of these beaches and are successful up-to an extent.
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| Lighthouse at Fort Aguada, Goa |
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| Senquerim Beach, Candolim |
Further north Goa treasures some of the most pristine beaches like Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Ashwem and Arambol. Note that these beaches are located at quite some distance from each other so travelling will consume quite a lot of time. However in case you wish to stay back for the rest of the evening at any of the beaches then plenty of cheap and cozy beach huts are available nearby all these beaches. Rates starting Rs 600-1000/-
If you're in Goa for the first time, don't miss the Basilica of Bom Jesus or commonly known as Old Goa Church. An UNESCO world heritage site and a marvelous example of 16th century Portuguese architecture. This Iconic Church holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. Just opposite to the churn stands the Majestic Se Cathedral. Largest Cathedral in India. Dona Paula. Located in the suburban area of Panjim. A beautiful monument dedicated to the lovers who committed suicide in the 16th century at the very same spot is built to honor them (It's like in India you are only valued once you are dead, Take Taj Mahal for an example). Some of Bollywood' s biggest films featured this spot as a backdrop.
You may also want to visit the famous (Or made famous by Bollywood.)
Avoid the evening boat cruise at Panjim. It's a complete waste of time and money. Instead try the Deltin Royale Floating Casino.
Once in a lifetime experience if you are from India since no other state has legal gambling at such a large scale. The casino ship is massive and looks majestic after sunset. Charges Rs 2500/- per person which includes food and drinks(unlimited of course) and comes with Rs 1500/- worth of playing chips. Go ahead try your luck at a variety of card and dice games.
As mentioned earlier Goa is vast and enormous. Most picturesque beaches are located in South Goa which is a totally different world than its Northern counterpart. I will soon publish another article on South Goa. However I recommend you all travelers to give Goa a second chance to explore the southern side. As you will need at least a 10 day long vacation to explore the entire State.
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| Se Cathedral, Old Goa |
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| Dona Paula, Panjim, Goa |
You may also want to visit the famous (Or made famous by Bollywood.)
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| Deltin Royale Casino at Panjim, Goa |
Once in a lifetime experience if you are from India since no other state has legal gambling at such a large scale. The casino ship is massive and looks majestic after sunset. Charges Rs 2500/- per person which includes food and drinks(unlimited of course) and comes with Rs 1500/- worth of playing chips. Go ahead try your luck at a variety of card and dice games.
As mentioned earlier Goa is vast and enormous. Most picturesque beaches are located in South Goa which is a totally different world than its Northern counterpart. I will soon publish another article on South Goa. However I recommend you all travelers to give Goa a second chance to explore the southern side. As you will need at least a 10 day long vacation to explore the entire State.
Eat & Drink:
Goa offers a variety of sea food need not mention whats in the menu but whats really worth mentioning is Food prices are pretty steep and this is where you need to be a smart. As I quoted earlier "A Holiday in GOA can be a Ripoff experience if you're travelling for the 1st time." Its the overpriced fancy restaurant that will rip you off and destroy your budget. Now understand I am not advising you against trying local delicacy and behave like a typical miser. Act smart, check with locals before entering any restaurant.
Beach shacks are quite expensive if you are expecting any good service. On popular beaches like Calangute or Baga cost for a simple lunch for a couple including 2 starters, one main course and couple of beers can go up to Rs 1500/-. I remember paying Rs 800/- for 2 milkshakes, 1 beer and a veg spring roll for breakfast. Recommend you to use food review apps like Burp or Zomato, check reviews and menu cards before you enter. Out of my personal experience - try Ocean Restaurant at Calangute for delicious sea food at very reasonable rates (cheaper than others). Only annoying this at this restaurant is they don't serve any alcohol or allow you to carry from outside.
For vegetarians - Why are you even planning your trip to Goa? Go to Gujarat for a memorable experience, taste the same and regular home made food cooked in Gujarati style which you've been consuming since your birth for survival. Okay, I am not trying to offend vegans here but Goan's suck at preparing vegan dishes.So ensure that you go into only pure veg restaurants if don't want to spoil your meal experience. Most of the vegan restaurants here serve alcohol. (So your hypocrisy remains undisturbed.)Booze is cheaper than rest of India.(Less than half the cost in Mumbai.) A 750 ml. bottle of Blenders Pride comes at just Rs 450/-. Beer is again quite inexpensive, try those ones which you are unable to get your hands onto in your own state. Almost forgot to mention, water isn't served in any restaurant as it is served complementary with food in Mumbai or Delhi. You have to pay for packaged drinking water if you need to drink at all. I prefer beer over water in Goa as both cost almost the same.
Shopping:
Goa is known for producing cashew nuts, but prices of cashew nuts are more or less same as rest of India. Rs 600-650/- for a Kg. If you're buying in bulk then you can negotiate the price. Buy inexpensive liquor but bringing back across the state is a risk as it isn't legally allowed to carry alcohol out of Goa unless you're flying. Up to 5 ltr. and 5 bottles of liquor are allowed if you are travelling via air. Variety of beach wear are available across shops in Baga and Calangute. Beautiful one piece western designer dresses are sold at flea markets.
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| Mackie's Saturday Night Market, Baga River |
Safety:
Goans are very friendly and helpful in nature. Locals respect the privacy of tourists and it is safe for female travelers. If you ever get lost travelling, best person to ask for help would be the local Police. Goa Police is very friendly unlike rest of India. If you don't believe me, explore your self. One important thing to note is when in Goa you will find a wine shop in every 200 meters but wont find a medical shop so frequently, so it is advisable to carry basic 1st aid medicines.
Now lets sum up total cost for a couple on a 3 nights stay in Goa.
Tickets to Goa and return: Rs 1440/- (Couple of tickets from Mumbai to Goa and return)
Rickshaw ride from Thivim: Rs 700/- (Thivim to Calangute/Baga and return)
Stay: Rs 2700/- ( Rs 900 x 3 nights)
2 wheeler: Rs 750/- (Rs 250 x 3 days)
Fuel: Rs 300/- (Should be sufficient for 3 days.)
Food & Drinks: Rs 6000/- (Rs 1500 x 4 days)
Total Cost of the trip Rs 11890/- Better round off to Rs 12000/- for a couple.
Hope you found my tips worthy and useful to plan your next holiday in Goa. If you like my article, please leave your comments and suggestions below as I would personally read them. Please subscribe to my blog and be the first to read my next post. We're also on Facebook, encourage us to bring you more travel articles by liking our page Goll-Dunia
Thanks for your time, Much appreciated.
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