Goa India is the perfect introduction for an India premiere. Goa is different from all the other places I visited during my Rajasthan tour. Where hippies and dropouts flocked in the 60s, dreamy beaches, cosy bungalows with a sea view and chilled-out cafés and restaurants beckon.
I have not experienced poverty, dirt and chaos like in Delhi in this smallest Indian state. And the people are also different here, not as unpleasantly curious or even pushy, because they are used to tourists. Indian and Western influences merge here into a diverse, exciting mixture. Book your stay in Rated Hotels at tophotels.com
The south of Goa India - the right place for those seeking tranquillity
Dreamy, wide and very clean beaches paired with homely wooden huts from which you can look directly onto the seemingly endless sea characterise the image of South Goa.
Early in the morning, when the first sunlight reaches the west side of India, the atmosphere is particularly beautiful and peaceful. Then even the water is warmer than the air. Again and again, my gaze lingers on yoga classes or individual yogis who greet the morning to the sound of the sea. Or at the patient fishermen hoping for a big catch.
It is striking that the people here, including the hotel staff, are more reserved than in Rajasthan, for example. This suits me very well, because the constant answering of the classic questions like "Where are you from?", "What do you do for a living?", "Are you married?" was getting a bit tiresome.
Agonda - the quietest and most animalistic beach in Goa
One of the few places in all of Goa where no music is allowed at night is Agonda. For me, as a peace-seeker without knowing it beforehand, a direct hit. The small, manageable place consists of a single street, along which there are many ramshackle, but also some nice shops, restaurants, cafés and small Ayurveda centres. A taxi from Goa airport costs 1,900 rupees. Check with your accommodation first. They may offer you a cheaper price than the fixed rates at the airport.
The beach is never really busy. Except in the evening, when the surrounding hotels http://www.hotelsintamilnadu.com/ offer their leftover food to the hungry cows in the area. Then they fight for it, sometimes using their pointed horns. It is a crazy spectacle to see cows lying on the beach and in the sand! The only negative side effect is the smell of waste in the air. But I have to admit, I have a very sensitive nose. Others don't seem to have been bothered by it.
I spend my days here in the south of Goa at Jardim a Mar in a simple but clean bungalow with a partial sea view. I find the relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant with its cosy lounge furniture very relaxing. After the sometimes hectic and noisy Udaipur, a real relief. It is wonderful to laze under the bell-shaped sunshades. And what could be better than starting the day with this view and a delicious breakfast? By the way, you can also visit the restaurant if you are not staying here. The Indian dishes and juices are highly recommended.
My favourite café for any time of day is Zest. You can read "Powered by plants" on the T-shirts of the staff. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are also on the menu. For only 70 cents you get a fresh coconut, for 1.50 euros a capucchino. I found the Coconut Chai Latte, the colourful Pink Smoothie Bowl for breakfast and the Nourish Bowl for dinner particularly delicious. You'll definitely get your fill here, including pizza, pasta and healthy smoothies.
More pretty beaches in south Goa India
To explore the area, I recommend renting a scooter. However, you actually need a driving licence. I have one, but no one has checked it yet. A scooter costs about 350 rupees per day, not including petrol.
Cola Beach
Cola Beach north of Agonda is a wonderfully idyllic beach. It takes about 15 minutes to get there by scooter. Unfortunately, there are no signs, so it's best to check the route beforehand on Google Maps to make sure you don't miss the turn-off to the left, or ask on the way. You then bump along a stony path to a small car park. From here you go down to the beach. Again and again, gaps in the bushes allow a view of this hidden oasis.
The pretty wooden bungalows on the palm-fringed lagoon immediately make me want to move in. Wonderful peace reigns in this secluded little paradise. Only a few restaurants, some of which belong to the accommodation, provide a little life. The huts, which promise a direct sea view on a small hill above the beach, are also picturesque.
Walk along the beach and you will reach a secluded bay, which I personally find much nicer than the wide beaches of Goa. It's a really nice place to stay. So if you're looking for a few days of seclusion and tranquillity, Cola Beach is the place to be.
Galgibaga Beach
Galgibaga Beach in the south of Agonda offers a different panorama that does not correspond to the classic image of Goa. You won't find any palm trees here. Instead, a dense pine forest borders directly on the fine-grained, kilometre-long sandy beach. Because of its immense width, the people in front of the sea seem tiny, like ants.
The bored-looking lifeguard has put his feet up in his cobbled-together, shady hut. With so few visitors, he probably won't have many assignments. But you can certainly stay here for a few days in one of the nice guesthouses.
After the somewhat exhausting scooter ride here (it's always tedious when you're alone and have to ask or search for directions again and again), I would actually like to revive my spirits with a fresh coconut or a freshly squeezed watermelon juice, but the power is out at the moment. So unfortunately no vitamin-rich refreshment for me.
Well, then we'll continue on our way, or rather return, with a stop in what is probably the most famous place in South Goa.
Palolem Beach
At Palolem Beach I try my luck again. But again in vain. The power is out here too. I wonder why the fan and TV are running.
Compared to Agonda, there is much more going on here. There are no more empty spaces in the row of colourful beach huts and restaurants. Many fishing boats are waiting for their turn. In between, cows take their siesta, dogs search for food.
Even though this beach, situated between wooded headlands, is also very wide and the visitors are quite well distributed, for me this place is clearly too busy and I prefer to escape to my manageable Agonda. But if you're more in the mood for nightlife and a bit more action in general, this is the place for you.
The north of Goa India - lively hippie lifestyle
From the south to the north, a taxi takes me past cashew plantations, colourful Portuguese houses from the colonial era and houseboats moored in the lagoons. I feel a bit transported to Sri Lanka, especially because of the incredible number of magnificent palm trees.
Unknowingly, I have also chosen accommodation on a quieter beach in the north: the Anahata Retreat on Palolem Beach. The restaurant in the sand with its shady sails, white ball lamps and wooden seating gives a cool, relaxed beach feeling. My bungalow in the front leaves nothing to be desired: Here you can drift off into deep dreams in the evening to the sound of the waves and greet the day in the morning with a view of the sea.
The 16 bungalows are built of natural woods from the surrounding area (mango, coconut, bamboo), embedded in the wonderfully lush nature. Yoga retreats with or without Ayurveda are offered, but even if you are not a yogi, you will feel very comfortable here. From next year, activities such as surfing, stand-up paddling or kayaking will also be offered. Anahata, by the way, means chaka of the heart and consciousness.
Ashwem Beach has both: peace and party. Here in the northern part, however, things are quieter. The crowd is mixed, but Russians in particular seem to like it here. On the other hand, some hippies keep Goa's past alive. Rasta hair, uninhibited sunbathing "topless" and supposedly particularly stylishly dressed men make me smile a little.
Indian and international delicacies
In the restaurant, the menu is dominated by healthy dishes and excerpts from Western cuisine. Smoothies, crisp salads, pasta, vegetables, pizza or fresh fish, the choice is yours. I particularly enjoyed the vegan plate with falafel and beetroot hummus. A variety of delicacies also await you at breakfast. At the buffet, you can whip up a super-healthy muesli made from fresh fruit, coconut and roasted seeds, including watermelon seeds. Eggs, pancakes or Indian breakfast are prepared to order. All this is also available in vegan form.
For lunch and dinner, you can choose between fresh fish, pizza, salads or Indian snacks. My vegan plate consisting of falafel, beetroot hummus, vegetable biscuits and quinoa is a delicious, mild change from the usually somewhat spicy Indian cuisine.
However, if you do have a hankering for Indian food, I can recommend L'Amore a few hotels away. It sounds Italian, and there are a few pasta dishes, but the main part of the menu is Indian. I enjoyed my beloved Palak Paneer (cheese in spinach sauce) and Garlic Naan (garlic bread) here.
By scooter to the (almost) paradise beach
To explore the area on my own, I rent a scooter for a day. Here, however, it costs 500 rupees. Everything seems to be a bit more expensive than in the south.
My destination: Paradise Beach in Maharashtra, the state north of Goa. If you enter it in Google, however, two appear. The upper one is also nice, but not really exceptional. The right one is the one at Redi Beach.
The first impression is already fantastic: turquoise water in all shades, sandbanks rising as islands from the sea and sunshine galore. Really wow! However, a closer look reveals a lot of rubbish. As it is a public beach, it is of course not cleaned. But the water is wonderfully clear and refreshing.
I can't resist the temptation to climb the Baywatch Stand, which is already a bit rusty. The view from up here, while a fresh sea breeze blows around my nose, is dreamlike! Below, a cow leisurely strolls by, accompanied by a horde of frolicking dogs.
Arambol & Mandrem - highly recommended for a short stopover
On the way back, I make a short stop in Arambol and Mandrem. Small towns that offer opportunities for shopping and eating. In Arambol, I can recommend the Body&Soul Health Kitchen next to the Surf Club. Arambol has become a stronghold for backpackers and creative people who often spend a few weeks or months here. In return, the locals like to move out of their houses and earn good money by renting them out.
You can get a super massage at the Shanti Spa, which is not as good as the one we had during our Ayurveda Sri Lanka cure or our Maldives holiday, but is still very good. One hour costs 1,300 rupees, and in the adjacent shop you can find pretty colourful clothes not only for the beach. Shanti is very attentive and caters to individual problem areas. For example, I got the hot stamps for my back pain.
The beach in Arambol is similar to the one in Ashwem, just like the one in Mandrem. So you won't miss anything here if you don't leave your cosy lounger at Anahata. A clear difference to the south, by the way, is that here there are various beach vendors who first cleverly engage you in conversation and then want to sell you something. Necklaces, henna tattoos, scarves, coconuts... I was lying on my lounger for just two minutes when I was already besieged by them. A bit exhausting.
Goa India - a perfect, relaxed world in India
Goa is definitely a great place in India for a few wonderful days on the beach. You will hardly find so many bungalows in all variations directly by the sea anywhere else. Whether it's a quiet beach or one with a bit more action and hustle and bustle, you'll find your perfect spot on Goa's seemingly endless kilometres of beach.
