Best places to visit in goa?

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BignTall

A Goan at heart I could not resist but blog about what an Indian traveler should look out for in this wonderful but small place. Goa is a very beautiful place. It has beaches and churches and lots of sun n sand that can be a lot of fun all round the year. The best time in the year to visit Goa is between October and March. Over the Christmas week Goa is at its best.
Even if you are not going there in the prime foreign tourist season, you will find a lot of Indian tourist any time of the year.

Besides playing on the superb beaches of Goa and enjoying the cool waters in the Sea, you can do a lot with your time in Goa.

Remember the basic difference between heat in other parts of the world and humidity in Goa or Bombay is a bucket full of perspiration. The best way to tackle it is to drink a lot of liquids and stay cool.

Goa is not really a good place for shopping. Food too is a little expensive but incase you plan to have your eating habits localized, the food suddenly becomes reasonable.

Transportation is another huge hassle in case you do not have a vehicle. Hiring bikes is cheap and most sensible if you know to ride one. If you don’t know how to ride a bike, smart young pilots with bikes are available on most street corners. They are reasonable but do not forget to bargain. If you are in a group, then you should try and hire a car for a day long North/ South Goa tour.

If you plan to spend a day at a beach and do not want any one to be between you and nature, Paulolim to the extreme south or Arambol to the extreme North are the two options. A word of caution: there are no good eating joints here so carry your supplies.

The favorite location that now a days most youngsters prefer to stay at is Baga Beach in North Goa. Baga is nice, clean, and full of tourist all year round. The make shift shacks serve good food. What makes it the best place to stay is the hospitality doled out by the Goan’s in this area. Sweet and simple fisher folk ready to serve at a reasonable price.

My favorite places in Goa:

North Goa:

Fort Aguada: If you happen to stand at some of the right spots the view is better than the best places you have ever seen, Hook up with a local for these spots. Please don’t waste your time seeing the obvious. The fort and the light house is what most tourists try to capture on camera. Trust me if you happen to notice what I have seen from here you will be amazed at the foolishness of most tourist guides in not showing you those places.

Just remembered! There are these kids who earn their living by showing you things using binoculars, ask them to show you around. If you are lucky, u will see what I have seen.

The Flea Market at Anjuna Beach: Bargain, bargain n still bargain…! The final price will leave you satisfied. If some thing is quoted at 450, ask for it at 45. You might just get it at 50!

Calangute Beach: World famous… just like Hyderabad’s biryani! Hope you do not have the same opinion about Calangute as I have about this biryani.

Candolim Beach: I don’t think you would visit this place coz it’s not on any tourist map. See they don’t think the need to disturb the King of Goa for measly tourist. You got it right that’s my village n guess my hotel has the world largest swimming pool… the Arabian Sea. …. Hahahah

Just kidding… but yes the beach is beautiful n worth going in the evenings. If you plan to visit my place do tell me I don’t promise that you will be treated like a King’s guest coz I m not a king but I m sure u will be welcome.

Mapusa (pronounced as Mapsa): The whole of north Goa is predominantly occupied by fisher folk. Mapusa is their market. Nothing to see in the city but just incase u plan to buy stuff Friday is the market day. Lots of Beach ware can be purchased at through away prices.

Nice places to eat in north Goa are Tito’s in Baga, SozaLobo’s in Calangute, The Mango Tree and Bob’s inn in Candolim. Don’t forget to have an ice-cream at Hanuman Soda in Mapusa, don’t go by the name, the place is fun n most locals know where it is.

South Goa:

Panjim city: It has been developed like most well planned cities. It is the Capital of the real small state of Goa so most administrative offices are here. Not much to see here. You may find many of the buildings familiar if you are a regular with the films. Many Hindi films shoot songs in Goa.

Miramar Beach: It is a small beach and is actually a bank to the river Mandovi. Its claim to fame is that it is the poshest area in Goa. A nice restaurant for burgers and pizzas kind of stuff is the high light of this place…(I forget its name but its in the premises of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation)

Dona-Paula: Nice place to visit in the evening. Freak your self on the scooter boats. Great place to buy T shirts, shorts and real short skirts. It’s some place where I get my size…hahahahahah…

Old Goa: The churches are famous for a lot of things including the relics of St. Francis Xavier. However I love to spend time in the chapel of the growing cross which is placed in the Se Cathedral. If you have a wish (a small one) and its not getting fulfilled, walk up to the cross, push ur fingers through the back of the wooden frame until u happen to touch the bark like façade of the real cross and ….make a wish… If done with faith in the heart, it comes true. It worked for me on more occasions than one. So try your luck too.

Kolva beach: It is another of Goa’s very beautiful beaches. The specialty here is ‘White Sand.’ Yes the sand is more silverish in colour and fine. Get a bag full of this sand back home to brush your teeth with. Pepsodent and Colgate pick up all the calcium from the same beach stretch. Not kidding but both have factories just round the corner on this beach. It is Goa’s longest beach.

Madgaon or Margaon city: It’s the unplanned city of Goa. Recent developments in trying to plan it out have taken both the bus stand and the Railway station out of the city. So now the locals keep complaining, ‘they have taken the city out of our city.’ There is nothing much to see in the city but some good places to eat.

Nice places to eat in South Goa Godino’s in Panjim city, Mum’s kitchen near Miramar, and Longinos’s in Margaon (don’t forget to eat the caramel custard here).

I am sorry to over load you with all the info … but kya kare contol he nai hota…. Hahaha … very passionate about my Bombay and My Goa u c….

Ashish Das

there cannot be anything superlative to perfection so goa is best, everyplace in Goa is worth visiting

raajz

Are you n Indian or a foreigner.

If ure an indian go everywhere mentioned in the answers.
If youre from abroad - simple go to Palolem beach.For 600 bucks get a room to stay per day u also get shacks at 400 on the beach monthy weekly,- its the best beach.

Rest : -take a cabbie or 1200 - go on a sight seeing for 2 days.

And that Mr Goan did a copy paste from some god rubbish book - its all wrong.

Panjim is North Goa - Does yahoo have a way of taking 10 points back for misleading people.?????

Khalas!!!!!!!!!!!

sarah

don't know. i've never been outside of the south. i guess that could be good in a way.

uda

Beaches: North: Calagunte, Baga, Vagator, Anjuna, Ashlem, Madrem,

South: Palolem, Colva

Temple: Shantadurga, Mangeshi

Church: St.Fransisco OLD GOA

Cities: Panjim, Margao, Mapusa

guide

Beaches - Calangute, Baga, Colva, Palolem, Arambol and Anjuna
Churches - St. Francis Xavier, Old Goa
Temples - Mangueshi, Shantadurga
Forts - Fort Aguada & Fort Chapora
Sun set point - Dona Paula
Others - River cruise & spice farm

buzz

mr goan at heart. panjim city, old goa is not in south get your facts right before you give wrong information to others.

easyrider p

I would like to put a few persons right, Panajim is CENTRAL Goa not North or South!!!!!!

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