10 Things First Time Visitors to Goa Must Know

Goa is a popular travel destination. Popular for its culture, Food, Beaches, cocktails, and much more. The peaceful Vibrant locations will give you exposure to nature’s beauty, and the beach parties and dazzling nightlife make it a popular youth destination. Every travel freak out there must have visited Goa once in their life. And if not visited, then Goa must be there on their bucket list. So if you are planning a trip to Goa or traveling there for the first time, here’s a checklist of some things to keep in mind that you must not ignore.

1. Best time to visit Goa

First of all, plan your trip accordingly so that you make out every bit of it, and make sure to visit Goa from November to February. This is the time when the weather is very much pleased with an alarming scenic beauty. You can chill out there and have complete relaxation from stress. Avoid traveling to Goa in off seasons that is April to August. April and May are the time of summer, so you will be dealing with sunburns and extreme humidity there. June, July, and August are the season of monsoon. People love Goa for beaches, sand, and sun, but during monsoon time, you will find beaches with rain, which will not be a good time to travel this time of year.

2. Choosing your transportation

To set your sail off in and around Goa, you have a variety of options available, which can be switched according to your need, budget, and comfort.

• Public transportation

Public transport in Goa largely consists of privately operated buses. These buses have widely connected routes throughout the area. They even link major towns to rural and remote areas. There are bus stops everywhere around the town. Some state bus services are available, which will help you travel to some main cities like Mapusa, Panaji, Ponda, and Margao. These buses have a specific time and stop. You will have to book or pre-book your tickets for it. The names of places and cities they will stopat will be written on the front side of the bus, which will help you to find which bus to take. Buses are the cheapest mode of transportation there. You’ll have to pay 10rs – 15rs for 2 to 3 kilometers. You can take local buses and save some of your money, as spending so much money only on transportation will not be a good deal. 

• Two-wheelers

Exploring Goa on two-wheelers has its advantages. And is also advised to explore on bikes as you will have your own space and freedom to choose wherever you want to go and whenever you want to go. How much time should be spent on a spot, and also for avoiding the traffic due to the crowd? It is said that Goa is the place for bikers. You’ll be in awe to have a bike ride in the mesmerizing beauty of Goa. But keep your safety in mind. Rush driving is not advisable as the place is crowded. If you are traveling alone, then you can take the motorcycle taxi facility. A driver, who is called a pilot there, will guide you and take you to your desired destinations. These pilots will cost you around 15rs to 20 rupees per kilometer and serve only one traveler at a time. If you are a group of friends traveling together, you can enjoy the facility of hiring bikes there. Hiring bikes will cost you 300rs to 500rs per day. This can also vary depending on your bike type if you are hiring a Royal Enfield, then it will cost you around 1200 per day. These bikes are another cheaper mode than buses

• Auto Rickshaws

These three-wheelers will be available everywhere you go. A cheap and convenient mode of transport. These can be metered or unmetered. Here, the bargaining works. It will cost you around 7rs to 10rs per kilometer

• Cabs and taxis

They can be booked online and will help you explore the tourist destinations in the best possible way. Charges are according to the installed meters. It can cost you 8rs per kilometer. Pre-paid taxi services are easily found and hired at the airport, which follows a standard amount based on the number of kilometers.

• By Cars

If money is not the problem to worry then hire a car and have a hassle-free trip. The only problem you will sometimes face will be traffic and crowds. But this will not be problematic at all. If you want a safe ride, go for it. There are several car rental services in Goa. You can opt for any of them whom you find trustworthy. You can hire a car for a self-drive or with a driver. The cost will be around 1000rs per day to 3000rs per day. Again, the cost depends on the type of car you choose. The more luxurious the car more the cost. It can go above 4000rs per day also. Also, the rental services give discounts on pre-booking, so keep an eye on it while planning the trips.

3. Explore the popular as well as the unpopular beaches

Goa is known for its beaches. Plan your Goa trip in a way so that you can explore both the North and the South Beaches because both places have different experiences to offer, and in the end, it will be worth it. The beaches of North Goa are the most popular ones and are always on tourists' lists. These beaches offer crazy beach parties, adventure sports, dazzling nightlife with DJs, insane bands, and dance, and delicious restaurants. Baga beach, Arambol beach, Vagator beach, Sinquerim beach, and Anjuna beach are some of the famous beaches out there. 

Your tour guide must not tell you, but keep in mind to explore the unpopular beaches of South Goa out there. Travelers must leave those places thinking there’s not much to look forward to, but if you want a peaceful quality time in Goa, you must visit there as those beaches are less crowded and full of scenic beauty and peacefulness. Even these beaches are gaining popularity for their serenity, due to the reason why some travelers are coming for a relaxing weekend here. Some of these beaches are Palolem beach, Agonda beach, Varca beach, Butterfly beach, Colva beach, and many more.

4. The delicious Goan food

When you are in Goa, try to experiment with your taste buds. The cuisines of Goa have contrasting influences. The spice flavors are a fusion of Portuguese, Arab, French, Konkan, Brazilian, Chinese, and Malaysian touches. Goan food is incomplete without rice, fish, or fish curry. You will find multiple dishes of fish. The seafood there is not to be missed. Kingfish, prawns, mackerel, pomfret, shark, and Tuna have their delicacies in tourists hearts.

5. Goa Scuba Diving

Scuba diving consists of adventure activities underwater. You can have the best experience of scuba diving in Goa, and that too in South Goa. Less crowded, clearer water, here you can get the best view of marine life, and you can meet marine animals. The cost of Scuba Diving in Goa ranges from 1500rs to 3500rs. During off seasons, the costs are low, and during the season when tourists are crowded, the prices can also go above 4000. Also, discount packages are available there, so better if you get a good one. There’s a big question – can non-swimmers do scuba diving or not? Well, they can do but swimmers are confident in the water, and they can survey more. However, non-swimmers are not that confident and all the time you need the help of their guide, but they can do so if they follow the instructions of the guide carefully.

6. Paragliding and Parasailing

Another adventure sport that one should not miss while in Goa. Paragliding and Parasailing are performed in the sky. One can have a clear outlook on the view of the land from the sky and also have a feeling of flying in the sky. Paragliding is a free-flying sport. It happens for 15 minutes or half an hour. It will cost you around 800rs to 1600rs. If highly trained, then one can go for 60 minutes, and this will cost around 5000rs. Parasailing with a harness and parachute will be tied to a motorboat. It’s a safe sport. It will cost around 500 to 800 for 15 to 30 minutes.

Again, it will be good if you are lucky enough to grab a good discount package on these sports. 

7. Churches of Goa

Churches of Goa have been a part of Goan culture for time out of mind. Here, the churches are known for their alluring architecture, which resembles the historical ages. The elegance of the churches here will amaze you. The Churches and convents of Goa are the name given by UNESCO to a set of religious monuments of Goa. Do not forget to visit them. Some of the best and most famous churches are:

• Basilica of Bom Jesus
• Se Cathedral
• Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
• Mae De Dues Church
• Church of Our Lady of immaculate conception
• St. Sebastian Chapel

Out of them, the oldest Church is The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, which was built in 1543. This church is still standing, embedding several stories and memories of years and years in it, and the Basilica of Bom Jesus is a famous World Heritage Site in Goa. Take out some time during your trip and visit these churches.

8. Do shop from the flea market

The flea markets on the Goa beaches are a true paradise for Shopaholics. You will be finding varieties of items ranging from beautiful and decent pieces of jewelry, handicrafts, artworks, hippie clothing, funky footwear, herbs, spices, home decoration items, trinkets made up of seashells, Gemstones, and a hell lot of items. But remember! Play your bargaining game right, and you will be in profit. Other than shops, there are palm readers and tarot card readers who can look into your future and tell about your fortune. If you believe in these fortune tellers, then this is the place for you. Apart from all these things, these flea markets offer different types of activities, likethe  Anjuna flea market on Wednesday hosts live music and band performances on the beach for their visitors, this market is one of the most famous flea markets in Goa. Another famous market is the Saturday night market in Arpora, also known as the Indigo Night Market, which gives a true insight into the vibe of Goa. Visitors can enjoy a variety of cocktails, beers, chilled wine, and delicious foods from the best restaurants out there. Another one is the Baga Market. The main attraction of this market is the beachside saloons. Other markets such as Arambol street market, Mackie's night bazaar, and Calangute Market Square can offer hippie Beachwear, delicious prawns, lip-smacking food, Kashmiri and Tibetan stalls, and not to miss the musical extravaganza. 

9. Skincare should be your priority

Goa means the sunshine city. When you are on your beach vacation, you are free to wear anything there, so visitors prefer to wear loose and short clothes, leading to exposure to more and more sun. Traveling in the season or off-season, do care for your skin as you will be at high risk of getting your skin tanned and sunburns too.

Apply good quality sunscreen everywhere on your skin and every day till the time you are in Goa. You can reapply it every few hours if needed. Wear sunglasses and a hat or scarf to protect your face and eyes. If possible, use an umbrella. These tips altogether will help you to protect your skin complexion. In case you are tanned, do use scrubs and home remedies to get rid of those tans.

10. Keep it clean and play your part as a responsible tourist

Every year, after the Vacation season end,s we get to hear the news of dirt on roads, famous tourist places, and especially the dirt around the beaches. Trash is found all over the tourist spots. The people around, and especially the visitors, insensitively litter the place. Ruining the place’s beauty and serenity. The tourist department took the initiative to clean the beaches and other beautiful spots, but failed due to a lack of cooperation from people and visitors.

Beaches and places can’t be trash and waste-free unless or until we come together as one and take the responsibility to keep them clean. It becomes heart-wrenching to see those famous and vibrant spots and beaches losing their beauty due to a lack of cleanliness. What about the upcoming visitors, they’ll be having this awful view of dirty beaches. So if you are visiting Goa, try to focus on the cleanliness of the places. It is true that one person alone cannot do this, but can take the initiative to not spread or throw belongings like paper plates, beer bottles plastics, or packets on the beaches and roads. Throw them at their reserved places. Let the beauty of the place continue so it serves as the best vacation spot inthe upcoming years also.

So, follow this checklist and have a memorable trip to Goa.