Goa, India

My first trip to India happened in 2018 and it was something I will never forget. It was late April when my friends and I made a plan to visit India for a couple of days, even though we knew it was getting pretty hot since the season was almost over. After doing a little research, we decided it would be the best to visit Goa, the smallest Indian state lying on the Western Coast.

Goa is divided in two parts, North and South. Based on the research we did; North Goa is a lot of party like, and Southern Goa is a more tranquil and suitable for families with kids. We chose North Goa without any doubt and booked our stay in Baga.

We flew from Dubai; United Arab Emirates and the flight was 3 hours long. Before booking the flight, we got ourselves a tourist visa, so if you decide to go, check on this website if you need to apply for a visa to India and in case you do, you can do it in this website.

Upon arriving to Goa, and getting out of the airport, we exchanged our money to Indian Rupees, the official currency in India. The weather was hot and humid, and the air smelled like mix of scent sticks and spices. I recommend booking a hotel which has a pickup from the airport option, it’s very convenient if you are landing in the evening hours.

The car ride from Goa Airport to Baga was only 1 hour long and we enjoyed the beautiful landscapes along the way.

I will share with you guys the top places we visited and some to-do things for one week and I hope you will like it as much as I did.

1. BAGA BEACH

Waking up on our first day in Goa was so exciting, looking through the window and seeing the beautiful white sand beach surrounded by coconut trees was like dream. After having a delicious breakfast, we headed off to the beach side.

Baga beach is very long, there are many small shacks to order food and beverages from. It’s also popular spot for water sports activities including surfing. When we visited there was not a lot of people, I guess because the season was almost over, so we could choose the sun beds with umbrella for only 200 INR (2.6 USD) per person for each sun bed.

2. CHAPORA FORT

Located in Bardez, this stunning fort rises above Chapora river and it’s an unforgettable experience that should definitely be on your list if you are visiting Goa. It took us around 20 minutes by car from Baga to the Vagator beach from where we took a short hike to the fort. Even though it was challenging because of the high temperature, it was totally worth it.

The view from the fort looking over the Arabian Sea is magnificent. Before starting the hike, we stopped by cute little markets to buy water and fresh mango. There is no entrance fee so it’s all open for the tourists and locals to enjoy the view.

3. VAGATOR BEACH

If you are a fan of tranquil, serene beaches, you will love this one. Only 8 km far from Baga, this beautiful beach will leave you speechless with its untouched nature. We had a chance to hang out with many cute cows chilling at the beach with us.

Even though Vagator is known for its dynamic nightlife, daytime adventures are fun too! We had an amazing meeting the locals, eating the sweetest pineapple you could ever imagine, shopping at the flea market and trying to catch the big waves!

4. BAGA RIVER

What’s better than walking by the river that is surrounded with tall coconut trees? We saw how fisherman were bringing the freshest seafood and fish that there was.

Even though there were options for kayaking in the creek, we chose to enjoy the evening in one of the restaurants by the river, enjoying the delicious Goan cuisine.

We had a wonderful time at The River Restaurant where we had a great service, tasty food and couple of drinks while listening to live music.

5. NIGHTLIFE

Whether you like dancing all night or having a lovely and peaceful dinner date by the sea, Goa has all the options. We spent 4 out of 5 nights at Tito's Lane in Baga, a long avenue with bars and pubs in both sides of the street; we were having a dilemma where to go since there is around 20 bars to choose from.

The music was great in each one of them and they had insanely good offers on drinks too! If you decide to visit Goa, club Tito's must be on your list!

The great service, lot of cocktail options and the music that makes you dance for hours is something you'd like to try! P.S. Try the Goan Rum, it is super delicious!

6. SUNSETS IN GOA

Who doesn't enjoy watching sunsets? Every sunset is magical, but the ones in Goa are something words cannot describe. Red, pink and orange tones of the sky becoming one with the sea were definitely our favorite part of the adventure.

We would sit on the rocks and watch the sunset while listening the waves kissing the shore, being eternally grateful to be part of this magnificent natural wonders.

I would like to highlight Thalassa Greek Taverna restaurant where we watched sunset while having a glass of red wine, the view was just exceptional, but we needed to book 2 days in advance since it’s very popular place!

7. GOAN FOOD

I never knew I would be able to handle this amount of hot spices until I visited Goa. Since I am a big fan of Indian food in general and I would like to highlight one of the must try dishes in Goa.

If you like cardamom, turmeric, cumin and saffron, you will surely fall in love with Goan cuisine. Here are my top 5 dishes: Fish Curry, Prawns Xeque Xeque, Goan Khatkhate, Bolinhas Cookies and Goan Coconut Pancakes.

Other than that, don’t forget to eat local fruits such as Mango and Papaya because they are very rich in flavor, sweet and you can buy them anywhere in Goa.

That’s it people! For any additional information feel free to send me a message. I hope you enjoyed it and maybe I inspired you to put Goa on your Travel Wish list!