On the West coast of India stands an unexpected place. A destination that will make you fall in love with theĀ people, the life-style and everything around. This is Goa ! Goa is a independant state of the Republic of India. It was an old former Portuguese colonny, which means that there is a majority of Christians living there and there are probably as many Churches as thereĀ are in Portugal.
It is very easy to fall in love with Goa. There is a brunch of foreigners who decided toĀ settle for the rest of their life after spending aĀ vacation over there. Usually people speak English, but the local language isĀ the Konkani.
Why do we love Goa ?
Some of the most incredible landscapes I have ever seen. If you do like to look at the infinite of the horizon, you will not be disappointed.
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Of course, most people go to Goa because of the beaches.Ā Ā It is sunny and warm all year long, so it is perfect to chill at the beach.
However, I would like to point something. Before visiting Goa, I did some research on Google and I found a lot of images showing Goa as a crystal-clear ocean, white sand-beaches, almost like in the Maldives. This is far from being true. But I have to admit that I prefer the real Goa much better. Goa is beautiful because it is special and different from other beaches destinations. I love Goa because I like being surrounded by people… and animals (yes, it is very normal to see cows sunbathing on the beach in Goa) š
Yes, we are still in India, and we love it!
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The “Peace&Love” atmosphere in Goa makes it a wonderful place for hippies lovers. You can find a lot of bars where to relax, buy yourself a long dress or pants and rent a bike to ride around. I had my very first experience riding a bike (meaning a motorbike). It was such a beautiful moment and the best way to visit Goa…
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The SaturdayĀ night market.Ā In addition to all this, Goa is a paradise for shopping !Ā (Yes, much more than Colaba Causeway in Mumbai).Ā Indeed, theĀ Saturday night marketĀ is THE best-biggest-most incredible market in India!
There are plenty of shops everywhere. You can buy souvenirs, clothes, books, Indian handcraft,…
I would recomment you to keep some space in your suitcase, because you will probably find some very interesting things in Goa š
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When Indians talk about Goa, it is first and foremost because they talk about the nightlife in Goa. “Who says Goa, saysĀ nightlife.” I was surprised to realize thatĀ Indians love to party. Goa, an independent State, is like Ibiza for Europeans or Mexico for American who love to party. “What happens in Goa, stays in Goa“. So if you’re looking for having aĀ party every night, drinking and dancing until dawn, you can also find your happiness here!
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People. It is difficult to speak about the Indian People, because there are over 1.3 billion Indians who live in India and from North to South and from West to East traditions, habits and ways of live are very different. But when it comes to the people from Goa, I can tell that theyĀ are exceptionally open-minded, warm and welcoming! They are probably the reason why many foreigners move here. All nationalities and religions can live together in Goa.
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Overall, Goa is unique in its mix of colors, cultures and traditions . You can not pretend that you have seen India if you have not been in Goa (but it is also true that you can not present you have seen India if you only visited Goa);)
Informations
The language
People in Goa speak English, but the local language is Konkani.
Goa can be divided in two areas: North and South.
North GoaĀ is where most of hotels are located and where there are a lot of restaurants, bars and club.
South GoaĀ is more wild withĀ wild beaches, few hotels and therefore fewer tourist.In both areas you will find beautiful beaches.
It’s hot all year round but the best time to come to Goa is from October to April as it gets very HOT by the end of April!
When visit Goa?
If you travel through India, Goa is probably the best place to stop before going back home. You will relax and take it easy for your last days (or maybe for the rest of your life?)
For more info you can visit theĀ Lonely Planet Website
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To pin
While reading it felt like you have spent a good amount of time in goa and have experienced it closely. Of many things popular about goa, I feel that Goan food and Goan parties are loved the most. Though everyone has their own reason for flying to goa and this particular destination is loved by different age groups.
Well, if you want, just have a look at my blog on goa.
Cheers.