Started with 7 Steps...So fast Completed 7 years...
Loved this journey and all this is just a beginning ....
By reading this you would have understood it was our Marriage Anniversary and we choose Goa this time to celebrate it.
Here are quick info:
- Places: Only North Goa
- Number of Days: 3
- Mode of Travel: Took Seabird sleeper to travel to Goa and back in SRS sleeper couch
- Travel in the Goa: Rented a Bike. Bike is the best thing you should never miss to explore the goa in a great way. More tips on Bike rental in blog.
- Place of stay: Tivai Beech Cottages which is exactly facing the Calangute beach. (AC room - 2500 per day)
- Dress: Yes for Goa your dress code is very much important... Choose knee level or at least three fourth so that you can walk in beaches comfortably. I think shopping for dresses in Goa itself is best than in Bangalore, cost wise and also you get more varieties.
- Maps: As we have to go everywhere by our self...We used the maps in our Phone...Thanks to GPS and offline maps in Nokia...
It was long time plan to see GOA with big gang...But everybody are busy in some or other way and not able to gather all for 3 days....Hence finally decided GOA to celebrate Anniversary. Choose the bus (For train you need to book very well in advance) to travel and wanted to avoid car drive as we were not planning to visit anything other than Goa. If you want to cover all places on the way to Goa then car is best.
Day-1:
Started our journey at 10pm (bus was 1 hour late) and reached 10am at Panjim Bus stop. As soon as we get down, we rented a bike which is around Rs.300 per day. Weekend prices will be little more. No need to search for the one. As soon as you drop from bus, many guys will come and offer you the Bike. Bike is the best way to explore the city. Extra Rs.200 petrol is more than enough to cover all. We planned only North Goa this time. North Goa is full of life and fun...South Goa is very peaceful and less noise. Its all people taste to select. If you have more days then better cover both the north and south. Coming back to Bike rental, make sure you bargain well and check the vehicle condition and then rent it. Also take few pics of it so that he cannot cheat you later for any old damages of bike. We preferred Honda Activa as we get good space in front to keep all language. Then from Panjim, its about 12 KM to Cottage. Tivai Cottage is just in front of calangute beach. Beach is hardly 20 steps away. This is the best place to stay to enjoy the beach at max.
Took some rest and got freshup and went to beach by 12. Its actually 4 beaches (Sinquerim beach, candolim beach, calanguta beach, Baga Beach) come side by side in the stretch of 4 KMs (Check out google maps).. And there is no difference between them...Its all the same. Had an hour walk on beach side and took boat ride to see Dolphins (Rs.350 charged per person). They take us some distance in the sea to the place where there are 2-4 Dolphins. We need to patiently watch and wait for them to come up. After 20 mins of wait, we spotted 2 and that to they just came little out of water and vanished. But the ride was good than watching Dolphins. Returned back to beach and had a lunch in one of the Shacks. Shacks are nothing but a small hut style hotels in beach where they serve everything. Things are overly priced but food will be good and you can enjoy the beach view and have food. After lunch we walked towards Baga beach which comes in the same stretch of beach after 2KM walk. In that beach we saw so many water sports activities. We opted of Paragliding. They Charge 650 per head - 600 is their charge and 50 is to take you to near boat where you do Paragliding. This is very very costly as hardly you will be in air for less than a 30-40sec. They Charge Rs.200 Extra again to make a small drop to water and again lift you back to top. But it was great experience...
You can try out other water sports like Water Bike, banana ride, speed boat based on your patience/budget.
We were very much tired by this time. Went back to hotel and had a bath to remove all sand and salt on our body. Came back to beach again and settled on one of the shaft and had snacks and enjoyed the sun set. It became bit cold and started feeling nice cool breeze as sun set. Went back to room and done for the day.
Now if you are party guy then never ever miss Tito's Night club where there will be a party every day. And it goes till early morning. There is even club cabana which will a great place enjoy the night life...They all charge around 2000 per couple. By the way in Panjim there are few boats which take you to the middle of sea and have party at night. Make sure you book well in advance and be there by 5-6pm. Also all of these are very safe and you can travel whole night with out any issue... Never heard even single issue for travelers. By the way we didn't try them..
Day-2:
Woke up early in the morning 7pm and came to beach and enjoyed a nice climate and hardly few people around. Spent some time and took snaps. That's the best advantage of taking hotel on beach where you can jump in to the beach anytime. Got fresh up and started our Journey to Anjuna Beach by 8pm. Had breakfast in Krishna Udupi vihar. Ate heavily priced idly (Rs.55) and Dosa (Rs.80) with poor taste. The bike ride to Aunjuna is again was really good. You pass through small villages. On shores of Anjuna beach you can see Anjuna Flea market place but its only on Wednesday and we missed it. But we heard that there is nothing special you get there. Reached Anjuna beach by 10am and again its the same beach what saw in Calangute...But there were few coral rocks where we took some snaps...myself again jumped in to the water but Vandana stayed on Shack to watch me. After a few mins of fun, I also joined Vandana on Shack and where we spent almost 2 hours in listening the songs from our ipod and enjoying the beach view with cool breeze and drinking liters of coke together :).
Got out of beach by 1pm and back to Calangute..Had Lunch on the way...Now the question is...what to do next? Then we found a small amusement park with some water games... Spent there till 4 have fun in sweet water (yaa fed of salt water)....And back to room by 5pm.
Left room by 5:30pm to Agonda Fort. Reached there by 6pm but it got closed by 5 itself. But it was a nice drive and a nice place to be during evening. You get a great view. There is a light house and with Rs.40 per head and they allow you to go top of light house...Again spent there with breath taking views for till 7pm. Back to room and done for the day....
Day-3:
Today our first plan was to for Agonda fort as it was closed yesterday. So started early and was there by 8am. It was really a cool place and the way to this place is awesome... You will surly enjoy the drive...Took lot of pics and then spent an hour resting in fort by listing songs...Then there is a central jail very near to this fort. Make sure you never miss that. They will not allow in side the jail...Just in front of jail, to the left there is a small path down to sea...We got down there and there are few rocks...It was amazing hidden place. Took lots of pics... Back to room and we checked out of it by 11 as we took for 2 days only.
We are done with Beaches and our next plan is to see Panjim city and Old Goa.
Started by 11 from room and reached Panjim bus station by 11:30. Kept all our luggage in clock room. It's not official bus-stand clock room, but maintained by some shop...Just ask some body in bus stand. Reached old Goa by 12:30. There are few great churches built on 16'th Century by Portuguese. This was their capital and this was the place where early churches built for the first time in India. In Basilica of Bom Jesus Church you can find a body of Francis Xavie that was kept from 1552. Still the body have not decomposed and people say the nails grow till today. You can still see people talk Portuguese and their culture... Enjoyed the churches...It was too hot...Left old Goa by 2pm and reached Panjim bus station where we had our lunch in Kamat.
After Lunch, our next stops to cover some pending beaches on Panjim... We were already bored of beaches but nothing left to do...Went to Dona Paula beach and spent there till 4pm. There is nothing much to do here..But a nice city and beach views...
Finally done for the day and trip...Came back to bus stand by 5pm and called bike rental person. He came near the bus and picked up his bike. Finally we jumped in to our bus and slept... Back to Bangalore...Back to normal day to day life....But with a great memories .....
Hope you all enjoyed it...Back soon with nice trip...and a nice blog...
