Planning your Goa trip

Just returned after a wonderful and another memorable experience in Goa. It was a short vacation but nevertheless fell in love with Goa all over again. Initially, I thought of sharing my planned itinerary just like my other blog posts but then, Goa is different. The splendid aura and tranquility simply makes you lose track of time. We’ve spent hours every time, sitting at a beach, living the music and ambience. It’s altogether a different world.

Chapora Fort, Chapora, Goa

In this post, I would be sharing information based on my personal experiences that you can use to plan your Goa trip. Reading this would give you some useful pointers that should help in planning your vacation better.

When to go

November to January is the tourist season. During this time, the place is flocked by foreigners and locals alike. A good number of beach cafes and shacks are setup, and Goa is all lively and busy during this time of the year.

With lush greenery and romantic weather, monsoon is also a good time to visit Goa. During June-October, it’s less crowded and hotel bookings are available at off-season rates.

During February to June, the climate in Goa is hot and not very favorable.

Where to stay

With many amazing beaches and plethora of options, it becomes a little difficult to decide that perfect location for your stay. However, you can always plan based on your preferences and/or occasion.

North Goa is where all the party scene happens with a number of vibrant pubs and cafes. South Goa is relatively calm with more peaceful and beautiful beaches.

For a one week vacation, I would spend 3 days in South Goa and 4 days in North Goa. If the duration is smaller, I would choose the location based on whether I am more into partying (North Goa) or I would want some explicit peaceful time with the entire beach just for myself (South Goa).

South Goa boasts of some grand multi star hotels and resorts with private beaches. The Leela Goa is a wonderful 5-star resort that doesn’t go very heavy on your pocket also. Palolem and Agoda are the two best beaches in South Goa, with a plenty of budget lodging options available.

North Goa again has a couple of good locations. Lately, Baga has become a centre hub with many glitzy shops and pubs. Baga beach hosts some of the nicest beach shacks and cafes. Staying in Baga is like living just next to all the party places. Personally, I prefer Anjuna and Ozran/Vagator, the lesser crowded neighbors of Baga. Here, you can be away from all the hustle and at the same time, not too far from all the action.

For my recent trip, I was looking for a sea facing accommodation near Anjuna or Vagator. Apparently, I didn't find much options and narrowed down my search to the following two - Alcove Resort and Casa Vagator. The resorts are next to each other facing the Ozran beach. I stayed in Alcove Resort which is at an amazing location with a full view of the sea right from your room. Also, the food, ambience and staff are a complete plus. I would recommend this resort; it's totally worth every penny.

View from room at Alcove Resort, Ozran beach

On another trip, I stayed at Orritel Village Square near Vagator. It's a very good budget option that you can consider.

Candolim and Arambol too provides good options with the latter mostly inhabited by foreign crowd.

Transport

With no Uber and Ola around, transport in Goa is a little expensive. Although taxis are easily available and the charges are mostly fixed (bargaining doesn’t help much), the fares are much higher compared to other places.

If you are going from South Goa to North Goa or vice versa, you end up shelling out good number of bucks. Same is true for commute from airport. At airport, the prepaid taxi counter is on the right just after you exit. There are fixed rates for drop to different locations, which comes out to be approximately Rs 27 per km for a non-AC cab, and a little higher for an AC cab. Also, you pay an extra 35% as night charges when traveling between 11pm and 5am. I remember the tariff was Rs 1379, for a drop to Vagator which is 52km from airport.

Prepaid Taxi Counter at Goa Airport

For sightseeing in Goa, renting a two-wheeler or a car is the best option that goes easy on your pocket as well. Vehicles are easily available for rent with vendors available in almost every other street. The price for renting a scooter (Activa) for a day is around Rs 300 which generally goes up during the peak season.

Where to party

Tito’s lane in Baga is very popular among the party goers and is alive all night. It has some nice pubs and bars that you can surely give it a try. Also, there are some nice beach shacks that have earned a good name and audience due to their carefree and friendly atmosphere and nice mouthwatering food. St. Anthony’s at Baga, Britto’s at Baga, Café Liliput in Anjuna and Curlies in Anjuna are some nice places where time just flies like anything.

@ St. Anthony's, Baga beach

Thalasa near Ozran beach and Club Cubana too gets some crazy parties organized that you can surely give it a try.

Beaches

Goa is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in India. Beaches cover almost 83% of the total coastline area of Goa. At places, the golden sand stretches long distances with sea water flowing towards the shore offering pleasant picturesque views. Palolem beach in south and Arambol beach in north Goa away from the hurly-burly crowded places are the two most beautiful beaches in Goa. Arambol beach is at a 20-25-minute drive from Anjuna area and is a must visit during your Goa vacation.

Vagator beach. Pic taken from Chapora fort

I plan to write another post about the Goa beaches.

Other attractions and things to do

Forts

If you are staying in north Goa, then you should not give a miss to visit Aguada Fort and Chapora Fort (also populary known as Dil Chahta Hai fort, from the movie).

Fort Aguada is at around 4.5kms from Candolim beach and is a small drive away. Chapora Fort near Vagator beach is around 5kms from Anjuna and resides on a cliff overlooking the Arabian sea. It requires a small trek 5-10 minutes to reach to the fortified walls. There are no monuments left in the fort area but the views are simply breath taking.

@Chapora Fort, Goa

Dudhsagar waterfalls

Dudhsagar waterfalls is a one day trip from Goa. Located at around 90kms from north goa, it takes around 2:30 – 3 hours to reach the waterfall. Dudhsagar is one of the highest waterfalls in india with gallons of water roaring down with utmost commanding force. Visit this place to experience the power of nature. Dudhsagar is covered in several trekking expeditions and is one of the major attractions of Goa.

Goa casinos

There are several casino cruises on Mandovi river near Panjim at a 45-minute drive from Anjuna. Generally the cruise has 3-4 decks with 1 or 2 decks housing casinos. If you don’t want to get into gambling still it’s a good experience with live music, dance performances and a good buffet of food and drinks.

The entry ticket includes buffet and you get some complimentary casino chips that you can try your luck with. The buffet and performances are open till midnight while the casinos remain open whole night. The entry pass is relatively cheaper on weekdays.

One downside is that the return cab fares from casino to wherever you are staying would be quite high. So, if you don’t have your own vehicle, consider planning a pickup in advance

Recommendations - Deltin Jaqk is a new cruise with a good line up of dance and music performances, good food and a splendid ambience.

Water sports

Water sports are available at all major beaches viz Anjuna, Baga and Candolim. The activities are generally clubbed into a package that costs around Rs 1200 per person and includes Parasailing, water scooter ride or Jet-ski, banana ride, bumper ride and a boat ride. No prior reservation is required and can be booked directly at the beach.

Parasailing at Candolim beach

Shopping

You can find vendors and shops near almost every beach in Goa. There are many shops near Baga where you can purchase things. Anjuna market is also a good place to buy stuff. Bargain well here.

Liquor check

Booze is cheap in Goa because of low duty. For people who want to carry it back outside Goa, there is a permissible limit of 2 bottles per person. For this, there is a pass that the shopkeeper gives that costs you another 10-20 bucks. However, on multiple occasion, I’ve seen people getting harassed by police at state border checks. The fine you are asked to pay defeats the entire purpose of buying cheap liquor in the first place. Personally, I would recommend avoid getting into such a situation.

Budget

Your expenditure would obviously depend on your preferences. But a good 4-5 days trip would generally cost you between 10-15k excluding transportation to/from Goa.

Please do comment if some more things can be added, or if you have some interesting information from your travel to Goa.

Happy traveling!

Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi

Time Period: 1^st Week of June

Duration: 5 Days

A quick vacation thought got us landed in Malaysia. That’s pretty much how it got planned. I remember shortlisting the places and Malaysia met all our requirements. It’s a short travel, easy Visa process, great parties and secluded islands.

We flew with Air Asia, which was a comfortable 4hrs flight from Hyderabad, India. We landed in KLIA2 and hired a cab to our hotel in Bukit Bintang. First impression of Kuala lumpur being an amazing skyline and crowded roads with traffic moving by inches.



View from KL Tower

Crystal Fountain @Pavilion

The city's infrastructure is very impressive. One thing that I felt is in abundance is shopping malls. Pavilion situated in Bukit Bintang is a great shopping destination. The place is huge with a good number of retail outlets and food options.

Kuala lumpur nightlife is pretty amazing with some nice places to party. We had a real good time at Skybar which offers a great ambience complemented by lively music. Also, Changkat Bukit Bintang is a paradise for party goers with a good number of restobars and pubs.

Below are the highlights and all that we explored.

Day 1 - KL Tower, Aquaria KLCC and Petronas Twin Towers

The entry tickets can be booked online or bought at the respective places. Generally, hotel travel desks and nearby travel agencies ask you to buy the tickets from them (just to earn some commission)by saying all sorts of things, simply ignore them.



KL Tower (with Petronas Towers in the background)

You get a nice view of city’s skyline from KL Tower. However, I felt it’s not worth the price. KL Tower and Petronas Towers are visible from almost anywhere in the city. Aquaria KLCC however, is a must visit place. You actually get a chilling feeling with sharks swimming just above you.

Aquaria KLCC

Day 2 – Genting Highlands

Next morning, we took an Uber from our hotel to KL Sentral, and bought tickets for Go Genting (bus) and Genting Skyway. Go Genting buses departs every 1 hour and you should prefer booking it online.

Go Genting

There are a good number of food joints in KL Sentral, some of them serving mouth watering local delicacies. We had a nice brunch in KL Sentral, before boarding Go Genting. It was a 1-hour ride and then a 15-minute skyway to Genting Highlands. The place has some good casinos and a few other attractions. You can shop, dine and roam around. All in all, a day well spent.

Genting Skyway

Genting First World Hotel

Day 3 – Langkawi: Eagle Square

Langkawi as expected was a complete contrast to KL with very less vehicles on the road and all the solitude in the world. It was a quick 1-hour flight from KL to Langkawi and then a cab to our hotel, Bella Vista. We later rented a car in the evening. The public transport is next to nil and the cab fares are actually very high. It’s better to rent a car from airport (preferably online, as you can get some good deals) that you can drop at the airport on your return.


View from Bella Vista

Day 4 – Believe 5D Museum, Kilim Geoforest, Black Sand Beach, Night Market

There are two similar art museums in Langkawi. We went to the one in Kuah. If you are a selfie lover and someone who loves to get clicked, then this is a place for you.

Kilim Geoforest was definitely the highlight of our trip and it was a wonderful experience. A guided boat tour in Kilim river with mangrove forests on each side and some amazing views. The day ended with a beautiful sunset at the black sand beach close by.



Black Sand Beach, Langkawi

In the evening, we went to the night market. Night markets in Langkawi are held every day of the week at different fixed locations. It offered some good local sea food and we tried some yummy satays.

Day 5 – Lake of the Pregnant Maiden, China Town Kuala lumpur

We had an island hopping tour planned for the next day. However, due to less time and some technical issues with our boat we only visited Dayan Bunting island. Lake of the Pregnant Maiden on the island is a delightful and refreshing experience. You can take a swim in the lake and do boating.


Lake of Pregnant Maiden

After a 1-hour flight with Malindo Air, we were back in Kuala lumpur at KLIA1. Lack of time and group’s majority favored China Town over Batu Caves. We had a good amount of time for shopping but I would say, China town is only for folks who can bargain well. Haggling is a very common sight. We bought a few stuff at 1/5^th of the initial quoted price, so that gives you an idea of how much can be bargained.



China Town, Kuala Lumpur

We had our return flight to Hyderabad, India from KLIA2.

What not to miss

• KLCC Aquaria
• Batu Caves
• Kilim Geoforest Park
• Lake of Pregnant Maiden

Some considerations

• Currency exchange – Take a small amount with you. We got the best rates from ThomasCook.com. Once in Malaysia, withdrawing from ATMs is a better choice than taking a large amount with you. Also, Money Exchange at KL Sentral 1st floor offers good rates.
• Transport from airport (KLIA1 and KLIA2) – There are a good number of options to/from airports. For a group of 3-4 folks, budget cabs can be preferred.
• Prefer online booking for city attractions (KL Tower, Petronas Towers, KLCC Aquaria). You can get some good deals there.
• Cabs at odd hours can be really expensive, Uber is your best option there.
• Considering the lack of public transport in Langkawi and a relatively easy drive with only a few vehicles on the road, you can prefer self-drive.

Happy Travelling!

Bali, Lombok (Gili) – A Complete Package

Time Period: Mid October

Duration: 8 Days

From active volcanoes to peaceful serene beaches. From historic temples to awesome beach cafes and water sports. Bali has so much to offer.There is something for everyone.
Me and my wife were looking for a chilled out romantic place for vacations. There were a couple of options in our minds, but we didn’t want to go for a clichéd destination. After some research, we finalized on Bali and Gili. We didn’t know we were going to get mesmerized.

Weather was simply amazing with clear skies no rains, mild to moderate sun. We travelled in Malaysian Airlines, and I must say I’ve become a big fan of their service. We boarded our flight in Hyderabad (India). There was a small layover in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and finally we landed at Denpasar Airport (Bali, Indonesia), a beautiful airport just adjoining the sea.
Our hotel – Swiss Belinn, Legian. This was going to be our abode for the next three days.

Below is the highlights and all that we explored

Day 1 - Legian Beach
Legian Beach - Just 5 minutes walk from Swiss Belinn, lies this beautiful stretch of sand with some very nice cafes.


Terrace Pool @Swiss Belinn (with Legian Beach in the background)

Day 2 - Balinese dance performance, Balinese Jewelry, Ubud rice fields, Mt. Batur, Tirta Empul temple, Goa Gajah, Monkey Forest

After fully enjoying the amazing breakfast spread at Swiss Belinn, we started at around 9am. After the halts for Balinese dance performance and Jewelry making centre, we continued our journey towards Kintamani. Having thoroughly enjoyed the scenic beauty of Ubud rice fields on the way, we reached Kintamani for lunch with a splendid view of Mt. Batur. The food was very ordinary but I must say the view was simply breath taking. The return journey included stops at the beautiful Tirta Empul temple, the Goa Gajah temple and the Monkey Forest.

Barong and Keris Dance



Mt. Batur view from Kintamani

Day 3 – Tanah Lot, Uluwatu, Padang Padang Beach

Took a day package again and started the journey at around 9am. After spending some time at Tanah Lot and enjoying the spectacular view, we had lunch on the way back. Next stop was Uluwatu that is known for it's amazing sunset. Padang Padang beach is very near to Uluwatu and I must say it's one of the most beautiful beaches I've been to.

(Day 4 – Day 6) - Gili Trawangan
Our next destination was the Gilis, where the most peaceful serene beaches awaited us. We took a flight from Bali to Lombok Airport. A nice half an hour ride. And then a road trip along the north coast of the Lombok island and then a 5 minutes boat ride to the Gili T. but all worth it. With pristine clear blue waters and white sand,  the beaches in Gili were so divine. Took a cidomo (horse cart)  from the harbor to our cottage in Danima. A lovely resort with an amazing location and very friendly staff.

The Gilis view from the Lombok Mainland

Cottages at Danima Resort, Gili Trawangan

Our next three days pretty much comprised of watching sunrise/sunset, snorkeling, cycling around the island and partying. The east coast has some very nice cafes with a variety of food to try and lots of parties happening. The west coast is relatively calm with more serene beaches and tranquility. A snorkeling day trip was the highlight of our stay in Gili.

Gilis are very laid back with not much to do. There is a night market near the harbor, where you can try some real good street food, which is a must go during your stay in Gili Trawangan.

Day 7 - Gili-Bali Fast Boat, Seminyak Beach
A 2 hour speed boat ride with Blue Water Express and we were back in Bali. We didn't want all the travelling on the last day, and yes, saved a full day for shopping. We stayed in Destiny Boutique Hotel, Seminyak for a day. There's nothing good about the hotel, other than the location. It's hardly a 5 minutes walk from the Seminyak Beach. Just next to the hotel is Waco Burger Café. If you are around that area, then this is a must visit joint, serving some awesome mouth watering burgers. There are some good markets at walking distance and not to forget Balinese massages, a must try.

@Waco Burger Café, Seminyak

Café at Seminyak Beach

Day 8 - Seminyak Beach
Went for an early morning walk and relaxing at the Seminyak beach. It's a large stretch of sand till the point where your sight can reach. In the evening, we boarded our flights for Hyderabad (India).

What not to miss:

Bali

• Tanah Lot
• Uluwatu
• Padang Padang Beach

Gili

• Street Food at Night Market
• Snorkelling Day trip
• Sunset at Hotel Ombak

Some considerations:

• If you like hills, then you can give Ubud a try and plan a day or two of stay there. In case you are a beach person (like me), then there are plenty of options. I would personally not recommend Kuta as it is very crowded.
• Prior reservation is required for the popular Rock Bar, Jimbaran. You should do that a week before your date.
• In Bali, always prefer Blue Bird taxis for local transport and airport drops.
• Gilis is a group of three islands viz. Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. No matter what sort of vacation you are looking for, prefer Gili Trawangan for your stay. You can always island hop and explore the others.

Happy Travelling!