It's difficult to think of GOA beyond golden sand beaches, the crystal blue water, and parties. Look beyond the beaches. It is rich in culture left by its Portuguese past and its architecture reminds you of the history. Its rustic food infused with European flavors is mostly unavailable in the luxury of Goa.
"The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” It is one such place which offers you the best. Things you can do during your trip to Goa.
1. Visit Spectacular Beaches
The beautiful ocean, the golden sand beaches, the Palm trees will give you memories for life time. There is no better place to be lazy than on one of the beaches in Goa. North and South Goa both are covered with spectacular beaches. The best season for beach visit is between Christmas and New Year and during summers in May. Palolem beach, Agonda beach, Baga beach, Colva beach, Dona Paula beach, Calangute beach are some of the favourite beaches among tourists. One can enjoy the beach, various water sports and soak in the sun during the visit.
Suggested Tour : 4 Days - Goa Beaches Tour
Read More : Top 10 Best Beaches in India
2. Enjoy Water Sports
If you are a thrill seeker and love water sports, Goa is your place to be. It offers all kinds of water sports Windsurfing , Jet skiing, Speed boats, Scuba diving, Banana tube boat ride, Knee and wake boarding being a few of them. Calangute beach, Anujna beach, Baga beach offer you the best water sports.
Suggested Tour : Full Day Goa Beach Tour
Read More : Top Ten Hidden Tourist Attractions in Goa
3. Visit the Casino's
Gambling is no more a sport. Gambling is common in Goa with both on shore and off shore casinos, few of them of international standard. Most of the on shore casinos can be found on boats anchored in the Mandovi River. Deltin Royale and Casino pride are the best among offshore casinos. Casino pride being the cheaper of the two.
Read More : Clubs, Bars, Casinos & Restaurants in Goa
Suggested Tour : 5 Days - Mumbai With Goa Tour
4. Relish the Street Food
Goan curry, fried fish and chilled beer that's not all what it has to offer you when it come to street food. Not many are aware of the variety of evening snacks Goa has to offer. A regular favourite being potato chops filled with beef and shallow fried. For the vegetarians potato chops are filled with egg and fried. In addition to this the all time hot favourite being raos omelette. You can them in local shacks near the beaches.
Read More : Restaurants in Goa
5. Get Some Blessings from God
It has churches, now that's an understatement. Old Goa is a UNESCO world heritage site and has many churches. It contains churches affiliated to various convents, including the Se cathedral, the Church of S. Caetano, and notably, the Basilica of Bom Jesus which contains the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier.
Suggested Tour : The Local Goa Lifestyle Tour
Read More : Churches & Forts in Goa
6. Bird Watching
This state is rich when it comes to the diversity of birds. If you are a bird enthusiast and want to see the best of Goa's jungle and coastline you should stay at backwoods camp. You can also choose from the packages which Canopy Goa has to offer.
Read More : Top 10 Best Beaches in India
7. Go for a Bike Ride
It is best explored on top of a bike. But if you are running low on fuel it might be a hassle before you find the next fuel station. Hire a two wheeler to get around the markets and beaches.
Suggested Tour : 7 Days - Mumbai Goa Cochin Tour
8. Go for Paragliding
Fly over the sea while Paragliding in Goa. If you like you can also perform Aerobatics over the sea. Professional instructors will make a fascinating paragliding from 15 minutes to 1 hour in the air without landing on the coast of Goa. If you want you can book your flight aerial videographer. Watch the video to see your preparation for the flight, the launch, landing and the flight. The sport can be enjoyed at various beaches such as the Anjuna beach, Calangute beach, Baga beach, Candolim beach, Majorda beach, Dona Paula beach, etc.
Also Read : Hot Air Balloon Rides in Goa – Experience of Lifetime
Suggested Tour : 11 Days - Goa with Kerala Tours
9. Ink a tattoo
Tattoos are about creative expression, about individuality or belonging, about ritual, rebellion or immortalizing memories. One can get a Heena Tattoo or a permanent tattoo done here. It is a home for some of the best tattoo studios in the country.
Suggested Tour : 15 Days - North India with Goa Tour
10. Party until Morning
It is known for its calm and laid-back culture. During the day while people relax and enjoy their afternoon, once the sun goes down, Goa is all about partying. Both North and south Goa please the travelers with their marvelous list of nightclubs that play latest music mixed with local beats. Where north flaunts its immense nightlife with clubs like Peacock Pub, Havana, Cavala, Shore Bars and Café Del Mar, south also boasts wonderful list of party grounds like Joets, Mambo’s, and Tito’s you can shake a leg and party till the wee hours of morning.
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11. Shack Up
The culture image of Goa can only be realized when one decides to leave the luxury of hotels and pick one of the shacks right on the beach. When you are here, sit at a beach shack and watch the world move lazily as your sip your drinks and nibble on the tastiest delicacies. Simons place beach shack, Palm grove, blue corner, Zanzibar are the few good places to be at.
Suggested Tour : 9 Days - Golden Triangle with Goa Beach Tour
12. Take the Mandovi River Cruise
A delightful way to spend an evening in is to take a sunset Mandovi River cruise. It’s a great way to see the backwaters here. The cruise includes a live band and dancers, sometimes lively, sometimes lackluster, performing Goan folk songs and dances.
Suggested Tour : 14 Days - North India with Beach Tours
13. Discover the Goan Heritage
Along with beaches, it is also a house of beautiful heritage buildings reminding of the Portuguese who ruled Goa. The style of architecture of these villas, mansions and heritage houses are a blend of Indian and Portuguese styles. A visit to one of the heritage mansions completes your visit here. These places are a part of old Goa.
Read More : History of Goa
14. Witness Turtle Nesting
This state is the home of the popular sea turtles. The secluded beaches of this tourist state are the best places to catch a glimpse of the rare Olive Ridley turtles. A few beaches like the unexplored and calm beach of Morjim act as the nests of these aquatic creatures. The locals try to protect the sea turtles, its eggs and young ones during the turtle breeding season from September to March every year.
Read More : Best Time to Visit Goa
15. Goa Dolphin Spotting
Dolphin watching trips are on offer from many boat owners on many stretches of Goa's beaches. Take a Fishing Boat Trip and watch the dolphins feeding in the early morning as watching these graceful creatures in their natural habitat is a great delight. The best time to watch these creatures in the wild is from October to May. There are even many professional Dolphin spotting agencies which returns your fee if they don’t find you any Dolphin in the wild. You will find these trips from the beaches of Palolem in south Goa to Vagator in north Goa but among them the most famous beaches that is highlighted for Dolphin spotting trips are Candolim beach, Calangute beach, Palolem beach, Agonda beach, Miramar beach, Aguada bay, Dona Paula beach and Grande island.
Read More : Things to Do in Goa
16. Shop at the Anjuna Flea Market
Located near the Anjuna beach, this famous daytime market has a mix of Kashmiri, Gujarati and Tibetan shops, stalls offering clothes and jewellery and a range of food outlets, among other things. Held every Wednesday, it is spread across the coastline, selling almost everything.
Read More : Shopping Places in Goa
17. Try the Goan Delicacies
Goa is among one of the few places in India that has mixed its native cuisine with that of a foreign nation’s with the outcome turning out to be a complete lip-smacking wonder. You can't miss kulkul, rosomelette, Goan curry with Sannas, pork vindaloo are out of the many dishes to relish.
18. Enjoy a Silent Party
Silent Noise provides a unique party experience.You can enjoy this every Saturday night on the beautiful Palolem beach in south or the Neptune point . Wireless headsets are provided to all the party animals and u can switch between DJs, listen and dance the night out without disturbing anybody else. If you take off the head sets, you will not be able to hear anything. It is unconventional and due to its setting and surroundings, it is makes for a place to visit and a party to remember.
Read More : Christmas and New Year Highlights Events in Goa
Suggested Tour : 8 Days - Goa Carnival Tour
19. Spice Plantation Tour
A trip to any Goan spice plantation is very refreshing and rejuvenating to all the senses. One can learn how local spices and herbs are grown organically during the tour of Sahakari spice plantation. On this private eco-tour, enjoy a Crocodile adventure as you cruise along the Cumbarjua Canal. Also enjoy a once in a lifetime experience of riding an elephant you’ll even get to assist in giving it a bath.
Suggested Tour : 15 Days - Karnataka with Goa and Mumbai
20. Dudhsagar Trek and camping
Dudhsagar is the fifth largest water fall in India. It is a place which is quiet captivating and enthralling. This is located near Goa-Karnataka border, in between Collem and Castle Rock railway stations. What makes it exotic is the railway bridge that passes forming a two-tiered visual treat.
It is a place which has everything for a traveler. Probably, it is hard to pinpoint one thing which is great. I hope your Goa time is not far away. This week, this month, this year ... GO GOA!!!!
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