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Should I Go to North or South Goa?

Rachel Jones — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 12:00:32 +0000

You might have noticed Rachel wrote mostly about North Goa on her blog. That is because she lived there. While Goa is the smallest state in India, it still takes four hours to drive along the whole coast. Which means if you’ve only scheduled a few days here, you may want to choose between North and South Goa. Rachel once answered that question here, but we thought we’d give you a more thorough, updated guide below with our local Goa expert, Jules!

I, Jules, also currently live in North Goa at Villa Alina and spend most of my season up North, though occasionally I treat myself to a much needed getaway to the South. For me, North Goa will always be home, I am a city girl born and bred in London so the fast paced life and busy streets appeal to me. The South is the countryside of Goa, the quieter side with less going on and more time for rest and relaxation.

How to Decide if You Want to Go to North or South Goa

Many people emailed Rachel about coming to Goa for one week or two and want to know if they should stay in the North or head down to the South. The answer to this depends on a lot of different factors from how much time you have to your interest to what kind of holiday you want. The North and the South are two very different places sometimes.

Depending on your schedule, you may be able to explore both North and South. However, if you have a limited time you will want to make sure you spend your time wisely. Getting around without your own means of transport is not the easiest as Uber doesn’t exist in Goa, we don’t have a metro, taxis are extortionate compared to the rest of India, and renting a moped is great but also comes with a long list of precautions. So making the right decision about which area you stay in is important as you will want things to be within walking distance.

Here are some questions that may help you decide:

Which is closest to the airport?

The airport is midway between North and South Goa, so you’re pretty much evenly distanced depending on how far North or South you choose to go.

What kind of holiday are you looking for in Goa?

If you’re looking for more to do and see…

North Goa is the busier side with a lot more happening. Here you can experience the buzz of daily life in almost every area with a much bigger selection of parties, hundreds of restaurant options, cafes, bars and shopping markets. The North is your best bet for those that want a mix of actually doing things as well as beach hopping along the coast.

If you’re looking to just relax on the beach…

If you’re in the mood for rest and relaxation, sunsets, and swims, than South Goa and its more beautiful and secluded beaches are for you. The beaches in the South are quieter with less options of a late night party, so if candle-lit dinners on the beach, spending your days stretched out on a sun bed and struggling to decide whether you want a fresh coconut or a cocktail, then I would suggest the South. There are still restaurant options and the occasional party but not in the same variety as North Goa.

Are you looking to avoid crowds?

Yes…

There are quiet beaches both in the North and South of Goa but the South has a lot more and is where you want to be if you need a break from the madness of India.

Not Really…

If you are travelling solo and want to meet people then the North has a lot more hostels to choose from and a bigger selection of activities to do. I personally find lying on a beach is more of a solo activity and a harder place to make new friendships. If you want to be able to dip in and out of the busy-ness of India either at the local markets, bars or beach shacks then the North has a larger selection and bigger buzz.

Comparing North and South Goa: A Breakdown

Old Quarter Hostel, Panjim

Which is better for backpackers on a budget?

In India, accommodation is pretty cheap wherever you go unless you are splashing out on a 5-star hotel. As for Goa there are options for all different budgets but of course it also depends if you are travelling solo, in a couple or as a group.

North Goa

As mentioned above there are a lot more hostel options in North Goa which offer a bed for as little as Rs 500 a night. There are lots of cool options with great communal areas to meet other backpackers. For hostels check Jungle Hostel, Papi Chulo, Old Quarter, Funky Monkey or Prison Hostel.

South Goa

The South is more of a stilted beach hut experience than a budget backpacker scene. The further you stay back from the beachfront the less you will have to pay and I would recommend taking a walk along your chosen beach and bartering for the best price. The later in the day it is the cheaper they will be. Beach huts can range from Rs 1,000 to 5,000 per night.

Anahata, Mandrem Beach

Where to Stay in Goa

There is a huge selection of places to stay in Goa. We have everything from hostels, guesthouses, homestays, jungle huts, eco resorts and luxury villas to 5-star resorts. It is impossible not to find something to suit your needs, check out our updated guide on where to stay in Goa for a longer list of our favorite spots.

North Goa

There is a larger variety of options in North Goa for all different budgets. Places here are not as beachfront as they are in the South and you can stay a lot more inland in towns and even villages. Anjuna is the best area for backpackers, Mandrem has a more hippie chic vibe and Calangute is the epicenter of the madness.

South Goa

South Goa has a few 5-star resorts in very secluded areas for people who don’t want to venture out. It also has a lot more choice of the famous stilted beach huts and falling asleep to the sound of waves. Here most places will be a few steps away from the actual beach as their USP is a sea view.

Agonda is one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa, Palolem is the busier area, and Patnem is the quieter neighbor. The South can be explored in one long line with the coast being the main area of civilization for tourism. Do note in the monsoon, South Goa is basically closed as seas become rough and the shacks, huts, and guesthouses are all taken down.

Better for Sightseeing?

Goa is not full of as many bucket list-must-sees as most other areas in India. The landmarks could be done all in one day if you really stretched yourself but you will find like many others, you end up getting distracted by the beaches, normal life or needing to try a different cocktail in every beach shack.

North Goa

North Goa has a lot more choice of cultural landmarks with Old Goa being the main attraction. If you have been to other places in India then you will notice you will have mainly seen temples or mosques. Goa is full of beautiful churches because of the Portuguese influence. If you want to spend your days doing some exploring then North Goa is where you should be and you should see Panjim, the capital of Goa, Fontainhas – the amazing colorful Portuguese streets within Panjim and the Spice Plantation – I always send my guests here. And of course exploring the different beaches along the North coastline.

South Goa

South Goa is not for the kind of traveler who needs to get up and do a lot of things throughout the day. Here your activities are based around the beach and are likely to include sunbathing, reading, beach walking, kayaking, boat trips, chasing sunsets and snoozing. Nothing wrong with these activities but if you are like me and get bored of lying on a beach all day then maybe the North is for you.

Tip: If you want to see the famous cows at Agonda, they arrive before every sunset and are fed the vegetable waste from the kitchens along the beach!

Where & What to Eat

The options for food in Goa are some of the best in the whole of India. We have every single cuisine possible and you could finish a two week holiday without eating any Indian or Goan food. There is difference between Goan and Indian food. If you have traveled around India you may or may not have noticed key differences between dishes in each state. I, of course, don’t recommend this because all types of Indian and local food are the best but, just to highlight if you can’t look at another plate of daal and rice, then you have come to the right place.

North Goa

North Goa has the largest selection of places to eat, a lot of them better than most places you would find in your hometowns. There are beach shacks, fancy restaurants, pizzerias, sunset dining options, juice bars, vegan spots and even a few restaurants that offer shows and more of an late-night experience. Check out La Plage, A Reverie, Gunpowder, Calamari, Fat Fish, Thalassa, Bean Me Up, Luna’s Ristorante, Sublime, Artjuna, Eva’s Cafe…I could literally go on forever. On Rachel’s last trip, she ate at a lot of places in North Goa.

South Goa

South Goa has a few standout spots to check out but here you will mainly be eating at beach shacks and enjoying the view rather than being blown away by food. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean food is bad in the South, far from it, but there are just not as many well known places or options to choose from as the North. Whilst in the South don’t miss Home, Zest, Martins Corner, Zeebop, Jaali Cafe, Dunhill and Indah Desa.

For the best local Goan food try a small beach shack and order FishCurryRice – said in this way. This can be found in both North and South, just make sure its locally made which includes lots of coconut.

Hideaway, Vagator

Where to Party

Goa is well known for its party scene and is comparable to the Las Vegas of India. Well, I think so anyway! We have late night parties that go well into the morning, trance parties that you should not miss out experiencing, 24-hour casino boats and a party option for most nights of the week! If you’re coming to experience the party scene, don’t miss these nightlife tips before you come.

North Goa

North Goa is full to the brim with options for parties. There is somewhere to go every single night of the week whether it is a bar, a club or a beachside party. If you are looking for busy club scenes, cheesy music, techno parties, live music, going to more than one club in a night or all of the above then the North is for you. Nearly all of the best nightclubs in Goa are located in the North and there are options depending on which kind of vibe you are going for. Check out Curlies, Shiva Valley, Hilltop, Thalassa, Soro, Hideaway, Cavala, Cohiba, Showbar and more.

South Goa

The party scene in South Goa is very limited with set days for parties at only two main venues which are Leopard Valley and Neptune’s Point. I am sure these would be cool parties to go to but there is no guarantee that they will be busy. Here you should be happy with either an early night or taking over a beach shack and having drinks and cocktails with a group of friends.

Where to Relax on the Beach

Goa is a coastal state lined with beaches from North to South. Though much of the west coast of India has some secluded beautiful beaches, Goa is the designated beach holiday destination. There are a lot of beaches to choose from and I wouldn’t recommend trying to visit them all.

North Goa

North Goa has a variety of beaches to meet peoples different needs. If you are looking for a busy beach, water sports and a large selection of beach shacks then Baga, Calangute and Candolim beach are for you. If you want the typical tourist vibe with a few beach shack party places then Anjuna and Little Vagator/Ozran Beach are for you. And if you want a more quiet, hippie, bohemian vibe then Morjim, Ashwem and Mandrem are for you. The furthest North is Arambol where you will find a lot of backpackers, drum circles and a trance scene.

South Goa

For the most beautiful beaches head South where you will find silkier sand, calmer seas and more peace and quiet. Majorda and Benaulim Beach are empty with not much else to do nearby. Agonda and Patnem are quiet with sea facing beach huts and a beautiful stretch to walk along. Palolem is the busier part of the South with glorious palm trees lining the whole shore leaning towards the sun. Butterfly Beach, Cabo De Rama, Cola and Galgibaga are the even more untouched areas where you are unlikely to bump into many other people at all.

Kranti Yoga, Patnem Beach

Where to Do a Yoga Retreat

If you are coming to Goa and plan to book a yoga retreat then you will want to decide whether you will prefer to be in the North or South. Yoga can be found all over Goa and if you don’t want to commit to a full on retreat there are lots of options of drop-in classes or even hiring a teacher for private classes to come to you.

North Goa

If you want a busier retreat with the option of more to do after your classes in the day then the North has a few options that I have heard about from friends – Dunes or Anahata in Mandrem and Purple Valley Yoga in Assagao which is more inland. There are lots of options for drop in classes at the many yoga shalas, cafes, or even resorts.

South Goa

The retreats in the South are likely to be a lot more chilled out. There’s less temptation to go out and drink and a lot more peace and quiet to really give your all to the retreat. I know I would personally choose to do a retreat in the South. I feel secluded beaches and more alone time go hand-in-hand with a yoga retreat. Here you could try Kranti Yoga School, Bamboo Yoga Retreat or Lotus Oasis Yoga all found on Patnem Beach.

Where to Go Shopping

If you have been traveling around India you may feel as though you are all shopped out! But you will change your mind once you see the shops in Goa. You can find everything you need from the cliche Goa tourist stuff for your friends at home (elephant trousers, Goa fridge magnets, anklets, henna etc) to the amazing independent designer clothes you won’t find anywhere else.

North Goa

North Goa is lucky enough to have all the shopping markets. These markets have a huge variety of everything you could possibly want all in one place. The Flea Market is the famous daytime market every Wednesday in Anjuna, the new Goa Collective Bazaar happens every Friday in Vagator and The Saturday Night Market is in Arpora. Each market is different and if you can you should make time for all three. There are also very cute boutique shops you must visit. Rangeela, No Nasties and People Tree are in Assagao; Paperboat is in Sangolda; Alchemy is in Mandrem, and Studio Arpora is in Arpora.

South Goa

South Goa has a few great shops but not the same selection as the North. Here you can find some hidden gems at the roadside stalls but you will have to spend some time looking. There aren’t any particularly large markets though sometimes there are pop ups at Leopard Valley. Boutiques in the South to check out are Bunti and Jaali Cafe.

Hopefully, you now have a clearer idea about whether you want to go to North or South Goa! And if you’re lucky enough to have time for both, you now have some recommendations on where to go, what to see, and, most importantly, what to eat!

For More Goa Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Goa Travel Tips

Trip Planning Tips

Logistics

Packing Tips

Pin it for later!

Originally published Sept 2017; updated Sept 2020

The post Should I Go to North or South Goa? first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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75 Unique Things to Do in Goa You Don’t Want to Miss

Jules Nazareth — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 12:00:17 +0000

Back in the day, Rachel once wrote a bucket list of fun things to do in Goa. While you can still do a lot of her recommendations today, many suggestions are no longer open! We’ve given her original list a much needed update to help you plan your own trip.

I, Jules, have lived in Goa now for 4 years and have been lucky enough to have family and friends visit quite a few times over the years. I have had to become lead tour guide for a lot of groups and because of this I have a lot of Goa’s must-dos, must-sees, must-eats, must-haves all up my sleeve. Below are the best things to do in Goa – some slightly random, some very important, and some only a “local” would know.

Planning your trip to Goa? Don’t miss our ultimate Goa ebook with everything you need to know about the area! You can also buy our ultimate India ebook for even more insider advice!

Agonda Beach, South Goa

Classic/Touristy Things to Do in Goa

1. Visit the Spice Plantation.

I highly recommend a trip to the Spice Plantation in Ponda to walk through a tropical plantation and learn all about the spices that are the backbone to most of the food you will be eating throughout India. It really is very interesting and you get lunch cooked with the same spices from the plantation. I would not recommend riding the elephants as they seem to be the only ones left in Goa and they are not treated very well.

2. Check out the old churches in “Old Goa”.

“Old Goa” is one of the only places you will need to dress appropriately. Cover your knees and shoulders, mainly directed at females, so worth bringing a sarong or a cardigan you can put on when needed. This can be done on the way back from the Spice Plantation. Have a look at the Patron Saint of Goa, Francis Xavier’s, embalmed body and take the drive up the steep hill to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount for a beautiful view over Goa. If you would rather join a tour try this one.

3. Get a photo of the cows on the beach…

…make sure they aren’t eating from your plate as you snooze on your sunbed and if you are feeling adventurous maybe even try a cow selfie. Cows in Goa are usually pretty friendly and love a little stroke or neck scratch but watch out for the bulls and their horns!

4. Visit Mapusa Market

Mapusa Market is a big bustling market full of bright colors, weird, wonderful, sometimes terrible smells and lots of shopping opportunities. Friday is the busiest day of the week for Mapusa Market but you can go any day, the earlier the better to beat the heat. Make sure you visit the fabric shops, flower section, fruit and veg, fish market if you dare and the meat section if you can stomach it. Here you will see lots of ‘typical Indian scenes’ – ladies sat in beautiful saris behind piles of their local produce – a great day out for any budding photographers!

5. In Arambol, check out the sweet water lake.

It’s just near the beach and is pretty cool to take a dip and some photos. It has become quite a common spot for tourists now so you are likely to share the lake with a lot of people. Please remember to take your rubbish with you when you leave. Here’s a little guide to Arambol.

Palolem Rock, South Goa

Adventurous Things to Do in Goa

6. Try SUP (stand up paddle board) at Vaayu.

Vaayu in on the road facing Mandrem Beach. You can also rent surf boards from them or try kite surfing classes. Their cafe, Prana, serves up delicious breakfast burritos, fish tacos and smoothies. This is a very cool place to hang out for the day.

7. You can go white water rafting.

Not even many locals or Goa residents know you can go white water rafting in Valpoi. This takes place in the off season when the rivers are full and raging. This would be great fun in a big group or a good way to meet new people and see a different part of Goa.

8. Have a surf lesson at Surfwala.

Surfwala is between Mandrem and Arambol. You can hire out surfboards or get yourself an instructor to help you conquer the not-so-large waves of Goa. You can spend the day chilling at Surfwala.

9. Try bungee jumping at Mayem Lake.

There is a new attraction in Bicholim where you can bungee jump off a 55M platform over Mayem Lake. This is one for the adrenaline junkies. You won’t find me anywhere near here!

10. Go-Karting in Arpora.

There is a Go-Kart track in Arpora next to The Saturday Night Market. Rachel was a Go-Kart lover; she and Ben used to test out a track in most places they visited together around the world. This one in Arpora is not really the most exciting but is a fun option to change it up from the usual Goa activities.

11. Kayaking at Patnem Beach.

Rent a kayak on Patnem Beach and go for a little paddle. And by little I mean a slightly strong paddle as the sea can be tiring. If you paddle out towards the South of the beach where the sea meets the river, it’s lovely and still. I was once surrounded by a mum and her baby dolphin here. Kayaks can be found to rent at most beaches in South Goa.

12. Take a B:Live Electric Bike Tour.

Try an electric bike tour where you can literally sit back and power the bike with the flick of a wrist. They have lots of different location options including Old Goa, Panjim, Chorao and Divar Island. If you are a bit nervous on the bike I would suggest one of the islands as the traffic on those is pretty non existent and you get to go on a little ferry across the river. Tours can be booked here.

13. Climb up to Chapora Fort.

Take the steep climb up to Chapora Fort to see the view over Vagator Beach. It isn’t the most exciting fort but it is a nice activity to get you away from the sun bed. And fits in perfectly with a deserved juice from the famous Chapora juice shop which is spoken about below.

14. Climb the huge rock in the sea at Palolem Beach.

Swim out to the huge rock at Palolem Beach, attempt to climb up, view the beautiful palm tree lined beach from a different angle and jump back off into the sea. It is easier to climb the rock at high tide and be careful of cutting hands and feet!

15. Go for the perfect beach run.

This may not sound adventurous to some but actually a great beach run can be a game changer for your day. Especially if it is at sunset or you are lucky enough to see dolphins – this happened in Agonda. Not all beaches in Goa are good for running and a lot of time it depends on tide timings as running on a slope isn’t so good for your knees. You can run any time of the day at Morjim, Mandrem or Palolem and only at low tide on Calangute, Patnem and Agonda.

16. Volunteer with the animals!

Rachel wrote about a few of the options here. This is pretty adventurous as you are likely to be out of your comfort zone whether it is helping out with animals or people. There are lots of great organizations needing your help and these add some really rewarding experiences to your travels. It can even be something as simple as taking a few dogs for a walk.

17. Get a tattoo at Inkfidel with Duncan.

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo in Goa please don’t go to one of the 3 million tattoo shops we have on every corner of every street. Duncan is the guy you need to speak to and the man who has drawn all over most of the residents of Goa. His work is great and he can help with any designs or ideas you want to create. Obviously only get a tattoo if you really want one as it is there forever! Check out @inkfideltattoo on instagram.

18. Go crocodile hunting in the mangroves.

Ok not actually hunting, no crocodiles will be harmed but go searching for the crocs that believe it or not, do live in Goa and hang out by the mangroves of Chorao and Divar Island. I did this trip recently with Uday, The Crocodile Man and we saw a HUGE sleeping crocodile. It is also just a lovely boat trip around the island. Contact Uday on +91 9021918613 to book.

Thalassa Sunset, Siolim

Relaxing Things to Do in Goa

19. Watch the sunset from Thalassa Restaurant.

Thalassa has moved to a beautiful spot in Siolim right next to the mouth of a river and a glorious sunset view. This is a bit over budget for a backpacker but if you had to treat yourself to a holiday experience whilst backpacking this is it. Dress up and eat lots of delicious Greek food.

20. Enjoy the lounge chairs at Antares in Little Vagator Beach.

This was a secret of Rachel’s, that if you eat at Antares you can use their sun beds which face the sunset and they have their own staircase going down to Little Vagator Beach. No seems to use these beds so you could have them all to yourself.

21. Take the long drive up North to Keri Beach.

Keri Beach is the last beach before Goa becomes Maharashtra. This is a very secluded area with not much going on at all. If you want the beach to yourself, take a picnic and your own umbrella and enjoy paradise for the day.

22. Let yourself have a foot massage on the beach.

Depending on which beach you are sat on, lots of ladies will come around asking to massage and thread you…give in, let yourself be pampered! You can also buy sarongs, anklets and other things you probably don’t need or want but it’s always nice to give them a little something. Just be firm that once you are done, you are done or they could end up sitting by your bed for the rest of the day offering another massage just in case you change your mind!

23. Go to the “secret” beach.

I won’t name it here, but please check out Rachel’s article and review for the hidden beach resort or you can skip and just use this link to book and see where this resort is ;)

24. Go to Snips Salon & Spa for a massage.

It’s much cheaper than back home and is fantastic. Treat yourself to a massage, hair spa, manicure, pedicure or all of the above if you are feeling fancy! There are two salons in North Goa now – Calangute or Porvorim.

25. Spend the day at Nilaya Hermitage’s swimming pool.

Pay Rs 500 to spend the day at Nilaya and use their amazing swimming pool. This is my favorite swimming pool in Goa. Have lunch here, try the grilled fish, and soak in the beautiful view over Arpora.

26. Get an amazing gel manicure to last your whole trip!

If chipped nails stress you out then go to Tanya at Sparaddise in Calangute where you can get the best gel manicure you will ever have. This is an inside local tip that most visitors won’t know about. Girls, thank me later!

27. Watch a sunset from Vagator Hill for a full panoramic view.

This is not such a common tourist spot as you have to know where to park your car but if you drive past La Rive in Vagator and leave your car at the bottom of the hill you can walk up to the top and have a beautiful panoramic view from Anjuna to Morjim.

28. Go bird watching at Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

Take the car ferry over to Chorao Island and have a walk around Salim Ali bird sanctuary. There are lots of beautiful species of birds in Goa with lots of them being seen around the quiet mangroves. You can also take a boat trip around the island which is a great way to see a quieter side of Goa.

If bird watching is your thing you could also try this bird watching tour.

29. Hit up Fort Aguada Taj Hotel for drinks.

Take in the amazing view over an old Fort, sit in a fancy chair and order yourself a fancy cocktail at the Taj. This is a lovely hotel so dress up and try and make it for sunset.

30. Stay at Jamboree Creek!

If you want a cute jungle hut and swimming pool at decent prices, this is it. They have daily yoga classes, meditation classes and private access to the beautiful Mandrem Beach. Book a stay here.

Food Stalls at The Goa Collective Bazaar, Vagator

Foodie Things to Do in Goa

31. For traditional Goan Food…

Strangely it is actually quite difficult to find good Goan food in Goa. Try Bhatti Village in Nerul which resembles the kitchen of an old Goan Grandmother. The menu changes depending on what is available. And Nostalgia in Panjim which has recently opened in Fontainhas selling all the Goan delicacies. Try the xacuti, prawn rissois and beef croquettes.

And if you make it to The Goa Collective Bazaar, I have a food stall called Go Local where you can taste freshly made local food only on Fridays. The caldin, cutlet pao and tendli pickle may change your life!

32. Try “rava fry fish” and squeeze lime all over it.

This can be found all over Goa and is a must have if you are trying something new. Seafood in Goa is usually fresh and delicious, so try some prawns rava fry, mussels rava fry, fish rava fry, everything rava fry. It is basically fish coated and fried in spices and semolina. Yum!

33. Taste a bite of South India at Gunpowder in Assagao.

This was Rachel’s favorite restaurant that she always made time to eat at and was conveniently located not so far from her house. The veg curry and chili pork ribs were Rachel’s go-to but the chicken curries are what most go for. I love the andhra prawns and potato ishtew. And definitely get a couple of heavenly malabar parathas!

34. Eat Goan Sausage, Ros Omlette Pao, and drink a Sweet Lime Soda.

Goan sausage is apparently the Indian chorizo. Try a Goan sausage dish at a restaurant or a choriz pao at a street side vendor. You can also try a ros omlette pao which is Xacuti (coconut based curry) gravy with an omelet inside a soft pocket of bread known as poie which is the local Goan bread. Yum! A fresh lime soda, either sweet, salty or mixed is exactly what you need daily to keep you hydrated in the Goan sun. If you’re really branching out you can try the local liquor, cashew feni, which in my opinion smells like nail varnish remover. You are guaranteed to have a fun night and a sore head in the morning drinking feni cocktails.

35. Chill out and have a juice at the famous Scarlet’s juice center in Chapora.

This juice center is famous in Chapora with lots of locals hanging out here. This is a fun people watching spot, a great place to meet new people, or to just watch the world go by.

36. Take time for a long lunch at La Plage.

This is a beautiful lunch or dinner spot set back on the beach at Ashwem. It usually opens in December and closes in March so if you are in Goa in that window make sure you don’t miss out. It can be busy on weekends so you will need to book – which you rarely need to do in Goa unless you are a big group. The tuna is their famous dish but everything on the menu is amazing. Their Bloody Marys are very unique with an added curry flavor and are a huge local favorite. If you are with a big group or you love dessert, order the chocolate Thali, you will not be disappointed!

37. Eat at as many food stalls as possible at The Goa Collective Bazaar – The Friday Market.

The Goa Collective Bazaar which takes place every Friday from 4pm onwards at Hilltop in Vagator, is not just a market for shopping but also has some great cocktails and a huge food court. There is food from all over the world and lots of seating available. Come with an empty stomach and have a little nibble from as many as possible. Some recommendations are Eddie’s Khao Suey, Morgan’s Pizza, Bean Me Up, Irori Sushi, Freshly Baked Cupcakes, Falafels, Burrito Boys, and, of course, Go Local.

38. Have a coffee at Old Quarter Hostel in Fontainhas.

If you are planning to explore Fontainhas, the Portuguese style streets in Panjim, then stop for a coffee and rest your feet at Old Quarter. Bombay Coffee Roasters operates here so if you feel you are in need of an actual coffee and can’t bear to look at a Nescafe instant ever again, this is where you need to be.

If you would like to join a tour of Fontainhas, you can book here.

39. Have a beer at Joseph’s Bar.

Joseph’s Bar is a very old school hangout in the small back streets on Fontainhas in Panjim. It is a tiny bar with 2 tiny rooms that give you the real Indian feel. Sit down, have a beer, have a snack, and speak to the owner about how long he has been running it and all the issues they currently face with the neighbors and noise complaints.

You could also join this bar crawl of Goa which takes place in Panjim.

40. Eat a traditional Portuguese lunch or dinner at Venit.

Venit is down another great, tiny Portuguese-style lane in Fontainhas. You will feel you like you are in Portugal if you choose to dine on one of the tables with the balcony overlooking the street. The walls are covered with wise words from travelers who have been and gone and the menu has some of the best traditional Goan/Portuguese food.

41. Taste some typical Goan snacks from Mr. Baker in Panjim.

This bakery has been around since 1922 and has some delicious traditional Goan snacks you can munch on while you explore. These are the kinds of snacks that are served at all weddings, anniversaries, birthdays all over Goa. The options include beef chop, prawn rissois, beef croquette, veg chop, meat/veg samosa and lots more. If you are feeling adventurous try the dessert, Bebinca, which is a Goan cake that uses 24 eggs!

42. Treat yourself to a whole new eating experience at A Reverie.

Book yourself a table at A Reverie in Calangute where your taste buds will be in for a treat and you will be 100% wowed by the menu and the food presentation. They have amazing cocktails and dishes usually have a twist. You could feast alone on the starters as these are the most fun but the mains are also delicious.

Try the mushroom chai, Mexican pani puri, Goldrush coconut chips and the chicken lollipops. If you manage to have space for dessert the de-constructed Banoffee pie and the chicken or the egg are amazing. This place comes with quite a steep price tag compared to what you will be used to paying elsewhere but is a lot cheaper than what you would pay in your hometown. Highly recommended.

43. Try some of the best gelato in town.

Head to the local hangout in Anjuna, cream choc gelato, for the best ice cream in all of Goa. Yep in all of Goa! They have a nice seating area outside with a few cute resident dogs, including Tripod, the 3 legged dog that Rachel rescued after he was hit by a car. Try the salted caramel, dark chocolate and the delicious fruity sorbets!

44. Eat the famous chicken at the Saturday Night Market.

This chicken is genuinely famous in Goa. The queues are always huge and if you decide to line up you will know why. Ask anyone where the chicken man is and they will point you in the right direction – note he is only at Ingo’s Saturday Night Market.

Seasonal Things to Do in Goa

45. Celebrate Holi in Goa.

Holi is always a lot of fun in India. In Goa, it is nowhere near as crazy as other states as for some reason different neighborhoods celebrate it on different days and the Hindu community isn’t as comparatively large in Goa. However, you can always find some colorful powder to buy and some people to have a little color fight with. The best option is to go to an all day Holi party. Try La Rive, Sinq Pool Party or Hilltop. And of course you need to wear white!

46. Hit up the carnival in Arambol.

Arambol is probably the hippiest place in Goa although it wasn’t back in the day (Anjuna was). They have their own carnival every year in February. Head up to Arambol to celebrate the hippie lifestyle with drum circles, live music, hula hooping and lots of fancy dress.

47. Make sure you’re here on a Saturday for the Saturday Night Market.

There are now two different Saturday Night Markets, both in Arpora which can be confusing. The original one is called Ingo’s and is located just next door to the go-kart track. This is my preferred option as I know my way around it and there are some great food and shopping stalls here.

The newer market, Saturday Night Bazaar, sometimes has a fun fair – which I wouldn’t recommend – and always has a full car park. Be careful as some taxi drivers will pretend the other market is closed. This usually begins beginning of December. It has a great vibe and is a great evening out with shopping, live music and food.

48. Don’t miss the Panjim Carnaval.

This “Carnaval” takes place along North Goa as different areas compete for the best floats. The parade begins early in the day so make sure you go early to get a spot and witness all the creative and sometimes very weird and random floats. This is a great day out and a real treat if you are here during your travels. End the evening in Samba Square with live music and lots of snacks and drinks.

49. Go Narkasur hunting in October/November.

A Narkasur can only be found in Goa on the evening before Diwali. It is a strange tradition where different areas build the biggest demon possible and then burn their creation at a silly time in the morning. It is amazing to see the efforts people put in and the size they are able to build these monsters. I went on a little car journey with some friends to see what people had done. Each Narkasur usually has a group of people surrounding it dancing to some terrible EDM until the early hours!

Hideaway, Vagator

Nightlife Things to Do in Goa

50. Definitely experience a trance party at Hilltop or Curlies OR Shiva Valley or Soro.

There are a lot of trance parties in Goa. A lot. Goa is so known for this way of life that you really should experience the scene for yourself. Check wug.com for dates and this post on the best party places in Goa.

51. Watch some live music at Hideaway.

If trance is not your thing, like me, then head over to Hideaway in Vagator for some great food, great cocktails and an amazing vibe. They usually have a live band on a few nights a week so check their Instagram or Facebook page for updates. This is where you will find lots of locals and residents spending their weekends.

52. Go to the silent disco at Neptune’s Point on Palolem Beach.

At the furtherest South point on Palolem Beach is Neptune’s Point where they have a weekly silent disco every Saturday. Depending on the time of the season (not during monsoon season), it could be packed or it could be pretty empty. Either way, experiencing a silent disco on a beautiful beach in Goa is always going to be a win.

53. Catch a late night DJ set at The Goa Collective Bazaar – Friday Market.

The Goa Collective Bazaar which takes place every Friday always has a few live acts on throughout the evening. As the evening goes on and some of the stalls start to pack up the techno/trance DJ set begins until about 2:00 AM on good days. If you are in the mood to carry on, head to La Rive which is a short 5-minute drive away.

54. Hit up Soro for some old school Hip Hop on Thursdays only.

The only authentic Hip Hop night in Goa that actually plays good tunes. Head over to Soro in Assagao for a fun and very busy night.

55. Watch a great Indian dance show on Wednesdays.

This is a slight secret but if you head over to Chalston Beach Resort on a Wednesday evening and have dinner at their restaurant you can also watch their live Indian Dance Show for free. The show has quite a few different outfit changes as two amazing dancers take you through the different types of traditional dances found within India. You are encouraged to get up and move for the last one so wear your dancing shoes!

56. Hit the dance floor in Cavala on Fridays for retro music and some salsa.

If you are looking for some old school retro music then Cavala is where you need to be. Filled with lots of local regulars who have been dancing at Cavala for years, you will have a great time singing along with the band and watching the famous salsa dancers.

57. Check the ever-changing evening DJ line up at Prana Cafe.

Prana Cafe is not just great for lunch and a smoothie bowl; they also have select evenings with cool DJ lineups. The DJ area is pretty cool with a large lit up tree as the backdrop. Try the Piña Coladas and Tropical Rum Cocktails.

58. Don’t miss the shows at Thalassa on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Table bookings are essential for Thalassa. Probably the most famous restaurant in Goa, it is buzzing nearly every day of the week. Sunset tables are usually booked way in advance but if you are coming to party then the book the evening slot and stay until it closes which can sometimes be 3:00 AM. They have a large dance floor, a huge cocktail menu and a few shows that take place through the evening. Fire throwing, a very special Greek dance, a robot laser dance show, and sometimes the infamous male belly dancer. This place is not really backpacker budget friendly but you are definitely in for a fun night.

Shopping Things to Do in Goa

59. Buy some spices and tea as souvenirs.

You can’t come to India without buying some of the very colorful spices from the very cliche picture you hopefully took at the market. You’ll see them so much that it’s hard not to and of course they make great gifts. See what else to buy in Rachel’s India souvenir guide.

60. You better be here on a Wednesday too!

The Wednesday Flea market is one of the most famous hippie markets in the world. It’s located in Anjuna leading up to the beach and goes until sunset. It is a huge market that is very easy to get lost in. You could easily spend the whole day here but due to the heat it is better to get there early, make your way through the market, and then end up at Cafe Looda for a drink at the beach.

61. Buy an “India” scarf for the perfect souvenir from Fara.

These beautiful scarves are hand drawn onto silk and make great gifts or the perfect treat for yourself to remember your trip to India.

62. For more shopping, hit up Alchemy in Ashwem.

Fara (from above) and Studio TIA opened up a shop together called Alchemy, and it’s located in Ashwem. You can see some of her outfits here and check out her shop on Etsy too! These are beautifully designed pieces of clothing that you won’t find at home in your high street stores.

63. Get some clothing tailored and make your own fun designs at great prices.

You can take one of your favorite dresses to a local tailor who can copy for you in any fabric you desire. This can be great fun whether you want to make a suit, a new beach dress or the perfect festival shirt. Here’s how to get clothing made in India.

64. Visit Paperworks in Panjim for all your stationery needs.

This is a semi-secret shop in the far end of Panjim with a very confusing entrance. But once inside this shop will make you want to throw your clothes away and fill your bags with all the beautiful stationery they have to offer. Everything from beautiful writing paper, painted cards, wrapping paper to journals, diaries, bags. Everything.

65. Treat yourself to a trip to Rangeela.

This beautiful shop can be found in Assagao. Make time for a visit to see their beautiful collection of treasures the owners have found around India, Bali and on their travels to Africa. It is impossible to leave this shop without picking up at least one, if not more, treasure to take home.

66. Buy a secondhand book from Literati, the beautiful book shop in Candolim.

Check out Literati in Candolim for the perfect secondhand book for your travels. Or have a look through the shelves that line every single possible wall for the perfect brand new book. Books are a lot cheaper in India than in your hometown, so definitely worth buying them along the way rather than filling your bag. If the cafe is open, stop for a sweet lime soda and a sandwich.

67. Venture to the Friday Market for some premium goodies.

Yes, I have mentioned this market in nearly every section but it deserves to be here! It really has everything you will need for your Friday night out. So head to The Goa Collective Bazaar for your not-so-common shopping experience at Indian markets. Here you will find good quality items, one off designers and lots of premium goodies.

68. Buy some local art from Studio Arpora.

Check out Studio Arpora, the cutest gallery in Goa with the most beautiful paintings by Shireen Mody and the loveliest illustrations by her daughter Saffron. Prints can be bought that can be easily packed and added to your luggage. Don’t miss out on seeing Shireen’s palm tree series in real life!

Villa Alina, Calangute

Luxury Things to Do in Goa

69. For a “splurging out” stay in South Goa…

Try the beautiful Alila Diwa in the South. It was Rachel’s favorite 5 star hotel in all of Goa and she treated herself to a few getaways here.

70. Treat yourself to a Sunday Brunch at the Grand Hyatt.

This really is a special treat but is so worth it. Spend a lazy Sunday at the Hyatt in Bambolim. Fill yourself up at the mouth watering food stations and then roll yourself out to the sun beds to make the most of their lovely pool. I would recommend booking ahead for this one as it does get busy. Lots of 5 stars offer Sunday Brunch deals so if you don’t feel like trekking to Bambolim have a look at some of your closer options.

71. Stay at Villa Alina – perfect for larger group stays!

Villa Alina offers six bedrooms to a single group of up to 16 people. Treat yourself to a whole villa experience with your own private infinity pool, daily maid service, 24-hour security, sunset views, breakfast included and the comfiest beds in all of Goa!

Check here for even more luxury stays in Goa

Expat Things to Do in Goa

72. Consider renting a house.

If you do end up staying in Goa for a month or more, it may be worth looking into renting a furnished place rather than staying at hotels or hostels. You can look on Airbnb or you can just stay in a guesthouse until you find somewhere. Here’s a guide to renting in Goa. There are lots of cute little Goan houses available for long term rent at great prices.

73. Take some classes at Tito’s Whitehouse or Artjuna.

You can do kickboxing, yoga, pilates, and more. Classes are affordable and happen every week. It’s a great way to meet people who live in Goa.

74. Sign up to the Sensible Earth co-working space.

Sensible Earth is a beautiful spot in the backstreets of Porvorim. They are a co-working space dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to help the world become a better place. They have an amazing open space that allows the breeze to fly through whilst being surrounded by trees and all things green. This is also a great way to meet new and like-minded people.

75. Catch a movie at the Inox Cinema at Mall De Goa.

This is one of my favorite activities in Goa that makes me feel like I am back home in London. The cinema in India is way better than in London. Your chairs recline; you can eat mixed cheese and caramel popcorn (yes this is the best thing ever!); they have an interval in the middle so you don’t have to miss any of the movie for a toilet break; they usually have air conditioning (take a jacket it can get cold!), and the price tag for one ticket in London is about the same as going 6 times in India. Try it, it’s a nice break from the non-stop travelling if you have been on the road for a while.

Hopefully this list of things to do in Goa will keep you going for a long time! Let us know what you enjoyed or if you have any must do’s you think should be added. Enjoy!

For More Goa Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Goa Travel Tips

Trip Planning Tips

Logistics

Packing Tips

Pin for later!

The post 75 Unique Things to Do in Goa You Don’t Want to Miss first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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Goa Nightlife: the 6 Most Popular Party Places in Goa

Rachel Jones — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 12:00:19 +0000

Goa nightlife is literally notorious for its party scene. However, it’s a very specific type of scene – one that Rachel, being an American, had no idea about since she listened to rap and country for most of her life!

After traveling around India and visiting Goa last, she heard of “Psy,” and wondered, “Is he a DJ?” (True story, lol). But Psy is not a DJ. “Psy Trance” is the music of choice in Goa, where it originated. The parties and raves here are unlike anywhere else. While Rachel shared the most obvious party places in Goa for you to try, we had her friend and fellow Goan expat, Jules, make sure everything was up to date and even add another popular spot!

Keep in mind that even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s truly something to check out at least once. These parties are 100% part of Goa and Goans, Indians from outside Goa, and foreigners come together at them. It’s not something fake for tourism. In fact, these parties are as real as it gets! The “trance” parties are mostly Anjuna and Vagator but also in Morjim, Ashwem, and Arambol.

Most of these photos are from Rachel’s friend, Katja. She’s the designer behind Dadablui (who Rachel wrote about in this post) and has been partying at these places for decades- thanks, Katja!

Don’t forget to pick up our Insider Guide to Goa and Guide to India ebooks

A Goa Nightlife Guide: Top Nightclubs and Parties in Goa

1. HillTop

HillTop is definitely one of the best party places in Goa. It’s the most well known and also nostalgic. Just check out their Facebook page to see images of the scene and you’ll get how wild it is! Sundays are the night they have their biggest parties starting early at like midday until only 10 pm but some nights like NYE and Christmas Eve go on all night and through to the next day.

You’ll find backpackers, locals, old school Goa hippies who have been coming here for 30 years, and domestic Indian tourists altogether. It’s really not an “exclusive” vibe – people are welcoming and laid back at these things.

If you don’t want to dance there are sometimes ladies with chai on the sides (“chai mamas”) and you can go sit and chill and people-watch.

It does cost to get in! The cost is anywhere from 500 to 2,000 rupees depending on the party. Most of the amazing trance parties here are a little expensive. The DJ’s here are not just some random people, they are internationally known, amazing trance DJ’s and some people travel here just to see their favorites perform.

In January, they have their famous Hilltop Festival which is a 3 day Goan Trance festival with a huge line up of international DJs. This festival sees over 5000 people coming through the door. The stage decor is always amazing, so if Goan Trance is your thing don’t miss this one. It usually sells out and tickets should be bought in advance.

HillTop is up on the big hill in Vagator before you turn to go towards Ozran Beach. It is one of the originals and has been around since 1976!

2. Shiva Valley

Shiva Valley is on Anjuna Beach and is another really epic place for trance music and kind of one of the “original” places in Goa for this. It’s right next to Curlies, and it’s a beach shack like Curlies, but smaller. On Tuesdays, they have their big party which everyone goes to. This starts around 5 pm and there is a cover charge.

3. Curlies

Also on Anjuna Beach, Curlies is the more popular shack of the two side by side shacks (Curlies and Shiva Valley). I think Curlies is said to be the first ever beach shack in Anjuna Beach – but that could be a rumor! It’s been around for decades though.

Curlies is actually a pretty chill place to hang out during the day, too, and the food isn’t bad. We take friends here sometimes. After 5 pm or around sunset it becomes more of a party place though and sometimes goes all through the night. Of all the places on this list, Curlies is actually a place I do go to party sometimes, and it’s great that it’s open in the monsoon.

The party night here in on Thursdays and it’s free to come in. Keep in mind at all bars/clubs in Goa if you are a group of just men, you may be denied entrance. They try to keep the balanced men and women for safety and such.

4. 9 Bar

9 Bar is somewhere I tend to go really late at night after other parties have winded down. It’s a different type of place on Vagator Cliff. It has some outside parties but also this inside space which is a little dungeony since it’s soundproof.

It’s definitely that real “trance” vibe though and a cool place to check out; they get DJ’s here from all over the world. It’s near a lot of hostels and guesthouses, so tourists tend to pop in here for parties. A perk of this place is you get amazing views over the Arabian Sea! Every time I’ve been it was free entry, but there are some big parties where they might be charging a small amount to enter, depending on the DJ.

5. Chronicle

Chronicle is also on Vagator Cliff but down the cliff a little bit. It has levels and has amazing views. Chronicle isn’t really known for trance/psy but has all kinds of electronic music like techno and deep-house. Chronicle is also a restaurant and has a shop inside. I guess you could say it’s a little more upscale party place, and you can get more dressed up here if you want to. It’s actually new since I moved here and opened in 2013. You can check their Facebook page to see when they are having a big party and they do charge an entrance fee on nights like that.

6. Soro – Boshed

Soro, the name of the club, is in a sleepy part of Assagao and is an indoor area that has a pub vibe about it. On different days of the week they have specific nights on. One not to miss is Boshed. Every Tuesday, this techno party has its weekly resident DJs plus special guests. The party goes on until 3am and is always busy. Here you will find a younger crowd and lots of residents of Goa rather than tourists. Perfect for scoping out the true local techno scene. This party goes on throughout the year whereas most of the above will stop for monsoon.

And if HipHop is more your thing, the same Boshed organisers throw a Down n Dirty HipHop night on Thursdays, also at Soro.

So, which of these party places in Goa should you have on your bucket list?

Those were the top places to go for Trance, Psy, Techno parties (you can check their Facebook pages or WUG to see what DJ will be there). This really just scratches the surface though. There are so many more places to have epic parties in Goa like Monkey Valley or new ones popping up in Morjim. This guide is mostly just to show you the most well-known, classic, trance parties in Goa.

It’s definitely not my scene; although I’ve tried these parties a lot, I just don’t love this music. Wish I did! I love how it brings people together and all my friends are into it. But all these years have gone by and I’ve never gotten into it. (I think partly as I’m not much of a partier, in general, these days, so maybe when I was 20 I’d have loved it!).

You also have the commercial scene here in Goa with R&B, hip-hop, and Bollywood. This is mostly in Baga, Calangute, and Candolim at clubs like Sync, LPK, and on Tito’s Lane.

If none of this is your scene and you’re going to be in Goa for some time, you might want to check out my e-book, The Insider’s Guide to Goa, because in each beach/village, I write about nightlife and most include alternative nightlife like live music (which is hard to find here), Reggae, and more chilled out vibes that aren’t as hardcore or crowded as these.

Have you experienced Goa nightlife? Where would you recommend going?

For More Goa Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Goa Travel Tips

Trip Planning Tips

Logistics

Packing Tips

Pin it for later!

Original Post: Oct 2017; Updated Post: June, 2020

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Picking Up Where We Left Off in Goa

Rachel Jones — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 13:21:42 +0000

As I flew back to Goa, I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was excited to go back but also wondered how it would feel to come back as a tourist, without my home and my dogs, and if it would still feel like it did for all the years Ben and I lived there. I started my trip in India on a safari and was pretty tired and jetlagged plus really excited to see friends – when I walked out of Goa airport, it was literally as if I’d been away on a two-week vacation. It was just all the feels, everyone yelling “taxi, taxi”, pushing through to our driver, like always and then taking the same winding roads home that I could do with my eyes closed.

The first week there, I kind of bounced around. I stayed with Priyanka at first. She owns Jamboree Creek and saved me a cabin. Then, I headed over to my friend Tia’s for a few nights. She just had a baby, Zyon, and I’m his godmother. It was so perfect to crash with them and get to know him. He’s such a bubbly happy baby. It was really like no time had passed. He’s not on social media yet, so I won’t share photos but trust me, he’s adorable.

Jamboree Creek

Our old house in Asssagao was ready for us to come back and stay and our landlord kindly let us stay for free (no one has been in it since we moved!) but I didn’t want to stay until Ben came. I thought it would be too weird to be there on my own, no Ben, no dogs, no cat. Ben was working in Mumbai and Pune but once he reached Goa, we moved to our old house.

The monkeys have taken over our house even more than before and really put on a show!

my balcony

Remember when I spent a monsoon re-vamping it? I bought/made curtains, rugs, re-upholstered furniture, Ben made a couch, painted all the chairs and tables, and so much. It was all still there just as I left it – even the house plants and art. Walking back in that was a shock! I figured the landlord would have been there and changed things. But it turns out, no one had and it was literally still our home. While it might have been sad without the pets, our other favorite dogs came to play. I warn you, this post is mostly about Goa dogs haha! I can’t help it. I love them!

Snowy, who is Happy Bar’s dog, kind of stayed with us for a year when we had Huck. They were good buddies and he spent a lot of time at our house, taking naps next to us on the couch. But Shanti one day took a piece of pizza out of Snowy’s mouth and that started a bitter feud that kept Snowy from coming around so much. We still saw her at Happy Bar along with Elvis and Question Mark but she didn’t sleep at our house anymore.

She must have realized that our dogs weren’t around because she came back – nearly 11 years old, she’s really struggled with her age and when I woke up in the morning she was sleeping on the back porch and came into the kitchen like she did in 2013. It was so crazy how dogs remember these things! She even walked me everywhere like she used to, leading the way and looking back every 10 seconds to make sure I was coming. Back in the day, we would drive our Omni van to Mapusa and she would follow us the whole way there running behind the van. Her, Elvis, and Question Mark the Happy Bar Dogs would walk Huck with us all in a big pack when Huck was alive.

Her and Blackey Whitey dog hung around a lot. We went and saw Three-Legged-Dog (the dog we took to get amputated when he was hit by a scooter outside Cream Choc, it was such a crazy day) and he didn’t remember us sadly but was still cute as ever perched on his bench.

When we first took him into the animal aid to fix his leg

“trippy” now

Then there’s Puppy. Puppy was a street dog outside our house that we found in a box in the jungle. We tried to feed him but he was so scared of people and skittish. The next time we found him, he had a plastic bottle on his head. We decided to tie him up to keep him safe and then let him be in our gated area when we were home. He loved Omni and Shanti and even Kitkat and eventually, he started coming in the house, sleeping on the couch, and eventually the bed! I took him to get neutered before we left Goa and our friend Sonu took Puppy into his house to live. It was really sad to leave Puppy behind but he has a good home.

Puppy and Blackey Whitey Dog

Puppy when we left in May on the left (in my bed), Puppy now on the right

When we first saw him, he was as scared as he always used to be until he smelled us and realized who we were and I swear it was so cute he started squealing and making squeezing noises and jumping on us. It was all we could do not to cry! He’s such a cute dog and his new family loves him so much! He came over every evening with Sonu to hang out.

Overall Goa was just how we left it. Thalassa might have a new location, and Antares burnt to the ground, there are some new shops and some new party places but it’s all still the Goa we know and love. We planned out our meals to make sure we could eat all our favorite food, of course. That meant going to Thalassa (which also meant going to Mariketty’s house for a homemade lunch), Caio Bella, Artjuna, Baba Au Rhum, Villa Blanche, Gunpowder, Banyan, La Plage, and more. It’s also nice to see the owners of some of these places who became friends over the years.

Managed to get to Gunpowder twice, yum! It’s actually my favorite restaurant in the entire world

local food at Vinayak just down the road from my house, a restaurant that we ate at once a week at least

I might live in Mexico but I still got the tacos at Vaayu’s Prana cafe, no mango is as good as the Indian mango!

Popped into Villa Blanche most mornings for a coffee and lunch at Artjuna is a must

Beautiful Garden of Dreams

We were lucky to get to see all of our best friends while we were in Goa who made time to meet up with us. Some babies are now little kids running around and growing up so that was a change, but my friends are all the same and while we were apart for so long, it didn’t seem that way. It was so nice to hang at the beach, go shopping, wander around Mapusa market, have long drawn-out lunches, and of course, have some late nights partying. Can’t go to Goa and not have a party! Can’t have a party without it ended up at our house haha!

Holi paint

Bought a Ganesh which is now on my car here in Mexico (pictured above) and also got the fabric I needed for my wedding in Mapusa with Jules!

Went to the flea market for tea and spices – something I actually never did when I lived there! (And never will again, what a rip-off haha!)

I’ll be updating the Goa ebook for next season with all the things that have changed in Goa and tips on a few new places I checked out. A couple that are special are my friend Saffron’s new art gallery, Studio Arpora, and the new Goa Collective Bazaar at Hilltop on Friday nights. The market has great shopping and some of the best restaurants in Goa are represented there. Must try: Eddie’s Khow Suey. The full-size new Flame store was quite well-curated. Rangeela moved to Assagao last year and their shop has gotten even bigger and better! Tia and Rachel from Fara now have a second Alchemy Shop in the new Sublime in Assagao which is in a friends old house – that was fun to visit and just a stones-throw from my house so I can walk there.

Studio Arpora & the Hilltop Market

Rangeela & the Flame Store

When it was time to leave, it felt like time had moved way too fast. Everyone kept asking “did you make the right choice, do you wish you hadn’t moved?” and while I LOVE Goa, we feel like we did make the right choice in moving. Goa is paradise, and there is nowhere else like it. I will always come back to Goa every year and hopefully for a month each year – but Merida is “home” now and it’s kind of like “real life” while Goa is our Neverland.

I have some photos from the day we moved:

The crew.

It was so awesome to see all of our friends again, and we can’t wait to go back next season. When it was time to leave, I was at the house on my own beause Ben had left a day ahead of me. I was all packed up and Babu was outside waiting to take me to the airport. I looked around pretty sad looking at the empty house that was our home for five years and then through the front door bounces in (literally) Blackey Whitey shaking her tail to say hi so fast that her whole butt was shaking. It was the perfect goodbye!

The post Picking Up Where We Left Off in Goa first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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10 Essential Tips for Goa Nightlife

Rachel Jones — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 13:08:03 +0000

Goa has gorgeous beaches, amazing flea markets, tasty unique seafood, and some of the nicest people I’ve met in my travels. After living there five years, I have done my fair share of partying and it seems like although the sea is the draw for families, the parties are the draw for the travelers and backpackers. I’m going to share a few essential tips for Goa nightlife so you can enjoy it. These are the tips I’d give my friends before they visit. Everyone sees Goa differently, so keep in mind these are just my personal tips that I think travelers passing through would appreciate.

Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India

General Goa Travel Tips

10 Essential Tips for Goa Nightlife

1 You Don’t Need to Over-Plan to Find a Party

Goa IS a party. Don’t come to Goa looking for a party, it will find you. Just be open, make friends, chat with people and ask around about the best parties. Sometimes the less commercial ones that are more underground are even better so just see what pops up. Of course, there are some epic clubs you can go to if you don’t hear of anything crazy going on and still have an awesome time.

2. Meet Friends Before You Head Out

Don’t go out alone. Regardless of how chill Goa is, it has it’s dark side, too, like any place. It’s not a good idea (male or female) to go out alone. Try to meet a friend at your guesthouse or hostel to help keep each other safe.

3. Don’t Take Drugs at Bars and Clubs

Goa is known for its drugs, that can’t be denied. You’ll find that people might offer them to you in public places – just know that there are undercover police in Goa, in bars/clubs. Drugs are illegal in Goa and even if it seems Goa or India, in general, is “lawless”, it is not and you don’t want to end up in an Indian jail!

4. Think About Transportation Before You Are Drunk

When you leave a party at 2 AM you can bet the taxi drivers are charging a lot more than when you got dropped off. Don’t drive drunk and if you need to, leave your scooter where it is to pick it up the next day. If you know a driver you can call then do that, if not then be prepared to pay a higher price for a late night taxi. It’s a good idea in Goa if you find a driver who is nice and not cheating you to take their number and call them – the loyalty to them will help keep the prices fair throughout your trip. Don’t forget to tip if you do this! It will be appreciated!

5. Don’t Leave the Bars With Strangers Alone

If you meet some new friends at the bar, I do not recommend going home with them. I know you think you might do this all the time back home, but it’s different here. Roads are dangerous, winding, and dark – no street lights, no people around in the villages you’ll go through. It’s just not safe because if something happens and you do need help, you likely will not be able to get it. Either meet them the next day OR wake up and realize they were actually just cool because you were wasted, jk ;)

6. Do Inquire About Cover Charges Before You Head Out

Nothing is worse than getting a taxi out to a party to find out they want 2,000 INR per person to enter. See if you can message them on Facebook or if they have a flyer up on their Facebook with the cover charge fee. December and January will often have parties with covers even at places that don’t even seem that awesome. Sometimes they won’t let dudes in alone – only couples or women.

7. On NYE, Stick to One Place Only

New Years is the highest cover charge of the year and with that along with the traffic, it’s not a time to be party hopping. It’s best to choose ONE place and just stay there. You might think the grass is greener, but the second you leave that party for a new one and sit in traffic for 30 minutes at 1 AM you’ll end up just going home, buzz gone.

8. Don’t Miss Hilltop at Least Once

Even if you aren’t into trance Hilltop is one of the greatest party places in the world. Trance isn’t my thing, I’ll admit, and while all my friends go to Hilltop weekly, it was never my vibe. But I appreciate the history of Goa and these parties and this music is what made Goa the tourist destination that is today. It’s worth it to go see why and you might find that it’s a type of music you love, that you never even knew about.

9. Sometimes a Boozy Dinner is Where It’s At

Places like Thalassa are awesome to go for a boozy dinner. They have performaces, a great sunset, and it turns into a huge party most nights with people dancing on tables and spraying champagne. You’ll have a table to sit at, waiters to bring you drinks, and no cover charge. That is so much better than standing in a crowded club fighting at the bar for a drink. Other than Thalassa, you can go to so many other beachside restaurants for boozy meals and even chilled places. Those are the best nights!

10. Look Into the Festivals

Goa does have festivals throughout the year like Sunburn, the Reggae at Riva, Sunsplash and GOAT – although some get canceled last minute due to police permissions not being legit. You’ll want to just ask around if any festivals are on while you are there. You’ll see flyers for the most party. Keep in mind, they are never free! Sometimes pretty cool people play like Wiz Khalifa, so you’re going to have to pay to get in.

Want to know WHERE to party?

Here are my 20 favorite clubs in Goa
and the 7 best beaches for Goa nightlife
These are the 5 best places to party in Goa

For where to stay, I recommend looking on Hostelworld if you are a single traveler or with just one friend. You can pre-game there and meet people to go out with. If you’re in a group, I recommend renting a villa. With Airbnb, you can use this link to get $40 off your first stay when you make an account from that link.

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20 Best Nightclubs in Goa For an Epic Time

Hippie in Heels — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 23:38:08 +0000

We’re going to guess you are reading this because you want to party your ass off in Goa. And who doesn’t? Goa is known for its epic parties, beach parties, and underground raves. We’re going to share the top 20 nightclubs in Goa from the beach to commercial – the ones that people keep going back to year after year and promise a good time.

It was hard to narrow it to 20 because there are so many more. Some are smaller ones that pop up just twice a season as popup parties and others that are so small and quiet that it’s not really everyone’s vibe. These clubs in Goa are ones that really fit the bill for everyone.

Don’t forget to pick up our Insider Guide to Goa and Guide to India

20 Best Nightclubs in Goa

1. Shiva Valley, Anjuna

Shiva Valley always takes the top nightlife in Goa position because it’s one of the originals and has been around forever. Don’t miss their epic Tuesday parties.

2. Curlies, Anjuna

Curlies is the go-to for that Goa beach party you’ve always heard about. Head here on Thursdays.

3. Hilltop, Vagator

Hilltop is the most epic place for a trance party, hands down. Sundays is where it’s at! They also have a brand new “Goa Collective” Friday all-day market.

4. Larive Beach Resort, Vagator

Great outdoor techno parties with beautiful sunset views.

5. Chronicle, Vagator

Chronicle you can dress up, party hard, and have the most epic views and sunset.

6. Monkey Valley, Chapora

Monkey Valley is a old-school trance party place.

7. Soro – Boshed In Goa, Assagao

Techno party every Tuesday at Soro – if techno is your thing then don’t miss this.

8. Soro – Down n Dirty, Assagao

Hip Hop night every Thursday at Soro – old school tunes and one of the only Hip Hop scenes in Goa!

9. Sinq Nightclub, Candolim

Commercial vibes, busy, and one you can dress up for.

10. Cohiba, Sinquerim

Best for Saturday nights with live music and lots of dancing.

11. Cafe Mambos, Baga

Young people getting wasted and listening to hip-hop and other commercial music, on a strip of bars that has that same vibe. You can bar hop.

12. Cape Town Cafe, Baga

Young people getting wasted and listening to hip-hop and other commercial music, on a strip of bars that has that same vibe. You can bar hop.

13. Cocktails and Dreams, Baga

Young people getting wasted and listening to hip-hop and other commercial music, on a strip of bars that has that same vibe. You can bar hop.

14. Leopard Valley, Palolem

The best party in South Goa, between Palolem and Agonda.

15. Club Re:Fresh, Morjim

Always a great party and one of the only ones in Morjim.

16. Marbela, Ashwem

The epic white party happens here along with others throughout the year. You can also stay in huts here.

17. Cavala, Baga

Best to go on a Friday for live retro music, lots of dancing and salsa. You can have dinner here too.

18. Riva, Mandrem

Love the reggae parties here! They are on Fridays and then sometimes a weekend festival.

19. Rockwater, Ashwem

Rockwater throws epic parties, check when they are “on”.

20. Ash Arambol, Arambol

Ash is the best in Arambol with parties from reggae to trance.

There we go, 20 best clubs in Goa. You can’t go wrong with any of these. Have fun!

Pin for later!

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7 Best Beaches in Goa for Nightlife

Rachel Jones — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 13:28:43 +0000

Goa is unique in that so many of it’s best parties are right on the beach or up on cliffs overlooking the sea. It makes for an awesome backdrop to an even better party. As you might already know, Goa has some of the best parties in the world and while raves in Goa are more underground, they are still happening. This article will break down the best beaches in Goa for nightlife and for that epic Goa beach your friends are dying for!

Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India

For more on Goa check out these posts:

7 Best Beaches in Goa for Nightlife

1. Anjuna

Shiva Valley and Curlies are always a good choice and both are next to each other (sort of) of Anjuna Beach. Shiva Valley parties are on Tuesdays and have a cover charge. Curlies is on Thursdays usually but really it’s always a fun place to go chill and drink, day or night. For the Thursday party, there is a cover charge. Another place to hit up in Anjuna is Nyex Beach Club, which is where Club Paradiso used to be.

2. Vagator

While hilltop isn’t on the beach, it’s just up on the cliff above Vagator beach and you get those beach vibes up there. Hilltop is all about the trance parties and has it’s big parties Sundays but also just throws parties all year. I recommend following them on Facebook. You also have a more of a club scene at Waters which has house nights and is right on the cliffside of Vagator with awesome views.

For more trance scene, there is also 9 Bar on the cliff, that is pretty cool and will sometimes throw huge parties. There is sometimes a cover charge.

Chronicle is more down on the beach, on the lower part of the cliff. They throw awesome parties with a mix of house, techno, and trance. There is usually a cover charge and again, I recommend you follow them on Facebook to keep up to date on parties.

3. Ashwem

Marbela in Ashwem is where the famous white party is each year. You can also stay in the rooms there for around 5,000 INR per night. Sunset Ashram is pretty cool and has an “Ibiza” vibe. They throw some cool huge parties throughout the year. Rockwater is another that has some great parties throughout the year.

Riva is a favorite of mine for their reggae parties and festivals.

Club Fresh in Morjim is a pretty cool spot to check out as well.

4. Arambol

All along Arambol Beach, there is a cool hippie vibe. People set up a little sunset market and drum circle each night in the peak season. They have epic carnivals were you can dress up “sunburn” style. A few places to pop into would be Psy Bar & Nightclub, Mango Tree, and Arkan Bar.

Ash Arambol did some cool reggae parties this year and also do trance and house music.

5. Baga Beach

Baga Beach is where people really let loose. This is more of an Indian crowd with less foreign travelers partying here. Clubs like Titos, Cafe Mambos, Cape Town Cafe, and Cocktails and Dreams will all be packed to the brim on the weekend playing commercial music and serving cheap drinks.

6. Candolim Beach

For a proper “club” experience, you might want to check out both Sync and LPK in Candolim. They have that vacation vibe with cabanas in the club, pools, and you can really dress up here. These are not Goa trance parties but are more commercial with hip-hop as well. This is in my opinion, more for the youngsters partying in Goa like 18-25 or so.

7. Palolem

Leopard Valley in between Palolem and Agonda is the best place to party in South Goa. They have some huge parties throughout the year. Silent Noise Club in Palolem (Canacona) is another cool place to check out when you are in the south for a “silent disco”.

Best places to stay in Goa for nightlife.

While there are more beaches to party at, these are the places that have the most epic “Goa style” parties. If you plan to stay on the beach in these places so you can walk to them, I recommend searching on Hostelworld. These days there are so many hostels and if you’re in Goa to party, then you want to meet people and this is a great way to do that. Many hostels will have pre-gaming parties before big nights out. It’s also safer to go out with a group.

If you want to rent an Airbnb because you already have a group, that is the next best option as most villas in Goa will come with security and a housekeeper and you can then hang in one house much cheaper than separate rooms in a hostel or hotel. If you do use Airbnb, sign up for your account through this link and when you do book your first stay later on, you’ll get an automatic $40 off.

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8 Romantic Things to do in Goa

Rachel Jones — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 13:09:18 +0000

Goa is a gorgeous beach destination with honey-moon style hotels, so of course, there are a lot of romantic things to do in Goa. However, I have not done many of them. Although I met Ben here and have been living here and dating him for six years, I am not into all the mushy gushy stuff. Based on what you guys search, you are, though! So, I’m going to answer this question the best that I can. Here are some romantic things to do in Goa.

Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India

General Goa Travel Tips

9 Romantic Things to Do in Goa

1. Rent out a luxe boat for sunset dinner and drinks

You can rent out a yacht or cool speedboat from loads of different places here. They usually have options for when to go like a sunset dinner or even a champagne breakfast if you’d rather start your day all loved up. When you rent, it will be just you and your partner plus the boat staff. They will wait on you hand and foot! Hospitality in India is amazing at luxury hotels and events. Consider Vaayu or the Woof Woof boat.

2. Couple massage and spa day

You can try out the Indian style massage called Ayurvedic or do a deep-tissue massage and have it side by side with your sig other. My favorite spa is Snips but they don’t offer this – most 5-star hotels do: Grand Hyatt offers 50% off on Sundays if you go to brunch. I love Alila Diwa and the new W Hotel is a Clarin’s spa.

3. Jungle safari

Try to spot a leopard at Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. This is near Molen, Goa in the Western Ghats. I recommend just going for the day and then heading back to your nice hotel. You can drive it easily from South Goa. You might see a cobra or python and have to grab your boyfriend for help because you are scared? Is that romantic, lol?

4. Weekend on a houseboat in the Chapora River

There are houseboats that you can rent from various places similar to the way you can rent a yacht. These houseboats are just like the famous boats in Alleppey, Kerala. I have had friends go out on the boat for the weekend. They ate homestyle Goan food and slept on the boat, in an A/C room. Breakfast was ready for them in the morning at sunrise!

5. Stay in a cute beach shack

There are a lot of “upscale” beach shacks you can stay in as well as a few Portuguese houses on the beach. My favorites for the luxury romantic vibe would be:

Elsewhere (restored Portuguese homes on the sand)
Yab Yum (little huts covered in straw)
Palm Grove (Bali-style and bohemian)

6. Take a hot air balloon ride

You can go out with Tiger Balloons who are the only company that offers rides. They meet just outside of Panjim and go only in good weather. You can then see the tens of thousands of coconut trees down below and the rivers that snake through them.

7. Have a luxe hotel stay with rose petals in the bath and a butler

If you’re going to do this, there is no better option than the Alila Diwa club rooms. I have stayed with them three times, and it’s amazing. You will have your own pool and restaurant (shared by other club rooms), and personal butler. They will do things for you that you don’t even think of like run a bath after the end of the day filled with rose petals. The food at “Spice” is fantastic and it’s a very romantic spot.

8. Hire a chef to come to your Airbnb

You can hire cooks here in Goa that will come to your house. The first one that comes to mind is Mona’s Pantry. As she’s English, I have hired her to make Ben’s favorite dishes from home on special occasions – like a steak and ale stew. She is also part Indian and her chef-husband is from Peru so they can make a huge variety of yummy foods and bring along chocolate covered strawberries with it. For a great Airbnb, check out these places.

For more tips on Goa, you can get my 170-page ebook. Read more about it here.

Pin these romantic things to do in Goa for later:

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Being an Expat in India Compared to Mexico

Rachel Jones — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 12:54:18 +0000

Lately, I’ve noticed in Facebook comments people are asking what it’s like being an expat in India compared to Mexico and if I can share a little bit about it. It’s really hard to compare two countries and I haven’t been living in Mexico that long but I want to write about this since you’re asking – so I’m giving it my best shot! I hope that this will give some insight into how my life has changed since moving from Goa to Merida and if you’re living in Goa considering the same, it will help you make a plan.

Being an Expat in India Compared to Mexico

Weather in Merida compared to Goa

Goa has a rainy season from June to September. Merida does as well! But, Goa’s monsoon is WAY more intense than the springtime rains that come to Merida. Unless you live on the coast in Progreso, you won’t really be bothered by the rains at all. It doesn’t rain for long and it passes quite fast.

I’m told May and the rainy season is “unbearable heat and humidity” but haven’t found that to be the case. It’s less hot than Goa’s April/May although hotter than Goa’s monsoon. I find it much less humid here compared to Goa.

In the season time which is October to March, it is clear sunny days every day in both places. Evenings get cool in December/Jan but overall it’s hot year round. Basically, the weather is quite similar with Goa being much more intense.

Below: Merida nearby beaches on the left, and Goa on the right.

Immigration in Merida compared to Goa

India immigration is a pain – requiring a lot of visa paperwork and to stay long-term, an employer to invite you. Even then, you have to do visa runs every six months. India makes it difficult to stay long-term unless you are part Indian. Now, they are making it even harder – some saying they will ask if you are paying taxes if you stay for six months on a business visa. Tourist visas for over 60 days are a long process to get, requiring you to mail your passport and fill in a lot of paperwork, plus they are expensive.

Mexico allows for tourists to come for six months for free. You can exit and re-enter after that. You can apply for residency so that you don’t have to exit even if you don’t work for a Mexican company and are instead self-employed or retired. Tourists can buy land here but not in India. Residents can get health care and other benefits in Mexico but not in India.

Food in Merida compared to Goa

Both Mexican food and Indian food are spicy. I find the Habenero a bit spicier than what I eat in India. The food isn’t really comparable – they are so different – but they both have their homecooked specialties and in the same way when you go to any local restaurant in Goa and they have the same 10 things on the menu (xacuti, prawn curry rice, rava fry), Merida restaurants have their 10 things (kibi, panucho, salbutes, tacos…)

Below: Mexican food left, Indian food right

Prices in Merida compared to Goa

You do get bang for your buck here in Merida. We paid the same price for rent in both places and in both places we had amazing houses that were on the highest rent scale. You can get a house rental here for just $150 a month if you really try, same as Goa although it’s rare and most people pay around $300-500 per month. You could pay over $1,000.

Housekeeping, groundskeepers, pool cleaners, etc are more expensive here. In Goa, you might pay $75 for someone to come a few hours every day for a month or to live with you for around $250 while in Merida, you’ll pay someone to come to your house and clean about $15 for a full day (once a week, comes to about $60 for the month) or maybe someone to live with you to help for around $500 a month. Pool cleaners seem to be around $5 per clean and groundskeepers about the same depending on how big your yard is.

Local food here at markets is as cheap as the food in Goa’s markets and local restaurants. Chain restaurants and cafes are comparable to Goa’s normal dinner places like Sakana or Baba Au Rhum. Merida has some luxury restaurants that are much more expensive than anything you’d find in Goa like a $100 steak.

For travelers, you can get a hostel in Merida for $7 while in Goa you can get one for as low as $4 but usually closer to $10. So it’s about the same.

Petrol seems to be about the same. Buses are a little more expensive. Groceries and such are about the same. Keep in mind, Goa is more expensive than other areas of India. If you live a western life in Goa with imported food and such, then you’ll find Merida very comparable.

Driving in Merida compared to Goa

The roads here are the other side of the road (right side). Cars are a mix of manual and automatic, while Goa is just manual. Roads here use proper rules with stop signs, stop lights, police directing traffic, and roundabouts where people follow the rules. In Goa, it’s much more relaxed, no stop signs, and people just kind of honk and go. Here, you have to follow the rules and you cannot speed.

There are police checkpoints in both places where you can be breathalized and searched for drugs or other illegal things and we have been multiple times in both places.

Religion in Merida compared to Goa

Funnily enough, they are both mostly Catholic!

above: Merida left, Goa right

Things to do in Merida compared to Goa

In Goa, mostly it is beaches and partying – maybe a little go-karting and going to the markets. Here in Merida, it’s beaches, cantinas, and markets. But, there is more to do in Merida since it’s a big city like city events, baseball games, tons of nearby tourist attractions, several malls and movie theatres, ballet, museums, shows, the symphony, etc.

Shopping/Western Stuff in Merida compared to Goa

Goa did end up getting a mall a couple of years ago with a Marks and Spencers and McDonald’s but mostly shopping consisted of VERY local markets of foreigners making clothes in upscale boutique shops. Mostly, I had to buy things in the USA I wanted to have in India, and bring them. For Merida, I can get it all here – literally every grocery item I want so far except grape jelly.

In Merida, there are 10 or so big malls with places like Zara, H&M, Starbucks, you name it – they really have everything. There are also shopping centers like Home Depot, OfficeMax, Sears, and all the big stores. I think I’ll do a whole post on this later and kind of sum them up.

For Western food, Goa had Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, and Subway as the big Western places. Merida has everything from Carl’s Jr to Texas Roadhouse.

Merida also has many boutique places similar to Goa that are cute curated shops, however when it comes to cute boutique hand-made clothing and homewares Goa definitely beats Merida.

Travel connections in Merida compared to Goa

Merida is an international airport with cheap flights to the USA and Latin America. You can take a $35 5-hour bus to Cancun and catch cheap flights all over like a $500 round-trip flight to London.

Goa does have some international flights but only through Doha, and charter flights to Russia. Mostly, you have to fly to Mumbai then catch an international flight which adds a lot of time to your travels waiting in airports for layovers. I would say Merida is more connected, however, if you want to get to Asia for Merida or Latin America from Goa, they are equally as challenging and long journeys.

Rent/home buying in Merida compared to Goa

As I mentioned, tourists can buy land in Mexico by setting up a trust with a bank here. It’s supposedly painless and you just hire a lawyer to help you out. In India, there is no way for a tourist to do this legally.

Tourists cannot legally buy a car and register it to their name in either country as a tourist. In Mexico, you can BUY the car but you cannot register it.

Renting in Goa and Merida have been similar for me: signing a lease with a notary or lawyer present.

In Goa, you cannot pay bills online as a foreigner with a foreign bank card. In Merida, you can. Actually you can take your lease to the electricity office in Merida as a tourist and get the bill changed to your name which allows you to prove your residence for other things you might want to do here like buying a new car.

Amenities in Merida compared to Goa

Many people have the same situation in both places where they hire people to help at their home to clean or do gardening.

There are people in both places that will help you with parking, pumping your gas, and other tasks – in India they are paid to do that and no one tips but in Merida you are meant to tip 5-10 pesos for this. Speaking of tips, Merida is a bigger tipping culture by far and when you pay on a card, it’s like the USA where you can choose what percent you want to give. In Goa, when you give 10% it’s really the max anyone would give and mostly just Americans who leave that. Many locals will not tip.

Healthcare & gym in Merida compared to Goa

Goa has loads of yoga classes and a few other ones like kick-boxing and Pilates. There are gyms as well – although many do not have A/C and are crowded.

In Merida, I would imagine the yoga is not as good but there are many gyms where you can get a private trainer very inexpensively. I am taking private pilates classes here on the reformer for the same price I took group classes in Goa on a mat.

There are country clubs here where you can join and do swimming or tennis and there is even a polo club. There are also random classes here like Zumba and Barre.

I found a fantastic masseuse to come to my house in Merida that is AMAZING but is $30 for an hour while in Goa I paid about $8.

Safety in Merida compared to Goa

Merida is said to be so safe that you can walk around any area at 4 am alone and not have a problem. I have found it to be incredibly safe so far and the locals have been nothing but friendly.

In Goa, I would not recommend going out drinking alone as a solo female traveler for SO many reasons which I’ve covered in this article about safety in Goa.

For Merida, I will never have to write such an article, as there just aren’t these kinds of issues.

I also find that the police in Merida are friendly and not out to “get you” whereas in Goa, they definitely were and were constantly taking bribes for no reason. In Merida, if you have a flat tire, you can expect the police to help you and of course, not take any money from you.

While Mexico has it’s own safety issues, they are cartel related and totally different from the issues in India, so impossible to compare. Merida and the state of Yucatan thankfully don’t have the cartel issues and this is a safe city and state.

People in Merida compared to Goa

I’ve always found people in Goa to be incredibly friendly. So far, that is the same here in Merida. I will say that Indians can be a little blunt – which I’ve shared about in stories in my This is India series before. Mexicans seem to be more polite and bubbly. Either way, they are really nice in both places. It’s too soon to compare. In Goa, of course, I encountered bad times with some people but I was there for 5 years. I haven’t been here long enough to have a bad encounter I don’t think.

Making friends in Merida compared to Goa

It took me a long time in Goa to find a group of girlfriends (who are now my best friends!). I don’t know if I’ll find that in Merida. Overall, Goa is FULL of young people and if you put yourself out there and party and go out, you’re going to make loads of friends. Merida is more digital nomads working online or retirees. There are meet-ups here for expats and it’s a very different vibe than in Goa. Let’s see how it goes!

Overall quality of Life in Merida compared to Goa

I guess it seems like I’m saying Merida is better – but I’m not. I’ve never said Goa was perfect or the best place to live but the lack of Western amenities and safe roads was always made up for with STUNNING sea views, amazing people and vibes, and just that “Goa Life” you can’t really imagine. Merida is a city, and of course has more “real life” vibes. I go to coffee shops to work. It’s just a totally different life – yet, there are empty stunning beaches here, too, and it’s a similar price point for most things here compared to Goa. I am loving living in Merida so far. It’s not that “hippie vibe” at all but it’s something new and I’m really enjoying be back in the real world for now. Of course, I miss Goa, and I think it’s going to be somewhere I go on long vacations every winter for probably the rest of my life!

For more India expat information, check out my This Is India series.

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Some of My Coolest Memories of Living in India

Rachel Jones — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 09:48:17 +0000

You know how when someone loses weight or changes but you see them every day, you don’t really notice it? I feel like I woke up in Goa every day for 5 years and I don’t think anything of it – yet, when I think about the fact I lived in India for over 5 years, I am a little shocked! It’s hard to believe I first came here in 2012, and now in 2018, I’m looking back at these 5 years of traveling around India to share with you some of my favorite memories from my time here.

I’m not usually sentimental but with so many changes coming up in my life moving to Mexico, I’ve been reflecting on my time here quite a lot. I’d love to share my memories with you! I know on social media, I’ve been posting about my new house in Mexico and how excited we are to live here BUT we DO miss Goa and India! I decided to sum up some of my favorite memories from the past 6 years of traveling there. I’m also looking forward to being back there in November.

My Favorite Memories of Traveling and Living in India So Far

When I think about the first time that I felt incredibly happy in India, I go back to the first time I cried happy tears here (yeah, that’s something I do). It was after a few days in Udaipur. I’d only been in India for about a week and I was walking outside of a temple at night when I came across some people doing a traditional performance. There were tons of people and it was all synchronized: so many colors, so much noise, and so many happy faces. I was like “wow, I don’t know what this is but it’s amazing!”.

I’ve seen so many performances since then that have brought tears to my eyes, some insanely epic like the Soliga tribe in Karnataka or the Apatani tribe in Ziro Valley. Sometimes it is even just a kid singing and his dad playing the flute, begging, outside of Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur. I mean, even a puppet show once got me all choked up!

I love seeing traditional performances, even though sometimes they are maybe inauthentic and put on for tourists. I’ve seen all different kinds and for sure, it’s some of my happiest thoughts of India!

If I really press myself to see when is the happiest I’ve ever felt in India, it takes me back to the first two weeks I spent in Goa when I met Ben in 2012. I picture floating in the sea in Palolem, having a candle-lit dinner at Thalassa (back when it was a small non-partying restaurant), and driving around with the windows down in Ben’s nano (which yes, we crashed). I picture our road trip to Hampi, where Babu drove us – unbeknownst to me, Babu was going to become a good friend and I’d get to know his whole family over the years. He asked to bring his friend, Ryance. Ryance is a good friend (and was our neighbor) as well now, and watched our dogs when we went out of town. Every time there is a dog in our village who needs help we team up with Ryance to figure out what to do. At those times, back in 2012, I didn’t know I’d be moving to Goa and it was all just “vacation”.

The night before Diwali at Babu’s

yes the kids are playing Grand Theft Auto at our house, no they aren’t drinking beer lol

One time, we were in Kovalam and Ben and I had been out in the big wave there body surfing for hours. I got fried bright red like a tomato. Babu started walking out to us and was going to give it a go. The lifeguards went up to him and told him something – and he started waving us in. He said, “there are sharks!”. There were not but the lifeguards just saw Babu and assumed he would drown so told him there were sharks, lol.

When we visited Hampi, we bought a boat. This is one of my favorite stories from India and one that I wrote about for the newspaper in Goa when I first started writing! Those were the days, ha! I had just been backpacking around India and was feeling tired, tired of traveling and of being ripped off. Ben was what I called a “breath of fresh air”. He saw India in such a positive light as an expat in Goa and thank God I got to see it that way, too, to round out my trip here. We went to Hampi and went out in the traditional coracle boats and Ben jokingly told our 7-year-old driver that he’d like to buy the boat.

The kid was immediately on it and said he wanted to take us to the boat makers. They said they’d make us a brand new boat for 7,000 rupees. Ben gave the child the money under the promise they would deliver the boat to Goa. Keep in mind, we are 8 hours from there and there was no proof we gave a kid any money.

Look at Ben stroking his chin in thought, lol

The boat showed up three days later. They forgot the paddle, but they sent that along later, too. The kid came on a local bus! It’s still so wild that the boat showed up – and it was such a magical India moment!

My parents visiting is another huge chunk of amazing memories. I loved showing them Goa and think it would have really sucked if they never came to visit and be able to see the places and people I’m always talking about on Skype. We also went to Mumbai and showed them the city vibes in India as well as Hampi so they could see the temples and rural towns along the way. They were here for Christmas and we had a ton of fun. It was also nice for them to get to know Ben better since they’ve actually only met three times.

My friends Vince, Ann, Britani, and Amanda all visited as well and we had so much fun. Ben had friends visit as well as family. It is always fun to host people and show them where we’ve been calling home for so long.

My first Thanksgiving in India, Ben (being English and not knowing how big of a deal this was) said: “I’ll make Thanksgiving dinner!” Now, keep in mind we had a toaster oven. That is all – a tiny little toaster oven. Now, it’s hard to cook a chicken (no turkeys here last minute) and be able to make anything else. It’s always hard to make green bean casserole when you don’t have canned green beans, French’s fried onions, and Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. He made it all from scratch and it was damn good! Even a copy-cot Stouffer’s stuffing recipe. He actually did it again a few years late when my friend Ann visited.

The Omni van is such a fun memory. Oh, the nostalgia of that – as it now sits dead in my driveway with the trunk rusted off and mold growing up the sides. When I was first in Goa, I had been in the Omni. It was Babu’s taxi. When Babu bought a new car, Ben offered to buy the Omni for around $900. He told me when I was out of town and said: “let’s drive it to the mountains!”. I was like erm, no.

The Omni grew on me…. to the point where I loved this car. When I came to Goa, I had to learn to drive and the Omni was my way around town. It didn’t have A/C, a radio, the windows didn’t work, the doors in the back were held on by rope. It doesn’t have power-steering so learning to do stick-shift in a car without power-steering and avoiding crazy drivers and cows, was tiring!

The Omni was a hoot because in India, they are taxis and you just VERY rarely see a foreigner driving an Omni so when Indians saw me and my friends driving around, they would honk and laugh at us – and my friends and I loved it when we would go out at night. Ben would do donuts in parking lots and we could just throw the dogs in the back to go to the beach. One time, the Omni broke down on Panjim bridge and we had to push it halfway across while traffic stopped on our side of the road and everyone, everyone was honking.

So, weirdly seeing my first python in the wild is such a fun memory! Ben, our best friend Rishab, and I were in our Omni van when we slowed down for a speed breaker. We thought hmm, this is a new one! But, as we got closer saw it was an (at least) 8-foot python. Of course, videos had to be made. This was just the first sighting, though. I have seen at least a dozen over the years – most either in my backyard or the alley right outside my house – even where I park my car, taking my parking spot! I love the wildlife here: Cobras in the trashcans, a baby python under our couch on Christmas, and monkeys literally on our balcony every other day.

On my first birthday in Goa, in June, when I’d been here just one month I walked downstairs and Ben and Babu said, “let’s get a dog”. We got two. Huckleberry Finn and Piso (which means crazy in Konkani, the local language). Those first few days of having a labrador and a golden retriever crawl all over me were the best – until Piso got sick. Piso had parvo-virus and it was a tragic loss that was maybe the worst week of my life at that point. We had to put him down Then, Huck got sick. It was also parvo… they were long days and nights of feeding him through a syringe.

He somehow recovered and I had a year with him as my best buddy. Ben was often working in Kerala and I didn’t have a lot of friends yet – Huck was literally the bomb. I would walk with him around the Wednesday market or up to a restaurant and feed him prawns under the table. But, at a year old, fully vaccination, he died from rabies. That became the worst week of my life and actually still is, looking back. I don’t think there could be a worse way to lose a dog. A friend who visited wrote a blog post about him – he was the coolest dog that ever lived.

Right before Huck died, we got a kitten. Ben was the one who wanted him – he was all alone and would have surely died at just a few weeks old. The cat was obsessed with me. I really didn’t like him. Huck loved him, though! He would carry him around in his mouth and take him around the house. Eventually, I loved the cat and I was glad he was there when Huck died.

Huck and the cat… he was so tiny

A few months later, Ben found Shanti on the beach in Goa. I went down there on the train and saw the dog. I said “cute but we aren’t keeping him – I can’t stand to have another dog die”. I went back to Goa. Another favorite memory is when my doorbell rang at 4 in the morning and there was a random Keralan guy there with a cage and Shanti was inside. He had been sent by Ben on the train 17 hours to bring me the dog. I thought I’m going to kill Ben but then I thought Ben is basically the best… Shanti was the most spoiled dog in Goa and everyone loves her.

I went up to NE India once, a year later, and got a call from Ben. There was a dog hiding under the Omni because there were some fireworks. I told him I was not kidding – he wasn’t keeping that dog. He kept him outside and when I came back I felt bad and let him in the house. We kept him. His name is Omni.

Our house was always revolving with pets, some we just took care of temporarily. All of our pets have brought me such happiness in India!

Shanti was actually taken care of a lot by our friend Azad. Ben has known Az for at least 8 years. He is a rickshaw driver in Kovalam but he’s also our good friend and comes to stay with us for the weekend each season with his friends. The first time I met Az, he was dropping me off at the mall in his rickshaw in Kochi, Kerala and I said “okay, I’ll meet you in an hour” and he said, “I’ll just be bowling…”. So, I found him at the bowling alley and we bowled. He was hilarious and I thought, wow I can see why Ben likes him so much. One time we all went ice skating…

Azad got a job working for Ben on the reefs. He spoke English well but picked up so many phrases from Ben’s workers on the job who were Kiwis, so he talked like that. He calls me and says, “Rachel, broooo, how are you?” One of the funniest memories of Azad is a silly story when he was going to pick up food for the crew. He was going to get Subways subs. Ben said to get turkey subs and Az called “Bro.. no turkey bro.” Ben said okay, get ham then. Az then asks the guy behind the counter for ham and says to Ben, “Bro, no ham, bro!”. Ben’s like “what, okay, what do they have?”. Az asked then told Ben, “Bro chicken only bro… mcchicken”. Ben’s like “BRO you are at McDonald’s”. Az has made me laugh til I cry so many times until we said goodbye in Mumbai when we left for Mexico, then we all really cried.

When I look back at my travels as a backpacker, I remember how little I knew about India. I was hitchhiking, Couchsurfing, and not really thinking about the “dangers of India” but those are some of my best memories because I didn’t know the dark side of India and didn’t have a care in the world. I literally did no research before I came here, on my own, and wandered around without much of a plan and little money. I am so glad I did that before I moved here, because not only was it a unique way to travel here, but I had so experiences I would probably be afraid to take again. These days, I read the news in India and know the dark side so I really feel grateful that I came here naive at first. I definitely got ripped off but I also saw the kindness of strangers over and over again when I needed it.

six years ago, my friend Chloe I met in Delhi

Some of the best travels I have had while living here have been the month I spent in Karnataka with a tour company called GoMowgli. One month in a state that wasn’t that well-traveled by foreigners – it was so unique and not only did I see cool things, they were things that weren’t really being written about online and it helped my blog grow a lot. I spent half of that month in such rural towns and saw a very new side to India. I remember a boy handing me a baby goat he was carrying home. It had just been born in the field hours before. It was then I decided I loved baby goats and picked them up every chance I had after that!

This post is so much longer than I intended and I feel like I haven’t even gotten into the travel memories: listening to the Dalai Lama speak, trying opium with a man from the Bishnoi tribe at his home, drinking tea in -5 degree temperatures with female monks at their nunnery in Tawang, playing duck duck goose and taking selfies with monks in Bomdila, NE India, trying my first bhang lassi RIGHT BEFORE going on a freaking camel safari…

…Sunrise from the Ganges while people cremated their loved ones along the Ghats, lounging on a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala, going to babu’s village for festivals, riding the INSANE slow local train in Mumbai at rush hour (video), celebrating Holi (video), learning Thai massage (and doing it as a career for a year), going on safaris…

Staying in an ashram, that one time I was in a music video about Malana cream, which I am not linking to, having a meal with tens of thousands of people at the Golden Temple, babysitting a baby monkey with Ben (he changed the diaper), bathing an elephant at a sanctuary..

[fvehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS0XJHAP_tU[/fve]

I had made life-long friends living in India and really I just feel really lucky to got to call another country and culture a second home. I think that I’ll always consider India a second home even as I leave and head to Mexico. I still see myself traveling it more in-depth even when I’m old and retired. I hope you enjoyed reading some of my random memories about living in India.

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5 Quiet Goa Beaches Perfect for Relaxing in Paradise

Rachel Jones — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 08:05:56 +0000

There are so many Goa Beaches worth visiting and some of the most popular ones like Ashwem and Anjuna have many people, shops, and restaurants – but lots of visitors to Goa want to hop around Goa beaches that are quiet where they can relax in solitude to read, write, and be in nature without the traffic, noise, and crowds. If you want to chill and do yoga, and aren’t bothered with checking out the trance scene or popular restaurants, then these 5 beaches are something to consider!

Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India

General Goa Travel Tips

5 Quiet Goa Beaches Perfect for Relaxing in Paradise (for the non-partiers)

1 | Keri

Keri is in the far North, before the border of Maharashtra, near Tiracol Fort. It’s really quite beautiful, has just a few shacks, and is a place you can take a day trip to with friends. Be sure to follow the map and not cross the border, as you cannot take scooters and rent cars across the border.

It is also called Querim Beach and is very popular with Russian tourists who stay in Arambol and Morjim, although even so it stays a quiet beach with no development. It’s a real paradise in the North and with the bigger crowds in Morjim and Ashwem now, it’s a nice breakaway.

Check recent this list on TripAdvisor to see guesthouses within a couple kilometers of the beach. It’s quiet secluded so I don’t recommend just showing up without a place to sleep.

2 | Patnem

Patnem, just five minutes North of Palolem is pretty much paradise unspoiled and one of the most picturesque beaches in Goa. You can walk from Palolem to Patnem, it’s just around the curve of the headland. Patnem is in between two cliffs. There are huge stretches of white sand and loads of coconut trees swaying everywhere, with a few coconut huts on the beach.

Take some time to visit Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in nearby Canacoma. To stay, you can either do Bamboo Yoga Retreat, Patnem (check rates and book here) which do casual yoga vacations and you can go for Kranti Yoga Village Beach Resort (check rates and book here) for some more serious yoga.

3 | Cola

I love Cola Beach. It’s tiny and hidden near Agoda. There is a freshwater lagoon just a couple hundred meters from the sea, scattered with coconut trees. So you have the backwaters coming right up to the beach and palm trees lining the sides of the backwaters where you’ll find the shacks to sleep and eat (there are only 4). The waves are also fun here for body surfing.

There are a couple shack options: Dwarka Resort has beautiful boutique style huts at around 3,000 Rs. per night including set-menu food. You can also look into Blue Lagoon which is cheaper at around 1,500 Rs. per night and has a restaurant.

Also in Cola is a yoga retreat called Little Cove Holiday Retreat– which does Ashtanga yoga. They offer Ayuvedic food and include cooking classes. You can stay for a holiday or do a full retreat. Rates start at around 4,000 Rs. per night.

4 | Betul Beach

This is a great Goa beach to come for the “real” Goa and some for a little peace and quiet. This area is a little more rural and not as popular for tourists. From Colva, if you continue south through Benaulim and Varca, you’ll reach Cavelossim. Further down is Mobor, then Betul. These are all above Agonda. The beaches look the same: long stretches of sand, dotted palms, and just a few shacks along the beach – but not Betual with is totally undeveloped.

While here you can visit nearby Cabo De Rama Fort and take time to see famous old Portuguese mansions like Braganza House in Chandor, Casa Araujo Alvares in Loutolim, and Palacio do Deao in Quepem.

5 | Galjibag / Galgibaga

This is a perfect and fairly empty beach in South Goa just below Patnem. There are some seafood shacks here, with lots of oysters, which are special in this area. Basic huts are around 500 Rs. per night and are located along the beach. Surya Beach shack has some nicer rooms if you want something more cute and comfy. This is a beach that hardly anyone visits due to being so far South.

Since there’s not a lot to do at these beaches, you might be wondering: “why go?” It’s to be in a beautiful empty area and enjoy the nature and Goan vibes without the crowds. It is really beautiful at these Goa beaches, but if you want nightlife, shopping, or even to eat at good restaurants, these aren’t the best place for you. If you want to get away on a romantic retreat and see rural tropical Goa, then you will love this.

Goa Beach India Pin

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Ask Me Anything: Why Are You Still In India & Will You Ever Move?

Rachel Jones — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 12:51:30 +0000

I’m trying to write more of these “Ask Me Anything” series posts since I do get asked similar questions very often. I’ve been writing them down and slowly will write posts answering them. One thing I get asked a lot is “Why India?” There are a number of reasons I am still living as an expat in India. “Will you ever move?” is another common question. So, let’s dive in!

Why I Chose India…

I did choose to travel to India and move here but it wasn’t based on an impulse decision. You might know that I met my boyfriend while traveling in India when I was here backpacking solo almost five years ago.

I loved India but truthfully never saw myself living here. While backpacking I loved it but also got scammed, very sick with Dengue, lost, and annoyed quite often. I thought “it’s a great place but I can’t imagine staying forever…” I know this might surprise people, as since I’ve grown to love it as a home so much.

When I got to Goa as a traveler, It was totally different.

Goa is like an island in a sense it’s not like the rest of India. It is very westernized, has amazing food varities, laid-back people, siesta from 1-3, and of course the sea.

I loved Goa.

Then I met Ben after a couple days here. He was here from England working and had been for about 3 years. I went back to the US for a travel nursing assignment and we planned on me moving to India.

It really happened that fast and there wasn’t a lot to think about. It was just a simple decision.

I didn’t think my move to Goa would be permanent. I didn’t even have a job! I didn’t even know Ben and his life well enough to know if his job here would be permanent.

What we do know is that I can’t stay in England very long as a tourist and he can only stay in the USA something like 30 days. Unless we were married, we can’t really live in each other’s countries unless we got work visas, which aren’t easy to get.

So, we stayed in Goa.

We love it here. We have friends here and people who are like family to us. But, we have said that it’s not our “forever place”. Every time we think about moving so many complications come up.

I’ve been here over 5 years now. These are the things we question:

Where can we move with 3 Indian pets? How expensive and safe is it to ship them on a plane journey that could be 30+ hours overall. We can’t be moving all the time because of our pets so no “nomadic lifestyle” for us. Wherever we choose, we better like because we’ll be there a while.
Where to go? We’ve thought about Mexico. We know we want to always be on a beach. We don’t want to be in the USA or the UK because 1. visas and 2. it’s really expensive
Where can we have a similar lifestyle? With India being affordable we are free to eat out at restaurants, see movies, travel by train and more very cheaply. We have a housekeeper, driver, and security. In somewhere like the US, we would be spending all our money just on rent.
I can work from anywhere since I travel blog but Ben has a very specific job, and it’s one that he loves (building artificial reefs to prevent coastal erosion). He can’t just get that job anywhere and he doesn’t want to go back to a 9-5 (which is why he left Microsoft in London so many years ago)
If we did move somewhere expensive and supplement with me getting a 9-5 then I couldn’t really travel and then my travel blog would die. Now that it’s kind of a legit career, I really don’t want that to happen and a two-week vacation a year would actually kill me slowly, not just my blog. Now, we get to travel A LOT and I like that.

Do we want to stay in India?

We love Goa. We could stay here and live happily and comfortably but no I don’t think it’s our forever place.

There are so many places in the world I think we could love. I do want to be closer to my family. It’s not cool to only see them once a year. He misses his friends and family, too.

So, what’s next?

Literally, you know as much as me. We have no idea! We are just kind of going with the flow for now.

So, I guess I haven’t really answered the question that well but it’s because I don’t know the answer myself.

I definitely didn’t think I’d be here as long as I have, so only time will tell what happens next!

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My Stay at Coco Shambhala, Voted India’s ‘Best Debut Hotel’

Rachel Jones — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 09:04:17 +0000

I have been waiting to stay at Coco Shambhala Sindhudurg ever since I heard the plot had been bought! I love their sister property in Goa and constantly recommend it to people looking for a luxury stay in Goa – but this new place is a 4 villa property just across the border in Maharashtra. Then I saw that India Outlook Traveller named the “best debut hotel in India” while their Nerul location was voted “finest boutique hotel in India” and I knew I had to see the new one for myself. Read more about the hotel on their website.

Coco Shambhala Sindhudurg

The property has four villas and a lot of staff, so you have people taking care of your every night – which is the same style as their Goa property. It’s that “luxury butler” experience so you are just in total bliss the whole time. Looking around, it’s just beautiful from the coconut tree wood to the infinity pool and views of the Arabian Sea. Your room rate includes food and your fridge is stocked up with drinks, including beer. The only thing you pay extra for is wine/liquor and the spa. Each villa has two bedrooms and is meant for up to four people.

The rooms have big fluffy beds, towels, that gorgeous grey stone floor, and cute bathrooms with rain showers. They have toiletries and all that jazz. Literally, everything is so set up for you and it’s like they can read your mind. We were playing Scrabble around 6 PM and they showed up with some french fries and little snacks – yes, please!

Have you tried Malvani food? They bring you the tastiest breakfast, lunches, and dinners to the villa and set it all up for you. We tried the local breakfast like misal pao done Malvani style, as well as some poached eggs, and all the other items they bring along to compliment breakfast. For lunch, we tried the carrot and pumpkin soup and a pomegranate goat cheese salad. Dinner was the best: the local prawn curry, rava fry Pomfret, eggplant masala, and other goodies. Turns out I love Malvani style Dal. Before we checked out, we had a quick lunch of vadda poa and fried chilies and pakora.

They actually call you before and discuss the menu so you can eat whatever you want. You could ask for a chicken sandwich if you’d rather – it’s 100% up to you (to an extent, don’t go getting crazy lol).

The have games you can request or TV’s in both bedrooms. We played Scrabble and I guzzled wine which is what you do at a place like this! This part of the coast is so undeveloped, so there is nowhere to go but the beach, which we did, but coming here is to really just chill here and indulge a bit. There is nothing down by the beach so you’ll have it all to yourself. It’s a really nice little cove.

The spa at Coco Shambhala Sindhudurg was epic. If you stay here you literally have to try the Ayurvedic massage. It is the BEST massage I’ve had in India and the third best in the world, knocking that 4-hour champagne massage in Bangkok down to number four. Honestly, this was just the most relaxing hour I’ve had in months.

For information on pricing and booking which fluctuates throughout the year, check out their website.

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Goa One Week Itinerary for the Beach Lovers and Foodies

Rachel Jones — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:50:54 +0000

It seems as though there can never be enough tips on Goa, and this article is going to be a one week itinerary for Goa because it is requested so much. I’m going to share how to spend 7 perfect days in paradise: Goa, India. In this Goa one week itinerary, I’ll cover the best of Goa so that you can enjoy the beach, see the architecture in the city, go inland for nature, and enjoy some of the best food and views in Goa.

I’ve done this for a weekend in this guide: 3 days in Goa, India

Be sure to check out my ultimate guide to Goa

I’ve lived in Goa for five years and write about my life here the blog, but if you are going to be spending two or more weeks in Goa, you might want my e-book which is a guide to Goa with all the best places I know here. The book is 170-pages and covers everything about the state. Click here to see more about the book.

Goa One Week Itinerary

If you have just one week in Goa, you should make a decision between North or South Goa or decide if you really want to try to split that and do both. Here’s an article to explain the difference between the two. If you are here to party and like to be busy, stay in the North. If you are here to chill out or have a spiritual getaway, perhaps you’ll like the South. If you are a traveler and want to see it all, I recommend 4 nights in the North and 3 nights in the South.

So, this is just a sample choosing places I like at random, but there are SO many nice hotels in Goa to choose from or budget options.

Day 1 – Arrival to North Goa

Head to Noi Varo if you are a group. It’s a Portuguese villa which you can rent out. Here you can recover in luxury from jetlag while the awesome staff take care of you. It’s a whole house (review here). They serve the best prawn curry I’ve ever had. It’s the best way to ease into Goa, see how the architecture is here, and try the local food. Plus, Siolim is a cute town near to everything.

Goa is pretty even away from the beach!

They are on Airnb. If you use my link to make a new account, you can get $40 off your booking. Here is the link to my discount and here is the property once you have made an account. That would make it $410 a night divided by up to 12 people = $34 per person.

a room at Noi Varo

If you are traveling with a smaller group or even as a couple, I highly recommend looking up cool restored Portuguese villas to stay in. I actually like to do this all over the world when I travel now so you can get that “feel like a local” thing.

Today you’ll be jetlagged so I’ll just put hanging at a luxury villa and making a trip to Ashwem Beach for a sunset view at a beach shack.

Day 2 – North Goa

Arrange it so that you are in North Goa on a Wednesday so that you can spend the day at the Anjuna Flea Market. It is one of the most popular markets in the world. You can hang at the beach, hear live music, get all your shopping down, and eat some local food. Once you get too hot just take a dip in the sea; the market it right next to it.

In the evening, maybe head out to Pink Chili, a really chill place across from the Gokarting where you can have amazing Indian food with really cool hip vibes.

Day 3 – North Goa

Today you can go up to Ashwem and have lunch at the beachside French restaurant, La Plage. Check out all the nearby shopping like Alchemy, DUST, Jade Jagger, and Nana Ki. Hang by the beach either at La Plage’s beach chairs or go down to a shack nearby. Once you’re nice and tired (and hopefully not sunburnt), stop at Delicieux on the way home to grab some takeaway croissants, eclairs, and other pastries!

For dinner, you can go to Anand Bar and have some local food like Cafreal, Vindaloo, a fish thali, prawn curry, or whatever you like there – they’ll have tandoori, too. This is a super local place, and the prices are really low. The food is delicious!

After dinner, you can head to whatever is “on” that night for a nice trance/psy party if you’re into that. You can check this list to see what day of the week it is and what party happens then.

Day 4 – North Goa

Your last day in the North, you can go to Vagator Beach for the day and sit at the Antares beach shack for nice pizzas and cocktails. Vagator is a cool beach but it’s more for chilling. If you wanted watersports, then head up to Vaayu instead for wakeboarding, SUP, or surfing, weather depending.

If you want to shop here, you can get some goodies at the Thalassa shop or you can head into Anjuna, and check out Mermaid’s shop before you go back to your room.

Thalassa for Greek food (and always a party) on the last night is a must – be sure to book a table for sunset ahead of time (around 530 you’ll want at table). and a party at Waters, Chronicle, or Curlies – whatever floats your boat! This post tells more about parties in Goa.

Day 5 – South Goa

As you head to South Goa, you can leave nice and early and go to Old Goa, Panjim, and Ponda. You’ll still get to the South by 4 pm if you hussle and you’ll have done the main tourist things in Goa.

Old Goa has all the churches and those links above will tell you more about what to see there. Panjim is a small cute capital compared to other cities in India, and being built by the Portuguese, it has a unique charm to it. The link above shares more about what to do there. In Ponda, you have the Spice Plantation. I recommend having already eaten lunch in Panjim and just doing the spice tour. It’s not a good place to see elephants as tourism with elephants that are broken just for tourism shouldn’t be encouraged.

For more: 50 things to do in Goa

Arrive in South Goa and check in at Ciaran’s Cabin. I love this beach hotel with amazing food (try the sea bass for dinner).

Day 6 – South Goa

Head to “The Space” which healthy and vegan options to eat and offers yoga classes and massage. They’ve been featured in Vogue! You can then go shopping at Fat Cat and Chim Shop in case you didn’t get everything you wanted at the market.

It’s your last day so you might want to spend some time at the beach, and outside Ciaran’s is a good place to do it.

For dinner, try out Nada Brahma for some great grilled meats and drinks. It’s run by an English couple and their food is really nice. If you feel like a party you can check out Silent Noise Club, where everyone wears headphones and dances in silence.

Day 7 – Departure from South Goa

Today’s your last day! If you have last-minute shopping you can go to the shops lining the road in Palolem and have one last meal at Home in Patnem for a last meal before you head out!

For this one week guide to Goa, I randomly chose some awesome places that came to mind, but if you want options, more nature activities, spa, best food options for each beach, best water sports, and all the rest, then you definitely need my ebook which is the most comprehensive guide to Goa out there! Click here to read more about it.

Pin this Goa One Week Guide for later!

The post Goa One Week Itinerary for the Beach Lovers and Foodies first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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Best New Restaurants in Goa in 2018 + New Shops & Hotels This Season

Rachel Jones — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 13:29:50 +0000

I have not written about new places in Goa in a while. The last restaurant post I did was 10 of my favorites for 2015! While my Goa ebook has all the new cool places since then + hundreds of the best places to eat around Goa, this blog hadn’t had new additions in a while. This season especially it seems like there is a huge boom of new companies popping up so I decided to make it my goal to go try as many of them out as I could (for research, of course!). I’ve put together the best new restaurants in Goa in 2018 season and the few new shops and guesthouses, too. I tried 8 new places in the first week!

This isn’t a complete list and I’m simply putting it in the order they came to mind – not best to worst or anything like that. Some of these places have been getting a lot of hype on Facebook and I got loads of recommendations from friends. If I didn’t have time to try it, I added it to the list at the bottom (in case you are curious of new options for this season) and will come back and update this as I try new ones.

Keep in mind these are NEW places this year not a roundup of the best, so if you feel I missed your favorite place, it’s been covered before probably! The complete list of all the best restaurants, bars, places to party, and things to do in Goa is in my Ebook, sorted by beach/town. You can use the code “welovegoa” to get 30% off the book (it’s a 170-page book that has all my top tips for Goa from five years of living here year-round). Click here to buy it.

Best New Restaurants in Goa + Shops & Hotels!

1. Hugs & Mugs, Mapusa

I had been meaning to come here for a while since my good friend Marilyn is the chef here. She worked at Thalassa and Hillbelly previously, but her brother opened this place. They are Goan and from Mapusa. It is by far the best “Western” style food you can get in Mapusa and it’s a chilled out art cafe. Expect American style sandwiches like grilled ham & cheese, pulled pork or beef, and buttermilk fried chicken. It’s cheap at around 200 Rs for a non-veg sandwich served with french fries. The churro ice cream bowl was YUM and I can honestly say this is the best milkshake I’ve had in Goa because it’s actually thick American style whereas most other places make really thin runny milkshakes for some reason. This is located up by the courthouse and you’ll park on the street parallel outside.

2. Crab & Co, Assagao

This place is all hyped up this season! Ben and I went for dinner and got too much food as always: the crab stuffed onion rings (mmm), the calamari (also good), a 400-gram crab which was 1200 Rs and according to Ben the best crab he’s had in Goa, and I got the home-style pork chops (450 Rs.) which I can say are the best pork chops I’ve had here – juicy but hardly any fat on them (although I didn’t like the sauce that was on the side). Usually, pork here is fatty or dry and not worth getting, so this is pretty exciting. They do not have a liquor license yet but hope to by January so definitely something to keep in mind! This is a really good seafood place, but it’s not cheap so while I’d love to eat here a lot – when I want some butter garlic prawns, I’ll still go to my local place for a quick bite and save this for a nice dinner spot. PS the people who run this also own Barrel & Bones in Panjim. There is a big parking lot here.

3. Botanique Bistrot, Assagao

This new place is near Gunpowder in Assagao on Anjuna-Mapusa road (same road as Crab & Co) and it’s a villa with rooms as well as a restaurant. Their menu was small when I went as they were only open 10 days but they will be adding more to it. I had a Kingfish sandwich with tartar sauce and Ben got the beef with some mash and carrots – it was really tasty. It’s kind of got a fancy feel because it’s French but the space is laid back and you can use the pool for 150 Rs. I think this will be a great place to go for brunch with friends and use the pool for a couple of hours. It’s such a relaxing garden. There are not many places that have good food and pools in Goa so this will probably take off and I can see myself having some hungover mornings here with coffee by the pool :) There is off-road parking here, just pull down the driveway and turn left.

4. Burger Bar & Bakery, Siolim

If you like TGIF, pub food, fried food (aka are like me) then you’ll like this place. It is before the bridge in Siolim, above a shop and you would probably miss it if you didn’t know about it. The things I loved here were the mozzarella sticks, chicken wings (super crispy), golden fried prawns, and the fries were like you get at a fish n chips shop in England (big and chunky and crispy). The only thing I didn’t love was the nachos only because they didn’t have enough stuff on them, haha. The burger was good; I got the Mexican one but will try a regular one next time. They do 5 types of veggie burgers. Right now, I think they don’t have a liquor license as there is no alcohol on the menu. The cakes were soo good. My friend who came with lives right next to it was saying she’d be stopping in to get them take away every day. The triple chocolate cake and banoffee pie were my favorite. They have their own bakery. Parking is out front of the restaurant.

5. Lazy Goose, Nerul

I was meant to go check this out with my friend, Jules (who I tried a couple other places on this list with, because she loves food as much as I do!), but something came up last minute. Jules still went and said it was “soooo good”. I wasn’t sure if I should mention it since I haven’t tried, but I trust her opinion and thought you’d want to know about it. Nerul is a very beautiful part of Goa as well. According to Jules, the crab was nice and she doesn’t even like crab – the risotto balls were nice and the fish is the best. She runs a luxury villa here and said she’ll be telling her guests this is a great place to visit.

6. Alchemy & La Casita, Mandrem

The two fashion brands I love most in Goa, FARA and Tia have combined and made one shop together called Alchemy. It’s just down from Vaayu on the beach road in Mandrem. They have a nice rooftop + the shop + they have a “casita” which is a two bedroom for up to four guests. This is on Airbnb and it’s SO cute ($56 per night when I checked, but rates change based on dates). I highly recommend this. You can find it on Airbnb here and if you don’t already have an Airbnb account, set one up with this link and get $40 off your first booking of over $75.

7. Villa Vaayu, Mandrem

Vaayu Waterman’s Village is one of m favorite places to hang out. They have everything from the best tacos at their cafe, Prana, to surfboard and SUP rentals. They always had rooms at Vaayu Village but now just a couple of houses down, there is Villa Vaayu which is a whole home you can rent. It’s a 3 bedroom house with is on Airbnb (with this link) for $235 per night. Again, you can get $40 off if you make an account with this link. The price sounds high, but once you split it by 6 and take in the pretty unbeatable views and locations, it’s well worth it.

8. Mermaid’s Boutique, Anjuna (now with food)

Katja’s shop Mermaids has moved a couple of times and is now having its second season next to the Gelato place in Anjuna, near Orchard. I’ve not mentioned this spot before, so that’s why I’ve added it even though it’s not totally new. She did, however, add food this year: sandwiches, coffee, and stuff for vegans and veggies which is great to grab when you pass through. Her stuff, Dadablui, is really colorful and I’ve written about it here. She is no longer at the Wednesday flea market, so this shop is it! I’m going to pass through this week to see what food she has and I’ll post it on Facebook.

9. Rangeela, Morjim (new location)

Love love love Rangeela who I think is the only shop in Goa selling a lot of stuff not just from India but Bali, too. So, you’ll find some really unique things in here plus they stock some other cool local brands. After 16 years in Calangute, they have moved to this new location in Siolim (just put it in Google maps and you’ll find it). They have housewares like hand-picked rugs and lampshades, jewelry, clothing, and little cute knick-knacks for all budgets.

10. LOLA by Suman B., Panjim

One more fashion brand to mention, LOLA. I went to this shop opening in Panjim at the end of the monsoon and thought the shop was beautiful enough to be in London – definitely the best-designed shop in Panjim! Here clothes are very fancy and Bollywood people wear them so the price tag does match that. It’s modern styles mixed with Indian but mostly conservative fits.

11. Hopping Frog Hostel, Assagao

This hostel isn’t new (it’s two seasons old) but this past monsoon became a cool place to go for live music and a party. You can follow their Facebook page to see when they have events. I’ve been just once but friends of mine go a lot. Check and see when they have live music, don’t just go on a random night.

12. GOAT festival, Ashwem (sort of new)

image courtesy of GOAT

Last season was the first GOAT festival in Goa. I didn’t go to it but many friends did and said it was amazing – the best festival in India after Magnetic fields in Rajasthan, and the best one in Goa. This year, I expect it will be even bigger and more popular. You can get tickets online. This is definitely something to work into your travel plans.

13. Copperleaf, Porvorim

I can’t get enough of this place! It opened last season sometime and I started to hear from my Indian friends that it was the bomb.com. I finally went over the monsoon and loved every single thing I ate. It is SO tasty. I actually wrote a blog post about it because I wanted to show what Goan food was – so you can see all the details about that here.

14. Saffron & Shireen’s Art Gallery, Arpora (coming soon)

Mother/Daughter artists Saffron Wiehl and Shireen Mody have a new gallery in Arpora which has Saffron’s beautiful illustrations and her mom’s detailed paintings. It’s not open yet and that’s not the name, lol but I didn’t want to forget to update this once they open! I’ll put the location once it’s ready. You should definitely check it out – they are both famous in Goa. Saffron was born and raised here, and her mom and her both take a lot of inspiration from Goa so buying a piece from them is like taking a bit of Goa home with you.

15. Kuku-Nana, Vagator

Kuka-Nana is a jewelry brand designed by Ahana Ghai. You can find her pieces at Thalassa, Hugs & Mugs, Gunpowder, and more. She’s at her Thalassa shop most nights. Her pieces are bright, colorful, and bold – they totally match her bubbly personality and are a great souvenir from India that isn’t “souvenir-looking” but something you’ll actually wear a lot. Some Bollywood people have been spotted in them! I have a really beautiful brass bracelet from her shop I wore on Christmas.

16. Eva Cafe

This is actually a couple of years old now but more and more people are starting to take notice of it. When it comes to beach shacks, this is BY FAR the cutest little restaurant on the Anjuna beach. You have to park up by the top of the hill, though and walk down there, and there aren’t too many tables so I’ve actually only been once. They are known for their shakshuka, the sandwiches were really good, they have lots of salads on the menu, and we had some falafel balls that were nice. It’s veg food (plus tuna/egg) and kind of similar to Artjuna’s food but on the beach! The way it’s decorated is just the cutest; I love it.

17. Goa Grill, Siolim (not that new…)

This again, isn’t that new – but it’s new to me so I’m throwing it on here. They opened last season I think or maybe even the season before. This is in Siolim and they have whole grilled chicken, rotisserie-style. We used to always get chicken at the Saturday Night Market but they shut up their shop, this is is now where we go for whole chicken. No sides come with it – and you can do takeaway but you have to order it there, not over the phone.

18. Hice Cream, Assagao (delivery)

Want some boozy ice cream delivered to your door? This new place makes yummy flavors half of which have alcohol in them like Whiskey in a Jar which has Baileys and chocolate chips or Werewolves of London which is vegan with Bacardi white rum, coconut cream, and fresh pineapple. Of course, I had to try the mint chocolate chip (my favorite) and it’s so tasty. I can see a lot of ordering ice cream in my future! According to their Facebook page, they are based in Assagao and deliver around there. It’s around 600 Rs for an alcoholic one and 400 Rs for a non-alcohol ice cream. Jars are 350 ml. You can call them at 9867691483 and enjoy your own!

19. Beach Box Hotel & Cafe, Baga

Super into shipping container designs? Cuz Ben is, lol. He wants to build a house from shipping containers someday, so when we heard a really unique hotel with restaurant and pool all from shipping containers opened up in Goa, we had to check it out. The food is mostly Indian but with some Western grills like burgers. I loved my malai chicken tikka. I would say this is great for a group coming here that wants to party and likes trance, as they had a DJ when we were there on a Sunday night. It’s dark with red lighting, so it has that trance/psy vibe there. The rooms are cool – I’ve never seen a shipping container hotel before! They have A/C and are pretty cheap for Baga. This is located just by the bridge where you’d turn to go to Go With the Flow. Parking is on the road.

20. Goa State of Mind (GSOM), Vagator

The Goa State of Mind is inside the old Primrose in Vagator. This is a place for community vibes and trance parties. There are sometimes entrance covers, depending on who is playing. I haven’t visited yet, but my friend Faiz runs this place and he always does everything hardcore and over the top, so I’m sure it’s amazing!

21. Village Studio, Parra

You might have seen on my Instagram stories some clips from my first night at Village Studio in Parra when none other than a favorite of mine, Prateek Kuhad, played! We had such a blast and it’s got really cool vibes here. They have food, hands-on projects to get involved in during the day, and lots of events at night, like live music. This is a really cool space.

As you can see there are SO many awesome new places this season in Goa. While I love my old favorites, I definitely love it even more that Goa has such a variety of food opening up all the time! There are even more new places than this that I want to check out. I’m going to list below some of the other new places that are still on my list. I’ll get to these eventually and add them if they’re yummy but wanted to get this blog post up since it’s already so late in the season.

Tierra Y Mar, Sangolda
Rock Bar, Siolim
Cafe de Pereira, Vagator
Gusto Cafe, Inside Literati, Calangute
El Porto, In Marine Bay in Chapora
La Cucina, Morjim
Uddo Life, Siolim
Project Cafe, Assagao
Le Detour, Anjuna
The Rice Mill, Morjim

If you want to check out my Goa ebook, you can use the code “welovelgoa” to get 30% off the price. Click here to read more about it.

The post Best New Restaurants in Goa in 2018 + New Shops & Hotels This Season first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Best New Restaurants in Goa in 2018 + New Shops & Hotels This Season appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Traveling in Goa India With Kids – Everything You Need to Know From an Expat Mom

Rachel Jones — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:01:52 +0000

The following post is from my friend, Rachel Stone, who has been traveling in Goa India with kids for years and is based here most of the year. She has traveled with her cuties all over India as well and is going to share her top tips for other moms traveling in Goa India with kids. It is possible and can be a lot of fun! Rachel is a fashion designer (for kids and adults clothes) and has a shop in Mandrem called Alchemy. She’ll tell you a bit about herself and why she’s in Goa with kids, then share all her tips!

Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India

General Goa Travel Tips

Traveling in Goa India with Kids – Your Essential Guide!

Rewind back even just to the beginning of the nineties and you didn’t see many children on the beach here in Goa – but now traveling has become so much easier and hotels and restaurants welcome families with open arms. Sunset time and you see babes-in-arms and teenagers enjoying the beach and the waves.

How did I find myself traveling in Goa India with kids? In 2009, I had left my life in London as a fashion buyer for Urban Outfitters and started designing my own range with my friend, Fumie. We had a stall at the fantastic Saturday Night Market. In 2012, I was pregnant with my first child Ruby and so happy to be bringing up my family in Goa. Later, I had my son, Max. Both Fumie and I were pregnant at the same time and started designing our raw silk square tops to make breastfeeding in public easier.

In December, we launch our first children’s collection inspired by our girls and (our love for) natural fabrics. This first kids collection is mini versions of four of our favorite styles in the FARA collection. My daughter Ruby’s favorite piece was the kimono as her chosen name is ‘Ruby Sparkly Rainbow Princess Kung Fu Master’, while Fumie’s little girl Shion was in love with the more girly Frill Dress.

the diamond tunic

fringe mini dress & kids kimono

Over the years with my kids in Goa, I have naturally learned a few things along the way about traveling with kids in Goa and have hosted friends who have brought their children over on holiday. Luckily there is also a conscious ex-pat scene and some amazingly innovative schools and friendly local doctors and dentists.

With a few conscious adjustments and compromises, bringing up children or traveling with kids in India is simple and rewarding.

It’s a kid friendly place and over the past few years, I have gotten to appreciate even more the abundance of nature that the children get to experience each day… not only the beach and rock pools but the banyan trees, the jungle, the wandering cows, clucking chickens and chatty monkeys – Nature’s playground.

Also Read: 14 fun and affordable things to do in Goa with kids

What to Pack for Kids Traveling in Goa

Traveling with Kids in India: Medical items to bring with you

Bring the tried-and-tested medicine from home that you know works for your child, rather than playing roulette with new brands. For my kids, I always bought baby Nurofen and Calpol for fevers; Savlon (the dry spray is good for little cuts on tiny toes if they are in and out of the water) and gripe water for Max when he had colic – although alternatives in India are available.

There is a fantastic ayurvedic (Indian holistic medicine) and homeopathic pharmacy called Union in Mapusa (any taxi driver will know this place); this is a great place to stock up on homeopathic treatments and creams.

My friend Alexandra, who is an acupuncturist with a 10-year-old daughter, here swears by the Apis Meluca cream and globules for insect bites; arnica cream is great for bruises and they have a good homeopathic starter kit which is a great travel set.

Naveena who worked as a midwife here in Goa for many years recommends a travel kit including Nux Vomica (sickness), hypericum (cuts), arnica (bruises) and aconite (for onset of colds).

For stressed out mums, there is always Rescue Remedy! My all-timee favourite solution is Kailash Jeevan – an ointment for every cut, scratch, pimple, unidentified sore or rash! It’s available in most general stores as well as pharmacies. People buy it by the armload to take home with them. Calendula powder is also available at the pharmacy for prickly heat or other rashes.

Baby wipes and nappies are horrible for the environment, especially in India where the garbage is such an issue… but I know as a traveller it’s very hard to not use them unless staying put for a while. I used washable nappies with Ruby, but I did have my own washing machine. But the holy bum spray (spray gun in almost all bathrooms here) also is a godsend for horrible poo situations!

Rehydration salts (or diarolites) are essential for keeping your kids hydrated – there are some orange flavoured ones here but I found the blackcurrent flavour ones from the UK went down much better with both my kids.

Toys & Other Bits

Naturally you are not going to leave the front door without your child’s favourite teddy, car or blanket – certainly bring your kids favourite stuff. You can get plastic beach toys, buckets and cheap boogie boards in many of the general stores. And for longer stays or Christmas vacations amazon.in is fantastic.

Sunscreen

It might sound obvious to say buy sunscreen – but although we used to be able to buy known-brands in Goa, often the sunscreen available these days is not of the same quality as it is at home, so stock up on creams and lotions for the kids and your self.

Traveling with Kids in Goa – Getting around & Safety

Got little ones? Taxis will very rarely have access to a car seat so if you are planning to do a lot of travelling you might want to invest in one – you can order on Amazon India if you don’t want to bring one long haul. Roads are lumpy so push chairs can be an issue, although it’s great for sunset beach walks; probably best to invest in a comfortable baby sling.

You’ll probably be bringing extra luggage if you are travelling with small children! Don’t worry every train station has a porter… and hotels will always help you with your luggage. It costs roughly 100rs for a porter at the station.

Before you fly – book a bassinet well in advance of flying long haul. Few flights go direct to Goa, so you will probably be flying into Bombay (or Delhi first) – consider breaking the journey and staying over night near the airport to avoid too long a day.

Jet Airways have a very luggage friendly allowance of 46kg per peson; however most Indian airlines do not provide great kid friendly food, I always pack a lunch and treats for my kids when we’re flying. If you are transferring from International to an Indian domestic line though check the baggage allowance as a lot of the domestic carriers have a stingey allowance and you might need to pay for extra luggage.

Taking a train ride in India

Traveling with Kids in Goa – What to Expect from Local People

Child friendly waiters!

This is not like Starbucks, waiters here will occasionally take your child off your hands (if you approve) to show them how chapattis are made in the kitchen, or teach them to make pizza, or simply walk them around the restaurant if they are crying.

Cheek pinching… the locals have no qualms with getting physical with kids cheeks – but if you (or more importantly your child) is not up for this… just let them know.

People here are super friendly and tend to ask a lot of questions, but you are not obliged to answer them all. Practice the same kind of awareness at the beach as you would whererver you take your kids – it’s a really safe place but you always need to keep your wits about you.

Breastfeeding in India

We designed our large scarves and square tops for exactly this purpose while we were pregnant! It is totally OK to breastfeed in public here, but wear a shawl or scarf.

Traveling with Kids in Goa – my kids’ favorite things to do

Goa is a full Nature immersion and I’m not just talking about frogs in the bathroom or geckos on the walls! My kids are at their happiest when they are in the sand or in the jungle.

The best beaches for kids in Goa

For little kids, the beach is the best playground. There are lifeguards and in the beaches of Mandrem and Aswem – a wide beach with shallow sea (only just after monsoon should you be aware of riptides).

Also be aware that as lovely as Keri beach in the north and Agonda beach in the south are – the shelf falls away very quickly and is not so safe for little paddlers. There are starfish and rock pools and you can go out dolphin watching.

Over the last few years, a Grassroots beach market has grown across the beach in Arambol, selling all types of things like Macramé bracelets, paintings, and handmade clothes. The kids love going there as many foreigners make yummy treats inspired by their countries and there is a big drum circle where people dance and the kids love to join in.

On the beach, all dogs with a clip in their ear have been sterilized and vaccinated against rabies by International Animal Rescue or WAGS). Maybe best to give other dogs a wide berth, just to be safe.

Beach adventures for kids in Goa

For bigger kids, Pink Orange Events run surf camps for kids – with yoga, beach clean-ups, and surf lessons. Vaayu in Aswem offers kayaks which is a great family outing on the river.

We also always love to relax at Palm Grove beach resort in Ashwem and drink fresh juices, a great place for the grandparents to stay when they come, quiet and serene.

Jungle, forts, and wildlife adventures for kids in Goa

Going inland, my favourite places to take my two kids are the beautiful Redi Fort where the jungle has reclaimed an old fort – it’s a great place to explore. What kid doesn’t love a fort?

In Arambol you can do a short jungle walk to a beautiful Banyan Tree via the sweetwater lake and mud bath. And in Mandrem, there is a banyan tree so large that you’ll often find a cricket match going on beneath its branches.

Rahul Alvarez offers bird and wildlife walks or you can go into the Western Ghats and stay a few nights at the beautiful Wildernest eco-resort. There are morning wildlife walks, a stunning infinity pool, and amazing local food. (Check availability, rates, and book Wildernest).

For less jungley wildlife, head to the petting zoo at Goa’s Ark in Anjuna. There is a lovely play area and many animals to meet. They also have a kid-friendly menu.

If your kids want a rest from all that wildlife and nature and they love to dance and sing– there are ballet classes, capoeira and thai boxing classes at Tito’s White House in Anjuna. You can also look into lovely music classes with Ranjit at Shala 142 in Assagao.

There’s swimming lessons at Jungle Dance in Arambol – and you can stay there for lunch or evening performances and support the childrens charity that also operates out of here.

Also in Arambol (if you are thinking to come for the long haul) is the Yoga Arts Centre – kindergarten and school – a sanctuary for our children using arts, yoga theory and nature to bring up the kids. Built by the expat community in a small coffee shop and now a fully operational education centre.

I love watching my children grow up here – inspired by nature and plugged into an international community. It’s a great playground and education alike.

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing these amazing tips! If you want more tips or have questions about traveling with your kiddos in Goa or the rest of India, join my Facebook group India travel tips where Rachel is a member as well as other mom’s in Goa. If you want to buy some cute kid’s clothing, check out Rachel’s shops or online here. She has 4: Ashwem beach shop called DUST, at Alchemy in Mandrem next to Vaayu, and Alchemy the tent outside Natti’s Naturals (who also has a children’s menu), and at the Saturday Night Market in Arpora.

Pin these tips for traveling with kids in Goa India for later:

The post Traveling in Goa India With Kids – Everything You Need to Know From an Expat Mom first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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5 Tips for Goa on New Year’s Eve

Rachel Jones — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:56:45 +0000

I just decided to quickly put together the tips I can think of for having a great New Year’s Eve in Goa because the emails are flowing in asking me about it! Goa is a notorious party place and with that comes a huge crowd of people from abroad but also all over India. The traffic is crazy and the prices skyrocket. I’m going to share a few tips for Goa on New Year’s Eve so you can make the most of your night.

5 Tips for Goa on New Year’s Eve

1. Taxi or scooter – not a rental car

The traffic is a mess on these small, winding roads. There are many places here where cars cannot pass in general, so you have to pull over and wait for a car to go. On NYE or other days with traffic, people don’t always think to pull over and they are basically in a head-on stand-off, then more traffic comes and it’s literally a standstill over pure stupidity. Because of this, you either want to be in a scooter that you can squeeze through traffic or you want to be in a taxi that you can just hop out and walk the rest of the way. In Anjuna beach, people actually have abandoned their cars during traffic and then it’s just a disaster.

2. Pick one place and stay there

This is for two reasons: entrance prices and traffic.

Traffic is a mess so it’s best to go out a little bit early and stay out. Entrance prices are a lot higher on NYE as well, so you might want to pay only one cover. Most will be around 2,000 Rs per person in a couple or maybe even 3,000 Rs if you are a single person. Drinks could be more expensive, too.

You will pay more if you are a single person going to a party, whereas couples pay a lower amount. This is so that the parties aren’t just a bunch of dudes!

3. Book accommodation ASAP

If you haven’t booked already, then get on it! The prices go up so much. You can check Agoda which usually gives the best rates in Asia. Also, check out my list of budget places to stay in Goa and boutique places to stay – but I bet they are mostly booked.

Definitely, try an Airbnb if you are in a group. Here are 14 cute Airbnb’s in Goa for all budgets.

If you do go for an Airbnb, you can use my link to get up to $40 off your booking if it’s a new account. Make sure you choose a place that has some reviews.

4. Find a good party

Hilltop is probably the most famous trance party on New Year’s Eve. I’ll embed a YouTube video below so you can see what the vibe is like. You can even book Hilltop online ahead of time. Most parties here will be trance, but you’ll find house music (I think it’s house?) at Chronicle and Waters.

Club Cubana, Sync, LPK, clubs on Tito’s Lane, Club Fresh, and other clubs like this will be packed and probably charge around 2,000 Rs. You can also check out beach shacks if you want to be near the sea, like Curlies or Shiva Valley.

Most parties will go well into the next day and around 10 AM a lot of people head over to Hilltop for an early morning party to finish off the night.

There are a lot of smaller cool parties but they don’t usually say where until closer to the date. I recommend looking at whatsupgoa.com to see NYE fliers and make a choice of where you’d like to party.

5. Don’t drink and drive

The roads here are full of curves, potholes, and speed bumps that you don’t notice until it’s too late. There will be drunk/high drivers which makes the roads more dangerous. Beyond that, there are police checkpoints set up all over town and they will pull you over – they randomly pull over any car they want to. There will also be undercover plain-clothes police at parties.

To be honest, I probably won’t go out this NYE. The past years I’ve spent a couple at Vaayu, which was cool, but the drive back from there is 30 minutes (without traffic) and it’s just a bad way to end a long night. I’ve also done a couple NYE at Teso when SOMA had parties, but I don’t even think they are doing one this year. Last year, I ended up at a trance house party which isn’t my vibe (I don’t like trance music sadly) and sat in traffic for ages. So, Ben and I are determined to avoid NYE altogether this year, haha!

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Ask Me Anything: Can you only wear a bikini in Goa or other parts of India, too?

Rachel Jones — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 10:29:07 +0000

Welcome back to my “Ask Me Anything” series. I try to answer FAQ every once in a while and something I get asked a lot is can I wear a bikini in Goa and can I wear it other places in India too?

The short answer is yes, you can wear a bikini in Goa and no, you can’t many other places in India. I’ll start with just Goa bikini rules – of which there are just a few.

Goa Girls Love Bikinis and that’s okay!

There are no “bikini beaches” in Goa. Bikinis in Goa are seen on most beaches and it’s acceptable (except to some seriously devout old people who probably wouldn’t ever come to the beach anyway). I mean, people lay out topless in Goa. It’s been going on since the 60’s and Goa is really different from the rest of India in not just this sense, but so many other ways, too.

Occasionally, a politician will be riled up about it say they want to ban bikinis in Goa. But nothing ever comes from this. While you can wear a bikini on the beach, you do need to cover up until you get there. You can throw a dress or sarong over it while you walk down to the beach.

Don’t ride around on your scooter in a bikini! That is not okay here.

Are there some beaches you shouldn’t wear a bikini?

Yes. There are none where it’s not allowed but there are some that I, personally, would never get into a bikini at. Those are all the beaches around Panjim and Baga. Baga beach is packed. You’ll see ladies in sarees on the beach and it would definitely feel weird to wear a bikini there! You will get too many stares and people photographing/videoing you.

There’s a fine line between following the culture of the place you visit (as an outsider) and really seeing the modern new culture coming up. My thoughts on this are always: what are my Indian girlfriends doing? They’re wearing bikinis. So shall I!

You’ll find Indian bikini brands here like Studio Tia, too and yes, Indian women in bikinis on the beach. While being culturally sensitive, it would be ignorant to see India as just a place of modesty and religion. Indians love to dress sexy, party and are very modern. It’s insulting to young modern Indians living in Mumbai when you think that they are basically living in a stone age. They have H&M, Forever 21, and more here to buy bikinis and they can order online from sites like ASOS and ZARA as well.

Will you be hassled more if you wear a bikini in Goa?

No, you won’t be hassled more unless it’s in Baga or beaches around Panjim. Most people are wearing bikinis here. People of all shapes and sizes and it’s just normal, like anywhere else. Actually, the bikinis are so much skimpier here because most people are European, that that is what younger Indian girls are wearing, too. It’s even more skimpy than what I would see in Ohio.

While Goans are used to seeing girls in bikinis, that doesn’t mean all Indians are so yes there might be some times when an Indian male is staring a little too hard or trying to take your photo. It’s not a biggie, just tell them to buzz off!

In case you’re wondering what those same dudes are wearing on the beach? Their whitey tighties. Which become see-through when wet. And this is totally normal, apparently.

But, in the rest of India, Bikinis are not exactly accepted.

There are a few places it’s okay to wear bikinis in India, and that would be Goa, Varkala, Kovalam, and five-star hotels all over India. There are other places but those are the most popular for tourists. Other than that, I can’t really think of somewhere that it would be okay. You can wear one-piece swimsuits in other places which is more acceptable.

It’s a funny thing where you might think that putting gym shorts over your swimsuit is better – but there are often signs at pools saying “real swimming outfits only” because they don’t want people to swim in their clothing.

I live in a complex in Goa, and when Indian families from North India come who don’t wear swimming suits, they swim in their clothes and get in trouble.

PS: it’s also customary in India to always shower before getting in a shared pool!

What to wear in India & How to dress in India

So, that’s about it on bikinis in India. It’s pretty simple and I think nothing you need to stress about. If you want more tips on how to dress in India, click over to that link which has all the do’s and dont’s.

More Tips on Goa

If you’re headed this way, please take a minute to buy my book, The Insider’s Guide to Goa. It has 170 pages of my top tips and everything to eat, see and do in every location in Goa. You can click here to buy it.

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Book a Yoga Retreat in Goa, India For a Week (or More) of Pure Relaxation & Wellness

Rachel Jones — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 11:37:00 +0000

Are you thinking about venturing to Goa for a wellness or yoga retreat? You might find that online you’ll be overwhelmed with the options when you try to book a yoga retreat in Goa and it’s hard to filter through it all. I am no yoga pro, which I don’t hide but I’ve lived in Goa long enough to hear about the best places, some of which my friends have come here for. I get asked about this all the time on email, so I wanted to just put all the ones I’ve heard are the best into a blog post so it’s easily accessible to you all.

For bookings, I’m linking to the largest yoga retreat booking site called bookyogaretreats.com for you to book a yoga retreat in Goa from. This site is great because it has reviews from people who have taken the course personally and you can look at the property, the food, the types of yoga, the wellness aspects, the cost, and book it all online before you come to Goa. The website only allows very professional companies on, and they themselves research each program. I suggest comparing in depth the places I mention to see which ones work best for you. They aren’t cheap, and many of the best ones are run by foreigners with Indians as partners, so the rates are typical to a Western budget, not an Indian one. You can search by budget, level of study, and type of yoga practice in the filters. Many retreats have a money-back guarantee.

Goa is a GREAT place for a retreat for so many reasons:

The warm weather is great for your health, as is the Ayurvedic Indian food
The retreats are all in the most amazing locations with monkeys playing in the coconut trees overhead
Some of the best yoga teachers in the world come to places like Goa to run retreats
You can combine it with a holiday here in Goa, before or after

I am going to list five of the top yoga retreats here in Goa, India but in my 170-page ebook The Insider’s Guide to Goa, I have a more extensive list within each beach area of the retreats by area. You can use discount “GOAYOGA” to get 30% off my ebook. Click here to purchase it.

Book a Yoga Retreat in Goa – Your 5 Best Options for Wellness and Relaxation in Goa, India

1. Swan Yoga Retreat, Assagao 42,000 Rs ($655 USD) for 8 days/7 nights

A post shared by SWAN Yoga Retreat Goa India (@swanyogaretreat) on Nov 7, 2016 at 1:44am PST

This is a seven-day yoga and meditation retreat in my village which many of my friends have joined, and I have gone myself for drop-in classes. I am listing this first because it’s the number one place I recommend. The property is really cute which bamboo huts up on the hill and a sandy juice bar zone to chill at. The yoga shala is tucked up in the jungle and has a peaceful vibe. All instructors listed here are Indian and you can read the full schedule with this link.

3 types of eco-friendly accommodation for different budgets with WiFi and solar water heating
Vegetarian brunch and dinner included
Yogic techniques
Havan or fire ceremony
Morning meditation and yogic kriyas
Pranayama and asana classes
Buffet-style vegetarian meals
7 nights of accommodation
Yoga styles include: Kriya, Restorative, Nidra, Karma
Affordable spa treatment add-ons

Click here to read reviews and check availability.

2. Purple Valley Yoga Retreat, Assagao 76,495 Rs ($1193 USD) for 14 days/13 nights

A post shared by Purple Valley Yoga (@purplevalleyyoga) on May 10, 2017 at 9:02am PDT

This is another retreat in my village that I have had many friends attend. I often see the yogi from this retreat at my favorite cafe in town, Villa Blanche! This is a longer course, and is focused on Astanga Vinyasa yoga, “which has also been shown to help build strength, improve flexibility, relieve stress, therefore creating a general state of calmness, well-being, and ease”. This is more upscale, gorgeous rooms in an old restored Portuguese house, and amazing food. The original Purple Valley comes from Mysore, which is famous for yoga. This is a GREAT value for what you get and the length of the program.

3 types of lodging to choose from for those on a budget
Guided meditation and pranayama
Practice and understanding of Ashtanga yoga
Daily morning and afternoon yoga classes with experienced instructors
Daily vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Full use of the retreat facilities
13 nights of accommodation
Top instructors from all over the world, listed on their schedule
Affordable spa options for add-on

Click here to read reviews and check availability.

3. Little Cove Yoga Retreat, Cola 7 days/6 nights

View this post on Instagram

Rajsic food enjoy by the sea in little cove yoga retreat Goa

A post shared by Littlecoveyogagoaindia (@littlecoveyogaretreatgoa) on Apr 4, 2018 at 1:54am PDT

For those of you looking for a yoga retreat by the sea, this is one of the top-ranked retreats not just in Goa, but in India. You’ll get beautiful beach huts by the sea on one of South Goa’s secret and most secluded beautiful beaches. It’s listed on the yogaretreats.com website to read all the details and reviews, but for booking, you’ll have to book on TripAdvisor as the review site doesn’t have any dates listed.

Daily yoga sessions (Ashtanga focus)
Daily meditation sessions
Traditional dance performance
Daily pranayama sessions
6 nights accommodation
Daily vegetarian meals

Click here to read reviews. Click here to book.

4. Ashiyana Yoga Retreat, Mandrem 45,999 Rs (717.66 USD) for 7 days/ 6 nights

A post shared by Ashiyana Yoga (@ashiyanayoga) on Aug 10, 2017 at 3:05am PDT

I love this property! Mandrem is a stunning beach town and this resort is beachside in North Goa. It’s not just a yoga retreat but a spa one too! When it comes to location and comfortable, cute bedrooms, this is THE best place on this list. They say “it has been designed as a deeply nurturing space where you can relax your body, calm your mind, and awaken to your inner peace of being.”

You level of yoga is unimportant here as they cater to everyone
2 large buffet meals per day
All-scheduled drop-in yoga classes
One week accommodation at Ashiyana
Optional massage and holistic treatments
Relax in the peace and quiet of Ashiyana
All Ashiyana creative activities
Meditation, chanting, karma yoga, walks, and impromptu gatherings and workshops

Click here to read reviews and check availability.

5. The Beach House, Colva 59,00 Rs (920 USD) for 6 days/ 5 nights

I know this one sounds expensive for such a short time, but this is not just a yoga retreat, but yoga combined with wellness. The program “offers a mixture of medical and holistic therapies, providing all the means necessary for a complete body and mind overhaul whilst relaxing in stunning surroundings”. This retreat is on the beach and is a little more luxurious.

Ayurvedic consultation
5 nights luxury accommodation
Signature progress monitoring before and after assessments
Personalized nutritionally balanced Ayurvedic vegetarian meals
2 daily holistic treatments from across the globe
Complementary dry skin detox body brush

Click here to read reviews and check availability.

More options to book yoga retreats in Goa

These are just five of the ones that I know because of friends going or because I’ve seen the property and/or taken a class. There are SO many to choose from. If none of these caught your eye, then do check out the Goa listings and do your one research to see which are the best. Read reviews closely and see what makes a good fit for you. There are 212 listed, so I recommend filtering by the best rated for reviews. Click here to start searching.

Enjoy your wellness experience and if you are for sure coming to Goa, you can read up on my Goa posts by clicking here. You can read about my ebook guide to Goa by clicking here and remember to use the code just for yogis: GOAYOGA when you buy it for 30% off.

Pin “book yoga retreats for later”:

The post Book a Yoga Retreat in Goa, India For a Week (or More) of Pure Relaxation & Wellness first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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What’s New in Hippie in Heel’s World

Rachel Jones — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:59:53 +0000

I just thought I’d check in and share what I’ve been up to this summer AND ask you to leave me a comment on this post telling me what you’ve been up to. I love to hear summer plans, especially vacation ones!

Florida

So, I went to Florida with my mom which was so much fun. I shared about our hot air balloon ride, a helicopter ride over Disney in Kissimmee, and our fun times in Miami as well what we did in the Keys. It was a busy 10 days and it was in partnership with Visit Florida. My mom got to see what a press trip is like and she took some really good pictures of me for Instagram. Thanks, mom!

Ohio

I come back to the USA and stay in Ohio every summer for a month. That photo is from my front porch, drinking some red Moscato, mmm! Why is good wine in America so cheap but so expensive in India!? While back in Ohio I rested up from the long Florida trip (and got some work done), went to see my brother’s new house in Delaware, hung out with friends, went to Lake Erie for a weekend, had a family reunion (which hasn’t happened in 10 years), and went out of my dad’s new fishing boat.

My BFF, Arielle, who I’ll be seeing again in a month!

my besties & their babies

What I stocked up on this year for the next year of travels

Part of being home in Ohio is buying what I need for the next year since in India I don’t shop and I try not to buy clothes throughout the year from malls in Europe or Asia because it’s all so much more expensive than the USA. So, I basically buy stuff I need for a year every summer and spend a ton of money, whoops.

Aveda: [easyazon_link identifier=”B002UBKMS2″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Sun Care Protective spray[/easyazon_link]+ [easyazon_link identifier=”B0091R6REQ” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Sun Care After Sun Mask[/easyazon_link]
The green dress on the porch photo in two colors from Kersh. Oh and it’s the one my mom stole from me and is wearing above! lol. It’s on sale for $38 and I’ve been wearing them every other day.
Patricia Nash map print sandals and tote bag because the travelers in me couldn’t resist.
Luggage essentials: new eBags packing cubes, the Mother Lode 25 inch luggage which I love and wrote a review on, then the eBags Slim Profesh backpack which I’m taking back to India and am obsessed with – also reviewed it.
A million bikinis… I have a post coming soon about my favorite ones. I can’t include them all – I have like 50, so, it’s just the best of the best.
My new orange UGG sandals that I cannot live without
Reef gear. Every year, I get the exact same pair of flip flops from Reef because I’m boring like that. They are tan leather and I wear them pretty much daily.
So much food…. I can’t even tell you. I take a full 50 pounds bag of snacks back to India every year, and now that Ben likes American food, half of it is for him.

Another [easyazon_link identifier=”B01ICRW7W6″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Sun Bum Face Stick[/easyazon_link]. One of these usually lasts me more than a year, but better to have extra!
I got a new camera lens which came in handy in Florida when I saw the fireworks! It’s a 35-100 and I can’t wait to use it more.
I got a detangler brush from [easyazon_link identifier=”B06ZZS8WB5″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]KareCo[/easyazon_link] to try out. I cannot handle how messy my hair gets when I surf or do watersports – it’s impossible to brush now that it’s getting so long.
Sol Sana sent me some Finge Mules that I’m obsessed with. They have a super chunky heel.

New Monthly Newsletter

I started a monthly newsletter! I made it a goal years ago and it just sat on my to do list for that whole time. I just never got around to learning how to set it up. When I did a collaboration with Skillshare this summer, they gave me access to all their classes and one of them was how to make a Newsletter. So, I did it – finally!

If you want to sign up please do so on the side bar of my blog (look to your right) or at the bottom of this post there is an option to sign up. The newsletter isn’t just my blog posts but it’s just live updates about what I’m up to and travel products I love. If brands want me to do giveaways now, I can run them through the newsletter which is pretty cool.

I use Mailerlite, after switching to them from Mailchimp (which they help you do easily) to save money. It’s also easier to use. You can sign up for them with my link and get $20 off.

Speaking of giveaways, I do have two months free subscription to Skillshare to give away if you are interested. It’s classes on everything from language to cooking.

eBook

I WROTE ONE. It’s about Goa and it’s being edited now because if you read my blog you KNOW it needs some heavy editing. My spelling and grammar are not my strongest attribute. But, I’m happy to say that it’s finally done and it has all my favorite places in Goa and is a full guide (bye, Lonely Planet!) So stoked to share this and will do soon! It was actually Skillshare that got me to finally do this as well.

You can buy it here and use the code “GOALOVE” for $10 off (which expires on the 23rd). I probably won’t ever put it on sale that low again, so if you’re thinking of coming to Goa you might wanna grab it up now.

Detox Time in Myrtle Beach

On the way back to India, I went to Myrtle Beach for four days for a little wellness retreat. I was working in partnership with Myrtle Beach who are going to be offering some amazing wellness opportunities this Fall at really budget-friendly prices. I tested out some cool activities like kayaking, wake-boarding, healthy food options, spa time, and some cool gardens.

PS swimsuit above is 437 Swimwear.

Westin Airport Hotel, Toronto

Flying back to India, I actually left from Myrtle Beach. So, I had to fly Myrtle Beach Toronto where I was taking my Jet Airways flight to India. I was so afraid I’d get delayed and miss my flight that I gave myself a 20-hour layover in Toronto and stayed at the Westin. I used to NEVER stay at airport hotels (because I just want to get the journey over with) but when I did recently at the Hilton in Amsterdam I realized how it’s actually really nice to take a break in between.

I flew Myrtle Beach to Charlotte to Toronto, rested up here, then onward to Amsterdam, Mumbai and finally Goa. It was the longest journey I’ve done to date.

The hotel was just renovated and has a free shuttle from the airport (just two minutes away) and they just added a new “vertical” garden in the lobby which helps to “clean the toxins from the air, reduce CO2 levels, and improve energy levels”. They have a Starbucks inside, the breakfast buffet was delicious (acai smoothies!), and I had lunch at their restaurant, Atmosphere, and recommend the chicken panini.

Flying with Jet Airways – OMG, I got an upgrade, heaven!

I flew Jet Airways to Toronto and I got an upgrade and it was the best news I think I’ve ever been given as a traveler! I was SO tired and it just came at the best time ever. They let you get meals anytime so I slept first then ate when I felt like it (living the high life, lol). They are giving you readers a discount on your flights with them (10% off the base fare) with the discount code “RACHEL”.

Details on the Jet Airways coupon code “RACHEL”: has to be used only on their site, can be Economy or Première, and is for India to Toronto, Amsterdam, Paris & London either one way or round-trip. Cannot be used using multi0city option or combined with other offers.

I’m sure you’re familiar with Jet Airways already from my blog, but they are the nicest Indian Airline by a long shot (confirmed by TripAdvisor this year who ranked them #1) and I travel them when I can. They do Goa to Toronto so I did that journey, then connected with Air Canada onward to Ohio. Although Première class was killer, Economy isn’t bad either; I had some serious leg room. I sat behind the emergency exit row which doesn’t have a seat in front of it by the window so had a lot of leg space. You can pick your seat ahead of time for free so DEFO go for that!

Jet Airways flies Bombay/Delhi to Amsterdam, Paris, and London then code-shares onward to 35 places in Europe and 34 in North America. They are starting Bangalore to Amsterdam, and Chennai to Paris in October – making them the ONLY airline to Europe from from these two cities. When you fly to India you eat Indian food and when you fly to Europe, you get European food. Try their SkyChai! HolidayIQ listed them as India’s favorite airline.

What is next… upcoming travels!

Well, you’d think I’d be ready for an adventure since I was in Ohio for a whole month, but truthfully I feel like in the last 12 months I’ve traveled too much. I’m tired and I was missing hanging around Goa just lounging with Ben and the dogs (preferably while Ben is cooking some beef stew with dumplings, my favorite when it’s raining and miserable out). But, after a couple weeks I always feel ready to go again.

Late August we are going to England which is always relaxing. We hang out with Ben’s family and friends who are a riot and be between Cornwall and Tonbridge. Toward the end of the trip, my friend Arielle is coming abroad for the first time ever to TONBRIDGE of all places for a couple days and I think it’ll be really cool for her to meet Ben because she’s been my best friend since we were five yet hasn’t met him yet. Plus, I think his friends will be quite entertaining to her. So, Ben will fly back to Goa and Arielle and I are going to go to her chosen location: Dublin, Ireland just for 3 days. After that, it’s back to Goa.

I have some more travels in the pipeline but nothing I want to share yet in case they don’t happen.

It’s been a nice long summer and beyond getting to see friends and family, I’d done a lot of work, hired a couple of assistants, and starting a corporation for my business finally, and trying to get sorted (business-wise) for 2018. Blogging is a busy job, so with travel being pretty much non-stop it can get a little overwhelming to do it alone. It feels good to finally delegate some work and take my stress down a little bit!

But, for now – no work! Just chilling out, Goa style!

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