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Beaches And Island

Goa, the destination of choice for budget winter breaks

15 Jan 2025

If you live in the Western world, you will be used to the harsh winters, some of you will enjoy it while others won’t. Those who don’t will be looking for destinations where they can enjoy the warm temperatures. For Americans, there are destinations in the south of the country and beyond in the Caribbean Sea. Some of you may have got bored of these and will be looking for a destination that is overseas but doesn’t cost much. Goa far away in the Indian subcontinent along the Arabian Sea is among the budget holiday destinations that many Westerners come to, some looking for adventures.

Warm weather in a land far far away

Here you will find enjoyable temperatures in winter which stays around 20 degrees, and the destination is more suited for warm winter holidays as it rains a lot here in the summer. Yes it is a long way away from your part of the world and you will be on long-haul flights to reach here, often with stopovers with connecting flights, but you will find that your trip was well worth your time and money. You may be expecting a culture shock, but the locals here are among the most westernized in the country. Also, this area was the first to be discovered by the Europeans and was a Portuguese colony for a few centuries, giving you a mix of cultures that separates this Indian state from others.

Sun, Sea, and Sand, the Goan way

goa sunset

The beaches are the main attraction here with some popular ones along the major cities, some at exclusive resorts and other unexplored ones. Yes, you can expect to find many Indian tourists here as Goa is also a popular domestic tourist destination. However, the locals here are tolerant of other cultures, due to their history and foreigners are always welcome here. You can choose to sunbathe or swim, with most Europeans coming here as groups expecting to enjoy another part of the world. Some of the beaches have large rocks behind them while others have palm trees lined up alongside them.

The activities along the sea

Parasailing-water

The tourism sector in Goa is highly developed and highly organized, which means that trips of all kinds can be easily organized. As for what you can do along the beaches, you will get to be part of activities that you can imagine in any other part of the world, like scuba diving, kayaking, and boat rides. If you are interested in extreme sports, you can try bungee jumping, flying on a hot air balloon, or paragliding. You will find many accommodations in the form of large and small hotels, close to the beaches offering you good views at sunrise, sunset, and nights. You can even join the cruise rides which will give you good views into the sea and along the coast, with different sized boats with different activities to keep you entertained.

The nightlife of Goan kind

goa nightlife

There are quite a few bars and nightclubs here that are frequented by youngsters, young professionals, and students. Here you can enjoy the Indian alcoholic drinks, the beer, wines, and whiskeys that will be of flavors you may not be used to. As for the clubs you will find musicians playing their own songs or DJs playing the latest pop songs. The ambiance here will be very different from that you will have come across in any other part of the world. There are a few music festivals and concerts here, where you will often find popular singers entertaining large crowds while they all dance together.

The sights in the interiors

goa greenery

When you think of India, you will think of jungles, some with exotic animals, waterfalls, and rivers with trees on their trails. There are different ways in which you can explore the interiors of this state, including train rides and taxi rides. The train rides will take you through large areas with different geography. You can always book accommodations in the forests and try bike riding with your companions to experience the greenery your way. As for the rivers, you can join river rafting expeditions. There are a few lakes too, again with accommodations next to them, allowing you to set base here as you venture into the lush areas nearby.

The religion and culture

Kavlem,-Phonda

Goa is known to have a significant population of Christians with some people of mixed European ancestry. This means some very old churches built by the Portuguese during the days of their colonial rule, giving you an insight into how the religion is practiced differently here. Though most of the population is Hindu, as is the whole country, so make some time to visit the large temples too. The local cuisine here has plenty of seafood and if you enjoy Indian cuisine, you cannot go back without trying the local fish curry. You will find plenty of restaurants along the beaches, serving items from any cuisine that you enjoy, though expect some fusion dishes with Indian flavors.

Conclusion

Goa will be preferred by those who are looking for a holiday that will be totally wild for your senses and you will need an Indian visa to get here. Most direct flights here come from the major Indian cities and some from Middle Eastern airports, so to get here you will need to get to these airports first. However, there are a few seasonal flights from the UK and Russia too. So, to join them and if India always made you curious, just catch flights to Goa.

By FlightsChannel Team
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