Goa

For backpackers and most travelers the last stop on a tour of India is the Goan coast. The Indian state of Goa is home to miles of desirable palm lined beaches spilling into the Arabian Sea. The pace in Goa is slower and the hassles fewer. That doesn’t mean you won’t be approached by people on the beach trying to sell you everything from Goa chill out Cd’s to t-shirts but the delivery is more relaxed. Goa offers the traveler a chance to decompress from the pressures of traveling elsewhere in India.

Miles of coastline are lined with villages, towns, and plenty of resorts to match anyone’s taste or budget. There are places to party and places to be far away from it all. Some beaches are pristine while others can be kind of junky. The question is what beach? What place? I didn’t want a party beach and I didn’t want some large fancy resort beach. I wanted quiet but not isolated. I was looking for a balance.

When I got off the train in Margao I decided to head straight to the sea to see what I could find and took a bus to Benalum. When I got off the bus I Immediately met two Swedish girls that I had met when I was in Agra. I’ve done so much since then that I really didn’t remember them at first but once we got talking it all came back. They’ve been in Goa for awhile and directed me to a good area to stay that’s right on the beach between Benalum and Colva. For 800 rupees ($16 USD) I found a nice clean hotel room in a small basic resort. A large bottle of beer is about $1.75 and the beach is clean. It’s quiet but not far from the village of Colva and other simple resorts with restaurants. The best thing is that it’s a totally chill place. The staff is very easy going. No hassles and very peaceful. Just what I need. I easily found what I was looking for.

Goa is definitely a magnet for westerners and aside of local women walking on the beach wearing saris and the restaurant and hotel staff being Indian you might think you’re in Europe. Oh, I forgot about boys walking a cow or people playing cricket or the traditional fishing boats. No, this is still India. It’s just that you might hear more people speaking German than Hindi when you sit down at a western style beachside bar.

In the evening, after a sunset swim in the Arabian Sea, I joined an American/Venezuelan couple at nice beachside restaurant full of westerners. Mostly Europeans. We laughed about how we felt more like we were in the Caribbean. After over a month in India that’s just fine with me for now. On Monday I’ll be back in the thick of it when I arrive in Mumbai (Bombay).