“It is a Goa travalogue and gives a first hand account of the writer’s experiences of the place. The writer has tried to bring out best, the place has to offer to tourists”
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Author: Denise Rashmi
Goa, the land of the sun, sand and the beach has always been my dream holiday destination and I have been able to visit the place not once or twice but on three different occasions at three different times of the year.
Winters are the best time to visit Goa as the weather is just perfect to enjoy the place completely at this time. The sea is also calm and there is an ocean of activities you can indulge in at the beach. For those who would rather relax, there couldn’t be a better place as you can actually sit at the beach just gazing at the incessant waves hitting the shore for hours together without getting bored.
Our first trip to Goa was during Christmas and the moment we stepped foot at the place we were transported into another world. The entire place wore a very festive look with almost all the houses having a Bethlehem star on display and some with beautifully adorned Christmas trees.
The place was bustling with energy and there was something happening at every nook and corner to provide entertainment to anyone who wanted to have a good time. That perhaps is the best part about the place, it is an ideal tourist destination for people from all walks of life with the smallest of budgets, and there is something for everyone. That reminds you of the unmistakable, enthusiastic spirit of the people of Goa, both are full of life.
We had stayed at the Holiday Inn and what really impressed us was the fact that we were only minutes away from the beach as the place had its own private beach. So, the moment we checked in, we headed straight to the sea without wasting any time. The view of the sea was breathtaking and the gentle waves touching your feet just leave you with a feeling of euphoria. The most interesting part was the fact that even though it was winters, the water there was warm. Since we were nearing sunset we decided to return to the hotel .As we traced our steps back from the beach we could hear some lovely piano playing at a distance only to realize that it was a regular feature at the hotel every evening. There was someone at the piano every evening at sunset by the pool and the guests could just relax by the pool bar listening to some very good, soothing music.
The next day we were supposed to explore the city and the other beaches of Goa. Since the public beaches of Baga and Calangute are quite popular, we decided to spend the first half of the day at Baga as the place offers a host of water activities like speed boat ride, banana boat ride, water skiing etc. For first timers the speed boat ride is adventure enough and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The mere fact that we were at the sea was thrilling enough for us and our day went quite well just letting our hair down and enjoying every moment of it.
Towards late afternoon we headed towards Calangute beach and were pleasantly surprised to see that food was the main attraction there. The beach shacks have mouth watering, exotic sea food on their menu and it’s quite a challenge not to indulge in those. For food lovers it is an irresistible place and a must visit.
Our last day was by far the most memorable one as we had to go deep into the sea very early in the morning to see dolphins. As we floated away from the land and farther into the sea, I was gripped by a great sense of adventure. It was a breathtaking sight to be surrounded with deep blue water and no land in sight. We were just recovering from the experience when we saw something swimming alongside our boat, it was so close that we could almost touch it and the next moment it disappeared. Before we could realize what it was we saw that very creature leap out of the sea at a distance……I had never imagined we would ever get a chance to witness such an amazing sight……Dolphins leaping from the sea only happened in movies and we couldn’t believe our good fortune at having experienced the incredible sight first hand. It seems to me now that nature was extraordinarily kind to us that day for we had the rare opportunity to sight a shark as well. Completely content with our dolphin chase we returned to our hotel and back to Bangalore with the determination to return again.
On hindsight I do feel we made a mistake in choosing the time of our second trip to Goa as it was the tail end of May and monsoons were almost knocking at the door. All the same, we had our share of fun doing other things than spending time at the beach although I must admit that the beach remains my favourite recreation. The sea has a very calming effect on my senses and I instantly feel relaxed just walking on the beach with the waves caressing the golden sand constantly.
We stayed at the Varca Palms beach resort and the place just charmed its way into our hearts with separate cottages beautifully landscaped across the property. Our cottage was bang opposite the swimming pool and overlooking the beach so we were quite happy with the whole setting. The resort had bicycles available for hire so we just took a ride of the countryside getting reminiscent of our carefree adolescent days. Even though we couldn’t laze around at the beach during this trip, this substitute instantly lifted our spirits.
We returned to Goa yet again in April, it was hot and humid but the moment you go near the sea, the water immediately cools you down and you don’t realize how hot it is as you get completely engrossed with the waves constantly teasing you but the moment you get confident you get completely taken by surprise by a huge wave suddenly engulfing you and leaving you wet and full of sand from head to toe.
Cidade de Goa had a host of adventure sports for the guests. There was windsurfing, water skiing, banana boat ride, speed boat ride, water scooter ride and even scuba diving. When you think of Goa you conjure a picture of the sea and pristine beaches but you will be surprised at the number of rivers and lakes also present in the place which makes it an ideal place for river cruises. We had taken the sunset cruise which was also a guided tour of the city with live entertainment from the local folk artists.
Overall Goa is a very warm and welcoming place and the affability of the people there almost becomes addictive.
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Comments:
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there are lot to describe about goa which is best described by the above article. the above article is good to describe goa as a attraction place