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Travelling to Goa soon? In this post, I am going to share with you the Goa travel tips that you absolutely need to know before you travel to Goa.
The tips are in random order but comprehensively cover everything you need to know about
All the tips contain detailed insights based on my 20+ trips to Goa. So if you want your trip to be magical but not challenging and fun but not frustrating, make sure you read the article thoroughly!
(You can thank me later… I will tell you how!)
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read the disclaimer for more information.
As soon as you exit Goa airport, you will notice hundreds of pick-up placards and dozens of cab drivers calling you out.
Don’t pick the first driver who approaches you as he will definitely take overcharge you.
Also a practice that I find rather annoying is that of depositing your ID card like your PAN, Aadhar Card or Passport with the bike rental shop for the duration of your rental.
So it would be prudent to carry two Government ID cards – one to be kept as a deposit and the other to show at bars and clubs requiring age verification.
Make sure you get a written acknowledgment of the deposit of your Government ID card to avoid issues later.
Many people who have never visited Goa imagine it to be like any other tourist destination in India – i.e. they believe it to be a small town or a city.
But what you must remember is that Goa is a state. Even though it is one of the smallest states in India, it is still much bigger than a regular tourist town in India.
In fact, the vertical length of Goa is approximately 105 kilometres and its approximate width is 60 kilometres.
Thus, you can never ‘cover’ all of Goa in one trip. You will have to mostly cover only a small part of Goa in one trip or divide your time in Goa wisely between North and South Goa to make the most of your trip.
As a first-timer in Goa trying to visit major tourist attraction, understand that you will spend a considerable amount of time commuting between places.
In my digital travel plan Goa: Planned for You, I have created a full itinerary to cut down your trip planning process.
All you have to do is follow it!
Goa: Planned for You
Given how huge Goa is, the best way to cut down on time spent travelling is by renting a two-wheeler.
The roads in Goa are also in good condition for most parts of the year.
The only time when riding a scooter won’t be a convenient option is during monsoons.
Foreigners not used to riding in India can safely initiate themselves in Goa as there is hardly any traffic in the internal roads in Goa. Once you build confidence, you can then venture on the highways and in main cities.
You can also get fancier, bigger bikes on rent. Expect to pay a higher rent for these.
I personally prefer a scooter over a bike for its storage space.
It is very common for tourists to take a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler on rent when in Goa.
But to avoid getting in any kind of rental troubles later, check the following
Goa is one of the prime most tourist destinations in India. As a result, there is cut throat competition amongst hotels, hostels and homestays.
Tourists have faced difficulties on account of such scammy behavior.
I faced a similar issue on one of my trips when I booked a highly-rated hotel only to find multiple cockroaches in my room. It was a horror!
After that, I have exercised tremendous caution when booking hotels in Goa. To avoid getting into trouble, I book all my stays in Goa using Booking.com which allows free cancellation.
Booking a taxi for sightseeing or for pick up and drops to the nearest station often proves to be much more expensive.
This is because hotels are not allowed to hire their own drivers.
Most hotels use the services of local taxi drivers from their area and thus charge a surcharge or extra commission to you.
To save money, directly approach a taxi driver waiting outside your hotel.
The only minor inconvenience caused to you is that you will have to carry your luggage outside as the taxi driver that you’ve booked directly won’t be allowed entry inside the hotel premises.
(As ridiculous as this may sound, that’s exactly how Goa works!)
Many a times when people read that some areas in Goa are crowded, they don’t fathom the degree.
So let me help you get an idea.
The tourist side of Goa i.e. areas between Candolim and Vagator are massively crowded.
If you are someone who absolutely can’t stand such massive crowds, please avoid visiting touristy areas on weekends (in particular long weekends).
The crowds in touristy Goa recedes considerably on weekdays.
Like all tourist destinations, if you want to maximise the return on your buck, bargain hard.
Put your shameless haggle pants on and start negotiating from at least 60% of the price quoted and then go upwards.
Probably the only places where you won’t be allowed to bargain is at cafés and restaurants.
As I have stated in my (soon to be published) article on what to pack for a trip to Goa, it’s is best to pack light for a Goa trip.
You can find lots of shops selling clothes, swimwear, sarongs, jewellery, hats and other accessories near all beach and tourist areas.
So it is best to buy stuff that you need on reaching Goa and pack as lightly as possible.
This saves space in your luggage as well as proves to be economic especially for longer stays in Goa.
Don’t plan a hectic trip (you’ll miss the real beauty of Goa)
Let me be honest with you-
As much as I recommend visiting the tourist places in Goa, in my opinion, they hardly encapsulate the essence of visiting Goa.
Unfortunately, a mere visit to a tourist attraction hardly let’s us experience this beauty of Goa.
Therefore, if visiting churches, museums or forts doesn’t interest you, it’s okay to leave those places out of your itinerary.
To enhance the quality of your visit, include as many offbeat locations in your itinerary as possible.
While Instagrammers may be populating your feed with the trendiest restaurants and cafés all around Goa, the real magic lies in its local street food and bakeries.
Local street food and bakeries in Goa offer absolutely delicious yet inexpensive food.
For breakfast, eating freshly baked food at a bakery feels much more satiating than eating at a fancy eatery.
For main meals too, you can safely rely on streed food joints that serve Poi, Ros Omelette, Xacuti, Goan Chilly Chicken, Samosas, Bhaje and Patal Bhaji and Wada. The food is super filling and hardly puts a dent in your pocket.
The food sold here is also classic Goan food that you won’t get to taste in other bigger food joints.
When in Goa… you eeeaaaaaat!
It’s so difficult to limit your portion sizes thanks to the sheer variety of delicious food that surrounds you.
From seafood specialities to a fish thali to continental cuisine to baked goods, it is safe to label Goa as a foodie’s paradise.
The intake of main meals is further loaded with occasional drinks, juices, finger foods, coffees and desserts.
So, in short, be ready for some calorie overload.
The consumption and distribution of drugs is a serious legal offence in India. The law prescribes a very harsh punishment that includes rigorous imprisonment for the same.
Yet, cases of illegal distribution and consumption of drugs repeatedly come to light as Goa police cracks down on offenders.
Don’t accidentally fall prey to such crimes.
Alcohol is available all across Goa. From liquor shops, to restaurants to beach shacks, you can find liquor easily.
But don’t be tempted to drink irresponsibly.
Like every major tourist destination in the world, Goa has its share of scamsters looking for innocent tourist preys.
On top of this, there are many scams where people looking to engage in illegal activities like drugs and prostitution are duped. But the only way to protect yourself from such scams is by not indulging in any activity that’s illegal as per the laws of the land.
I think in today’s age of technological advancement, not travelling with a pocket full of cash should be a no-brainer.
Why attract the risk of being robbed when you could be transacting digitally, right?
So to avoid being pickpocketed or robbed in Goan tourist areas, don’t walk around with a loaded pocket.
There are plenty of ATMs in all tourist areas. Most commercial establishments also accept digital payments and cards.
Goa takes the meaning of ‘slow’ to a whole other level.
You will also notice the laidback attitude in all walks of life.
You will rarely find rickshaws queueing up at railway stations or airports early in the morning, in the afternoon or after sunset.
If you have a flight or a train to catch at odd hours, please book your commute in advance.
Finding someone on the streets at odd hours is nearly impossible.
Basically, if you want something done fast or need some urgent assistance, you are in the wrong region.
The only way to cope with this slowness of lifestyle is by embracing it and planning around it.
I have written extensively about the damage sunrays can cause you in Goa in my article on what to pack for a trip to Goa.
I have learned the hard way by getting my skin burnt to the point of the sunburnt skin flaking and peeling off. But you can learn from my mistakes.
Likewise, expect mosquitoes and small insects in many budget rooms and beachside accommodations. Carry a good skin cream and mosquito repellant to protect yourself.
As I told you earlier, Goa is not another tourist town.
Doing this will get you closer to the beauty of Goa, make you understand its culture and its way of life.
A rushed trip to Goa that covers tourist places and leaves no extra time is the worst way of exploring Goa.
I have let you in on this trick in my article on 12 useful ways to visit Goa on a budget. But let me quickly summarise it for you here-
Alcohol is cheaper in Goa but only if you buy it at a local liquor shop.
Popular restaurants and pubs serve alcohol at rates comparable with major Indian cities. Drinking here will cause a hole in your pocket.
So be smart and buy drinks from a liquor shop and enjoy it with your friends and family at your hotel or hostel.
Goan flea markets are truly one of a kind. They are weekly and have a certain attractive vibe to it. The most famous flea markets in Goa are
While these places sell some truly exquisite clothing and jewellery items, I think that they don’t justify their once a week tease.
Plus, you also save on the entry fee charged by some flea markets by shopping from local street-side vendors instead.
Just because Goan dressing standards are not as orthodox as many other places in India does not mean that you are allowed to disrespect local culture.
Goa is home to some of the most beautiful and religiously symbollic temples and churches.
Do not enter these religious institutions skimpily dressed.
Avoid wearing sleeveless clothing, deep neck tops or clothing that’s above your knees.
If you are using Google Maps or Maps to navigate, you may risk getting stuck in such regions.
Always save maps offline when covering major distances by road.
Riding a two-wheeler in Goa is a fun experience, except at night. At night, when you ride from one place to another you will notice a number of small flying insects. (I wish I knew the name of these insects). My husband was troubled by these insects as they would enter his eye and make riding extremely difficult.
This problem is particularly faced on the highway connecting North Goa to South Goa.
Wear night driving glasses to beat this issue.
I have tried to pour all my experience of travelling to Goa in a long helpful listicle. I am sure you found it helpful. Is there something you would like to add? If yes, please leave a comment down below.
In my readymade digital Goa travel plan, I recommend where to stay, where to eat and what to do to suit your travel style. Check it out here.
GOA: PLANNED FOR YOU
Benefit from our expertise in Goa. Save hours of trip planning effort, save thousands of rupees on travel agents and kill trip planning overwhelm.
Get access to the best Goa trip plan with specially curated stay recommendations, restaurant suggestions, day-wise break-up of things to do, a fully interactive Goa map and much more in a single downloadable pdf.
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TOP TRAVEL RESOURCES
Here is a list of our favorite travel resources- the ones that I absolutely swear by when planning almost every trip. Go through this list to plan a hassle-free trip and save a lot of money!
Flight Booking: Check the availability of tickets, the best time to fly, and the cheapest fares on Skyscanner. You may also find a cheap flight via CheapOair
Accommodation: I absolutely love booking through Agoda. In most countries and particularly in Asia, I often find the best fares on Agoda. But I also love the no prepayment and no cancellation fee policy of Booking.com. For cheap accommodations and hostels, nothing beats Hostelworld.
Car Rentals: You may find and rent an appropriate car via RentalCars. It’s hassle-free and reliable.
Guided Tours: I absolutely love GetYourGuide for local sightseeing tours, walking tours, history tours, and food tours. The booking process is seamless, and the tours are super affordable. But in Asian countries, I prefer Viator or Klook for their affordably priced tours.
Lounge Access: Get Priority Pass – my personal favorite card that gives me unlimited access to premium airport lounges all over the world
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Vrushali Ketkar is a lawyer turned travel blogger. She has travelled to 14 countries. She travels like a regular working woman with family. Her lawyer-level research skills make her a destination expert and help her get the most out of my trips. Today, her travel articles and videos help thousands of people across the world plan their trips to various parts of the world.
