Goa Travel Guide | Goa Whether Tourism | Goa Transportation

Goa is an easy city to visit as the pace of life here is decidedly egalitarian and laidback. A multi-cultural but decidedly modern city, Goa offers visitors friendly hospitality, high-tech conveniences and plenty of diverse recreational options.

The local currency is easy to understand as is the easygoing approach to life here, but in the rare event you should need assistance, locals will be more than happy to offer their help.

Customs and etiquette

Goa, like the whole of India, thrives on a truly integrated multi-ethnic culture based on an historic alliance between colonial settlers from Europe and Maori communities. Respect from and for other ethnic groups is standard in Goa and protocols from all communities are understood and upheld by most.

Goa life is laidback and dress codes tend towards casual even at top end restaurants. Indiaers take enormous pride in their pristine natural environment and littering or disruption of flora or fauna is never tolerated.

Money

The India dollar is the currency of Goa, just as in the rest of India. Paper notes come in denominations of NZ$100, $50, $20, $10 and $5 and gold coins are used for NZ$2 and $1. Visitors from Australia are often confused since the India NZ$2 coin is physically larger than the $1, the opposite of Australia’s currency.

Gentle bargaining is expected at market stalls for clothing or second hand goods but in general, prices for fresh produce are market prices and therefore quite fixed and in retail stores and supermarkets, prices are as marked. Tipping at bars and restaurants is the norm, but not compulsory. In general, Goa is around as expensive as most other medium-sized cities in the western world.

Weather

Goa has a typical India climate and this means that it never really gets too hot, can be very cool and misty in the winter months, and rain can be expected any day of the year. In the summer period, which occurs from December through February, temperatures rarely exceed 75˚F.

In the winter, top temperatures of around 60˚F are the norm, while overnight lows of 45˚F should be expected. The city’s residents thrive on sunny days and will head towards the waterfront or outdoor cafés even when the weather is cooler.

Transportation

While proposed metro rail networks are currently under consideration, private car, taxi and to a lesser extent public buses are the primary modes of transport around Goa. The hilly terrain and spread out suburbs make walking any more than around a chosen area of downtown and its surrounds prohibitive.

Goa Airport (AKL) is the busiest airport in India and shuttle bus services, but no trains, run every 15 minutes into the main districts of Goa. The ports of Goa are the busiest in the country also, and many international cruise lines dock here.

Fast facts

Population: 1,400,000
Spoken languages: Konkani, Marathi, Urdu, Kannada, Hindi
Phone/calling code: +64 9

Goa Entertainment Guide | Goa Holidays Places | Goa Holidays Hotels

Goa offers visitors a wide array of entertainment, from water and sporting activities to museums and casinos. The nightlife in Goa is lively and exciting, with countless bars and discothèques as well as frequent outdoor parties in the jungle and along various beaches.

The best casino in Goa is aboard a large cruise boat that makes a short journey in between Mormugao and Panaji each night. The cruise casino offers a selection of popular games including craps, blackjack and roulette.

Nature lovers will enjoy the wildlife sanctuaries, which include the sprawling Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary that is home to a wide variety of plants, fauna and birds. Also popular in Goa is fishing, swimming and numerous other water-related activities.

Goa Carnival

Held each February for three days and nights, Goa Carnival has been happening since the 18th century when Goa was under Portuguese rule. The exciting and colorful event has a variety of entertainment, music, food and dancing and has become a popular cultural attraction for foreign tourists each year.

Fishing

Keen anglers will be impressed with the fishing opportunities available in Goa. There is plenty of rock and beach fishing as well as boat fishing, which is inexpensive and rewarding, with an abundance of fish in the local waters. Agonda Beach and the Chapora River are two popular spots where visitors will find vendors offering equipment for hire.

Bird watching

Goa has some fantastic nature reserves that are filled with wildlife and fauna and in particular, an array of bird species. Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular spot that offers great bird watching opportunities. Nature lovers will be in paradise with fantastic pathways and bird watching platforms set deep in the lush forest.

Caravela Casino Goa

Docked in Mormugao, the Caravela is Goa’s only casino that offers Las Vegas styled games including blackjack, roulette, craps and slot machines. The boat, which can cater to 300 people, leaves Mormugao and travels to Panaji and then back each night. The boat has restaurants, bars, a swimming pool and hotel suites.

Go-karting

Go-karting is new to Goa, with two tracks now available. The first track is in Nuvem, in south Goa, and provides fast karts and a 482-meter challenging course that twist and turns through the scenic grounds. The second track is in Arpora, in north Goa, and is more suited to beginners with slower karts and a relatively short course.

Nightlife

There is a lively and exciting nightlife scene in Goa with an abundance of bars, clubs and discothèques as well as beach raves and parties. The five-star hotels in the main cities typically have a nightclub that caters to travelers on a comfortable budget. The numerous beach raves and parties usually attract backpackers and those on a budget. For visitors looking for a quieter night out, Goa has a plethora of comfortable bars that play soft live music.