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South AsiaBeachCultureFoodYoga

India — Goa & South

Kerala's backwaters, Goa's beaches, Tamil Nadu's temples, and a slower pace of Indian life that's completely different from the north.

South Asia — Goa
🏖️ Beach Parties🌅 Sunsets🐄 Cows on Beaches🎭 Full Moon Fiestas

Backpacking India

Goa is India on easy mode — the beaches, the parties, the full moon raves, and the Portuguese colonial architecture in Old Goa. North Goa is the social scene; South Goa is where you go when you want the beach to yourself.

£15–30/day avg daily budget
Key Info
Rupee (INR)Konkani, Hindi & EnglishType C/D/MDrive Left
Not obligatory — 10% appreciated
Weather
Best: Nov–Feb
Dry Season (Nov–Feb)Perfect beach weather, full moon parties in season
November to February is peak season — dry, warm, busy. Monsoon June–September.
Health
⚠️Use bottled water — Bottled water only throughout Goa
Hepatitis Arecommended
Typhoidrecommended
Transport
Scooter rentalUber (limited)local buses
✈️ Dabolim (GOI) / Mopa (GOX)
No metro — rent a scooter (£4/day) for everything
Emergency
👮 Police100
🚑 Ambulance102
🔥 Fire101
The Highlights

8 Things to Do in India

01
Take a houseboat through Kerala's backwaters — book a budget shared boat
02
Rent a scooter in Goa and find the empty northern beaches (Arambol, Morjim)
03
Visit the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai — the most extraordinary temple in India
04
Take the backwaters ferry between Alleppey and Kollam — all day local ferry
05
Attend a Kathakali dance performance in Kerala
06
Eat a banana-leaf thali at a local South Indian restaurant for under £2
07
Surf Varkala's red-cliff beach — great beginner waves and cheaper than Goa
08
Take the toy train from Ooty through the Nilgiri Hills — extraordinary scenery
Where to Go

Breaking Down Goa

Each region has a completely different character. Here is what to expect.

🏖️North Goa

The party coast — beach clubs, full moon parties at Hilltop, markets at Anjuna on Wednesdays. The flea market at Anjuna and Saturday night market at Arpora are the best shopping in Goa. Touristy but energetic.

🌿South Goa

A completely different Goa — quieter, more beautiful beaches, less development. Palolem's crescent bay is the classic. Agonda is even quieter, popular with yoga retreaters. The seafood here (kingfish, tiger prawns, crab) is the best in Goa.

🏛️Old Goa

The UNESCO-listed former Portuguese capital — Basilica of Bom Jesus (relics of St Francis Xavier), Se Cathedral, and a complex of churches demonstrating this was once a major colonial trading hub. Worth a half-day from anywhere on the coast.

🛵Inland Goa

Spice plantations with tours and lunch, the Dudhsagar waterfall (best in monsoon), and old mining villages. The interior Goa that most visitors miss entirely.

Money Breakdown

What to Budget For

Daily Total

Goa is mid-range for India.

Budget Tip

North Goa beach accommodation £15-30 per night.

Budget Tip

South Goa similar pricing.

Eating Out

Restaurant fish thali £4-8.

Snacks & Drinks

Beer (Kingfisher) £1-2.

Travel Responsibly

Eco and Community Tips

Goa's beach ecosystem suffers from excessive sun-lounger and umbrella concessions on North Goa beaches. South Goa beaches have better regulation. Inland and plantation tourism directly benefits farming communities that have lost land to coastal development.

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