Goa in Monsoons

Goa. That piece of land with abundant sunshine, fresh sea breeze, gentle waves, cheaper-than-water alcohol and yes everything nice. Now picture this. Goa. The same piece of land but this time with a sun playing hide-n-seek with the clouds, light drizzles to heavy showers, sometimes a bright sunny day, roaring waves, the same old cheaper-than-water alcohol and yes everything resplendent in every possible hue of green. That my friend is Goa in Monsoons for you!

                The Europeans, desperate for some sunshine, throng Goa in the summer and winter seasons. It’s during the monsoons that Goa is much neglected. And that’s your chance to enjoy Goa as God made it – lush green grass, tall palm trees dotting every road, the fragrance of fresh wet soil, the beautiful sea made even grander by the rains and yes the more than benevolent Sun God! Take my word; this is the season to visit Goa! And as it has always happened, it didn’t rain on 2 out of the 3 days we went there. So you have the benefit of a crowdless and dearth cheap Goa but with added benefits of being closer to Nature than you ever can imagine here. Goa in monsoons transforms itself into a rare combination of Kerala and Uttarakhand. It’s sheer brilliance.

                So first you need to get your place of stay right. The North is the more popular one. The South is more on the calmer side. Never and I mean never stay at the Central Goan beaches as they are way too much in the west. So every time you need to go anywhere, you end up travelling 20kms by default.  My suggestion would be to either stick to the extreme South beaches or the extreme North beaches. Personally I feel South has not been much explored. So that’s a better place to stay as there are many places close by from there which are more than just beaches.

                Now that the location is sorted, let’s get down to business. Goa has seriously more things to offer than just the beaches. Yes beaches are important but one needs to realise that all beaches have the same water, the same sand and are pretty much the same. So what matters is you choose a cleaner, a less crowded beach. Go try the Palolem, Butterfly or the Colva beaches in South or the Candolim in the north. In monsoons, most shacks are shut and so also the water sports. So there is no point in going to Baga or Calungute or the likes as they won’t have anything more to offer in monsoons.  Butterfly beach has this nice little island and is quite a secluded beach.  Candolim is just besides Calangute but is still unadulterated. There is a permanent shack there called ‘Sunny side up’. It’s a must go for lunch. Good food coupled with a breezy table by the beach. That’s heaven!

                Try out good food places in Goa. ‘Martins’ is a very famous joint and the one very easily approachable is the one at Madgaon.  Then there are the local khaanavals which will serve you authentic Goan Konkani cuisine at really cheap prices. Try locating the one at Madgaon or any other town in Goa and you’ll be glad. The signature dishes to try are the Pork (or chicken if you don’t consume pork) Vindaloo or the Sarpotel. Fish is always welcome so try out some fresh salt water fish. When it comes to alcohol, you don’t have to go far. It sells so cheap there that it’s actually almost cheaper than water. The local feni made from cashewnuts is worth a try.

                Goa in the monsoons means the abundant greenery. Just hire bikes and roam around absorbing the greens which are such a rare species back home in the metros. Stop by temples in Phonda like Mangueshi and Shantadurga. These are pretty old temples and much revered by locals and tourists alike. The churches of Old Goa are a must visit if this is your first time. If you have the time and the patience to ride for 2-3 hours on the bikes then the Dudhsagar falls are a must visit. These majestic waterfalls right on the border of Goa and Karnataka are an awesome sight in monsoons. And then there are the wildlife sanctuaries in case you are a wildlife enthusiast. Cotigao or Dr. Salim Ali Sanctuary can be converted into a day trip. Also try out the River cruise on the Mandovi in the evening and catch the sunset on the horizon. Just ensure that you carry some spare fuel on you just in case your bike runs out of it. And mind the cops!

So all in all you won’t be left stranded on a beach. Goa gets more exciting in the monsoons and it’s upto you to explore the beauty.  Goa never disappoints. It always has something up its sleeves to charm you and make you fall in love with it all over again. I have been there around a dozen times and always want to go there again. That’s the charisma of Goa. It will bind you in a serene spell of freedom, zest and all things nice. Go Goa this Monsoon and especially in the Hindu month of Shravan as it rains relatively less. And remember – in Goa life is always sushegaat!

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