Where to Stay in Goa ?
There are plenty of options available for stay in Goa and probably your Goa tour package will include Hotels in Goa for family at nice places. The city offers hotels of all types such as star rating hotels, budget hotels, heritage hotels, etc. There are plenty of options available for stay in Goa.
How to reach Goa
Air : Goa Airport or Dabolim International Airport is connected with the rest of the country by airlines like Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, AirAsia, SpiceJet. The airport is about 30 km from Panjim and is accessible by taxis and buses operated by Kadamba Transport Corporation with services to Calangute, Panjim and Margao.
Train : The main railway stations in Goa are Vasco da Gama and Madgaon. If you are travelling from Maharashtra then there are over 45 Mumbai to Goa trains that cover the route.
Bus : There are buses available to Goa from nearby major cities of Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore, and Hyderabad.
Popular Hotel in Goa:
Catch a whiff of the spice plantations
Ponda city in Goa is dappled with patches of plantations and estates emanating the familiar aromas and the not so familiar too. A visit to a spice plantation is not just evocative but educational too. Learn about the production of spices and the cultivation at the very source. Book yourself a guided tour at the Savoi Spice Plantation, Tropical Spice Plantation and Sahakari Spice Farms. Savoi Plantation is among the oldest spice plantations in Goa and comprises various varieties of fruit, spice and herb plants such as cumin, cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, coriander, pepper, coconut, turmeric, cashew, and more. Spend a day at Savoi filled with interactive sessions, lunch on a banana leaf, Ayurveda consultation. A visit to the Sahakari offers you a chance to bath with elephants along with a regular offerings in a guided tour. Explore the coffee plantations at Tropical Spice Plantation. The estate not only is home to coffee plants but also houses over 70 exotic species of birds like the Kingfisher.
The culinary charms
Goan cuisine is a piquant blend of the influences from the Portuguese and the coastal flavours of the Konkan along with a few cues taken from the hippies. Presently, the Goan cuisine can be divided into two main cuisines namely the Goan Catholic and Hindu Konkan both distinct and delectable in equal parts. The staples for the Hindu Konkan are coconut and fish while the Goan Catholic cuisine uses pork, beef and vinegar in heavy doses. In between there is the hippie food culture evolved over the years with some of them having opened beach cafes and serving part fusion part contemporary food. Try the feni – the quintessential Goan drink which comes in variants such as Caju feni made from fermented cashews. Other local drinks to try are the toddy and Port wines which can be bought from the flea markets apart from the shops. Some interesting places to eat in Goa are Noronha’s for quick tidbits, Surya Beach Cafe for some lip-smacking seafood, Pousada for the Goan food, the French restaurant La Plage, and Ciao Bella for Italian fare.
Collect curios at the flea markets
Set up and popularised by the hippies who settled here, flea markets have been in existence for long now and are the defining wedge of the cultural landscape of Goa. Most of these flea markets set shop during the peak tourist season i.e. from November to March. On a breezy Wednesday head to Anjuna – the most famous Goan flea market there is. The place offers interesting finds ranging from jewellery to trinkets, hammocks, sarongs, scarves, t-shirts and more. Explore the Saturday night market in the Arpora district which remains open from 6 pm till 2 am living up to the archetypal Goan bustle. The bazaar has on display the various stalls exhibiting spices, handicrafts, clothes et al with live music performances. The market is in full swing during Christmas. Arambol street market in the quaint eponymous village is another bazaar you need to check out while in Goa for its round the year availability and cheaper prices than other flea markets. Visit between 10 am to 9 pm daily to shop for knick-knacks.