Goa Calling You To Celebrate the New Year

· by · in Travel, Website & Product Reviews. ·

Goa, one of the most popular beach destinations in India, basks in its glory in the month of December due to festivities as Christmas and New Year. Ranging from backpackers and honeymooners to families and friends, people visit Goa in large numbers during this time of the year. The vibrant celebration of  Christmas and New Year parties in Goa is almost proverbial.

If you are planning a trip to Goa this yearend, here is a handful of useful information as to how you can make the most of your trip.

Visit Old Goa and its Churches: Old Goa sparkles with enthusiasm during Christmas time with people celebrating with absolute delight and exuberance. Streets are beautifully decorated with stars, ribbons and Christmas trees. Wafts of home-made chocolates and cakes will make you feel heavenly while walking along the bazaars. Temporary stalls are set up everywhere where you can find other Goan delicacies. The Grand church, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, their architecture and Portuguese history, along with a spiritual air; it’s an experience you’ll cherish forever.  It’s better if one avails a full day car rental in Goa to explore all the important places.

Basilica_of_Bom_Jesus,_old_goa

Bom Jesus Basilica

Visit Arpora’s Saturday Night Bazaar: This famous bazaar in Goa operates from November to April, but the enthusiasm and celebration reach its zenith in December. During this time, the retailers offer their best products and discounts to lure the large influx of tourists. The market functions every Saturday from 6 pm in the evening until Sunday early morning. Apart from shopping, live music and dance shows act as cherries on the top. Even foreigners are allowed to set up stalls. Tourists can buy imported items at reasonable prices. Explore the night bazaar for handicrafts, clothes, shell jewellery, junk jewellery and bags.

800px-Church_of_the_Immaculate_Conception,_Panjim_Goa

Christmas Decoration of Church of the Immaculate Conception

Water sports: The weather during December (temperature varies between 22°C to 30°C) in Goa is ideal for water sports such as wakeboarding, jet skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, sailing and many others. The famous beaches to enjoy water sports are Dona Paula Bay, Candolim Beach and Cidade De Goa. Make sure to take the hospitality and services of a registered operator who provides basic training and equipment covering all necessary safety procedures and guidelines. Many activities are safe for families and are full of an adrenaline rush.

Parties and Nightlife: No place in India celebrates New Year like Goa. The famous Goan nightclubs offer the best of foods, drinks and music to thousands of tourists. Goa is also renowned for its beach parties, especially the Vagator, Baga and Anjuna beach. The parties at few clubs and shacks go all through the night and, it’ll be a lifetime experience to be a part of the adventure. The Silent Noise party at Palolem beach is a unique event in Goa. Individual headphones are given to guests and psytrance music is played. If you are in Goa for a short time and, if you are fond of club-hopping, you can try visiting various clubs on a single night to make the best out of your trip. Hire one of the trusted cabs in Goa for a safe travel.

Relish the food:  Almost all the restaurants and beach shacks in Goa serve mouthwatering seafood. The gastronomical delights are exotic and endless. One can start with a Goan Pomfret Vindaloo followed by  Prawn Balchao, Pork Sorpotel curry and Chouricos. Your sweet tooth will say a thank you for trying Bebinca, Kulkuls and Neureos and Baath. Trust me, they are sinfully delicious!

Pork_Vindaloo

Casinos: Perhaps, casinos attract the highest number of tourists during Christmas and New Year. Apart from the regular ones, casinos during this time are operated on huge boats and ships docked on River Mandovi. Even if you are not into gambling, you can just visit one to have a different experience. The packages offered by most of the casinos include unlimited drinks and food as long as you’re playing.

So, chalk out your plan for December and welcome the new year in a Goan way!

All the images are taken via Wikimedia Commons

29 responses to “Goa Calling You To Celebrate the New Year”

  3. Ah..Goa. I went there once, with a couple of friends. This was way back in ’96. I wanted to experience “the beach parties”..the trancey ones..hehe. Unfortunately, due to poor organisational skills..we ended up in Goa during the off season. And I went back with alcohol induced gastritis..ahahahahahah.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Staying in Goa for two years gave me a local perspective. The best part was to skip the tourist trap and just go for late night drives in the quieter parts. They build lovely “cribs” to depict stories around Christmas! South Goa is the aim.

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  8. I’ve visited Goa two times but unfortunately couldn’t happen to be there for the new year bash. Let’s see, may be this time! Hiring a cab or a bike/scooty is the best way to roam around Goa, I know it from personal experience.
    Great post covering all the aspects of the place.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Goa sounds like a place in India where there is non-stop things to do, non-stop fun. That Christmas decoration in the photo looks a bit like a Disney castle, lol 😀 What lovely weather this time of the year in Goa. Warm enough to go out and about and enjoy what there is to offer without feeling cold. Didn’t know there was a casino there as I thought gambling isn’t that big among locals. Then again as you mentioned, it’s popular with tourists and having casinos just creates another job industry for the locals 🙂

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