GOA - a heavenly getaway

Simon signing in -

After returning today, it is very hard to try get back into the swing of things. Goa, where to start. It was an amazing get away in one of the most beautiful places on earth (from my recollection to date).

We left Saturday evening on the sleeper bus with the knowledge of our 12 hour trip. This would have been our longest trip in a sleeper bus, but hey, we enjoyed the comfort of the last and this did not put us off. Well, spoke too soon. You see, the last bus was a state run bus, and this one, private, and they liked to 'pack em in'. The sleeping berths were substantially smaller than the last, but at least Rein and I shared one. Our friend, Yann, had to share with a 'large' fellow who took all the space and who kept most the bus up with his bear like snore.

Our Life Guards....literally, we were the only ones there!

Arriving in Goa Sunday morning we were a little exhausted and ready to again see our friends. A short auto-rickshaw ride found us on a secluded beach called Agonda. On first sight, the beach huts where we were to stay looked a little run down but on closer inspection we found a most incredible beach.

The huts and restaurant are ON THE BEACH. With less than a 20 second walk you had your feet in the most beautiful sea water. We all like immediately.





Our friends had arrived a few days earlier and when they found out we would be also coming they arranged the booking of our huts. Ours was the front one viewing directly the beach.

I'm happy to have arrived.

The huts were simple yet clean and offered all we needed. The restaurant too was simple, yet provided food all day long and for 95% of the time, this restaurant was all ours. All this was charged at around 6€ per night. SIX!

Our hut on the beach...fabulous.

Agonda is located in the south of the State of Goa. They have around five known tourist beaches but Agonda surely is the last to be really hit by the tourists. The beach looks out over the Arabian sea which is a part of the Indian Ocean, the ocean I  grew up on. It felt strange to be in another country viewing the ocean of my home.

We settled into our hut and immediately set about getting comfy in our new short term home. Again, there was barely 25 other people on the beach and perhaps in the entire time it peaked to about 50 (for the entire beach). The peak tourist time too had gone and they were mostly waiting for what tourists there were left to leave so as to close down for the season.

My seat for four days

I can also say that although we were there for three nights and four full days, we mainly just sat on a chair, swam in the ocean, lounged on a bed or enjoyed fresh fish and seafood. Heaven.

We did manage a day or two on bikes whereby we visited some of the other toursit beaches which when we saw them, we knew we had chosen the best. In fact, Palolem Beach, just next to ours (yet on the other side of a huge mountain like cliff) aparently looked just like Agonda only five years before. We were shocked. How could a beach become so commercial in such a short time. It was very sad, though we have seen in several places at how quickly India is growing, expanding, merging to become the country it is today. I fear for what has happened in Europe with its many famous tourist locations that once upon a time were also idylic places which are now crowded and charge the earth.

PACKED PALOLEM

Another location, we visited one of the former Portuguese forts on a cliff top. From there we viewed an incredible beach which was deserted. Right, we were onto that. And indeed, it was. It involved a little climb down, but once there, it was ours.

First sunset on Agonda

I had always heard of Goa and imagined a place where hippies go and die, where parties, drinking, drugs and anything else would be rampant and well, I guess it is there, but what I found was a place where you can just sit, swim and relax and be safe in the knowledge that you get the best sunset everyday of the week.

Our lounges

All in all our trip to Goa was amazing. We loved catching up with our friends again (albeit we only met them three weeks ago!) as we all get on great. We all had great chats, laughs, swims and quiet time. Goa is one place I would gladly add onto any future travel itinerary and I recommend anyone to visit, though keep the beach name to yourselves as I would not want it spoiled by too many tourists!! :-)

Dinner under the stars.

Our last sunset.