Travel

An Accidental Girls Trip to GOA!

How fun does the word ‘Goa’ sound?…. EXACTLY!!!

So that was my exact feeling when I started planning a surprise trip for my husband’s birthday in March. (Please note my husband has never been to Goa and yes, we judge people like him :P).

Every day after work, I used to get back home and start looking for reasonable flights and Airbnb’s. I am a big fan of the whole concept of Airbnb & homestay. They just give varied options to choose from, which is way more pocket-friendly than a 4/5-star hotel and most importantly you get a whole space to yourself. 

Anyways, the whole plan didn’t remain a surprise because doing it all alone was too tiring and time-consuming. Therefore, I and my husband started planning it together and finally shortlisted one of the most amazing bnb in North Goa (Arpora). Both of us were super excited, especially because it was the first ever Goa trip for him. But alas!! after all the bookings were done, he got an onsite long-term project in the US and had to leave a month before the planned trip. This was a great opportunity for his career and I didn’t want him to drop it just for the trip. I canceled his leg of the flight ticket and decided to take a solo trip (ahh, how exciting it sounded :D) But then I gave a second thought and decided to make it a sister’s trip. My sister lives in Mumbai and it had been over a year that I saw her. This was a perfect time for us to catch up and also for her to plan a quick few hours trip down without having to spend much. As I was discussing my plan with a few friends at my work, one of them suddenly mentioned that she too was looking for a place to celebrate her best friend’s birthday. I was quick to offer her to get on board with my plan and make it a girl’s trip. That’s how the title ‘Accidental’.

Gosh, this just became one of the best trips of my life. The first day was only me and my sister.  We reached our bnb (Riviera Foothills Holiday Homes, Arpora) in the afternoon, settled in and just relaxed by the pool. It was a perfect day as we prepped for the madness ahead.

The next day, we rented a scooter and headed to the Baga beach (yes, too crowded) and waited for my friend to land. We chilled in a shack by the beach with a beer and yummy seafood. Oh, I did a banana-boat ride too. Let’s not discuss that in detail though. This was followed by club-hopping to the Banana Republic by Cavala and Soro- The village club. The late-night scooter rides were so much fun.

On the third day, we went for lunch to one of the most colorful places I have ever been to. It was a perfect Konkani lunch at Gunpowder.

Post lunch, we headed to Curlies to sit by the beautiful beachside restaurant and enjoy some more beer!

One of my friends raved about sunset in the Purple Martini on Anjuna. I couldn’t control my temptation and went straight up there, just to view the most mesmerizing sunset ever. Trust me guys, it’s not overhyped!!! The cherry on the cake was the soothing live jazz music & shisha. We spent the rest of the evening there until we realized it was dark and time to hit the dance floor at SinQ.

The next day was all the more exciting because we rented a car and drove towards South Goa. Guys, the drive is worth every time and effort!

We stopped for lunch at The Fisherman’s Warf. Now, I can write a long post only on how amazing the food and drinks were. But, I will spare you guys the time and head straight to my next destination, which was this quiet, calm and clean Palolem beach. We were in the water when we saw the sun setting through the valley at one end the moon rising at the other end.

I had 4 nights booking at the Airbnb and the 5th one at Teso Waterfront, which is next to Thalassa. So, I checked out and moved there on the 5th day. The resort is located on the backwater, each room with a private space and balcony and the most perfect view.

After checking in, I took a dip at the pool in Thalassa, sun-bathed and relaxed to my contention.

In the evening we headed to The Lazy Dog at Mandrem beach, enjoyed a very refreshing Gin & Lime and sat by the beach for the sunset again. That was our holy grail for the trip. This was followed by clubbing the whole night at Thalassa and celebrating my friend’s birthday.

And sadly, the last day of the trip arrived. My flight was in the evening and therefore I decided to make the most of it. Firstly, I woke up to the scrumptious buffet breakfast served at my resort. 

Then we went for lunch to Por Do Sol, Beach Lounge at Morjim beach. It was the day before Holi and I had so much fun seeing people enjoy the Holi themed party. My heart ached as I couldn’t join but “there is always the next time“, and Goa is always a “next time again”.