Q: We are a couple of families travelling to Mumbai and Goa in late September/early October this year. We’ll be in Mumbai for three days and in Goa for six. Please suggest a suitable tour itinerary for us. I’ve been to Goa before, but with your help and the time in hand, I am sure that we’d have memories to last a lifetime. Should we spend a day in and around Gokarna?
Marco Says: For a tiny state, Goa has a lot to offer the visitor. You’ve asked me a very open-ended question, and much will depend on what kind of travellers you are (active or not), how old the kids are (if there are any in your group), whether you prefer nature over culture (or want a bit of both), and so on. You could spend six days in Goa doing little other than loll on the beach, read a book or three, drink lots of urak and eat a lot of seafood. Assuming that this high sybaritic pleasure is not what you’re seeking and would like to do more, here’s my suggestion for a packed holiday (throw in and throw out stuff depending on your preference):
Day 1: Usually goes in arrival, eating, exploring the neighbourhood you will be staying in. If you’re near a beach, spend your evening hanging out in the waters and then drying off with some beer and seafood at a beach shack.
Day 2: Now that you’re slept and rested, head for a day of exploring North Goa. Visit Fort Aguada, have lunch at any of the many good restaurants that line the Calangute-Baga stretch, visit the beaches again and then return for a swim in your hotel pool. Or some shopping. Or a spa treatment. Or just hang.
Day 3: Spend the day exploring Panjim and the atmospheric Portuguese quarter of Fontainhas, with its quaint restaurants and boutiques. Have a traditional Goan lunch at one of several atmospheric options that line the colourful city streets. Throw in a visit to Old Goa, a short ride away, to see the magnificent Sé Cathedral and the Basilica of Bom Jesus. You could do this in the morning or afternoon.
Day 4: Consider a cruise on the Mandovi river. Or take a ferry to Divar Island. Or to the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary on Churao Island, from where you can go on a ‘mangrove safari’. All are relaxing and rewarding.
Day 5: Head out into the ocean to see dolphins in the morning. Give yourself some ‘off’ time. You could also make a day trip to Gokarna, if you’re keen to go dashing about (but it’ll involve a total of at least six hours’ road travel). You may prefer to make a trip to the Dudhsagar Falls within Goa state itself.
Day 6: If you haven’t yet had that crucial ‘off’ time, this is the day. Or to throw in some shopping, and a grand last supper.