Is Goa worth visiting in New Year?
Goa is one of the most popular travel destinations for Indian tourists due to its immaculate beaches. The spectacular coastline of more than 100 kilometres in Goa, dotted with hundreds of magnificent beaches, offers breathtaking vistas and tranquillity where visitors can unwind and enjoy the sun. The state of Goa in western India borders the Arabian Sea. Before 1961, it had a long history as a Portuguese colony, as evidenced by the region’s tropical spice plantations and churches from the 17th century that have been preserved. I recently went to Goa to celebrate the New Year 2023 with the family. In this article, I will describe why Goa is best and not so best in December if you are mainly heading here for New Year’s Eve. I just travelled to Goa a week before to celebrate the New Year with my family, and I’ll list some of the finest and worst things you should keep in mind before going there around this time. It was an impromptu journey. On Thursday, December 28, in the late afternoon, my father gave me a call and informed me that he would be taking the entire family of six to Goa and had already reserved rooms at one of the top hotels close to Calangute Beach in North Goa. Dad and my family arrived in Pune around 12.30 a.m. on December 29, and at 1 a.m. sharp, we all left for our impromptu trip to Goa. Some people slept, while others enjoyed gazing out the windows at the lovely, tranquil nightlife. From Pune, we travelled through Satara, Kolhapur, Gadhinglaj, and ultimately Goa Calangute. Google Maps sent us to Gadhinglaj rather than Amboli ghat when we arrived in Kolhapur. Compared to the Amboli ghat, the Gadhinglaj ghat was scarier, narrower, and more silent. Around six in the morning, the fuel was about to run out; there were no lights, no houses, and even the mobile network wasn’t working as we made our way toward the bottom of the ghat. At the moment, we all believed we were lost and could anytime get stopped in the middle of the road. Fortunately, we came across a young child waiting for his school bus, and we stopped next to him to inquire about a nearby gas station. He claimed that a gas station is 16 to 20 kilometres away. Our car didn’t have enough gas to go even five kilometres. We prayed that the automobile would keep going and that we would find a store. After around two kilometres, a little dhaba had gasoline fuel. As a result, the first thing to remember is to ensure you have enough gas to last at least 5 to 6 hours because you never know where Google Maps will take you. We topped the tank, had tea, and departed for Goa. The morning was so peaceful and lovely. Every day, I hoped for such days. We reached Goa by 8 a.m. We reserved a room at Neelam’s The Grand in North Goa, 800 meters from Calangute Beach. So, following the exciting night. We had more adventures planned for the day. We learned that the rooms wouldn’t be accessible until after 10.30 when we arrived at the hotel to claim them. We decided to have breakfast at one of the close-by eateries and then visit the beach until 10:30 if we had time before returning to the hotel. In a tiny restaurant, we enjoyed a fantastic south Indian breakfast. Before heading to the beach, we met the hotel receptionist to see if any rooms were available. We were given one room. We decided to get ready so that we could schedule our day later. After taking a short nap, we all had lunch at the hotel at 1:15 p.m. They served a delicious buffet lunch with a variety of foods. By 2:00 p.m., we were on our way to Butterfly Beach in South Goa, 80 kilometres away from where we were staying. After hearing so much about the beach, we’re eager to learn more about it. Due to the new year’s holiday, there was heavy traffic up until Panjim. By 4 p.m., we could have arrived. But it took us 3 hours and 15 minutes to get there because of the traffic. When we arrived at the parking lot, we discovered that there was still another 2 km of walking. We were all looking at one another and wondering where we were trapped. The additional 2 km to the beach was exhausting. Yet we hoped that the beach would be worthwhile. It seemed like we had finally arrived as we drew nearer and could hear the sound of the waves. As we descended onto the shore, we all felt quite depressed as we saw the gathering. Not worth it. Even though it had a lot of hype, the beach is still lovely outside during peak season. The second thing to think about is to avoid visiting Goa around the new year if you prefer quiet, empty beaches with no crowds. You won’t be able to appreciate the peace a beach offers because of the public at this time. We were on the beach for about 30 minutes. We took pictures and videos, dipped our legs in the rushing waves, and then moved on to a neighbouring beach called Agonda Beach. Once more, the two kilometres of walking were chaotic and exhausting. However, we made it to our parking spot somehow. We headed off to Agonda Beach. When we arrived at the beach, it was already nighttime, and we could see no crowds and only a small number of people—maybe 5 to 6—on the sand. The waves glistening beauty reminded me of heaven. We all sat on the soft sand and relaxed, taking in the peaceful surroundings. I’ll share a few photos that my talented sister, who is excellent at clicking photos, took. Overall, it was a wonderful yet exhausting day. On the way to our hotel, we stopped for dinner in