The beachside has always been my most favorite place to be. The coastal retreat, the gleaming sands, the azure water, and the bright sun still steals my heart. Goa is what comes to my mind whenever I think about beaches. It’s lush green landscape around the golden coastline that further overlooks the endless sea, fills my heart out. The best thing about Goa is that, and it is the perfect location for any vacation, be it with family, friends, or solo.
So, when my family wanted to go for a vacation, I couldn’t find a better location other than Goa. We decided to visit Goa at the end of December so that we have enjoyed the full festive season that goes around there. I booked the flight tickets for nearly a month and a half more so that we could avoid the peak-season expensive flight rates. Christmas and the New Year celebration in Goa is all about the colorful lights, people from all around the world, and the exquisite food. We certainly ended the year on a high note.
A trip to the legendary Chapora Fort
We first decided to visit the Chapora Fort. So, I decided to avail an affordable tempo traveler hire in Goa. I booked a tempo for us because traveling with kids always means that we have to carry a whole lot of luggage for them. We never know what they might need. The Chapora Fort is one of the most ancient forts in North Goa. It overlooks the vast Arabian Sea and the adjoining beautiful Vagator beach. The fort is situated on a hillock’s top and has slopes running along its sides. We heard from the local guide that legend has it that the fort was unbreachable as it followed a natural terrain. Only one king, Sambhaji, a Maratha leader, was mighty enough to scale the walls of the fort with his army. Even though the fort is almost in ruins without any renovation, it still does not fail to attract a lot of visitors.
The must-visit Morjim Beach
The next day was a family-only time, so I decided to book a cab in Goa for us. We went to Morjim Beach, which is located on the far North side of the state. I have never seen a beach, which is this huge. It was a wild expansion of glimmering golden sand. The beach was clean, but it was very crowded. It had various beach shacks and bars where we got some of the most mouth-watering seafood. However, the best thing about the beach was, it is a nesting ground of the olive ridley sea turtles.
The hard-to-miss water sports
Goa is all about having fun and adventure. So, when I told my kids that we all are going for water sports, they did not keep calm. Numerous water sports activities were available, but we only did windsurfing, parasailing, jet skiing, catamaran sailing, and diving. My kids did not go diving, as they were a bit scared. My wife and I raced with our water scooters. We also went on the dolphin-spotting cruise, where we ventured out into the sea on a boat to watch the beautiful dolphins play around in the water.
My little Casino Royale night
Going to a casino has always been my dream. So, when I went to Goa, it did not stop me from trying my luck in one of the casinos. The casinos feature an endless list of games like flush baccarat, poker, roulette, slots, and more. They also offered unlimited food, which made me quite happy. Even if I would back home with an empty wallet, at least I would have a stomach full of delicious food. I went to Caravela Casino. It is a floating casino at the river Mandovi. It was so elegant, significant, and posh that it made me feel like I was in a high-end casino of Las Vegas. They had live entertainment sessions where famous singers were singing the top hits of the time. My casino night in Goa was one of the most eventful nights of my life.
Goa is like a Pandora’s Box; its visitors will keep getting surprised by it. Goa is a place where I could sit somewhere with my wife and spend a quiet and calm time. It is also a place where I can attend a music festival with my whole family and meet a dozen of people from every corner of the world. For me, Goa is truly the place that portrays unity in diversity in the most beautiful way.
