Ahmedabad to Goa Trip with Friends: Perfect Bachelor trip
This post is about my recent trip to Goa with Friends, It includes the best places to visit in Goa and Best travel plan for Goa. If you are planning a trip with your friends to Goa, this can be the perfect plan to visit Goa with your friends.
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During my Engineering, I and my friends tried to make plans for this trip on every vacation, but due to some or other reasons, we had to cancel that plan. This continued till last year, and once the college was over we thought now everyone will move away either for a job or for further studies. So this was the time when we finally could plan a trip, and we did.
We started discussing the plan, at that time we were 6 persons. But as always, 3 out of 6 backed off while we were finalizing the bookings. Now we were in a dilemma whether to go ahead with the bookings or cancel the plan. After realizing that we might not the same chance once again due to our circumstances, we decided to go ahead with the planning.
Goa Travel Plan
This trip includes 3 days of stay in Goa and the remaining 3 days of traveling. As I already visited Goa when I was in the 10th standard with family, I prioritized the places which are a must-visit with friends.We went there in June which is according to me the best month to visit Goa, as there is not as much crowd as compared to April- May and also, the rainy season brings out the greenery and scenic views which it has to offer.
So, here is all the information about my journey:
Goa Travelling Journey
We started the planning in Mid-May and confirmed the trip period to be 25-30 June 2019. As we were not in a hurry and wanted to spend as much time as possible(Due to vacation and nothing much to do at home), we decided to go via train. It is advised to make your bookings at least 1.5 months before the travel date as tickets are not available as the travel period is nearer. We planned to go via Mumbai and also added few places to visit in Mumbai.Regarding the Hotel bookings, I had a membership in Country Vacation, and they have a beautiful property Country Club de Goa located within walking distance from Anjuna Beach. So, we decided to stay at that hotel. Though the amount is equal to any other hotel in Goa(We have to pay the maintenance cost of ₹ 1000 per night + breakfast + extra bed cost, so in the end, it is equivalent to any other Mid-range hotel in Goa).
Without boring you much with the details, let's start with the actual travel Plan:
Goa Travel Plan from Ahmedabad
Day 1 (25th June 2019):
We started our journey from Ahmedabad on 25th June 2019 at 7:00 in the morning on Gujarat Express(22954), which arrived at Mumbai Central in the evening at 16:00. As we had to catch our next train from Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSMT), we immediately reached CSMT via cab and submitted our luggage to the Clock room. The clock room is the facility where you can keep your luggage safe for very nominal charges. As our next train was at 23:05, we had plenty of time to explore Mumbai.Tip:
If you want to get fresh near CSMT, McDonald's is the best option, which is just opposite the CSMT main gate. It has a nice ambiance, cheap food(With the help of McDonald's application), and clean toilets(Main Reason!)After submitting our luggage to the Clock room and keeping necessary things with us, we went to McDonald's to fresh up and then proceed towards Marine Drive. It is a 2 KM walk from CSMT. After soaking in the vibes of busy Marine Drive, we had our dinner at Subway and returned to CSMT at 9:30. After reaching CSMT, we collected our luggage from the Clock room and waited at the platform until the train arrived.
The next train was Konkan Kanya Express(10111), which departed at 23:05 and arrived at Thivim railway station on 26th June 2019 at 10:11.
Day 2 (26th June 2019):
We took a cab from Thivim to our hotel which took around 1 hour and was charged ₹ 650. The prices of cabs in Goa might seem high compared to other cities, but it is the only option available to you.After reaching the hotel, we checked in and rested for a couple of hours in the room. In the afternoon we decided to chill in the pool.
Places To Visit in Goa with Friends
In the evening we took a walk to Anjuna beach which was within walking distance from the Country Club de Goa.
While returning from the beach, we rented a self-driven car for the next couple of days. We were 3 persons and thought the car would be a better option compared to 2 individual vehicles. Also, it was the rainy season, and the car can save us(It indeed saved us from heavy rains). The rent of cars might vary depending upon car and area, but the basic hatchback can cost you around ₹ 1000-1500 a day. While a scooter can cost you around ₹ 300-500 a day. Fuel costs are to be borne by you of-course.
That was it for the first day.
We had a rough plan for the 2 days, but was aware of the weather and were ready to include or exclude places as per circumstances.
Day 3 (27th June 2019):
After breakfast, we started our drive and took Aguada fort first, since it is a must-visit and the far most place on our day-2 list, It had to be the first place on the list. The Aguada Fort is very scenic and historic. One can spend 1-1.5 hours at this place. The parking charges all-around Goa is also high.
There is a great spot en route to Aguada fort where you can click some beautiful photos.
After spending 1.5 hours at Aguada fort, we then went to Baga beach. We did not have lunch as we had a heavy breakfast, and it is also preferable as the heavy lunch might make you lazy. So usually I avoid lunch and go for Heavy breakfast- Evening Snacks- Medium/ Light Dinner.
Baga beach is one of the most famous beaches in Goa, it has a clean beach and nice cafes-restaurants beachside. You can spend around 1.5-2 hours here depending upon your preference.
After Baga beach, we went to Vagator beach, it is a calm and soothing beach. It is not as popular as other beaches so you can spend some quiet with your family/ friends here.
The famous Chapora fort is next to the Vagator beach and has the best views in Goa. It is the place where the last scene of the movie Dil Chahta Hai was shot. You can watch the mesmerizing sunset here, we went to Monsoon, and due to heavy clouds, the sunset was not visible, but still, it is one of the best places in Goa and one should not miss this place. This is the best place to visit when you are visiting Goa with your friends or family for quality time.
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| Can you see the rain in the ocean? |
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| Few Seconds before the storm hits you 😏 |
After the sunset, it was time for dinner. Being a vegetarian, it is difficult to find pure veg. Restaurants in Goa, but we were lucky to get a recommendation for Navtara Veg Restaurant. It had the best reviews for its food and reviewed badly for it's service time. We wanted to have good food and so we went there. It was raining heavily so there were not many customers in the restaurant. Due to this, we got timely service and the food was actually great.
After having dinner, we came back to the hotel.
Day 4 (28th June 2019):
After breakfast, we started our day with the Basilica of Bom Jesus. It is the mandatory place to visit in Goa, Completed in 1605 and a World Heritage Site, this Baroque Catholic church contains the tomb of Saint Francis Xavier. Also, you will be amazed to see such architecture. Parking is available within walking distance.
Also, the route from Anjuna to this place has a riverside road and scenic views from newly constructed Atal Setu.
Just opposite to Basilica of Bom Jesus, the St. Cathedral is located. This place has a dress code, so wearing short clothes can restrict your entry. Also, 2-3 museum is located on the same premises, one can also visit them. When we were there, only one museum was open which had all the historical information and artifacts. You can visit this museum for ₹ 10 entry fees.
After the soothing experience of St. Cathedral, We visited Dona Paula, where a scene of the movie Singham was shot. But to our bad luck, the jetty and viewpoint both were closed due to heavy rain. So we waited for some time for it to open but it didn't, and we had to leave the place.
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| Could not capture any pictures due to rain, here is the image for reference. Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/33/fc/a5/33fca511b2adfdea6525cc374014ab0d.jpg |
We then moved ahead with the Immaculate Conception Church, it is also one of the mandatory places when you visit Goa and has been covered in several movies. This church is located in the city area full of traffic, so finding a parking spot would be difficult for a car. Here also, short clothes are prohibited and one has to aware of the timings of the church to open. It is well maintained and has ancient architecture. People can do shopping at nearby shops. Most of the shops nearby are for clothes and dry fruits.
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| Photography inside the church was not allowed |
After having snacks, we then went to Cocoa beach. Now here we faced some issues, as when we arrived, we could not find anything on the location, neither any person nor any beach!. This might be due to the rainy season everything was closed or the location was incorrect in google maps(more on this later).
Disappointed with our luck, we visited Calangute Beach, which is the same as Baga beach, but a bit crowded than it. The parking charges for both Baga and Calangute Beach is around ₹ 100-150 for the car. These two beaches are a must if you are vising Goa. We were not allowed to get into the water as it was a time of high-tide. Though we enjoyed the atmosphere there.
It was just 18:00 and we were out of places, so we decided to go to Mapusa Market for strolling, just to see the local market of Goa. It was a 30-minute drive from Calangute Beach. The market was lively and local people were shopping there. You can find everything there, it is considered as Main Market for the nearby areas. You can also do shopping here but at much cheaper rates compared to other tourist places in Goa. So, if you love shopping, it is a must place to visit.
While returning from Mapusa, we had our dinner at Domino's near Anjuna and then had a drive around the Baga area to see Goa's nightlife. There are various Pubs near Baga beach, if you are a person who loves crowds, then you should visit this place at night.
It was done for the day. We came back to the hotel and returned the car to the owner.
Day 5 (29th June 2019):
The next day, we had an early morning walk at Anjuna beach before saying our final good-bye to Goa. After having breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and took a cab for Thivim Railway Station. We booked the cab from the same person as we had rented a car, so we could get a bit of a discount.Reached station at 13:30, we booked the same Konkan Kanya Express(10112) for the journey to Mumbai. The train was scheduled to depart at 17:30, but due to heavy rain, it was 1.5 hours late. We were just bantering at the station as we did not have anything to do.
Day 6 (30th June 2019):
Though the train was going till CSMT, we got off at Lokmanaya Tilak Terminus as it was close to our next train departing station Bandra Terminus. Took a cab from Lokmanaya Tilak Terminus and reached Bandra Terminus. As last time, submitted the extra luggage at Bandra Terminus Clock Room and went to Bandra fort as it was the closest place from Bandra Terminus.
Once again visited McDonald's Bandra for heavy breakfast and to get freshen up. Reached Bandra terminus at 11 as we had a train to Ahmedabad at 12:45. We waited for the train to arrive and then reached Ahmedabad.
And it was the end of yet another journey and not memories.
Now let's talk about the cost which we occurred during this Goa trip with friends:
- We were 3 persons who were traveling, we had booked a hotel room for 2 and one extra bed so we could save some money.
- We took a car for 3 persons while you can opt for 2-wheeler if you want to save money. During Monsoon, a car would be a better option. The car and fuel cost us ₹ 3700 for 2 days which can be reduced if you take a 2-wheeler.
- So, the overall expense per person was around ₹ 8500 including everything. By everything, I literally mean everything, starting from my house till my house. Even the cost of a single water bottle is included in this amount. We kept the records of expenses with the help of the Splitwise application, it is great if you are a group of friends and going on a trip or even for everyday usage.
Some things to consider before planning your trip to Goa:
- Bookings: You should book your hotels and trains in advance As limited trains operate between the Mumbai-Goa route.
- How to Reach Goa: The nearest train station is Thivim, which will take you to anywhere in north Goa in around ₹ 500-1000. If you are planning for South Goa, Madgaon should be your preference for the Railway Station. If you are traveling via flight, Goa airport is the only option which is between North and South Goa. Here also, taxis can cost you from ₹ 500-1500, for reference, a taxi from Goa Airport to Anjuna will cost you ₹ 1500.
- Google Maps: In my experience, google maps is 70% accurate with the direction and location. Once it leads us to the military area while navigating. Make sure to choose Car as a mode of transport as on a 2-wheeler route, it will show narrow and most of the time closed routes. Major attractions are listed on roads with directions.
- Shopping: Most of the tourist attraction charge you a premium for the location, it is better to go to Mapusa Market for shopping as all the goods are being brought from there by vendors.
- Food: If you are non-vegetarian, then there is no problem, but if you are vegetarian then you have to search for pure vegetarian restaurants as they are very limited.
- Rent Vehicle: All the vehicles have similar prices for rental, but be cautious before taking the keys into your hands, make a video from inside as well as outside before taking away the vehicle. As to keep a proof of in which condition you got the vehicle. Also, note down the Kilometer reading.
Why we did not include the Mandovi River Cruise and Dudhsagar Fall?
If you are visiting Goa, you should enjoy the sunset on the Cruise on Mandovi river with folk dance and music, when we visited there, it was closed due to rain, but if you are going in a season other than monsoon, you can enjoy it.The same was the case with the Dudhsagar fall. It is around 80 km away from Anjuna and will consume a whole day for the visit and commute. So if you are planning to visit Dudhsagar fall, keep a spare day specifically for this. Also, the Dudhsagar fall is closed during the Monsoon season.
Conclusion:
Goa is a place where you can go anytime in the year, In monsoon, some of the places and water activities on the beach are closed, but at the same time, the monsoon brings an entirely new side of Goa, lush green trees and land. It also saves you from getting a tan!, so according to me, Monsoon is the best season to visit Goa if you are just going there to chill with your friends/ family.And even if you have visited Goa with your family earlier, I strongly recommend you to visit there with your friends, as it will give you a totally new perspective. So, this was my place to visit with your friends when you are on the Goa list.
Please share your comments/ feedback in the comment section, will be happy to solve any of your queries.
It's Really an Interesting article Thanks for sharing This article About Goa Travel Journey
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