Wet Adventures: Top 5 water sport activities In Goa

Who doesn’t fancy a little adventure, thrill and an experience similar to that of cheating death? Hormones raging, Goa is the best place to fulfil your water sport fantasies. It does however come a t a price, but nonetheless it is totally worth every penny speaking from experience. To be fairly honest, speaking in Konkani will give you bonus points and the deal struck with the instructors will be a lot lighter on the pockets.

Here’s a list of my preferred 5 water sport activities within the state.

#5. Banana ride

Engaging minimum of four people and maximum 6, this is one ride you don’t want to miss out on. Sheer team work and diligent balance is the key to continue the ride. Although, the more haphazard the team is the more fun it is. Reason being, you stumble and fall in the water making it a very lasting memory. It can be experienced at Vagator, Calangute and Palolem beaches for roughly under 300 rupees per individual and the ride lasts under half an hour.

#4. Windsurfing

This takes some serious skill to execute initially. One must bear in mind the force and direction of the wind. Trust me, speaking from experience it’s not as simple and smooth sailing as seen in the movies. That stuff is done by professionals. Once you try it, you’d probably end up in the bloopers section. An instructor assists and guides the person who wants to try it out. The entire ride is about 600 rupees for an hour. Can be found at different locations like Vagator, Bambolim, Colva.

#3. Kayaking

I thoroughly enjoy this ride. You need strong arms for this nonetheless, but it’s more on the calm and peaceful end. A couple or an individual can sit in the kayak boats.  The oars are supposed to be manoeuvred in the opposite direction of the desired direction. For example if one wants to move to the right the oars have to be moved towards the left. Best place to Kayak as per me is Pallolem beach, where for an hour you pay rupees 200 per boat. The sunset timing is the perfect hour for this wanderlust.

#2. Parasailing

Absolute thrill is all I can say. A parachute is attached to each individual which is connected to the sail boat anchored deep. The boat is taken deep in to the waters. In one parachute with the help of a handle, either two individuals can go together or alone as well. With the right boat speed, the person is made to jump and drifts apart from the boat having the feeling like that of flying freely over the ocean like a bird. Goosebumps I tell you that feeling is, such sovereignty! The charges are roughly 600 per person, and the activity is done in a fairly large group. The whole ride takes about an hour collectively. Found in Anjuna, Calangute, Bogmalo and Candolim.

#1. Jet Skiing

For some reason I always considered myself a biker, and a biker on water is just next level stuff literally. The buzz one gets while riding this baby is unexplainable. The whole world is left behind once you ride these. They are found in abundance at Palollem and Mobor for about 1000 bucks for ten minutes or so. A bit pricy to be honest, but honestly you really can’t put a price for the involvement.

Quoting Sia “I love cheap thrills” and I may add I cannot lie. Try these and let me know if at any point am I wrong.

Image courtesy for all pictures except for jet skiing: Google Images

Beach Please!: Top 5 beaches to visit in Goa

If it weren’t for the magnificent beaches, Goa would not be half the tourist destination it is today. Blessed with its geographical positioning, facing the Arabian Sea, it’s inevitable that there are ample beaches along the coastline. The tropical climate just makes it all so perfect to bask in its glory.

Not a single soul that’s visited Goa, or is to visit will deny that sunrises and sunsets are an absolute treat to the eye at the beaches. Beaches can have different interpretations, for some it may be absolutely therapeutic whiles some pure mayhem. I concur, I am an inbetweener.

But as a Goan, my observation has made me conclude that, the beaches in the north are more drawn towards tourists, which obviously means crowd and noise. The southern beaches of the state are serene and on the quieter side.

Here’s my high five beaches in the picturesque state of Goa, once again purely prejudiced

#5.Calangute Beach

Pronounced in every possible way, this beach is one you would visit if you do not want to feel you’re in Goa. From Ray-Ban imitations to full body massages on cubana beds, this beach has everything to offer.

Well known for the various shacks providing Authentic Goan food as well as continental, there is no shortage of them providing decent alcoholic beverages. Water sports packages are a distinct feature of this beach. It is a beach located in the north of the state.

#4.Vagator Beach

Located on the northern belt of the state, this beach is an absolute treat to the eye. So therapeutic, one will just want to sit, bask in the sun and probably just meditate the entire day. The water is relatively more on the blue side in comparison to other beaches of Goa. Clear indication that this is a clean beach.

Mostly inhibited by foreigners and a few locals as well. The shacks are limited here. Fun fact, this used to be known as one of the nude beaches of Goa way back in the 70’s. Now I’m guessing you will definitely check it out just to try your luck :D

#3.Candolim Beach

A beach I like to call home. Used to be the beach I actually built sand castles and made use of my beach toys for once, as it was where we would spend most of our summer vacation considering we had a place to ourselves right on the brinks of the beach. The famous Fort aguada are situatued on the shores of this beach.

This place, held host to Sunburn for seven consecutive years and currently is the host to SuperSonic in Goa. Need I say more?

#2.Morjim Beach

You’ll for some reason think you’ve landed in Russia once here. That of course barring the weather and physical geography. Most of the hoardings and restaurants have Russian engraved on them, and hence earned the title of “Little Russia” The locals pick up the language as well for convenience of business. Placed at the northern bank of the Chapora River, eye candy is no short coming here.

   
Lesser known fact is that this beach is a nesting and hatching habitat of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, an endangered species. And therefore you might not want to get to touchy on this beach as egg-poaching or in any manner disturbing the turtles or their habitat is an offence punishable under Indian law.

#1.Agonda

I think no one can argue with the fact that this is easily the best beach Goa can boast about. Located at the extreme south end of the state, this beach makes you go absolutely awestruck. A beach where one wants to engage in a game of beach football, invite your family and friends to join you with BBQ of any meats accompanied by those chilled beer pints.

Pallolem is used to give Agonda a stiff competition, but the soaring tourists led to its decline. Once at Pallolem beach however, do not miss out on trying the Kayaking for fewer than 200 rupees for almost a good one hour. Sometimes I like to believe that words like nirvana, utopia and the concept of heaven is a place on earth were coined either along the Pallolem beach, if not there than a certainty at Agonda beach.

Posts like this make me only want to hit the beach more often than not. I’d say I would like to get a bit tanned, but the harsh reality is I’m sunburnt (more than I’d long for).

Image courtesy for Calangute, Candolim & Morjim Beach : Google Images