[AMG1]

We met in high school and like all teenage innocent love - decided to marry when we grow up!- A decision that would go on to test our love, education, Jobs, cultural difference, ethnicity, long-distance, and finally our Health!

The 2 years of our relationship were in our school. Her strict family background meant dates were to be had during recess- in hiding of course.

We passed school and luck would go on to separate us for the first of many times!- We got admitted to different colleges in different cities, thus starting our almost decade-long- long-distance relationship.

Our Respective Engineering, MBAs, jobs, and multiple cities later along with meticulous plannings in overcoming ethnic-cultural differences - our families decided to marry us off in 2020!

I guess we underestimated the humor of fate!

2020 shows its unpredictability and I contract COVID in September (as if the decade long obstacles weren't enough) just before our marriage, thus postponing it.

Finally, I am getting married to my dream on 26th December.

I am planning for a 5N vacation from 8th to 12th Jan. My fiancee wanted to experience the seaside, so have decided to take her to GOA. It will be our first trip together.

Would request the communities' highly valued suggestions :

1) Which Area to Stay?
My fiance wants to stay close to the 'Action/tourist/party & clubbing' areas.

2) Which Property to Stay?
Safety and Leisure is our main Focus. So, we have decided to stick to 4 & 5-star properties. Would love to have suggestions on the good properties to stay. Would love to stay in a Honeymoon/Leisure focussed property.

3) How to commute in GOA?
Should we go for self-drive rentals? Where can we find them? Any Particular Rental Shop/Agency Suggestions?

4) Not to miss Restaurants?
We are a big Foodie and love seafood. Please suggest some must-have seafood restaurants.

5) Sea Excursions?
We would love to have a diving, underwater experience, or long boat rides. Are there any such Excursion possibilities there?

6) Must visit places for Honeymooners
Last but not the least, which places in GOA Honeymooners should definitely pay a visit.

Thank You for going through my story and queries. Looking forward to your suggestions.

[AtheK]

If budget is not much of an issue, you would be better off going to Maldives then Goa right now, as it stands the dates you are getting married, Goa is going to be expensive and crowded, though hopefully covid offsets some of it.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by AMG1

I am planning for a 5N vacation from 8th to 12th Jan. My fiancee wanted to experience the seaside, so have decided to take her to GOA.
.

Firstly congratulations and all the best

As you want to stay closer to the action Bagah beach would be the right place. Near Tito’s lane to be precise. All action would be at walking distance and I am a huge advocate of strictly ‘no drunk driving/riding’. So if you want to go late night clubbing, staying near this lane makes sense. You can walk to Mambo’s and get back to hotel/resort on foot.

Secondly considering it’s your honeymoon if you want a little secluded place my personal favourite is Alcove beach resort near Vagator beach. Its a decent property with clean cottages, good food and is located bang on a cliff facing the beach. Moreover its a 5 min ride away from Anjuna or 15 min ride from Bagah.

Mode of commute has to be a two wheeler. Easy to go around on the narrow roads and easier to park. Bike or scooter is upto your preference.

Btw why just 5 days? Resorts are pretty cheap these days thanks to drastically reduced footfalls. And that has led to popularity of the term ‘staycation’. For the same money that we spent for 3 nights stay pre-covid , now people are staying for 7-8 nights. So if you have time in hand stay longer and explore the beautiful places in South Goa as well

[Cessna182]

As AtheK suggested, you could explore Maldives. Goa is expensive during the season and is usually crowded. Maldives has a visa free entry for Indians policy.

For Goa the southern part is less crowded and pristine. Places like Palolem beach have reasonable accommodations on the beach itself and the ambience is nice.

[V.Narayan]

First congratulations on your forthcoming wedding to the lady you love. Marriage is usually the biggest decision we take. My best wishes to both of you.

Now for the honeymoon locale - Goa. Because that's where she wants to go. End of discussion. The secret of a happy marriage is to spoil your wife, then spoil her more, and then some more. Women loved to be indulged in and surprised. On a lighter note our honeymoon was in the Andamans. But we finally got to see the Andamans only when we re-visited it with our kids 20 years later. :-)

[Shreyans_Jain]

Goa is super crowded these days. And going after the party or action scene isn’t exactly safe considering the COVID situation. If you don’t want to splurge on Maldives, go to south Goa. We had a great time at Taj Exotica. It is far away from the crowds, peaceful yet complete with all activities and has a sweet private beach that is pretty much pristine. Much better than Baga or Calangute. And it’s a Taj, so food and service are of a very high order. It’s a much better place to put up at than Taj Aguada or the likes of Hyatt, Leela or Marriott.

[jkrishnakj]

Many congratulations AMG1. Wishing you decades and decades of togetherness.

Since budget isn’t an issue , check out the Taj Exotica. It’s quite safe. It has a lovely beach. There are a few shacks open on either side of the beaches too. It’s at South Goa. May not be closer to the Party Places though.

I did see a lot of self drive Thar’s from one particular company during my stay here 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately I can’t recall the name and I somehow don’t seem to have clicked any picture with the Thar’s. I’m sure you can Google them. It’ll be a god one to have for a self drive. You may need it for probably just 2 or 3 days and not for all 5 days there , because the Exotica is quite self sufficient.

Agree with Shreyas - this one is far far better than the Agoda or the Marriott or the other 5 star ones there.

[mazda4life]

Many congratulations in advance and if you are looking something more private and simple I can suggest some places near Kumta. It’s offbeat than Goa but can be a good option nevertheless with private beaches and Ayurvedic spa etc.

[AMG1]

Originally Posted by AtheK

If budget is not much of an issue, you would be better off going to Maldives then Goa right now, as it stands the dates you are getting married, Goa is going to be expensive and crowded, though hopefully covid offsets some of it.

Thank you for your dear suggestions. Myself and dear ones tried to convince my fiance for the Maldives, but her heart is set on Goa, so I obliged.

OT- After researching quite a bit, I feel COVID hasn't impacted the accommodation prices much- at least for the dates that I am looking. In Goa for the set dates- 5 Nights, the accommodations are costing me around 47K to 65K, which I feel in view of COVID is high.

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Firstly congratulations and all the best

As you want to stay closer to the action Bagah beach would be the right place. Near Tito’s lane to be precise. All action would be at walking distance and I am a huge advocate of strictly ‘no drunk driving/riding’. So if you want to go late night clubbing, staying near this lane makes sense. You can walk to Mambo’s and get back to hotel/resort on foot.

Secondly considering it’s your honeymoon if you want a little secluded place my personal favourite is Alcove beach resort near Vagator beach. Its a decent property with clean cottages, good food and is located bang on a cliff facing the beach. Moreover its a 5 min ride away from Anjuna or 15 min ride from Bagah.

Mode of commute has to be a two wheeler. Easy to go around on the narrow roads and easier to park. Bike or scooter is upto your preference.

Btw why just 5 days? Resorts are pretty cheap these days thanks to drastically reduced footfalls. And that has led to popularity of the term ‘staycation’. For the same money that we spent for 3 nights stay pre-covid , now people are staying for 7-8 nights. So if you have time in hand stay longer and explore the beautiful places in South Goa as well

Thank You for your kind wishes

I will search properties around Baga too. Late night walks around the said area to the resorts is something I was looking forward to, Thank You for the input.

Why 5 days? So, due to COVID, we feel major 4 or 5 stars seem to be the best bet in terms of hygiene and safety protocols and for the said dates, prices are ranging between 45 to 65 k (5Nights) and I have set 70k as ceiling price for accommodation.

Originally Posted by Cessna182

As AtheK suggested, you could explore Maldives. Goa is expensive during the season and is usually crowded. Maldives has a visa free entry for Indians policy.

For Goa the southern part is less crowded and pristine. Places like Palolem beach have reasonable accommodations on the beach itself and the ambience is nice.

Thank You for your great inputs!

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

First congratulations on your forthcoming wedding to the lady you love. Marriage is usually the biggest decision we take. My best wishes to both of you.

Now for the honeymoon locale - Goa. Because that's where she wants to go. End of discussion. The secret of a happy marriage is to spoil your wife, then spoil her more, and then some more. Women loved to be indulged in and surprised. On a lighter note our honeymoon was in the Andamans. But we finally got to see the Andamans only when we re-visited it with our kids 20 years later. :-)

Thank You for your warm wishes. I have been a long admirer of your contributions to this wonderful community and yes I, definitely will be sticking to the secret you gave away.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by AMG1

Thank You for going through my story and queries. Looking forward to your suggestions.

Congratulations in advance for D-day!

Do go through the following threads, they have a lot of info that would be of use to you:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...e-stay-44.html (Planning for Goa, where to stay?)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...out-goa-5.html (A Guide : Eating out in Goa)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...timers-11.html (Goa Vacation for First Timers)

Also check posts by moralfibre and Capt.Haddock on pages 202 & 203 of the following thread:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...eries-202.html (Mumbai - Pune - Kolhapur - Goa : Route Queries)

Enjoy!

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by AMG1

Thank You for your dear suggestions Myself and dear ones tried to convince my Fiance for the Maldives, but her heart is set on Goa, so I obliged.

Congrats on your wedding ! Surprised to hear your fiance turned down Maldives. Most people love to go to Maldives without thinking. You should go next time for sure. It's a different world altogether and one should experience it, especially if on a honeymoon. I did, hence the suggestion

[AMG1]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

Congrats on your wedding ! Surprised to hear your fiance turned down Maldives. Most people love to go to Maldives without thinking. You should go next time for sure. It's a different world altogether and one should experience it, especially if on a honeymoon. I did, hence the suggestion

Thank You . Yes, Maldives seems to be a wonderful destination and is on top of my list of places to visit.

A close relative got stuck there during the initial days of lockdown, thus a kind of paranoia has set in us coupled with COVID uncertainty is keeping us away from making an international trip for our Honeymoon.

[petrolHead_1609]

Originally Posted by AMG1

1) Which Area to Stay?
My fiance wants to stay close to the 'Action/tourist/party & clubbing' areas.

2) Which Property to Stay?
Safety and Leisure is our main Focus. So, we have decided to stick to 4 & 5-star properties. Would love to have suggestions on the good properties to stay. Would love to stay in a Honeymoon/Leisure focussed property.

3) How to commute in GOA?
Should we go for self-drive rentals? Where can we find them? Any Particular Rental Shop/Agency Suggestions?

Let me start by congratulating you, also in the world full of casual dating, I'm glad to see that you guys sticked around for so long and to top it, in a long distance relationship.

Now to answer your questions,
1. North Goa is the place for you.
2. SinQ - The party hotel (3-star but they have lasers and music system in room so that party doesn't stop when you leave their SinQ nightclub, poolside cabanas are great for daytime leisure)
3. For commute, I'd suggest you rely on cabs, don't drink and drive.

Throwing in a suggestion, do visit casino. Based on pass cost to otpc ratio, I've always found Casino Strike to be more VFM and it being on land unlike others, its spacious.

I'll be visiting Goa next week, will post if anything needs to be informed.

[ruzbehxyz]

Dear AMG1

Congratulations.

Goa is wonderful place for a newly married couple. Since we are in Covid times, you will have to take all your precautions.
North and South Goa, both have good options for stay. My suggestion would be to try the 5 star resorts of Taj at Aguada, mainly from the safety point of view.
Another option is you can rent out an entire villa with or without a private pool. Common pools in societies and hotels are still not functioning.
The private villas have a kitchenette for basic cooking. I know that you won't be cooking on a honeymoon, but the owner can arrange a cook for you. All this from safety point of view. If you will be eating outside, then you must select the restaurants properly. Rest, Goa is pretty safe and you will find everything for your needs.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by AMG1

Would request the communities' highly valued suggestions :

1) Which Area to Stay?
My fiance wants to stay close to the 'Action/tourist/party & clubbing' areas

2) Which Property to Stay?
Safety and Leisure is our main Focus. So, we have decided to stick to 4 & 5-star properties. Would love to have suggestions on the good properties to stay. Would love to stay in a Honeymoon/Leisure focussed property.

Congratulations to the both of you!

If you wish to stay in 4/5* properties, I guess you'd have to choose the hotel, than the area. There's ITC Grand Goa, Azaya, Caravela, Marriott Spa & Resort just to name a few. Given the evolving Covid situation, you never know how the party scene will be. But if you stay in 5*, they will have their own NYE parties (if the Govt. is allowing them).

Also, hate to say this, but things are changing everyday. Be mentally prepared for a drastic decision from anyone regarding travel.

3) How to commute in GOA?
Should we go for self-drive rentals? Where can we find them? Any Particular Rental Shop/Agency Suggestions?

2 or 4-wheelers? You'll find them by the dozen at every beach. If this is your first trip to Goa, renting an Activa and exploring will have a charm of it's own.

5) Sea Excursions?
We would love to have a diving, underwater experience, or long boat rides. Are there any such Excursion possibilities there?

Most beaches will take you on excursions; there's banana boat rides, para-sailing or you could rent a boat for a dolphin tour.

6) Must visit places for Honeymooners
Last but not the least, which places in GOA Honeymooners should definitely pay a visit.

Yo're planning too much! You don't need to so much for Goa. Just land there and figure out what you want to do.