Goa - the Picture Perfect Getaway

Despite being India’s smallest state, Goa more than compensates for this in atmosphere. Renowned for its picture perfect beaches and beach lifestyle, it is rapidly becoming a hotspot for Western tourists in search of warmer climes. The laid back attitude adopted by the Goan’s compared to their counterparts in other states makes for an extremely relaxing holiday. Portugese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th Century, staying for 450 years before India took over in 1961. This, distinctive history ensures that this stunning Indian state has a culture all of its own.

If you really want to escape from it all, and get away from the tourists, then head south to Palolem beach. There are no hotels on Palolem (yet) so you’ll have to sleep in a beach hut, but you can enjoy the simple beach life, eating at the beach front restaurants and falling asleep to the sound of waves. Popular with the travelling crowd, Palolem has been listed as one of the Worlds best beaches.

There’s a whole load more to Goa than the beach-bum lifestyle though. It’s visited by thousands of tourists each year. Renowned for it’s temples, and being the home of two world heritage sites means the state is one of the biggest Christian pilgrammage sites in Asia, and it also means that backpackers are not the only visitors.

The cost of flights to Goa may be slightly higher than what you’d pay for your usual summer holiday, but once there, food, drink, accommodation and travel are all extremely reasonable, so you can enjoy a paradise getaway that won’t break the bank! Click here for hotels in Goa