The inexhaustible flow of tourists from the Northern Hemisphere poses a real problem of how to get to Goa. Preferably, cheaply and quickly, with independent purchase of tickets, without the involvement of travel agencies and intermediaries.

Regular flights

Before you get to Goa on your own, you need to monitor the supply market. First of all, non-stop flights. Airlines operating direct flights, even those with regular flight status to Goa, fly to Dabolim only during the high season. Therefore, the easiest time to fly is from mid-October to the end of April. At the same time, the trip will cost on average less than a charter. There are no regular flights from other cities, for example to Goa from Rostov.

Cheap direct flights

Regular flights, namely direct flights to Goa, depart from . Services are provided by Transaero and Rossiya Airlines. Buying a ticket costs about $650 on average. The number of flights is strictly fixed. The schedule includes four flights to Dabolim and back. The price is valid only when purchasing directly from airline representatives or booking plane tickets on the official websites of carriers.

Independent travel planning

Direct regular flights are not the only way to get to Goa. Charters fly during the season. Connecting flights are available throughout the year.

Buying plane tickets will be cheaper if you book in advance and act without intermediaries, through official websites.

The earlier the air tickets are booked and purchased, the cheaper the trip will be. A round trip flight also saves the traveler money.

To fly to Dabolim for the first time without incident, it is better to use the services of tour operators. In terms of price, this will not be cheap, but it will save time and nerves when searching and booking a flight, resolve problems with a visa and get the opportunity to calmly look around the area in order to return to the fairy tale on your own.

How to buy a charter ticket cheaply

Charter flights to Goa in Russia are provided by Azur Air and Royal Flight. The average cost is $715, subject to the purchase of round-trip tickets. Last minute flights to Goa will cost up to 40% less. However, in December 2017 – January 2018 there were no such bonuses. It is more likely that the situation will be the same for the 2017/2018 season. New Year holidays– this is the time of peak prices and rush demand.

You can wait until the end of the season - April or May, then charter tickets drop in price by an average of 10-15%. However, the number of departures falls proportionally. Therefore, you need to separately clarify how much the trip costs.

Charters to Goa fly according to their own schedule, operators can change it up to and including canceling the flight completely. Then you will have to get there on your own. If you arrived by charter, you must fly from Goa on the same plane. This is a separate song related to Indian laws.

With one change in the UAE

The cheapest air tickets to Goa are sold for flights with transfers. This causes some inconvenience to travelers, but saves money.

IN United Arab Emirates the most popular hub cities are Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Doha. The flight duration reaches 24 hours, mainly due to the wait for the connection. This time can be spent exploring local attractions. The price of plane tickets ranges from $630. If you book early, you can save up to 5%.

Via Delhi

AirIndia operates almost regular flights. At airports, tickets to Goa are sold as direct tickets. In this case, there is a mandatory transfer to Delhi. Even if there are some problems and the flight is delayed, the connecting local flight will stand and wait for passengers to Dabolim. There is no need to buy Delhi-Goa tickets. The price is around $615 round trip, may vary slightly.

Via Mumbai

Most often, airlines operate flights through Mumbai with two transfers. With the first hub in Europe or Turkey. The rest fly to Delhi first. When booking flights to Goa, India, please note that connections in Mumbai can take a very long time. You may need to stop somewhere. The destination is less popular than Delhi, but the price of tickets to Goa is the same.

How to get cheaper from different countries

Thanks to its low cost, India has become one of the most popular destinations for holidays in the modern post-Soviet space, especially Goa. Airplane tickets are most in demand in winter.

From different cities of Russia

Of the most major cities Charters are sent to Russia. Otherwise, you have to first get to the capital, then to other hubs. There is a need to stop somewhere during a long connection and wait for a transfer.

Flight Rostov–Goa by charter flight carried out in 6.5 hours. With transfers it will take up to 2 days. The price of a ticket to Goa from Rostov-on-Don with early booking with a round trip flight is at least $680. Flights from other Russian cities are organized using the same logic.

Below is a selection of some cities of the Russian Federation, as of the beginning of 2018. Destination to Goa with different airlines* from one to two transfers:

* with early booking, approximately 1–1.5 months in advance in economy class round trip.

Any direction, especially Volgograd, needs to be monitored. During the high season, tourism operators launch charters. From two to four flights per month. The greater the flow of passengers, the lower the ticket price.

The most famous air ticket search engines update information almost every second. This is due to the fact that reservations are redeemed, new ones appear or travel routes are added. Price information is indicative and quickly becomes outdated.

From Kazakhstan

You can come on holiday to Goa from Kazakhstan by charter, but it will be more expensive. The average price of a flight with transfers at the beginning of 2018 is $550. Subject to the purchase of round-trip air tickets from Almaty to Goa. The cheapest flights are operated by AirArabia with a transfer in Sharjah. The price is approximately $479.

From Ukraine

In Ukraine, a flight from Kyiv to Goa will cost an average of $650. This is the price airlines offer for flights with two transfers. The first hub is traditionally in Europe or Turkey. Less common in the UAE. Then you connect with a local Indian flight to Mumbai.

Direct charters to Goa from Kyiv cost less - in the range of $520–580, but the schedule changes frequently. Departures daily except Wednesday. To get to Goa from Odessa you will need about $520–590. The flight schedule is the same as from Kyiv.

Getting from Kharkov to Dabolim will require a lot of effort. There are no direct tickets available at the end of the 2017/2018 season. You will have to fly with 2-3 transfers. The routes are mainly through Minsk. Even if early booking It’s impossible to get there for less than $1,150. Although the schedule changes, and new offers are constantly appearing.

Plan your time and finances. Cheap tickets do not always bring direct savings. If you have to fly for about two days with many hours of transfers at connecting ports, then the impression of your vacation will be greatly spoiled.

Those who love exotic holiday, is interested in the exotic corners of our planet and cannot live without the sun, sea and palm trees, you have probably heard about the “cult” there tourist place like Goa. I went there with the goal of “shake up” my life, to see and experience what I could not do in my homeland or in its environs. Goa is an excellent place not only for relaxation, but also for spiritual “zeroing” and searching for your life vector. We traveled on our own, so I decided to write instructions for travelers just like us.

Goa is a paradise in distant and mysterious India

Goa is the smallest state in India, stretching on its southwestern coast. More than a hundred kilometers of coastline are occupied by countless beaches washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea. Indian Ocean. On the one hand, Goa borders on the state of Maharashtra, the capital of which is the colorful city of Mumbai (formerly called Bombay), on the other, on the state of Karnataka (unofficially considered the homeland of such a nomadic tribe as the gypsies throughout the world). The capital of Goa is the city of Panjim (Pananjim), largest city- Vasco da Gama. It was here, in 1498, that the famous navigator and discoverer of India, Vasco Da Gama, first landed. In 1510, Afon d’Albuquerque “conquered” this area and to this day this family is the “ruling” elite of Goa.

Goa is not like the rest of India and in some ways is even radically different from it. This is probably due to the fact that from 1543 to 1961 this territory was a Portuguese colony, which is reminded by many things: from religion (98% of the population of Goa profess Catholicism) to architecture (houses with high roofs). Despite this, Hindus were able to preserve their identity, culture and customs.

How to get to Goa (direct flights, sightseeing tours, from Delhi and Mumbai to Goa)

There are several ways to get to Goa: direct charter and regular flights from Moscow and other Russian cities such Russian airlines, like “Transaero”, “Aeroflot”. You can use the services of foreign air carriers, such as “Qatar”, “Sultan Air”, “Air Arabia”, “Emirates”, which carry out passenger air transportation with one or two transfers, usually at its international airports in Doha, Sharjah, Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The direct flight lasts approximately 7.5-8 hours and the plane arrives at the newly opened (in 2013), international Goa airport under the sonorous name “Dabolim”. There is no need to be afraid of flights with a transfer; I personally prefer to fly with Emirates with a transfer, but with awesome service, comfortable planes, than to huddle all day in an old Boeing of some of our airlines.

From Delhi and Mumbai to Goa by domestic flights

Next to the international airport there is an old airport that provides domestic transportation and also serves Indian military air transport.

If you want to take a real trip around India and see its most colorful cities, then you can fly to Mumbai or Delhi airport, and from there take local airlines to Dabolim. The cost of a ticket from Delhi to Goa is around 70 dollars, from Mumbai to Goa about 40-50 dollars. From international airport Both in Delhi and Mumbai to the airport for domestic flights, you can take a “tuk-tuk” (Asian taxi, usually 4 or 2 seats). You can also use by land transport: by train or “sleeper bus” (outwardly it is an ordinary bus, but inside it is made like econom-class train Russian trains, come with 1 or 2 beds).

From Mumbai to Delhi by train

From Mumbai you can travel to Goa by train. You need to sit on central station Victoria or at Dadar station, tickets can be bought at the box office on site to the Tivim station. From this station you can get to the hotel by local bus, taxi or tuk-tuk. The taxi or bus driver will need to tell you the name of the area in North or South Goa, usually the name of the beach or the name of the hotel or guesthouse.

Sleeper bus tickets from Victoria or Dadar stations in an air-conditioned carriage cost approximately 300-350 rupees (about $10). If you are on a limited budget, you can buy a ticket without a seat for 50 rupees, and if you are lucky, you will not have to pay an additional 100-200 rupees for the train fare to the person in charge of the carriage. The travel time is 10-12 hours, the main thing is not to oversleep the Thivim station, because then the train travels without making stops in this state, and you can return from Bangalore or Chenai, at best, in a day. So, either stay awake or set an alarm.

From Delhi it takes about 40 hours by train to the same Thivim station. Train tickets can be purchased in the building railway station Northern Railways Connects to a station called New Delhi, which is located across the road from Delhi's Paharganj district, which is known to all travelers and drivers of the capital. The ticket price is about 1500 thousand rupees (about 50 dollars), for the same price you can buy a ticket for a “slipper bus”, which will take you to the market in Mapsa (the unofficial capital of North Goa) or to Central Bus Station, located in Panjim (the official capital of Goa).

Visa regime

Get a visa to Goa, i.e. to India, quite simply. If you are flying on a tour, the tour operator will do everything on their own (this is included in the price of the tour); you are required to fill out a form at the travel agency office and provide 4 passport-sized photographs. I did so and after 5-7 working days (depending on your tour operator) I received my passport with a visa stamped and flew to Goa on the same day. Getting a visa yourself is also not difficult: to do this, you need to go to the consular section of the Indian Embassy in the country where you live, where you will also need to fill out an application form, pay a visa fee (about 30 USD) and give a photo, via The visa will be ready in 5-7 working days. The difference is that in the first case you will be given tourist visa lasting no more than 60 days, and in the second - a full 6 months (or as long as you need).

Goa: north and south. What are the differences and what to choose?

The state of Goa is conventionally divided into three parts: North, South and center (or old Goa). The Zuari River is considered the conventional border of the beach north and south. Central Goa consists of the metropolitan area of ​​Panjim, with the state capital of the same name, and historical region with waterfalls and Hampi.

Holidays in North and South Goa are different, although they are closely connected with the ocean and the beach. Let's figure out which option is best for you.

South Goa: a well-fed, relaxed beach holiday

If you are a fan of a calm, sedate, measured and expensive all-inclusive holiday, then you definitely need to go to South Goa. On southern beaches(for example, Palolem) there are luxurious 5-star hotel luxury complexes, for example, Raddison White Sands and Hilton, beautiful hotels Cheaper, but also very comfortable. Prices in good hotels in the south start at approximately $150-200 per night, but you can choose a cheaper option, try looking at reviews and pictures on booking.com. You can also rent equally comfortable bungalows for 4-6 people, located 100 meters from the surf line, costing from $100 per night.

In the south you can be offered the highest class spa and Ayurvedic procedures, and tour operators will specially select for you individual excursions and tours in Goa. In my opinion, southern Goa will not let you understand the atmosphere of India; the holiday will differ little from similar hotels in any other country in the world.

The most famous beaches here are Aguada, Miramar, Bogmalo, Palolem, Dona Paula, Majorda. A distinctive feature from the “eccentric” northern beaches is their compactness (almost all beaches are divided into bays), and, of course, silence and full service. This is an ideal place for a family holiday.

North Goa: drive, noise, fun and youth

North Goa is a noisy, fun and relatively inexpensive place, a cult place for “hippers”. It is believed that this is where the concept of “downshifting” was born, and there are more downshifters here than tourists. A downshifter is a person who leaves noisy cities and megalopolises, sacrifices some material values ​​and amenities in favor of freedom and spiritual harmony. Such people live either by renting out an apartment (where they lived before), by freelancing, or by taking local part-time jobs. There is little in North Goa fewer hotels than in Yuzhny, small budget hotels 2-3* are more popular here. But there is a lot of housing that you can rent on your own - guesthouses, rooms, apartments. In the North, life is boiling and seething - not a single day passes here without parties, or, as they call it here, party, not a single day will you get bored and sit in your hotel room! Another plus (although it depends on everyone): there are many Russian-speaking citizens here, the same downshifters who will gladly help you solve any issue, problem, or give advice.

Hindus - religion, habits, characteristics of the nation, rules of behavior

Hindus (or Indians) are sympathetic, kind, smiling and inquisitive people. Be prepared for the fact that in the market, in a store, in a taxi, in a hotel, they will ask you what your name is, where you came from, how long you are staying, how do you like India, what did you do last night and what is your profession? Everything would be fine, but sometimes it develops into importunity; in such cases, answer evasively, with a smile - they will immediately leave you behind. Indians, unlike Thais, do not dislike tourists - they are always happy to help, give advice or help with deeds.

As a rule, they have large families: up to 10 or even more relatives can live in one house - grandparents, young families with children. This is why in India, surrounded by so many people, you feel safe. Even if some trouble happens to you, a crowd of defenders will immediately appear around you and defend you.

They clearly have a patriarchal structure of society: the head of the family is a man, a woman has no right not to work, even if she sits at home with the children, she is obliged to carry out some kind of activity. The absence of children in families, like divorce, is very rare. A big plus is knowledge of the English language: 90% of residents, young and old, speak quite well English language, they will understand you well, and with fairly good pronunciation they will be able to communicate.

Don’t be surprised by the abundance of cows here, everywhere - on the streets, beaches, sleeping under windows or on the porch, like cats, because a cow in India is a sacred animal, it cannot be harmed, shouted at or, God forbid, beaten. According to Hindu mythology, after creating man, Brahma created the cow, which is why it is sacred. According to other versions, a bull, i.e. The “husband” of the cow is the war animal of the god Shiva, one of the most revered Hindu Gods. By the way, there are also a lot of dogs here, but cats are rare.

Residents of Goa, like all of India, are very religious - they begin their day with prayer to a variety of gods (according to the most common version, there are 33 gods). The most important, supreme gods are Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Shiva (destroyer), who form the trimurti. It is noteworthy that 98% of the population of Goa are Catholics. In every house you can see a crucifix, paintings with scenes from the Bible, portraits of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. But this does not prevent them from combining these two religions - before dinner they thank God for food, saying a prayer, and before making a decision they praise Ganesh, the god of wisdom and prosperity.

All Hindus believe in karma and reincarnation - what is destined must happen. If a person was born poor, he must bear his karma and not complain, work off his sins and be reborn as a rich man in his next life.

An interesting sign of merchants: they do their best to cajole, please the first buyer and are ready to give a huge discount if only you buy the goods from them. In this way, they attract good luck, and trade, they believe, will go briskly. That’s why get ready to go to the market early in the morning, right after it opens – you can buy a lot of interesting things for next to nothing! And, of course, bargain!

Trading in India is an art. Know the real price of the product and boldly stand on it, even if the original price is 10 times higher. Of course, bargain with a smile on your face, make jokes and be friendly to the traders. There is a certain peculiarity - for food products and for goods that have a price tag, i.e. fixed price, no haggling. Hindus are also a quiet nation, leading a measured lifestyle. Being the complete opposite of us, they are not in a hurry, do not fuss, the principle of their life can be considered “come what will be and will be what is.” In their presence, you should not shout or wave your arms - for them this is not only a sign of bad manners, but also a probable threat towards them. There is a separate piece of advice for girls: if possible, do not go to the beaches on your own or to any other places without an accompaniment (boyfriend, girlfriend, parents, husband): for Indians, white-skinned girls are the standards of beauty. Everything would be fine, but in addition to admiring glances and photographing mobile phone furtively, they may come up to you and ask you to touch you; if you allow one Indian, you can be sure that a crowd of such guys will immediately fly up and touch your arms, shoulders and continuously take pictures with you. It will be very, very difficult to get rid of them later. Either don't go alone, or make it clear right away that you don't want any contact.

Of course, there is also the other side of the coin of Hindu hospitality: petty scams, deceit and greed for money, especially large sums. Therefore, do not carry large sums of money with you, and especially never show them in the presence of Indians. They will try to “heat you up”, deceive you even in small things, everywhere, therefore, always be on the alert and do not succumb to financial provocations of this kind. Before you take a photograph of a person, be sure to ask their permission. Do not touch Hindus with your left hand - they consider it “dirty”. Indians have a very unique perception of time and space: “in 10 minutes” turns into 2 hours, and “two steps” turns into a kilometer.

Hotels, guesthouses, houses/apartments for rent

In North Goa, housing is often offered for rent - detached houses (a two-room house with all the conditions will cost you $250), apartments (a one-room apartment in a new building with all the conditions will cost you $150-200), rooms in guesthouses (from 500 rupees per night).

On south goa full of expensive hotels such as “Raddison” and “Sharaton”, but if you look or know where to go, you can find many nameless guest houses, the price tag for a night’s stay in which is from 3 to 15 USD. We lived in bungalow on the beach, costing 300 rupees per day. The conditions are “Spartan”, but being right on the ocean smoothes out all these shortcomings.

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Transport for rent

The main type of transport in Goa is motorbikes (scooters), bikes (more powerful motorcycles), motorcycle and regular taxis. The cost of renting a car will vary depending on its make and duration. As a rule, the prices are as follows: from 500 to 1000 rupees per day and 200-300 dollars per month. Most of the cars are manual. Before you take the car, carefully check all its functions, take a photograph of it, so that when the car is returned, the owner will not have any complaints against you. The cost of renting a scooter or motorbike will cost you from 70 to 130 dollars per month, and higher-class bikes (such as Royal Enfield) will cost you 200-250 dollars. Rental points - any hotels, guesthouses, taxi drivers will also help you with this. To rent a vehicle, you only need to give the required amount of money to the owner a month in advance; they will not require any documents from you (maybe they will ask for a copy of your passport). I would like to note the fact that there are a lot of cows in India and they are everywhere - in courtyards, near cafes, on beaches and, of course, on the roads, which creates considerable inconvenience for drivers. Therefore, be careful when driving and under no circumstances accidentally hit a cow: local residents this could be interpreted as an insult to them and their religion.

Food, cafes, supermarkets, prices, juice, alcohol

On north goa there are three large supermarkets with good choice goods (relatively good): Savitri (Savitri), Oxford (Oxford), Orchard (Orchard), and one convenience store called Family Supermarket (Family Supermarket). The last three are located in the Anjuna beach area, and the first is at the Chapora-Vagator junction. All of them, except Savitri, accept credit cards.

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The Domino pizza chain of pizzerias is spread throughout the state and delivers orders to your home. To do this, just call them, list what you need and wait for your order for 15 minutes. The pizza is very tasty and filling, the cost of one large pizza is 600 rupees (about 10 dollars). In addition to it, you may be offered drinks, sweets, etc. at a discount.

The order of prices in stores is approximately as follows: a package of juice - 70 rupees, a loaf of bread - 50 rupees, a package of milk - 10 rupees, eggs (10 pcs) - 70 rupees, 1 kg of tomato - 60 rupees, a package of sausages - 120 rupees. By the way, there is no buckwheat in India - not only does it not grow here, but it is also not imported. So if buckwheat is one of your favorite foods, then we recommend that you take this cereal with you. You can’t ignore the local alcohol, namely the world-famous dark rum “Old Monk”. It is not only very tasty, but also cheap - 1 bottle of 0.7 liters costs 100 rupees. Be sure to take this drink home (you can transfer up to 5 bottles across the border).

There are a lot of cafes in Goa, each of which has its own “trick”. As a rule, these cafes belong to the same family, which runs a guesthouse next to it. For example, the cult place “Mango tree” - classic rock music is always played here and excellent latte is prepared.

There are no large supermarkets in South Goa - everything here is focused on “hotel” holidays. There are small fruit shops and a Coffee Day coffee shop. Tourists eat mostly in hotels, which serve haute Indian and other cuisines.

You can’t ignore the Juice Center or, as Russians are used to calling it, jusnya. This is a small shop where they make and sell freshly squeezed juices, shakes, fruit salads, etc. It is secretly considered the most “delicious” and most “fruity” place in Goa. Here you can order a glass or two of juice, a fresh croissant with chocolate and have a tasty and satisfying snack.

Despite the general belief that India is a dirty country, where a snake can attack you from every corner and you can get infected with a million diseases, this is not the case in Goa. There are no snakes. To avoid getting sick, you must follow basic rules of sanitary hygiene: drink only bottled water, wash your hands, and avoid places with questionable food. The abundance of garbage is due to overpopulation; in general, Indians are quite clean.

Markets

In Goa, there is such an attraction as a fair or market, which is held twice a week: once during the day (Wednesdays) and once at night (from Saturday to Sunday). The daytime fair is called Flea Market, or Flea Market, which attracts everyone from young to old, of all nationalities and social strata of the population: traders, tourists, police officers, bandits, musicians, DJs, artists, film directors, famous and not so famous actors. In short, all those who crave simple and unpretentious communication, purchasing some trinket from local merchants, drinking cold beer, buying smuggled items or jewelry made of precious stones, antiques, up to 3000 years old. There is also a small Tibetan market where they sell unusual jewelry, including silver.

Girls will love the numerous shops with clothes and shoes made of genuine leather, the prices of which will pleasantly surprise you, since you can easily buy yourself a new beautiful sundress for no more than 150 rubles.

The daytime market is held on Wednesdays from early morning until sunset right on the coast in Anjuna. This market is a kind of test of strength - you will not find such a variety of goods and the pressure of sellers anywhere else! If you doubt your strength, do not take a large amount of money with you - here you can spend everything.

The second market is night. This fair is held on Saturdays, starting after sunset and ending just before dawn.

The main venue is an area called Arpora, near the highway, but recently a clone has appeared on Baga Road near the Baga River. Everything here is the same as at the daytime fair, the only difference is that the shopping rows are supplemented by rows of fast food, a karting track, venues with live music or DJ sets, fire shows, and tattoo artists.

The night market has more European sellers and, accordingly, more quality and exclusive goods. In addition, official dealers selling motorcycles under the Royal Endfield and Harley Davidson brands have recently begun to appear. These brands, in addition to participating in night markets, organize their 5-7 day festivals once a season, where fans of a particular brand of bikes gather, participate in motorcycle races, parades and invite those who wish to join their official gang, which is supported local government. Also at these shows you can purchase paraphernalia of the corresponding brands of bikes.

Famous people in Goa

Probably, no place on our planet has had as many creative people as Goa. Of course, you can meet Russian actors, singers, politicians and public figures everywhere here. Some come for a month or two to rest, relax, understand the essence of life, and some even live here seasonally, waiting out the long Moscow winters here. We personally met the famous performer Dolphin, Bogdan Titomir, the leader of the Russian bike movement “Night Wolves” Alexander the Surgeon. In an area called Badem lives a famous Russian actress, Amalia, with whom I also had the opportunity to meet and have a pleasant conversation. In 2010, in Goa, Sergei Solovyov shot the famous film “Odnoklassniki”, where he showed in great detail and beautifully all the delights of the Indian region. The most interesting thing is that anyone could act as an extra; they didn’t have to do anything specific, but just be themselves. On the set of this film, by the way, we met the famous talented Russian actor Mikhail Efremov.

On Arambol beach, in the jungle, behind Kalacha Beach, there is a Banyan tree - a tree under which, according to legend, the members of the great Beatles quartet meditated!

Italian sculptor Jungle, who personally carved the face of Shiva on a piece of stone. This creation can be seen on Vagator beach. Few famous people have not been here - the calm, peaceful atmosphere allows you to completely relax, shed accumulated fatigue and negativity, accept new creative ideas from the Universe and get into a working mood.

To summarize, I want to say that a holiday in Goa for me is a little more than just a trip to the sea. This is getting into a completely different world, the principles of which are very close to me. Freedom, me, Goa! Next I’ll tell you about the beaches and excursions in Goa.

Yes, we thought for a long time and decided for a long time and finally decided on the place. However, as it turned out later, we knew practically nothing not only about the country, but also about vacationing in it, which, however, did not stop us - there is the Internet, where you can find out everything about the intended place of travel, so that there are no unforeseen surprises already on arrival.

India is an amazing country, but practically unknown to us. All we have heard about her is beautiful outfits, dances and songs for any occasion, spices and yoga. Therefore, we had to collect and study a lot of information, which until now was of little interest to us. You can read thousands of books about India and Goa in particular, and still not understand anything; you can visit thousands of forums and websites and form an erroneous opinion, but it’s easier to just go and see for yourself. However, before getting to India you will have to overcome many obstacles that complicate life. To begin with, we just looked at the world map: all of India, not excluding Goa state is located in the northern hemisphere, which means that summer in Russia and summer in India occur at the same time, only the conditions are very different. The high season in Goa is from December to March, many come earlier, since prices in December-January are too steep, sometimes reaching the point of absurdity (under New Year the price of a bike was increased to 1200 rupees per day). For this reason, most winterers live from October to April, but in October it is still stuffy in Goa after the rainy season (Monsun), and in April it is already too hot before it.

From Moscow to Dabolim (the airport in Goa) is more than 5000 km and, although such a distance can theoretically be overcome by land, in fact it is extremely difficult to do this, although experiments similar to the story occur. However, this is an option for those who really like to travel and really don’t like airplanes. I haven't done any research on traveling overland to India, so let's get back to planes.

What you need to do long before your trip to Goa

• Duration of travel and type of visa to India. It is important to decide on the duration of the trip, because it determines what type of visa to India you should apply for: an electronic visa for a month, a one-time visa for three, or maybe you need a multiple visa for 6 months. , not at all difficult and most economical
• Route to Goa. The easiest way to get to Goa is to take a plane ticket to Dabolima, but it is not the most economical, and it is terribly routine, although personally we are for our first visit to India. By the way, if you fly to Delhi and then take a train there, you can save about 25% on tickets, and besides, I fly direct flights to Delhi from many cities. In addition, you can use the airport in Mumbai and again travel to Goa by train. The last two options will allow you to see a non-tourist India, and if you decide to take buses, the immersion will be complete, but we didn’t take risks, especially since we only had a month allotted for the trip.
• Buying a cheap ticket to Goa. With more desire, diligence and a bit of luck, it is possible, especially in cases of timely planning of the trip - here it will help and the price of a round trip ticket is about $250-300 per person. By the way, you can also take advantage of charters and hot packages; the latter will also offer transfer to the hotel along with accommodation at the price of a cheap air ticket.
• Booking accommodation in Goa. Here the simplest solution would be to use any: Agoda, Booking and or use the form at the bottom of the article (and thank me too) It makes sense to book for just a couple of days, because upon arriving at the place and leaving your bags at the hotel, you can easily find a good deal within a day housing, and much cheaper. For example, the cheapest room for our period cost 700 rupees on booking (I do not take into account a bed in a shared room), while in Arombola we stayed in a two-room apartment for 400 rupees, having dropped the price to almost 200 in April
• Travel insurance to India. I haven’t discussed the topic of insurance yet, but I’m thinking of dealing with it in the near future, because... I already have a lot of materials and life instructive situations. In general, it’s up to you to decide whether to take it or not, but once you’ve decided, don’t cheap out by buying a piece of paper for a couple of thousand. Choose reliable and proven companies. Something came over me, and in fear of being refused a visa to India and losing my tickets and all sorts of force majeure, I took out insurance for three days. It included protection against non-departure, loss of luggage and other factors little dependent on me, including various injuries before my check-in in Goa. Looking ahead, I will say that although it was not useful, it warmed my soul greatly.
• Explore forums and join thematic communities. I’ll leave forums, such as the Vinsky forum, up to your discretion; decide for yourself how much you can trust them, ordinary people write there. But joining communities, primarily on Facebook, is an extremely useful action. Don't have a Facebook account yet? If you like to travel, I advise you to start one, it will help you save on travel; according to statistics, this is where the real live audience sits, posting not only useful information, but also advantageous local offers. Of course, I joined, the most popular among Russian-speaking people in Goa. This way I was able to get my bearings on prices and partially immerse myself in the life of this amazing place, as well as create a small reminder about holidays in Goa.
• Finally save money for a vacation. I already wrote, take the average budget for a trip (for a month without travel, excursions, it will be about $400 in Goa in 2016, the rest is as you negotiate), add 50%, and leave NZ for a return ticket

This is probably the end of the list of things to do in advance. Everything else should be done immediately before the trip.

Not long before the trip to India

Of course, I didn’t write about such obvious things as issuing bank cards, buying travel equipment: backpacks, suitcases, or whatever you like to do on vacation, and printing copies of documents and photographs. This minimum is always necessary if you like to travel. Now let's get down to the really necessary steps:

• Applying for a visa to India. My wife has already prepared an article about that. Therefore, I will not dwell on this step in too much detail. The main thing to remember is that a visa to India received at the visa center in person begins to be valid from the moment it is received, and not from the moment you enter the country, so you cannot apply for it too early, at the same time there is always a chance of delaying the application process, so the best time is for in my opinion two weeks before the trip. And for an online visa for 30 days (which you will receive upon arrival), you are given a certain time period (approximately 30 days) within which you must enter the country and from the moment of entry it will begin to be valid.
• If you want to earn extra money or do a good deed. In the Goa People group, there are always a lot of people who want to receive something from their distant homeland, not for free, of course, at least for a plus to karma. We brought Russian delicacies to our friends, and they gave us shelter. You won’t earn much by bringing goods to India (except for professional activities), but you can get a lot of kind words and advice.
• Buying groceries in India. A couple of days before departure, you can buy rare products: buckwheat, sausage, herring, caviar, cigarettes - in a word, everything without which it will be difficult for you in a foreign land. You can safely take a lot, as long as it doesn’t get spoiled, because as a rule, suitcases are brought to India without things. By the way, if you are flying with a low-cost airline, you can also buy food in the cabin in advance, of course not boiled chicken with eggs, but a piece of fried meat or just sandwiches can be brought in.
• Purchasing currency. In fact, with the current unstable exchange rate, it may not be worth gaining much. Cash dollars and euros are good and can always be exchanged in Asia, and in some countries dead presidents are the second currency. However, it is always worth remembering. By the way, in Goa there are banks that issue rupees without commission, and with banks that are quite loyal to clients (I have one of the Tinkoff Black cards), it is more profitable to withdraw here. So, for example, 100 bucks bought for 7080 rubles, I exchanged 6700 rupees here, receiving a rate of 0.94. A couple of days later, having withdrawn 10,000 rupees from the card, I paid 10,246 rubles, receiving a much more favorable rate of 0.98
• Transfer to your accommodation in Goa. We safely missed this point, fortunately we were lucky on the plane, so the taxi ended up being half the price (the total cost of the taxi was 1,500 rupees). Although I’m lying, we wanted to get from the airport on our own using several buses, but we were still lucky to meet Iskander. Always on the road.
• First aid kit for a tourist on the road. It makes sense to take care of your health in advance and buy a minimum set of inexpensive medications. - this is what should be at hand, no matter that India is famous for its medicines. Sometimes herbs alone are not enough, and domestic chemistry comes to the rescue. And peroxide and iodine are essential companions for any tourist

That’s probably all the preparation, in theory it takes a couple of days to do everything, so it’s better not to be lazy. For convenience and simplicity, I have prepared several more advice articles:

• - what to take with you on a trip
• - main points about the holiday that are better to know in advance

Once in Goa, I can say with confidence that you can safely take a step towards one of the most ancient cultures in the world.

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It is considered one of the most popular destinations among Russian tourists. The island has everything that can provide a complete and relaxing beach holiday. Due to the popularity of this amazing place, Russian tour operators offer many ways to get to Goa.

From Moscow and St. Petersburg

Basically, the starting point of departure to Goa are cities such as and. There are many charter and regular flights from Moscow to Dabolim State International Airport, for which it is better to purchase tickets in advance. Direct flights are provided by Air India and UTair. The first airline's planes fly regularly on Tuesdays, the second airline's planes fly to Goa on Fridays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The total flight duration is about 7 hours, which is quite convenient.

You can also buy tickets that require a transfer in, Mumbai or. This type of travel will be provided to you by Air Arabia and Qatar carriers. Waiting times at airports depend primarily on the type of flight, weather conditions and the duration of connections between flights.

If you decide to get to Goa via St. Petersburg, then you should know that tickets must be purchased for flights of S7 or RossiyaAir airlines. In the first case, you will have to transfer to another plane flying from Moscow to Goa. In total, you will spend about 13-14 hours in the sky.

How to get to Goa by train

The train is chosen by travelers who prefer to save money on their trip. You can only get to Goa by train while in India. One viable option is to fly to Mumbai or Delhi and then transfer to a train. It is worth mentioning separately about Indian trains, which are not particularly comfortable, but are quite suitable for short trips. Your journey from Mumbai to Goa will take between 10 and 13 hours. The train departs from two railway stations: Dadar; Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The road from the capital of India will seem more difficult to you due to the fact that you will spend approximately 28-30 hours on the road. However, the Delhi-Goa route has some advantages. Firstly, tickets are almost always available. Secondly, the cost of tickets will pleasantly surprise you. Trains from Delhi depart from the following stations: Hazrat Nizamuddin; New Delhi Railway.

To Goa by bus

This method is only possible from major cities in India, so you first need to fly to one of them. Bus services in India are excellent, and the price range for tickets varies greatly depending on the class of bus. You can choose a sitting or lying position, called a sleeper. Tickets are sold at many points in the city or travel offices.

Traveling alone Russian tourists Quite often they buy two tickets at once for buses with lie-flat seats, since few people want to sleep next to a stranger. Leaving Mumbai, you will find yourself in the capital of Goa within 12-14 hours. Don’t forget to check with the driver exactly where the final stop will be.

To Goa by taxi

This method of transportation is rarely practiced and is suitable for those who travel big company. The advantages of traveling by taxi are that you will travel in comfort and can always ask the driver to stop anywhere. You will cover the distance from Mumbai to Goa in about 7-12 hours if you move at an average speed.

It is much more difficult to get from Delhi by taxi to the popular Indian state due to the long distance and high cost of the trip. Be sure to follow the important rules of communication with Indian taxi drivers:

• agree on the cost, time of arrival at the final destination, duration of the trip and other nuances before the trip;
• do not promise the driver to pay additional funds in case of stops or unforeseen circumstances;
• find out how much to pay for luggage;
• Carefully inspect the machine for visible damage.

How to get to Goa: by plane, train, bus or car. Current prices, useful tips, all the nuances and details of the route to Goa from “Subtleties of Tourism”.

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India is not the place where people go to relax as a “vegetable” - lying on the beaches and drinking cocktails. There is a lot to marvel at and why stay. If your vacation is no more than two weeks, the best way to save time is to take a direct flight to Goa. But there are plenty of other options. Tourists often choose a slightly more time-consuming, but much more picturesque route through Delhi and Mumbai: there by plane, and then by train or taxi.

And a very extreme, but quite feasible option is to spend several weeks (or even months) on the road and get to Goa by land, visiting Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan at the same time.

By air

By taxi

This travel option is convenient if you are traveling in a large group and want to get to your destination among “your people” and in comfort. A taxi ride from Mumbai to Goa will take 8-12 hours and will cost from 10,000 INR. Iron rules when dealing with a taxi driver in India:

• negotiate the price in advance and do not give money up front;
• indicate your destination, arrival time and the fact that you will not pay extra money if the driver gets lost;
• Find out if you will have to pay for luggage separately.

Theoretically, you can also get to Goa from Delhi by taxi, but this method of transportation, to put it mildly, is not very popular among tourists. A trip of almost 2 thousand km will not only tire you, but will also cost a serious amount of money. Moreover, the driver may demand payment for his stay at the hotel.

By rented car

This option, judging by the reviews of tourists, is almost never practiced. The fact is that if you rent a car in Mumbai, you will have to return it there. It is inconvenient to constantly travel by car in Goa due to the chaos on the roads, there is almost no parking there, and besides, the car may simply break down, which will create difficulties when returning it to the agency.