Dream Vacations and Honeymoons: The Famous Beaches of Goa

India is one the most interesting places in the entire world. The rich culture and diversity of the land and the people make it an exciting place to visit. The western coast of India boasts some of the most famous beaches in the world, with cliffs and sandy beaches that overlook turquoise water in the Arabian Sea. This destination is popular during the winter months with tourists from all over the world! If you are up for a little adventure into a new culture, this place is just for you!

Planning a vacation or honeymoon to another continent can be a little difficult, but trust me, it is well worth the effort. I ended up in Goa for 2 weeks during the summer season in 2011. If you are on a budget or are looking for the quietest beaches, come during this time. It's the off season due to the monsoons, but if you go around May-June, the weather is still perfect. But once the monsoons come, flooding is typical. We encountered a little of it on our last few days, but nothing severe. But take this into consideration when planning. Coming after the middle of June through September isn't a good idea.

But because the peak season is in the winter, the room rates are fantastic prices in the summer. My husband and I stayed in a luxury resort house all to ourselves, with amazing amenities including A/C (its rare in India) for about $20 USD a night. There was fresh seafood, we rented a scooter to ride up and down the coast on, found great people, and had a relaxing time. The beaches were clean and the water was beautiful.

The most expensive thing will be a plane ticket, so be sure to book ahead of time.

You can either find a place in advance to stay or book online. We just walked up and down the beach until we found just the right place.

After that, bus fees are only a few rupees and like I said, the resorts were inexpensive during off season. If you go in the winter during peak season, you'll pay anywhere from $50-300 USD a night, depending on how nice of a place you want to stay. A lot of places down the beach offer huts in the sand as well as regular room accommodations. The entire place is amazing.

We stayed in South Goa in Palolem and also in Northern Goa in Calengute. Both are fun places. The northern beaches are more tourist centered, and the south is more relaxed, but we really enjoyed both places.