It was time to head north to relax and enjoy some time on the beach.  I had ten days to experience the beaches of Goa and I was planning on splitting my time between Arambol, Vagator and Palolem.  All had been recommended by friends to visit. Known for their party vibes, I was warned Arambol and Vagator wouldn’t be quiet destinations, however the beaches were very quiet everywhere, but it was still nice to see more foreigners around. It was now April and with the season starting to wind down, each day resorts would dismantle their properties in preparation for the monsoon season ahead.  It was quite eerie to watch especially when the restaurant I had dined in Palolem the night prior, had disappeared the next day.

Arambol with its long stretching coastline was an idyllic spot to rest for a few days. It was windy making it a popular destination for kite surfers, but it was nice to walk along the beach and enjoy the warmth of the sun.  I was greeted with the Buddha quote “The greatest prayer is patience” in the resort I was staying at, helping me to transform into relaxation.  I wanted to try some yoga while I was there but most of the places had closed for the season.  You could definitely see in the height of the season that the place would have a completely different vibe.

From Arambol, I spent two nights staying in a boutique hotel in Vagator, visiting Little Vagator and Anjuna.  During a sunset at Anjuna I watched a ceremony where they rang a bell to give thanks to the day and at dusk in Vagator, eagles would fly over Little Vagator making it feel very majestic and by day the beaches were partial to some very friendly cows!

After a couple of nights in Vagator I headed south the Palolem.  I was planning to stay for four nights and then make the long trip to Hampi on my way to Mumbai. But unfortunately it was proving again to be a big journey. I didn’t want to catch the train on my own which was over ten hours.  The overnight buses had poor reviews and a taxi was proving to be really expensive and then I had the same issue moving on from Hampi to Mumbai.  Many of the accommodation places I had looked at where closed for the season and I was told it would be extremely hot there and it wasn’t the best time to go. Reluctantly, I decided not to go which I’m still gutted about, but I’ll have to try getting there another time.

Instead I spent the next ten days at Palolem, soaking in the last of the sun before my adventure in India came closer to its end.  I stayed at the Art Resort which had great food (and cocktails), nice staff and I basically did nothing but yoga, meditate, sleep, eat, drink and swim for my entire stay.  The only down side to Goa is the water clarity.  It isn’t amazing and there are plenty of dogs (and cows) roaming the beaches which doesn’t help, but Palolem beach was cleaned daily of rubbish making it a really nice place to park up and relax and I would definitely return again some day.

“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way” – Buddha

Images shot on a Fujifilm XT100 or iPhone4s  ©Not The Jealous Kind 2015