Going, Going, Goa

For years I have pegged Goa in my mind as a place to avoid, sort of the Cabo of India, swamped with tourists seeking all-night parties with lots of drugs in a pseudo raver/ex-hippie scene. Maybe because I'm in the south of Goa in Palolem (the north is notoriously more more of a party scene) or maybe because it's the tail end of the tourist season here, but I'm finding I couldn't have been further from the truth. The coast is lined with beautiful little inlets and islands, and the beaches are practically empty. The towns are much less developed than those along the Keralan coast, with practically indistinguishable makeshift palm huts acting the roles of hotel room, bar, dance floor, and lovely restaurants with really good food and reclining cushions for the small population of tourists who are here.

Just to the south of Palolem there exists an even mellower and more beautiful beach called Patnem. Patnem is less developed, intermixed with funky Bolinas-style hippie huts and classic Indian fishing villages - I think this is where many people come to live and relax, with an occasional party. There is a sound ordinance, so after 11pm all party-goers don headphones that are linked to the DJs table and you dance with headphones on. I guess it's a good (if not strange) concept, if you meet a cutie you can just lose the headphones and actually have a conversation. But mostly I've been enjoying my days of walking through these coastal villages that separate the beaches and picking my way through small, semi-tropical tidepools. Tidepooling in India, add that to the list of new experiences I've had on this trip! You don't have to spend a single rupee to enjoy an entire day, and it's nice to just feel like I can soak up some more natural elements of India before I return to the pulsing, heaving and (by now) sweating masses of people compressed in the cities.

All in all, this whole area is pretty undeveloped and low-key, and it's actually been a much more enjoyable experience than the more resorty (is that a word? yes!) areas that I visited in Kerala. There are definitely plenty of tourist amenities, such as scooters for Rs.200/- ($4) per day to ride and explore more of the coastline and villages, but they are not overstated or pushy at all. And despite being the "end of season" because of the heat, a pleasantly cool breeze keeps the entire area at comfortable and pretty ideal temperature most of the time. And the beer is cold! In a couple of days I'll go to Hampi to see the incredible ruins there, and I'm wishing I could somehow bottle this sea breaze to bring inland with me. Ultimately I'm really glad I got over myself to visit this part of India, and contrary to all my previous assumptions I am really loving Goa.