6 Best Beaches in Goa

Beaches in Goa beckons millions of traveler every year from around the globe. Though Goa is India's smallest state in area, it has become a very population vacation and retreat destination for many world travelers.

The large beaches, tropical monsoon climate, relaxed attitudes and water activities are some of the main draws. May is the hottest month with average daily highs of about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, a time when tourists normally avoid traveling to beaches in Goa.

Millions of tourists flock in Goa to relax along its beaches

Monsoon rains begin in June and last until late September. The state's population is about one million with approximately two million tourists that visit each year.

Vasco da Gama, Margao, Panaji, Mapusa and Ponda are the major cities in Goa, and the state has two main areas: north and south.

Two rail lines connect these areas and one rail line runs parallel to the coast. Rail can be taken to access the beaches, but there are also many buses and well-maintained roads.

North Goa 

Calangute beach in Goa is one of the more popular with foreigners. This area has upscale restaurants and popular gathering places for nightlife such as Club Tito and Cafe Mambo. Because this area is popular with foreigners, amenities like air-conditioning and wireless Internet access are available.

It is located 6 miles from Mapusa and 10 miles from Panaji. Thivim is the closest railway station.

Anjuna beach used to be something of a hippie haven, but not so much anymore. There is a flea market and a disco with some shacks for accommodation.

There are many restaurants here and rentals such as bikes, rooms, and houses. There are also unique gathering places like Curlie's and art produced by locals for sale.

It is located 5 miles from Mapusa and 11 miles from Panaji. The closest railway station is Thivim.

Arambol beach is the new hippie center, though still fairly subdued and somewhat natural. There are many food choices from cafes and restaurants. Some say it is the best beach in North Goa, while others used to share that opinion but say it has become too commercial.

It is located 20 miles from Mapusa and 31 miles from Panaji. The closest railway station is Pernem.

South Goa

Palolem beach has been said by some to be the most beautiful beach in Goa. Most of the people staying here are locals so there are a number of cattle, chickens, pigs and other animals wandering around at times.

If you like a little more natural and rustic beach setting Palolem may be your best bet. There are places to stay here starting at about $10 per night.

It is located 27 miles from Margao and 47 miles from Panaji. The closest railway stations are Margao and Canacona.

Agonda beach is known for being quiet and near dense forests, so it may be good for nature lovers. There are also cows on the beach at any given moment and fewer people than some Goa beaches.

Simple accommodation like bungalows and shacks are available. It is one of the top-rated beaches online. Marine turtles can also be found on this wide, very long beach.

Swimming is not so popular here because of a steep drop-off in the sea floor once you go out a short distance. This deeper water makes for rougher surf and can make swimming difficult.

It is located 26 miles from Margao and 47 miles from Panaji. The closest main railway station is Margao.
Canacona is the local railway station nearby.

Benaulim beach is also a quieter one with boat rides, dolphin spotting, wind surfing and jet skiing available. There is less accommodation available than at some of the other beaches. It may be necessary to stay at a hotel at the nearby Colva beach.

This area is fairly sedate compared with beaches like Anjuna. It is rated very highly online, probably because it is one of the more relaxing beaches.

It is located 5 miles from Margao and 25 miles from Panaji. The closest railway station is Margao.

Author Bio: Angie Picardo is a writer at TravelNerd and NerdWallet, a financial literacy site that features a plethora of information to help you choose between a Traditional or Roth IRA.

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10 Tips on How to keep home safe while traveling

If only a picture like this could work to keep your home safe while traveling you'd need not worry but alas it doesn't.

Unfortunately messages like these don't work so how do you keep your home safe while traveling

So how do you keep your home safe while traveling? Here's our 10 tips to keep your home safe while traveling. Read on and hey don't forget to get that travel insurance, it's important ...

Let your neighbors know

This is based on the assumption that you have a friendly neighbor like I do. Inform that to keep an eye on your house in your absence and report to police and you if they find anything amiss.

Lock all doors and windows

This is basic and obvious and sometimes people do forget to look that back door or a window or two which are so inviting to burglars. Double check all your doors and windows and move your valuables or gadgets away from windows.

Switch it off

Switch off any electrical appliance that could inflate your electricity bills. ACs, refrigerators, geysers television and all other appliances must be switched off before you leave the house. 

Always remember that even if you use Havell's swithces, there might be a chance that they could catch fire surely fire up your electricity bill.

Hire someone to house-sit

This is something I have done so many times during my childhood days. When our neighbors used to go out for extended breaks, they use to call on us to house sit (mostly spend the night which is the most vulnerable hour for theft and burglary).

House sitting is the most potent way to keep your house safe while traveling especially if the sitter is your neighbor or trustworthy acquaintance.

Remove your spare key

We all use to keep a key somewhere hidden to allow our friends or relatives to check in our absence. The place could be the doormat, a flowerpot, windowpanes or somewhere down the lawn. Not leaving a spare key is a must to keep your house safe while traveling.

You Should always remove your spare keys while traveling to keep your house safe

Inform newspaper delivery guy

Tell your newspaper man not to deliver the paper when you are on an extended leave. The heaps of unread newspaper are inviting signals for the eyes of thieves and burglars.

Let the milkman know

I India, most people are home-delivered milk by their milkman every day. Do tell them to stop the delivery or it could both be a signal that you are away and add to your monthly bills.

Electricity

Lock the lockers

Keep your valuables like cash and jewelry locked inside a locker or better in a safety locker room of a bank.

Turn off alarm clocks and telephone

Don’t forget to turn off any alarm clocks you might have so that they don’t end up alarming burglars about your absence.

Also lower the tone of your landline phone so that they do not gather attention of the passersby should anyone tries to contact you in your absence.

Are you traveling to India? If yes and if you are with kids then this post how to travel in India with kids will come handy. 

And if you are not then here's the top 10 reasons why you should travel to India. During summers that is if you happen to make your travel plans to India while reading this post, you would want to check out these top summer destinations or hill stations. 

My money for traveling now is for Ladakh. It's the best destination for summer as well as monsoon.

Check this out if this is a summer family vacation in India. BTW, Kerala is one of the few destinations in India which could be enjoyed throughout the year. Here's a travel guide of Kerala.

Contributed by Nikhil Chandra

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How to Register for Amarnath Yatra

How to get Registration for Amarnath Yatra 2014

Amarnath Yatra is soon going to start on 28th June for the year 2014. If you still have not registered yourself for this Sri Amarnathji Yatra, follow these steps to get enrolled and get the opportunity to visit the sacred pilgrim center.

For other tips visit here for how to plan Amarnath Yatra.

Sri Amarnathji Yatra requires you to get registered before undertaking the pilgrimage

• Download Form & Certificate: Log on to the official website of Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board and download the registration form. Fill the print out form with the details required. Also download and print the Compulsory Health Certificate. 

• Health Certificate: To identify the location of the Authorized Doctor and Institutions to issue the Compulsory Health Certificate, you may visit the official website of Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board. For the Amarnath Yatra’13, Health Certificate from an authorized Doctor or institution is made obligatory according to the guidelines of SASB.

• Registration Counter: Your form will only be considered for registration if submitted at the Designated Yatra Registration Counters. There are almost 422 Yatra Registration counters to collect the form for Amarnath Yatra’13.

• Submit Form & Certificate: After obtaining the compulsory health certificate, submit it at selected branches of PNB, J&K Bank, Yes Bank, HDFC, and SBI banks, together with your duly filled registration form. Do not forget to attest your passport sized photograph on the Amarnath Yatra Registration Form.

• Registration Fee: Along with the registration form and compulsory health certificate, you need to pay a very nominal charge.

• Yatra Permit: After verification of the registration form and the compulsory health certificate, the officer will issue Yatra Permit for you. Do not forget to take the Yatra Permit along during the Yatra to the Amarnath.

Procuring registration forms and medical certificates is easy and Indiapilgrimtours.com may even help you with the paperwork, if necessary. These steps will help you to get the registration done well in time and be a part of grand Amarnath Yatra this season.

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Why Travel Insurance is Important

Travel insurance is one of the most important things to consider if you are traveling overseas. While most of the tourists traveling overseas take adequate precaution and travel safely, in a few cases they find themselves in difficulties. Each year, thousands of cases are reported by tourists traveling overseas especially developing and underdeveloped nations. Medical emergency includes cases of hospitalization, death and in emergency evacuation to another location or home country for medical attention.

Why travel insurance is important if you are traveling overseas

Medical treatment overseas is an expensive whether from injury or illness.  Daily hospitalizations cost in Southeast Asia could reach as high as USD 800. In cases where the individuals are not covered by travel insurance, personal tragedies could be compounded by a long term financial burden.

Same could happen with loss of luggage in transport or passport. You may miss flight due to confusion at airport terminals or there could be some terrorism related activity which forces you to cancel your travel plan. To cover all these unforeseen circumstances, travel insurance comes as a great respite and lifesaver.

Here is why travel insurance is important especially if you are traveling overseas for long  vacation. Click to Tweet

• Your flight has been cancelled

• Your baggage is lost in transit

• You had your wallet stolen which had your passport and you need cash and replacement

• You have a medical emergency and you need evacuation to another country because adequate medical facilities are not available

• Sudden illness makes you cancel your trip

• The cruise you were traveling in goes bankrupt and you need to get to your destination as well as the coverage of non-refundable expanses

• An incidence of terrorism takes place in the city you were planning to travel to

Trip Cancellation

Insurance for trip cancellation or interruption is a must consider point if you are traveling long distance. These kind of policies cover cancellations due to weather, sudden illness, death and emergencies whilst at home or abroad For traveling to Delhi from Bangalore, it is not advisable to go for the insurance but if you are traveling from Delhi to Los Angeles on your dream trip or going for a cruise in Mediterranean, you should definitely go get yourself insured for trip cancellation and interruption. Do not buy this insurance from the individual travel provider because the chances are that if the company goes out of business so does their insurance.

Medical Emergency

Medical emergency is perhaps the single most important factor to consider proper travel insurance cover. Under this cover, you will get assistance if get sick or injured overseas. The policy covers your treatment cost, cost of medical advice from doctors, medical bills and even evacuation to your home country or nearest country where adequate medical facilities are available for your treatment.

Baggage Insurance

Baggage insurance is generally covered in trip cancellation and interruption policy but it is always advisable to go for larger policy if you are traveling overseas for a long vacation. Go for excess valuation which requires you to declare the contents of your luggage. And it’s well worth it if your carrier does lose your bags.

Other insurance policies which could come handy are Golf Travel Insurance, Adventure Sport Travel Insurance and the credit card coverage. Credit card coverage is available to if you have used your credit card to book your trip. You need to check with your credit card provider for more details on coverage.

Author Bio: Contributed by Nikhil Chandra

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Gangotri : Chardham Yatra

Gangotri is one of the sacred pilgrim centers in India and a part of the famous Chardham Yatra. The place has great significance in the Hindu mythology and is considered holy as the river Ganges, known to be the stream of Life, came on earth for the first time.

The natural setting of the place also mesmerize the devotees and experience the heavily bliss. One can also enjoy the mystic view of Indo-Tibetan border.

Gangotri is situated at the banks of river Bhagirathi, at a height of 3100 meters on the Himalayan range.

Temple at Gangotri

History of Gangotri
The temple of Gangotri was said to be constructed in the early years of the 18th century by a Gorkha Commander. Later, the kings of Jaipur, rebuilt it.

At Gaumukh is the origin of the sacred river that sets in 19 km trek from Gangotri, known as the Gangotri Glacier.

Mythology
The Hindu mythology states that King Bhagirath - the grandson of King Sagar - did self-punishment for almost 5500 years. This penance was to purify the ashes of the King Sagar’s 60,000 sons.

Pleased by this, Lord Shiva sent Goddess Ganga to shrive the sins of ancestors of King Bhagirath. As Goddess Ganga was sent in the form of river, Lord Shiva caught her in his matted locks to put a control over her force.

Therefore, at the source, the river is called Bhagirathi and later from Devprayag, where it meets Alaknanda, obtains the name Ganga. The pilgrims offer water collected at Gangotri to Lord Shiva.

Places of interest near Gangotri:
Gangotri has bountiful attractions for the tourists and devotees to enjoy. Nature lovers can visit Dodi Tal, Ganges Glacier, and Kedar Tal by undertaking treks ranging from moderate to difficult levels.

Pilgrims also enjoy the mystical ambiance at Gangotri Temple and Vishwanath Temple. Apart from this, Harsil, Maneri, Tapovan, and Uttarkashi are also some of the popular tourist attractions of near Gangotri.

Best time to visit Gangotri:
Best time to pay holy visit to the sacred city of Gangotri is from April to June and September to November.

• The summer months from April to May are very pleasing as the temperature does not cross 30°C (max) and can drop to very lower point making nights very cold.

• Monsoon months from late July to August make sojourn to the temple difficult due to heavy rainfall in the area. 

• The winter months from November to March are not advisable for visit to the temple due to heavy snowfall and freezing cold.

How to reach Gangotri:
The city of Gangotri could be reached by various modes, say air, rail and road.

• By Air: Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun, is the nearest airport. It is at a distance of 162 km from Gangotri.

• By Rail: Rishikesh is the nearest railhead that is 145 km from Gangotri.

• By Road: From Rishikesh, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Haridwar, and other nearby places, there are regular buses that provide service till Gangotri. For road traveol, private taxies could also be hired.

[ Don't miss-out & have a look at Chardham Yatra Tour Packages ]

Looking for pilgrimage tours in India? You may also find following post interesting:

1. Amarnath Cave Yatra
2. Kedarnath Temple: Chardham Yatra
3. Amarnath Yatra Planning: Travel Tips
4. Chardham Yatra 

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HOHO Bus For Sightseeing in Delhi

Do you live in Delhi? Ever heard about HoHo Bus? When I first heard this name, it sounded strange; something new to me. Yesterday I heard this name by my one colleague. After some research on HoHo Bus now, I have come with this post.

I have also come to the conclusion that HoHo bus is the best way of getting around in Delhi, if you are a tourist and traveling to Delhi to visit its monuments, bazaars, museums and discover its rich heritage.

Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus Facilities:

 

HoHo Bus is equipped with air conditioned, cushioned interiors and have on board entertainment facilities and GPS tracking system. The bus timing is very flexible and comes very frequently at the station. And it also provides tour guide facilities.

Bus Routes and Destinations:  Ho Ho Bus runs on its 3 different routes – Red Route, Green Route and Red + Green Routes.

Red Route:

Sher Mandal inside Purana Qila

This route covers over 13 destinations, which embark on from Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Connaught place and finally concludes in Jantar Mantar.  First bus arrives at 8.30 AM and after that approximately every 45 minutes.

Red Route Destinations: Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Feroz Shah Kotla, Red Fort, Rajghat, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), India Gate, Purana Qila, Humayun Tomb, Safdarjung Tomb, Indra Gandhi Museum, Nehru Museum, Rastrapti Bhawan, National Museum and Jantar Mantar

The main attractions of this route are Word Heritage sites and Museums.

Green Route:

India Gate

This route covers more than 10 destinations across central Delhi. The bus service starts from India Gate and ends in Safdarjung Tomb. The first run of the bus starts at 8. 30 AM after that available in approximately every 30 minutes.

The main attractions of this route are shopping markets and heritage properties.

Green Route Destinations: India Gate, National Gallery of Modern art (NGMA), Humayun Tomb, Lajpat Nagar, Lotus Temple, Saket Market, Qutub Minar, Hauz Khas Village, Delhi Haat and Safdarjung Tomb.

Red + Green Route:

Lotus Temple

This route covers 19 destinations of it’s both routes (Red and Green) and which takes 2 days.

Red + Green Route: Baba Kharak Singh Marg - Feroz Shah Kotla - Red Fort - Rajghat - National Gallery of Modern Art - India Gate - Purana Quila - Humayun Tomb - Lajpat Nagar - Lotus Temple - Saket Malls - Qutub Minar - Hauz Khas Village - Delhi Haat - Safdarjung Tomb - Indiara Gandhi Museum - Nehru Museum - Rashtrapati Bhawan - National Museum - Jantar Mantar

Bus Fare:

	Indian		Foreigner
Route	Adult	Child	Adult	Child
Red	Rs. 300	Rs. 150	Rs. 600	Rs.300
Green	Rs. 300	Rs. 150	Rs. 600	Rs.300
Red + Green	Rs. 500	RS. 250	Rs. 1000	Rs. 500

Note:

• HOHO bus does not operate on Monday.
• The bus ticket is valid 2 days.
• HOHO bus also offers tours for student, Group, Corporate and Family

For more details visit - www.hohodelhi.com/

[Explore Delhi Tour Packages at IndianHoliday.com]

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About the Author:
A seeker, learner and explorer, Sandeep Manral loves to travel which could be attributed to the fact that he was born and brought up in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand located in Great Himalaya, a digital marketing professional by profession, Sandeep also loves to write on diverse travel topics along with regular features on SEO and Digital Marketing tips and tricks.

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