How Much Does A Trip To Goa Cost

Among the most popular reasons for tourists visiting India includes exotic vegan cuisine, bargain shopping, medical tourism, and spiritual sabbatical. But among all places in India where one can find these features, the state of Goa offers a completely different face and so much more.

Curiously, Goa is considered as India’s Christian cultural center – the first stop of the pioneering Jesuit (Catholic) evangelical missions in the 16th Century. Just as Calcutta was the British capital during their reign, Goa was the seat of Portuguese influence in the region.

Speaking of bargain shopping, this state has earned a reputation for being one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) places in India – which says a lot considering how the entire country is known for their inexpensive wares. But if there is one thing about Goa that draws both the local and international crowd, it’s the beaches – eight of which are currently gaining global popularity.

Best Time to Visit

Knowing an ideal time to schedule a holiday in any specific place is a matter of identifying which time of the year has the following qualities: lowest vacation rental cost, least volume of visitors, and the finest weather in the calendar. According to Eliot and Me, September proves to be the most favorable month to spend for a value Goa vacation package cost. Here are the reasons why:

• September is the least visited month of the year.
• The average vacation rental cost in September is around $44.
• The highest daylight temperature in September is an average 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
• September is the end of the monsoon season, where rainfall is at its relative mildest.

One may consider spending a maximum of two weeks for a holiday in Goa – one week for an independent leisurely itinerary and another for an organized tour. Please take note of this suggested date in reflection to the exact cost of plane ticket and accommodations: September 25 to October 9, 2017.

Flight Costs via PriceLine

The first thing any traveler must consider when it comes to overall expenses is the price for a plane ticket. For people traveling from the United States, it takes more than one stop to reach Goa via plane. Fortunately, one can book a round trip to Goa for less than US $1,000. So, how much does a trip to Goa cost? Please refer to the table below for a more detailed analysis:

Best Accommodations

Ticket price is just one part of the entire budget equation. Another important question aside from ‘how much does a trip to Goa cost’ is ‘how much does living in Goa cost.’ The most important aspect of the (temporary) cost of living is the price for shelter. Granted that one has relatives in Goa that offer a decent and comfortable place to stay, this part of the budget is already negligible.

For strangers with no relatives or friends sharing a living space, choosing a temporary home is a matter of considering a balance between cost and comfort. One can find quality accommodations for less than $55 per night. Please refer to the table below for a list of top-rated value properties:

Note: It is important to remember that outbound flights from the United States may take a maximum total of 48 hours to complete. The following details in this table pertain to a 12-day reservation beginning two days after the scheduled flight to Goa (September 27, 2017)

Smart Consumer Guide

When it comes to the cost of living, the most meticulous part of the vacation budget focuses on the price for food, transportation, and outdoor leisure. One of the many travel blogs about Goa estimates the overall per day budget to be approximate, $11.32. This figure already includes the following:

• Eating out (twice a day) and drinking out
• Bike rental (plus fuel cost)
• Groceries and shopping (basic retail goods)
• Activities (e.g. workshops, yoga, cooking classes)

All about taste

As mentioned earlier, Indian cuisine is one of the most important highlights in experiencing a memorable vacation in Goa. As far as dining out is concerned, there are about more than a dozen bistros cafes that are not only categorized as world class but also very affordable.

However, knowing where to eat and drink in Goa is not so important, especially considering that this state has over 7,000 legally registered bars. Whether one eats out or cooks at home, one must never miss trying out some of Goa’s best dishes. Check out the following local recipes on the list:

• Bebinca – a Portuguese-inspired flat rice cake
• Kulkuls – sugar-glazed deep-fried dough curls
• Perad – traditional cheese made from ripe guava
• Bolinhas – coconut cookie with sweet filling
• Doldol – sticky pudding made from coconut and jaggery
• Chorizos – a link of spicy Spanish sausages
• Molho and Balchao – fiery red seafood pickles
• Kokum squash – local fruit mashed into juice (sherbet)

Tourist attractions

Goa is one of the several places in India that caters to a wide variety of travelers. It is considered a haven for ‘history buffs,’ especially the types that seek remnants of a period stretching back at least 500 years in the past. In terms of religious pilgrimage, it is also a home shared by Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus with traditions that survived for several centuries.

Goa is also an ideal destination for wildlife enthusiasts – being home to some of India’s unique marine and forest species. Most importantly, as mentioned earlier, it is one of the best places in the world looking for impressive beaches. One can refer to the list of Goa’s top destinations in the table below:

Shopping guide

As mentioned earlier, shopping is one of Goa’s best vacation highlights. Among the most popular souvenirs, one can bring home from this place includes spices, port wines (e.g. feni and urrac), sea shell accessories, coconut handicrafts, and pop culture prints (especially by the late local artist Mario Miranda). The best places to find them? Remember these following places:

• Anjuna Flea Market
• Calangute Market Square
• Mapusa Market
• Marcou Artifacts
• Night Bazaar at Mackie’s
• Saturday Night Bazaar at Arpora
• The Big Foot Museum

Packaged Trips

Any meticulous traveler can effectively crunch the numbers and create a smart budget plan given the information featured earlier. An easier alternative, however, involves paying for organized vacation packages. As mentioned earlier, a good half of the entire two-week vacation could be left in the hands of local tour services as a helpful walkthrough for first-timers.

So how much does a trip to Goa cost if one pays for organized tours? Interestingly, the lowest estimate for a four-day Goa vacation package costs less than $150. These are the three packaged trips one can book online:

Travel Guide

Information is one of the smartest investments that relatively increase the overall value of the holiday budget and limited promos (e.g. special Goa vacation package cost). Paperback travel guides, for instance, provides helpful tips that any prospective traveler can relate on a more personal level.

A book titled Goa & Mumbai published by Lonely Planet was released worldwide in 2015.