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Whether you reside in Mumbai or any other part of the city, the need for recreation amidst all this chaos is immense and thankfully, there are a handful of destinations near the city perfect for unwinding after a hectic month. In this regard, Goa is one of the most admired places for a getaway. The dream destination for college reunions, excursions and friends trips, Goa provides an ideal blend of tropical serenity, detoxification and fun.
I was quite drained out after a hectic month at work last year and therefore, was yearning for a holiday. Very randomly, I started browsing for getaways near Mumbai, and as expected, Goa piqued on me. Mumbai to Goa flights are available in abundance and hence, without any further delay, I booked myself and three of my friends the tickets for a round trip. Needless to mention, I was eagerly looking forward to this. Beaches and shacks in Goa did have us throughout the daytime but the real deal is the nightlife there. It is not just limited to pompous pubs and endless beer bottles but a lot more. And thus, I have listed some exciting places and activities we indulged in to make the best out of Goa at night. Here is exactly how we planned our night tour.
Evening snacks at Pina Colada Beach Shack
Pina Colada is a bright little beach shack in Colva, Goa. This is the first place we four had decided to pay a visit to. With a menu specialising in seafood and quick snacks, Pina Colada is a great spot to unwind from the chaos of the crowd. Every item is priced at extremely reasonable rates and the place also serves alcohol. Pina Colada is also famous for its North Indian delicacies in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian categories apart from its Konkani specialities. Since it was already evening by the time we landed up here, the place was more or less empty. So, we were lucky to get a seat and ordered two plates of piping hot Golden Fried Prawns along with four bottles of beer and delved into the essence of Colva Beach. You should surely check out this spot for amazing food along the beach at pocket-friendly rates.
Shopping at the Saturday Night Market
This is exactly what I had meant when I stated the fact that nightlife in Goa involves a lot more than partying. Situated in the sprawling Arpora in Goa, the Saturday Market starts from 6 in the evening and operates till the late hours at night. This was our next destination. We were greeted with an array of colours, lights and products upon our entry. A speciality of this market is its whole row of food kiosks serving delicacies from every possible cuisine of the world. These form the most populated zone of the Market and every stall is worthy in its unique way. The entire zone is a beautiful confluence of both international and local cultures and thus, houses something for each of its visitors. The Centre Stage is the zone for everything intriguing for a foodie, while the lower zone is from where we bought authentic Konkani and other Indian handicrafts. The elevated platform houses elegant boutique stalls selling extravagant clothes and other accessories.
Party at the Anjuna Beach
Beaches are mostly occupied by the general crowd throughout the day but they turn into lively party hubs at night. We would not have known this, had we dropped our visit to the popular Anjuna Beach at night. Hosted by the Curlies Beach Shack, the Anjuna Beach turns into a fluorescent party zone with loud electronic music at night. We had reached the place at sometime around 11 p.m. and the fun had just begun. The best part about this was that we met a lot of random people who became acquaintances for a cheerful night full of dance and drinks. Unlike the pumped-up nightclubs, these parties will allow you to dance barefoot on the sand and you can also grab something to drink and stroll by the sea. After a lot of grooving and sweating, we retired to a quaint corner on the beach further away from the party zone. Faint beats of music from the party made up for a blissful ambience.
Karaoke time at Cafe Mojo
Since we had enough of swaying our bodies to electronic beats, we were in search of some peace, soft music and food. And, we were completely aloof of the fact that stumbling upon Cafe Mojo was only the beginning of little surprises. Since a Karaoke Bar was a new concept for me, I was beyond excited to visit this place. While two of my friends decided to place the order and everything, I and one other decided to pick up the microphones while the DJ played a soothing number from the album of The Local Train. We fully enjoyed our time without a bit of nervousness kicking us off the stage. A Peri Peri Pizza along with four bottles of Breezer sufficed for the time since we already had our share of drinks. Cafe Mojo is thus, the perfect way to end your night in Goa amidst calm and loved ones, and was the same for us too.
At around 3 in the morning, we came back to our respective rooms in the hotel and were so tired that we fell asleep instantly. Goa is a fun package and if you are willing to explore each of these, well you should! Since accommodation is never a hassle in Goa, you can plan your trip here on your own time and have a fabulous holiday.
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