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Tales From The Road: Beach Bums In Goa

Guest post by Dominik von Werdt

Beach Bums

If there was an award for paradise, you’d most likely find Palolem Beach in Goa on the list of nominees. While Lonely Planet, the backpackers’ bible, describes this place as idyllic and upcoming in its 2005 edition, apparently it did a few big steps up the development ladder in the meantime. There’s everything here that beach bums could ask for – a huge beach, wooden shacks with sea view for 200 rupees a night, cheap Kingfisher beer and live music performances. And, there’s a shack with a “Tatooest” sign as well – think twice though if you want to wear a spelling mistake for the rest of your life.

The crowd that Palolem attracts seems to be quite diverse. Mostly young backpackers (some staying for months according to their tan) fill the bars at night, but there are also ageing hippies and tourists from all over India, some of them to spot western girls in small bikinis. And, of course all these beach sellers who are trying their luck, one of them as an “ear shampooer”.

Beach life is amazing. You’re not really doing anything except for reading loads of books (Holy Cow by Sarah MacDonald is one of the most popular right now), laying on the beach and swimming in the water whenever it gets too hot, and of course eating delicious Indian food and sampling local culture – local beer culture. Yet, in the evening you’ll hear a lot of voices complaining about how exhausting beach life is. And it really is, I’ll need at least a few days to recover – on the beach.

Ed’s Note: This post is not a stand-alone, it’s the third in an ongoing series, written from the road. Keep your eyes peeled for the next update on Dominik’s adventures in India.

Related stories:
‘Tales From The Road: Mumbai Madness’ (Backpackers.com)
‘Tales From The Road: Planning A Trip To India’ (Backpackers.com)

Useful related resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Goa – find and book cheap hostels at special discounted online rates.
Cheap travel insurance for backpackers – get a free insurance quote and make sure you’re covered.

(Photos by James Thornett/Flickr and Kevin Sorbo/Flickr)

Posted in From The Road, Travel Tips & Planning