The Best Way To Travel In Goa? By Scooter Of Course!

Let me get one thing straight – there is nothing easy, or particularly safe about riding a scooter in India. This is even more so true in cities like Mumbai or Delhi where you are not only contending with the standard road obstacles like cars, trucks and bikes, but you have the added ‘fun’ of navigating wild dogs, camels, hogs, charging cows and even an elephant or two upon any particular outing around the city. But in Goa, things are a little bit different – people move slower, there’s a lot more open space and life just seems more relaxed.

A lot of people don’t know that Goa is actually not a city, but a region on the South-Western coast of India, which is home to kilometres of beaches, palm trees and more resorts than you could ever hope to choose from.You could see most of Goa in one day, but with the heat, traffic and constant stress of running into a cow, I’d recommend spending two days exploring – one in the more touristy, livelier North, and another in the chilled out South.

Both are quite different – A lot of travellers who come to Goa prefer the party scene of Baga in the North – with their beach shacks, markets and general party atmosphere, but after a chaotic start to our trip – overnight trains, Delhi belly and eight hour days sightseeing in 40 degree heat, we felt at home with the cool blue waters and white sands in the South.

Enter: The scooter. Don’t let anyone tell you that the best way to explore Goa is not on the back of a raging 125cc sleek piece of scooting pleasure, OK? Scooters are in fact extremely popular all over India, but if you’ve read my introductory paragraph above, Goa is probably the only place I’d feel safe on the back of one! We stayed in a quiet neighbourhood in between the North and South beaches which was the perfect starting point for day trips to each. At first I was nervous, but after agreeing with Mike that it would be best for both of us (and our life expectancies) that I didn’t drive, I relaxed and ended up loving my new life on the back of a bike. It was scary at times, but with a strong sense of caution, and an equal measure of the ability to not give a f*** and let my hair flow in the breeze, this quickly became one of the highlights of our whole India experience.

As you can guess, I loved Goa. I find it’s a place that splits many people, and while I’ve been told it’s not the ‘real’ India by some, I’d have to disagree – it’s still India after all, and while it may not be the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, it’s still very much the collage of beautiful, dirty, rich and poor that you find in the cities, just a little bit more mellowed out, and a beach or two thrown in for good measure.

So, if you ever find yourself in India, or are planning a visit there, you should definitely head to Goa – if only to relax, recharge the batteries and have some beach time before heading home. And, once you get there don’t leave before getting on the back of a scooter at least once to explore the beaches, towns and see what the region really is about. Just make sure you grab a helmet, hold on tight and keep your eyes peeled for wayward cows – those things don’t stop at traffic lights!

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