Goa is one of the most popular beach destinations in India. Winter is the peak tourist season, while monsoon is largely off season. However, the destination does look beautiful during the rains. The sea swells, there is cool breeze, and one finds a refreshing sense of calm and peace at the beaches, restaurants and bars. In fact, the monsoon season is just the perfect time to explore Goa’s rich natural beauty.
Here are the top 10 reasons to visit Goa during the monsoon season.
- Cheap Travel
Flight tickets are way cheaper for Goa during the monsoon season in Goa. Buy tickets for August a couple of months in advance and you’ve got yourself an amazing deal. Flight tickets are usually priced double this rate during peak season.
- Get Fine Accommodation Options at Slashed Rates
Many world class hotels and resorts offer accommodation at tariffs that are often half of what is charged during the peak season. Prices for hotel stays and activities such as water sports shoot up drastically during the peak season in Goa and the same are offered for much less during monsoons.
- Enjoy Rains Away from the Crowds
Monsoon is the time when the entire state of Goa takes a break from huge tourist crowds. It is the perfect time for travellers to enjoy the rains on the beaches in quiet isolation and explore the state at one’s own pace with no rush or crowds to tackle. The cool sea breeze and the washed up greens give a much clear view of the state’s natural beauty.
- White Water Rafting
The monsoons offer great white water rafting opportunities to travellers at Mhadei River in Goa. One will have to shell out around INR1800 for a white water rafting trip, including pick up and drop from Panaji. The minimum age for white water rafting is 12 years and the minimum height is four feet.
- Visit Wildlife Sanctuaries
The wildlife sanctuaries in Goa are open throughout the year and are at their greenest best during monsoons, providing picturesque sceneries that are not seen during other times of the year. The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Mollem National Park and the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary are very popular with tourists. These sanctuaries provide great hiking opportunities as well during this period.
- Witness The Dudhsagar Falls
Goa’s Mollem National Park is home to the iconic Dudhsagar Falls. Cascading down from a height of 987 feet surrounded by dense greenery amidst rocky terrain, the falls look all the more magnificent during monsoons. Four trekking routes lead to the falls.
- Turtle Spotting Season
The monsoons are a perfect turtle spotting season in Goa. Certain beaches in Goa are famed turtle conservation sites such as the Agonda, Galgibaga and Mandrem beaches. These beaches have special protection regulations in place for Olive Ridley turtle eggs. These eggs hatch by June. However, the beaches are so isolated during monsoons that the turtles feel safe to swim up to the shore every once in a while.
