A rendezvous with Goa : 10 lessons I learnt as a Solo Traveler

Whether you resonate with Laila from ZNMD who is a water baby and a stout-hearted woman who loves adventures or with Naina from YJHD who has never travelled solo before but wants to plunge out of the comfort zone, Goa is the best ice breaker of destinations for a female solo traveller like yourself.

You have come to a right place before chalking out the plan and booking your tickets for a beach vacation because this blog is not just a woven story by a creative writer, rather it’s an useful insight of ‘to dos’ from my personal experience of solo travel to Goa. You might laugh at my goof-ups but trust me, this would help you not reiterate the same mistake but of course, you are allowed to make new ones.

So sit back, play some jazz and enjoy the blog, while I start with another blog to ease your solo trip.

1. Hostel is your Abode

A solo trip is never solo if you stay in a hostel! You not only meet like-minded people to share your travel stories with but also travel buddies to divide your expenses with. The per-day tariff is never more than the cost of a regular cheese burst pizza and lately, I have come to the conclusion that both are totally worth it and will rescue you from burning a hole in your pocket if chosen carefully.

While a hotel would let you live the luxury and enjoy the privacy within four walls, living in a dormitory is an adventure in itself but still a safe haven away from home without any curfew. Take part in games and activities that take place in the hostel to know your fellow travellers better and might as well bring your favourite instrument to make the most out of your stay and of course, flex your skills ;)

Generally, hostels have their in-house cafe/restaurant but my suggestion is to avoid eating there and instead explore the local eateries.

2. Find your girl tribe

A bunch of girls travelling together can never be not fun and you do not want to miss this during your vacation, so interact with fellow female travelers in your dormitory, exchange itineraries and hop on to the destinations together.

You need to be a good judge of people. After all, It is extremely important to make girlfriends you can trust and vibe with because someone literally needs to get your back post-midnight when you are 5 shots down in 5-inch heels and at times to untangle multi-layer necklaces and tie your complex bikini strings.

Tagging along with non-judgemental and strong-headed women on their journey of freedom and adventure can never go wrong girl, trust me! Some will inspire you and you will inspire some

3. Don’t let loose your shopaholic self

You need to make the most out of your bargaining skills while shopping in Goa and keep a shopping list handy before heading to the market. Since the markets are widespread, do your homework well, watch shopping vlogs on youtube, keep an estimated budget aside, carry a cloth bag, and voila! you are ready to go.

Personally, I realised buying swimwear from Goa is cheaper than purchasing it online, however, you will need to hustle among the markets to find the best fit for yourself. If you are looking for bikinis, cover-ups, sling bags, or kaftans then Calangute is your place but if Crochet caters to your taste then visit the market near Anjuna beach where you can also buy aesthetic junk jewellery.

Apart from clothes and accessories, Goa is insanely famous for premium liquors at cheap prices so grab a bottle or two, also, don’t forget to add the infamous cashews and mandatory fridge magnets to your shopping list.

4. DO NOT Overpack

I know those blue heels and white gown really go well together but you do not want to drown in sweat, right? So, don’t overpack. It took me two years of solo travelling to pack light but the earlier you apply this mantra the better!

I compressed half of my wardrobe into the suitcase for a six-day trip to Goa and it was partly a contributing factor to almost losing my train at the Mumbai station! Since you are heading to a coastal region and planning to visit so many beaches make sure to carry quick-dry clothes, comfortable footwear, an accessory that goes with everything, and only the essential skincare /makeup.

Do not forget to carry a water bottle and steel straw to travel sustainably and yes you may squeeze a gorgeous gown for your solo date, just avoid heavy sandals and excessive lounge wear, because a pair of shorts and some t-shirts would do.

P.S. Carry Ziplock bags for keeping your gadgets and wet clothes.

5. Carry Tripod and Bluetooth clicker

Don’t you think your Instagram grid must speak of how much fun you had in your solo trip to goa and how fearless and wonderful of a soul you are to explore this place all by yourself? But for that, you will need visual documentation of your merry mornings and soulful evenings.

My experience of letting the giant rocks work as a tripod either captured a blurred photograph or made me walk a thousand steps extra to set a timer for every other picture, so I finally bought a tripod and a bluetooth clicker from amazon for 800 rupees, the latter supports both Android and ios.

You might not want to barge into fellow travelers every time you find a good frame so my suggestion is to buy this combo for finally choosing that one satisfactory and insta worthy photograph out of the 35759 photos you will be clicking.

6. Strengthen your Navigational skills

From locating free parking spots to hidden waterfalls, google map knows it all!

It’s time that you acknowledge that navigation is a legit skill and you need to ace it as a female solo traveler because would you want to stop at every 2kms to confirm whether to go straight or take a right turn, even if you have the patience to follow the conventional way, you can simply not trust everyone but google maps in an alien city.

Till date, I haven’t been disappointed by the app and it definitely deserves the credit for introducing me to the offbeat goa and when I said it’s a skill I mean it because I rode for an extra 4kms due to my lack of understanding of the map but that’s how you learn right! Although to save yourself from any pain just navigate via a map in your own town a few times before your trip.

7. Carry a Jio Sim and Power Bank

Seriously consider this advice while you are travelling solo in Goa to avoid any kind of panic for yourself or your family back home, because it is the only link of connection between you and them while you are away, moreover, for a solo female traveler a cell phone is no less than a weapon of safety.

Try to leave your stay with 100% battery but since you will use GPS and Camera thoroughly the battery would drain quicker, hence, always keep the power bank charged and handy.

In terms of service providers prefer Jio since it works even in remote areas and in my case almost everywhere I went, it followed.

My phone died during the most beautiful sunset of the trip, trust me, you don’t want to come back with a similar story.

8. Keep IDs secure and Cash handy

Let your wallet feel rich by not running out of liquid cash at any point of your solo trip to goa. You can locate ATMs nearby you before starting your day and stay carefree throughout. Digital payment is supported by malls housing big stores to merchants running Pani puri stalls but in case of emergency such as heavy rain, you might find a shop with raincoats but no QR Code, so you know what, please learn from my anecdotes.

You must carry the hard and soft copies of all your important IDs and keep them securely. The most imperative ones are an Adhar Card and Driving License for vehicle renting, moreover, you do not want to lose the share of money kept aside for shopping by paying a penalty to the police.

9. Reach during daytime

Once you have decided on the solo trip to goa, the next step is to find the commutation service that suits you best by keeping in mind that your arrival must be during day time, be it by road or air.

During my solo trip, I had a very last-minute booking so I ended up waiting three hours after my arrival at the airport until I found a couple at 2:30 am to share a cab ride with. I strongly advise you to not travel alone via taxi from the airport because the route is quite secluded.

So whether you decide to board a flight/train/bus, first of all, research well then make sure the arrival time is favourable to you. You may also contact your stay owner to share details of guests arriving in the same station at a similar time or simply tag along with other tourists heading to the same destination as yours. You will find a government taxi booth to book a ride from as well as local taxis, I personally prefer the latter because it is cheaper.

10. Go on a solo date

You deserve it, Queen! Planning a trip from scratch, landing in a new city, managing money, navigating places, ticking off adventures from your bucket list, and the rest of the 100 amazing things you do on a solo trip isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so be kind, deck up and take yourself on a solo date.

The idea of date could be sitting by the beach and having a beer all by yourself while doodling about your trip or maybe experiencing luxurious dining with the table full of your favourite cuisines and a splendid cocktail, but at the end of the day, it’s all about rewarding yourself for being such a wonderful woman who knows how to live her dreams and enjoy her very own company.

Decked up or Dubious?

After reading the lessons I learnt, you might either have this urge to book the tickets right away or simply feel perplexed regarding things that a solo journey entails. I am well acquainted with both the feelings and I would say it’s your turn to take a chance and explore the beauty of this place and your inner self.

Solo traveling for me a is feeling of liberation, something that makes me feel alive, something that makes me who I am. For you, it could be the first time of getting happily tanned, experiencing the first-ever water adventure, trying completely new cuisine, and a bunch of other wonderful things, so, it’s time to try it for yourself and witness the magic solo travelling does.