GOA!! Everyone makes plans to visit this place, at least once in their bachelor life. But it is easier said than done as it is one thing to plan, but executing that plan is another thing. I had also made plans to visit Goa earlier but it could not have been materialized due to some or the other reason. And in this new year 2024, I had no plans as usual till mid December and I was only trying to figure out some plans.
One day I got a call from one of my college friends Nitesh who had moved to Pune for the first time. After talking for some time, I asked him if he has any plans for new year but he also didn't have any concrete plan as such. Before hanging up the phone, I said that maybe we can celebrate new year in Pune itself and I will look for some shows or concerts happening in the city. The next day, I was searching for the same on BookMyShow when the Sunburn Festival event happening in Goa popped up at the top. Now I had heard of this festival earlier but didn't have much idea. So I checked the details and found that this is Asia's biggest music festival (EDM music to be precise) which is held almost every year in Goa. When I discussed this plan with Nitesh, he immediately agreed and then we started to chalk out our plan for this. Normally the Sunburn festival spans out over a period of four days but we decided to attend it on 30th Dec only.
In next one week, I did all the flight, hotel bookings and also booked the ticket for this Sunburn festival. For the Sunburn, we booked the VIP ticket since we didn't want to miss out on any luxury. We had only two days for this trip so I made a rough itinerary according to this.
Day 0 - On 29th Dec, our flight from Mumbai to Goa was at 10 PM and we reached the Mumbai airport well in time only to find that our flight was delayed. However, after doing the check-in and other formalities, we went to the lounge where luckily there was a lucrative offer on ICICI bank credit card and we both had the ICICI bank card. So we enjoyed the buffet at just 2Rs. The food was pretty okay but if you are getting this almost free, you should not complain. 😁
Finally our flight departed at almost midnight and we reached the Dabolim International airport, Goa in approx. one hour. After collecting the luggage from the conveyor belt, I switched on my mobile to book taxi to go to our hotel (which was around 40 kms from the airport) only to realize that both Ola and Uber are non existent here. Later we would come to know that the taxi operators have a union in Goa and they don't let these cab aggregator services like Ola and Uber to run here. We had no other option than to book a taxi at the prepaid center and to our shock, it would cost us 1850 Rs. just for those 40 kms. This exorbitant fare was nothing compared to what we were going to experience in the subsequent days. It was already past midnight and any other option didn't look feasible so we booked the taxi and finally reached our hotel. After settling ourselves in the room, we immediately went to sleep as we were very tired from the journey.
Day 1 - So it was 30th Dec and we had planned to go to Baga/Calangute beach and also if time permits, to a virtual reality (VR) amusement centre which was nearby. Now conveyance was a major problem and we knew that reserving a taxi would be too expensive. When we asked the hotel manager, he suggested that government buses run on a regular basis and we would get a bus to Mapusa bus stand from here. And Mapusa being the central bus stand, we can easily get buses from there to almost every part of North Goa. So this was a pretty affordable option and after waiting for 15-20 mins we got a bus which was going in that direction. In this way, we reached the Calangute bus stand. We had to get down here and when we checked the Google maps, the amusement center was around 3 kms away. We took an auto from there to reach our destination. Now it was a small area where you can play VR games and there were different games like virtual cricket, bowling, shooting, car racing etc. It was not worth it but we decided to take the minimum package as we had already spent so much time and effort to come here. The package was 500/- for two games per head. It was quite fun at the end, better than what we had expected.
From there, we had to go to Baga beach which was around 1.6 kms from here. So we decided to walk but it was not easy due to the scorching heat in Goa even in the month of December. Anyways, we reached Baga beach and it was pretty much crowded even at this odd hour in the afternoon. It was quite uncomfortable to stand under the sun so we decided to occupy a shack which belonged to a nearby restaurant. In this way, we got some shade and sat there comfortably. Now you can't sit there without ordering something so we ordered some food & beverages and enjoyed the view there. When the rays of the sun descend on the vast expanse of the sea, it creates a sparkling effect. The waves of the sea ripple in ecstasy, their crests adorned with glistening jewels of sunlight. This would have been a more pleasant experiece during sunrise or sunset but nevertheless, this was also totally worth it. After sitting there for almost one hour, we went near the shore and clicked some pictures.
At baga beach -
We already had our lunch and we had to attend the Sunburn festival also in the evening so we decided to come back to our hotel. Now this festival was happening near the Vagator beach which was around 15 kms from our hotel. There was not an option of going by bus as buses operate only during the day time. So we asked the taxi driver whose contact no. was provided to us by the hotel receptionist. He quoted 1000 Rs. for going there and by this time, we had already made peace with the fact that this is going to be expensive. So I asked him to come by 4 PM and the destination was at a one hour distance from there. We got ready and wore our bands (provided by BookMyShow) that was mandatory for the festival. Now depending on the tickets you have booked, you get these bands which you need to show at the security when you enter the venue of Sunburn festival.
We reached the venue at about 5.30-6.00 in the evening as there was a lot of traffic jam in that area. Once we crossed the security and entered inside, the view was spectacular. The whole venue was crowded with people and the theme of this festival was 'Enchanted Forest'. I guess it was related to the theme of the stage setup. It was so much crowded that it was overwhelming at first to figure out where was our destined spot since we had purchased VIP tickets. Now there are three type of tickets mainly, first is the GA (general) ticket which is the least expensive. Then you have the VIP ticket which is more expensive and the advantage of that is you have an elevated platform from where VIP ticket holders can enjoy the event. In addition to this, there is a direct access to food and beverages stall, and also washrooms available within the VIP area. Now above this, there is a third category of ticket which is the Fanpit area which is the most expensive. Fanpit has all the facilities of VIP, on top of that it is very close to the stage and hence the view from there is even more amazing.
Finally we were able to spot the VIP entry and we scanned our bands at the security to go inside. The party had already reached its peak as an artist named DJ Timmy Trumpet was performing. Now no offense to anyone who is an EDM fan, but I don't have even a slight interest in this EDM or jazz music, whatever you call it. And same goes for my friend, we even didn't know the names of the artists performing there. So although the music performance was not of our taste, but we enjoyed the vibe there and danced like crazy. The stage setup was beautiful and the ambience was simply mesmerizing. After the first performance was over, there was another artist named Hardwell who graced the stage. And by the noise and the manner in which the crowd went crazy, we knew he is some renowned and world famous artist who must be having a lot of fan following. Later I googled about him to find that he is a Dutch DJ and music producer and has been voted as world's number one DJ in 2013 and then again in 2014. By this time, the atmosphere was totally crazy and the fireworks and light show added more to the elegnace of this beautiful evening.
This was the main stage at the Sunburn -
Finally the event ended around 10 PM in the night and the crowd started dispersing. But the streets were jam packed when all these 1.5 lakh people came out at once. Yes, this sounds unbelievable but there were around 1.5 lakh attendees who had come from all over the world to attend this festival. So it took us more than half an hour just to cross that street which was overcrowded to the point of being scary. However, we finally came to a point where we could stand comfortably and decide now what was the best way to reach our hotel. Now the taxi driver who had dropped us had promised that if we call him, he will come to pick us up. But when my friend called him, he said he is not in town currently which was likely an excuse. When we contacted the person who had given his contact, he said that all the cab drivers are busy and no one would agree to come to that location because of the intense traffic jam. We had no other option than to rely on fate now. So we kept walking for about more than 2 kms but there was not even a single auto available. Finally we asked a policemen who was standing there if we could get some conveyance here to go to our hotel which was still 12 kms from where we were right now. He suggested that there is a hotel ahead and we could be lucky to find some taxis there. So we walked about 100 metres and noticed the hotel to our left side. We initiated a conversation with a person standing there who was apparently a staff from the hotel. He said that it's very difficult to get a taxi today due to the huge demand and even if any taxi driver agrees, he will demand an insane amount of money. I asked him to check anyways as we didn't have any other option at that time. He called the driver whom he knew and after listening to him, told us that he is asking for 2200 Rs. I was like WTF!!! 2200/- for just 12 kms. What kind of scam is this? 😂 We tried to negotiate with him but he was adamant on 2200 for dropping us to our location. After 10 mins of long discussion, we finally agreed as that was the only feasible option given the circumstances and it was already midnight.
Anyways, the driver came in 15 mins and dropped us to our hotel. Although this 12 km ride had been too expensive for us, we were finally relieved that we had reached our hotel. We stayed awake for some time, making plans for the next day and then finally went to sleep at around 1.30 AM.
Day 2 - It was 31st Dec, the last day of 2023 and we woke up in the morning around 7 AM, got ready and left the hotel at around 8.30 after having a cup of masala chai. For today, we had planned to visit Panjim which is in central Goa, and then Arambol beach. In the evening, we had our plans to celebrate the new year in one of the clubs adjacent to the Morjem beach.
So first we took a bus to Mapusa Bus stand and from there we took a bus to Panjim bus stand. Now our main destination was Fontainhas, which is famous for its narrow lanes full of colourful Portugese houses with balconies and red-tiled roofs. It's one of the most Instagrammable spots in Goa and there are also some cafes and bakeries which serve local dishes. So after getting down at Panjim bus stand, we walked for around 1.5 - 2 kms to reach Fontainhas and it was very peaceful and serene, to describe it in one word. We also had breakfast in one of the hotels which was a buffet basically, and all the food items were really good. After that, we just strolled across the streets of Fontainhas, enjoying the Portugese style of architecture villas and homes. At the same time, we clicked multiple photos and captured the beauty of that place in our mobile phones, as well as in our heart.
At Fontainhas -
Next, we took a bus to Arambol beach which was our next destination. This beach was even more beautiful than the Baga beach and the waves were more intense here. Again due to the scorching heat of the sun, we had to take shade in one of the restaurants near to the shore. We stayed there for about 2 hours and before leaving, we took a stroll from one end to the other end of the beach. This beach also remains crowded specially during new year and you will find more foreigners here specifically as compared to other beaches like Baga beach and Calangute beach.
Finally we returned to our hotel at around 4 PM to take some rest before going to 'The White Goa' club to celebrate the new year evening. While we were able to travel in bus during the daytime, conveyance becomes a problem after sunset since the buses don't operate. We had got the contact no. of an auto driver somehow and we called him for going to the our destination which was around 14-15 kms from our hotel. He quoted 1000 Rs. which seemed pretty reasonable to us by now😒 (especially after spending 2200/- for 12 kms that previous night).
We reached 'The White Goa' at around 6.30-7.00 PM and I was quite excited to see the venue. During the time of booking, I knew this was an open air party, but little did I know that we would have access to the Morjem beach directly. So there was this open seating area decorated beautifully and behind us was the beach itself. We had booked the tickets already for this through BookMyShow which was 3000/- per head. And it had full cover charge for food and beverages. The food we ordered was premium quality and totally worth it. Right from honey chilli potatao to amritsari fish tikka, everything was as good as it could be. Time flew by before we could realise and the clock struck 12.
Just as midnight arrived, people gathered at the beach and we also followed. There was a lot of fireworks in the sky which was a treat to watch. In front of us, the music and DJ had also reached its peak. This was a perfect setup to celebrate the new year. We also called the auto driver and asked him to come around 12.30. But he said that he had got one more customer at that time and he could manage till 2-2.30 only. After thinking for a bit, we told him that we would call if needed. After enjoying the fireworks for about 15-20 mins, we went to the dance floor where everyone was dancing & celebrating, having forgotten all their worries and miseries of life, at least for this night. And here we enjoyed even more than the sunburn festival. In sunburn, since EDM music was not our cup of tea, dancing to the beats seemed difficult as there was no feel. But here, desi bollywood songs were being played which we all hear often. So we danced for almost an hour until I checked the time and it was 1.30 AM. I stepped aside to call the auto driver and asked him to come to the location to which he agreed. (That's another thing he charged 500 extra this time saying he had to stay awake till this late but at this point of time, we hardly cared about the money). So after half an hour, he reached the location and we stepped out of the club to go back to our hotel. Overall, it was a very memorable new year eve that we will remember for years to come.
Day 3 - Next morning, we had to checkout of our hotel and me and my friend parted ways. For me, I had my flight to Mumbai from North Goa airport and then I would take a cab from Mumbai to Pune subsequently. My friend had to take a bus from Goa to Mumbai in the evening and he had a flight to catch the next morning from Mumbai to go to his hometown to attend a family function. So this summed up our trip to Goa which was a short but sweet trip and although it was very expensive due to the New year time and last minute bookings, still we enjoyed every moment of it.
And now we are finally in 2024. I wish to travel more this year, gather more such enriching experiences, and to see the diverse culture and tradition of India. On that note, wishing happiness and prosperity for each one of us in 2024.
