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I hadn’t taken time out purely for myself since the birth of my 2 year old son. When a close friend invited me for her 2-day bachelorette trip to Goa, I jumped at the chance! Guilt on my part and missing on both ends aside; baby was fine and well-taken care of in my absence, and I got plenty of unhampered rest and relaxation! This post recounts my girls’ trip to North Goa in March 2018.
All set for a beach vacay!
WHERE WE STAYED:
SEA SHELL BEACH SUITES, CANDOLIM (Click on link to book)
After a slightly expensive Air India flight (I’d highly recommend booking in advance and searching for the best deals), we arrived in Goa. Our destination was the Sea Shell Beach Suites in Candolim. Some friends had stayed there previously and recommended it. The major attraction of this hotel was its proximity to the beach, and location in the party hub of Goa. Two suites with two bedrooms each were shared by 7 girls very comfortably.
Enjoying Candolim beach
The hotel was a standard 4 star property with a pool, breakfast buffet and in-room dining available till 10 p.m. Despite requesting sea-facing suites at the time of booking which were available then, we were given pool-facing suites. Though it was not expressly stated, it seemed that the best suites were usually reserved for certain guests. Though our suites were comfortable, the air-conditioning in my bedroom wasn’t functional, and started working after almost a day!
The Sea Shell Beach Suites, Candolim
The pool was small but the water was refreshingly cool. The food was average with only the sandwiches passing muster. The breakfast buffet had a fairly large and satisfactory selection. We were not allowed to bring our own drinks poolside, and the cocktails from the hotel were just awful! The lackadaisical attitude of the staff really irked me. They were stingy with the towels provided in the bathroom, weren’t willing to address the air-conditioning issue promptly; and weren’t accommodating in the reduction of our fare (or shifting us to a smaller and cheaper room) despite two last-minute cancellations from our group.
Hotel rating: 3.5/5
Book the hotel by clicking here
Candolim Beach is quite crowded
WHERE WE ATE:
ANTARES, VAGATOR:
Antares is popular with locals and tourists alike. It’s live performances, smashing vintage music and well-stocked bar is reminiscent of many clubs in Europe. Some patrons even danced on the table-tops! The food is very average. I’d recommend eating before trekking out here.
Dressed up for a night out!
CAFÉ JAZZ, CANDOLIM:
As Antares left much to be desired on the food front, we found a local café ten steps from our hotel. The Indian food is surprisingly tasty here, with the Goan prawn curry as the star dish.
FISHERMAN’S COVE BAR AND RESTAURANT, CANDOLIM:
This restaurant is very popular but the food is only above average. I’d recommend Goan dishes over other choices.
Cheese poppers at Fisherman’s Cove
LOCAL BEACH SHACKS, CANDOLIM:
In comparison to the South Goa shacks I’d visited earlier this year, North Goan shacks fall short in terms of good food. Only heavily fried dishes are tasty, which never bodes well for a restaurant!
Enjoying the beach shacks at Candolim
This trip was about friends, love, endless laughter, some gossip and lots of drinking. I won’t go into much detail because what happens in Goa, stays in Goa 😉
Cheers to friendship, travel and life 🙂
Major thanks to Harpriya, Jaskaran, and Shweta for their awesome photography skills! Follow them on Instagram by clicking their names.
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