Before asking about what to take with you to Goa, you must immediately answer the counter question: “What to take with you to paradise”?
Backpack. Or something similar, with which it will be convenient to ride a bike for shopping, take things to the beach. A practical and useful thing in Goa, and throughout Asia, if you prefer to travel by two-wheeled transport without a trunk, well, it’s more convenient not to carry your belongings in your hands
Copies of documents for a trip to Goa. Be sure to make several copies of civil and foreign passports, Indian visa, driver's license, travel insurance, if you decide to buy it, electronic tickets. Carry one copy with you, including in hand luggage, in case you lose your main luggage. You can take photos of these documents on your smartphone, at least with a driver's license, the local police can do it, as long as you have an open category A (a motorcycle is drawn). By the way, we were advised to simply paint a motorcycle in Photoshop to the image of our rights, and the police in Goa to say that the original is at home and we are afraid to lose it.
Travel insurance to India. Safety and health are above all, so do not save on insurance. An insurance policy bought on time will allow you to receive compensation for a vacation spoiled due to a non-departure or loss of luggage, will help you return the funds spent on treatment and will keep it like a real talisman. Before applying for an Indian visa, we took out insurance in case of refusal, because we had already bought tickets by that time.
Photo. Most likely, after submitting documents for an Indian visa, you will have photographs, so you can take them with you, take them separately - there is not much point. Since they were not useful to us, but the circumstances are different, they are needed to purchase a tourist SIM card, as well as some copies of documents, but this is easily bypassed, more on that later.
First aid kit on the road. FROMPack a travel first aid kit with a focus on antibacterials and digestive aids. If you are afraid of malaria, then a week before the trip and throughout the trip, as well as one to two weeks after, you can drink one tablet of doxycycline per day. This is a weak antibiotic that will not cause much harm to health (if you drink it with any probiotic), but it will help malaria bypass you. Although, when traveling in the high season to GOA, you are unlikely to face this ailment. In any case, before taking antibiotics, consult your doctor.
Cosmetics and means of protection. In general, all this can be bought on the spot, but in order to immediately run to the sea upon arrival, it makes sense to take a sunblock with a protection of at least 25, well, and a small cosmetic bag to make up in the evening. Although very soon imbued with the spirit of Goa, the need for all this will disappear. Cosmetics, again, in India are much cheaper, and the quality is on top, so do not stuff your suitcase.
Insect repellent in Goa. You don’t need to bring in large quantities, since India has its own good tools, which, at times, work better than proven domestic ones, but for the first time you can buy it. However, termite and ant repellant will have to be bought on the spot almost immediately upon arrival.
Torch. The road from the beach, and in many places in Goa, at least in the northern part, is dark and unlit, so to save your legs, it is best to have a small LED flashlight and a supply of batteries or accumulators. In addition, illuminating your path, you can safely miss each other with all sorts of unpleasant little animals, which are not desirable to step on.
A trifle on the road. Be sure to prepare some dollars in small bills, they will come in handy both on the plane if you want to buy lunch when flying with a low-cost airline, and when changing at the airport upon arrival, at a predatory rate, on the way to your vacation destination in Goa.
Padlock (like barn). The door locking system in India at first struck me a little, but it is easily explained, because. allows you to lock the house with your own lock, and the owners do not have to change the keys after each vacationer. As they say, both the sheep are full and the wolves are safe, or vice versa, here someone feels like someone.
Foods Missed in Goa. Officially, the import of meat and dairy products, as well as cereals to India, must be declared, but no one does this. But many tourists, especially winterers, bring delicacies: cheese, sausage, seeds, herring, caviar, buckwheat, chocolate, vermicelli - i.e. those products that cannot be found here in the daytime with fire in the usual quality and at affordable prices
Things and suitcases. Usually people come with empty bags and take home trunks, including clothes. So take the most necessary or very favorite, still buy a lot of things. If you grab a large empty suitcase, then you will have something to carry gifts back. You can also buy it on the spot - I remember the story of one of my comrades, how he bargained for two days in Goa for one roomy suitcase - well, this is also an element of exoticism.
Women's clothing. India is a country of strict views, it is not customary to bare legs and shoulders much, therefore, out of respect for a foreign culture, do not pick up miniskirts, shorts and any tight underwear if you want a good attitude towards yourself. Short clothing, not safe for riding a bike in the heat and generally not practical. In Goa, of course, people are more accustomed to the sight of tourists, but if you are going to experience the spirit of India, then you should not irritate its inhabitants, of course they will be silent, but at best they will write you down in the category of women of easy virtue.
Other little things. Shampoos, oils, soaps, gels, powders, etc. there is a large amount of local production, natural and cheap, so you need a maximum supply for the first day or two
Plastic cards. This is the best replacement for the grief of cash, a relatively safe and profitable means of storing money. The main thing is to set the limits correctly, and have several cards of different banks and payment systems.
spare phone. If you come for the whole season, then it makes sense to use a cheap old mobile phone, because due to humidity and sand, not every smartphone can survive in Goa for six months. In addition, you should not shine unnecessarily with expensive equipment in front of poor Indians
