Anjuna, Goa, India

Anjuna, famous for it’s full moon parties in the 70s, is Goa's nightlife spot number one. The beach really is not that special. In fact, I did not like it at all.
 

Anjuna beach

What I liked about Anjuna was the fact that there was at least some nightlife going on, opposed to all the other places I've visited in South India. For me, it was a nice change at that time to go out for the first time in weeks. It wasn't a very big or very special party, just a bar that also had a dancefloor. (called Curly's ) Since I was there during the off-season, the party wasn't very big or very special. But I heared (try typing in “Curly's Anjuna” into Youtube) that during high-season the parties should be pretty big.

I looked very much forward to the weekly Anjuna flea market taking place every Wednesday, but upon arrival we were told that this event only takes place during high-season.

Accomodation:

In Anjuna, we stayed at two different accommodations. First at Villa Anjuna, one of the only hotels in Anjuna, which was ok but nothing to write home about. After 2 or 3 nights, we moved on to a private accommodation which is located in the backyard of a very big house next to “Chill Out”, just ring the bell and ask for their bungalows. Very good quality and reasonably priced with flatscreen TV, small kitchen area and a small terrace.

How can you reach it?

Anjuna can be reached by local transport via Mapusa when coming from the South.

Next to Anjuna are the two beaches Vagator and little Vagator, which are similar to Anjuna but without the infrastructure that makes Anjuna attractive (to me). It all depends what you are looking for really but I myself did not really like Vagator or little Vagator.

Standing right between Vagator beach and Little Vagator Beach, looking into the direction of Little Vagator
 

Little Vagator beach, you can't see it but it really is "little"

I always see people visited the posts I made but nobody ever leaves comments. I would love if you could leave a comment telling me if you like the topics I write about or if there are other topics you would be more interested in, in terms of travelling.

Palolem and Patnem, Goa, India

Let's get on with the remaining beaches of India I wanted to give you a brief overview of.
Today's topic: Palolem and Patnem.



cows at Patnem beach

These two stunning strips of sand are located directly next to each other and are just separated from each other by a formation of stones.

Palolem is a small beach town, consistent of about 2 to 3 streets. It has a variety of good restaurants and some decent accommodation possibilities.

Patnem is by far my favorite beach of all the Indian beaches I’ve seen. When I was there, during September, it was very quiet and very few people there. Though I guess this might change during high season.

Patnem

 

These two beaches are located at the Southern tip of Goa and can be reached by local transport as well as by taxi from the major Goan train stations.

What is so special about Palolem and Patnem:

Nothing really, those are just two excellent beaches with some nice beach town infrastructure provided in Palolem. I can really recommend the restaurant “Cheeky Chapatti” which serves excellent quality food. There also can be found some decent accommodation, but don’t expect anything too fancy.

Nightlife: As Goa is famous for it’s excessive parties, you might wonder about the nightlife going on in Palolem. Since I was there in low-season, there wasn’t going on anything except for one bar which was open all night. I can imagine this to change in the busy season.

I stayed at Oversee’s Travel which had quiet a good standard for a reasonable price. It is located next to Cheeky Chapatti. For a good breakfast, check out Casa Fiesta which is a bit cheaper than Cheeky Chapatti and right next door.

Palolem beach

How can you reach it?

Since Goa is the smallest of all Indian states, you can reach almost any part in 2,5 hours or less by taxi. Palolem is about 1 hour by taxi from Madgoa, one of the major train stations. You can also travel by local bus service, which takes a bit longer and is a bit less convenient but a lot cheaper.

The sea at Patnem beach

My recommendation:

If you ask me, Patnem was the most beautiful beach of all the beaches I have seen in India. Paired with the nice beach town of Palolem, it makes a great getaway to relax a few days from a tiresome journey or just enjoy the nice surf.

Cherai Beach - Kerala

This very long (10km) beach is located about 25km from Cochin (Kochi) on Vypin Island.

The biggest advantage, if you ask me, is it's proximity to the beautiful old colonial town of Fort Cochi, an absolute MUST SEE when visiting Kerala.

How can you reach Cherai Beach?

Take a ferry to Vypin Island, then a rickshaw to Cherai Beach. Ferrys to Vypin depart from Ernakulum and Fort Cochi. Getting from the port of Vypin to the beach takes about 40 minutes.

Honestly...

there is not that much to say about this beach. It is a fairly clean for Indian standards, you can swim, it is a nice beach. There are not (palm) trees directly on the beach, so do not forget to bring sun screen and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

Some parts of the beach are kind of lonely, with just very few people, wheras some parts are really crowded. The crowded part is especially near the restaurants and little food stalls. Especially during festivals like Onam this is a popular place for Indian tourists. The later it gets, the more crowded. Although the beach is so long, I there were very few hotels and restaurants there. I immagine this place to get absoulutly quiet at night, don't expect any nightlife!!!

My recommendation: I recommend to stay in the beautiful colonial city of Fort Cochin (Fort Kochi) and make a day trip to Cherai beach. Fort Cochin offers all kinds of accomodation, ranging from cheap hostels to 5* hotels. Same with restaurants: some of the most fancy restaurants of Kerala are situated in Fort Chochin.

The beaches of Kerala and Goa: Varkala

As previously promised, I will be posting a series about the beaches of Kerala and Goa.

I already posted a picture taken from the North Cliff of Varkala, located in the state of Kerala, in my last post but I thought I'd give you some more eye candy since this really is a beautiful strip of sand.

As always...

How can you reach it? The train station of Varkala, has several connections to other South Indian cities like Kochi, Trivandrum or Kollam. I recommend you to take a rickshaw to get from the train station to the cliff, because it is quiet a distance. (around 30 to 40 minutes to the North Cliff, South Cliff is a bit less, also depending on your walking pace). Ask the driver to bring you to the heli pad, then when facing the sea go right for the North Cliff and left for the South Cliff.

What makes it special?
One word: The atmosphere! It is a touristy place, indeed, but there of course is a reason for it. The Cliffs are just plain beautiful, and the atmosphere is very laid-back and relaxed. Varkala attracts a lot of "hippies" who just want to chill all day long, read a book and lie in their hammock.

The downside? Where there is light, there must be shadow... Especially during Monsoon Season, when you can't always go into the sea because the current is so strong, threre is not a lot to do in this small town. Of course Yoga and Arjurvedic Treatments are offered around every courner, but in my opinion they were nothing to write home about. Maybe it was just bad luck though...

Where to stay? There are all categories of places to stay, just walk around a bit and have a look about some different options. I'm sure everybody will find something suitable for his/her wallet and desired comfort. Oh and by the way, there are also some nice restaurants located on the cliff, the picture below was taken during dinner as well.

My recommendation:

I'd say Varkala is definetly a MUST! I have not seen equally picturesque scenery very often. Stay 2-3 days, relax (maybe from an exhausting train journey) and enjoy the incredible beauty of nature. If you get bored easily, there are things you can do like taking a walk to Varkala town, maybe for lunch or dinner since food is a lot cheaper and more authentic in the town.

Don't expect a lot of nightlife going on in low season, since restaurants are selling alcohol without licences and the only two bars close early.

Varkala - Kerala - India

Thought I'd give you a quick sneak peek about an upcomming post next week, which will be about the beaches of South India. The picture above is taken from the North Cliff of Varkala, a small laid-back town in the state of Kerala, India. It was taken very early in the morning, around 6 or 7am, which is the reason why it is so foggy. I will provide you with some more information about Varkala and some other beach towns in the states of Kerala and Goa around the beginning of next week, so stay tuned!

What about you? Do you like vacationing on the beach, or do you prefere to spend your vacation somewhere else? Are there any particular topics you want me to write about? Let me know in the comments below.

Sarah Macdonald: Holy Cow - An Indian Adventure

I read this book while travelling trough India last year. There are very few books I'm really impressed with and this book is not one of those. This said at the beginning...

You might wonder: Why are you writing about it then?

What I like about it:

I apreciate that this book presents the main religions that are prominent in India and gives a small insight to them. There are far more religions in India than Hinduism and Islam. Religions one might even have never heared about.

What I don't really like :

I don't really like the language used because it is written in very simple, colloquial English. I often prefere books written in a very beautiful, carefully selected language. But this is just me... The book reflects the experience of the author and is a little bit judgemental at times. (but hey, opions are always subjective)

I took this picture from amazon, click on the link to get to their website. 

The Ashram Experience

Last year, during my trip trough India, I visited the Ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi, also known as Amma (which means Mother). She is one of the few female Gurus, and one of the most popular and well-known ones, even outside India.

Ashram: An Ashram is a spiritual hermitage. In the Indian languages it is usually a religious place, often for meditation.

Guru: The spiritual leader of an Ashram, in the case of the Amritapuri Ashram it is Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma).

Bhajans: Religious songs that will be chanted at special times, usually during sunset. All people staying in the Ashram are asked to participate.

Darshan: Darshan is Sanskrit and means "sight" or "vision of the divine". This means the direct contact with a Guru and can also refer to a blessing. In the case of Amma, the blessing is given via a hug.

Sadly, I am not able to post any pictures. Taking pictures in and around the Ashram is forbidden, since it is a place of spirituality. The Ashram of Amma is located next to a small fishing village, Parayakadavu, today known as Amritapuri, in Kerala, Mata Amritanandamayi's home town.

It consists of two very tall buildings that provide most of the housing to the over 3.000 people staying there every night. (I do not have any source to confirm this number! this is what the people working at the Ashram told us!)

The Ashram is located at the beautiful backwaters of Kerala between Kollam and Kochi.

How to reach it? You can reach it with the ferry boat leaving once daily from Allepey to Kollam and the other way round. The boat ride takes about 6 hours from Alleppey and 2 from Kollam.

You can also take a bus from Kollam to Alleppey and get off at Parayakadavu/ Amritapuri. This is a lot faster and just takes around 3 hours from Alleppey and 4 from Kollam.

What to expect? I was honestly impressed by the whole atmosphere. Although I am not at all a religious person I was touched by the ceremony surrounding the Darshan. I got blessed from Amma myself, but I did not experience anything special during the blessing (which was only about 20 or 30 seconds). There are really a lot of people in the Ashram. For about 3€ you can sleep there and they provide 3 basic meals a day. You are, however, asked to participate in voluntary service.

Dresscode: Yes, there is, of course, a special dresscode for spiritual places like this one.The monks and nuns of Amma are dressed entirely in white, whereas the people who are just visiting for a short time wear their usual cloths. Women should cover their body appropriately, including the shoulders and calves, which means first of all no tight clothes. The head, however, is not needed to be covered.

As much as I loved the Ashram, I am also critical and a bit suspicious. There are a lot of rules the "children" of Amma should follow, which also include turning aways from critics of Amma and people who do not live according to Amma's rules, including their friends and family. Of course, things like Alcohol, chily and garlic are also a no-go for Amma's spiritual children, as is speaking for the pleasure of speaking. The voice should only be used for the Bhajans and chanting mantras.

I liked the experience, but I do not think I will ever visit Amma's Ashram again because I do not think that her rules are reasonable. To me, it even looks similar to a sect, at least in some ways.  

But I think it is a truly special experience that should not be missed out!

By the way, I booked my next trip a few weeks ago! I will spent a few days in Barcelona, Spain.

And comming september, I will also leave Germany to live elsewhere. So stay tuned!

Sunset at Bogmalo Beach

Hey guys,

so today I've got a small piece of eye candy for you. This picture was taken at Bogmalo beach in Goa/ India. Some things are best described without words, so I guess there is nothing more to say about it... However, if you might have a question nontheless - do not hesitate to contact me!

Hampi - Holy Town

Of all the places in India I have been too, this might be my favorite one. The holy town of Hampi is located in the state of Karnataka, South West India. It is a holy place with a truly unique atmosphere and an amazing landcape. Seriously, the pictures do not do this place justice.

How to reach it?

Take a train to Hosped, then a taxi or rikshaw to Hampi which is about 12 km.
What to keep in mind?
It is a holy town, so smoking, alcohol and any kind of meat (even chicken etc.) is forbidden. Restaurants do not offer alcohol or meat for that reason. Apart from that, just the usal things like dressing appropriately when visiting the ruins (a lot of them are temples).
Some extra information:
Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagar, the last big Hindi Empire and is a UNESCO World Heritage Sight since 1986. Because it is situated at the riverside (Tungabhadra River) there can be a lot of mosquitos, which CAN transmit Malaria so be sure to protect yourself.
Definetly bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen! The sun is very strong and temperatures of 40°C are nothing special.
How long to stay?
I recommend at least 3 days, more if possible. The ruins are distributed over 26 m², so you will definetly need more than one day. You can do a tour, or rent a scooter but I recommend walking or renting bisicles because that way you can enjoy the beautiful scenery a lot better. (just my opinion of course!)

What about you? Ever been to India? Are you planning a trip to India?

Delhi

The same street in New Delhi (Main Bazaar), the picture is taken from a rooftop café.
I thought about writing a post about Delhi, but I'm not quiet sure about that yet. For a city of more than 16 million, a blogpost might not be a sufficient setting.

Taking the train in... India

Boarding an Indian train for the first time I was excited and unsure of what to expect.

I want share a bit of my experiences with the Indian trains. The train system in India is quiet good. You can travel the whole, gigantic, country by train. (going from Delhi to Trivandrum e.g. from north to south will take about 48 hours)  It is fairly cheap, even in the better classes. I paid about 45€ for more than 800km in A/C 2 Tier Class on Tatcall (Emergency Tickets, which are sold at a certain time, are not refundable and a lot more expensive than the usual ones), going from Kochi (Cochin) in Kerala to Madgaon (Margao) in Goa. Although the trains are named “Superfast”, and “Superfast Express”, which is a bit faster, they are not that fast by western standards. With the Superfast Express it took about 14 hours for the 860km from Kochi to Madgaon. (btw: this is just an example, I took trains several times during my vacation in India and the best one by far was the 7:00am train going from New Delhi to Aggra)

But, infrastructure in the trains is great, and vendors are passing by every 5-10 minutes offering you food and tea/coffee you can buy (at very reasonable prices). If I were you, I would avoid ordering the food the railways company sells. Once you boarded, an employee of the company will come to your seat/bed, if it’s an overnight train he will bring you sheets and a pillow. If the railway company sells meals, someone will go around taking the orders. I ordered vegetable Biryani, but I found it to be rather dirty and bad quality. However, I’m sure you will know for yourself if things are safe to eat or not.

I would always try to book the highest class available, especially on train rides for several hours. All A/C classes looked fine to me, but the Sleeper classes were rather dirty, at least to sleep in.

Keep in mind that the A/C classes can get relatively cold, so bring enough clothing. Long pants, a pullover and a scarf are not too much, in my opinion. When in very crowded places I sometimes liked to cover my head with the scarf. Prevents the omnipresent staring. In general, especially when you are backpacking in India and will use local busses and trains, I recommend women to dress accordingly. No tight clothes, no clevage and at least the shoulders covered.

So, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride!

PS: Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the trains nor trainstations.