Goa is a place that many can call their home and also a few that own second homes as well. Although the place is best known for its beautiful beaches, for sure it is, it is also for its way of life and its culture. To buy a villa in Goa is a dream and I hope to realize it soon, but until then I can only dream of it. I have lived there for over a decade before I move to Portugal and I must say I have fond memories of it.

I had last visited it 20 years ago on a work tour to India and took some time off for a beach holiday in the South of Goa. After a bust work-schedule, it was a well welcome break. I spent most of my time on the beaches and didn’t end up going out of the hotel much. I did make a couple of trips scouting for a vacation home but more on that later. I went out and explored as much as I could, to essentially get rid of the sanitized/Holywood view of India with its movies like Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Lion, etc. I was keen on exploring Goa again to re-familiarize myself with its old charm and to know whether it had its same appeal..

For the first time visitor to India, Goa is a great place to get started. Compared to the other states it is lot cleaned, it is moderately populated and the air is fresh. Straight off you will notice its lush greenery, every after a hot winter season, the green palms still swaying in the breeze, open fields, and plenty of plants all over.  The Portuguese influenced homes still exist that are pained in vivid shared of cerise pink, purple, yellow, and other brightly. I really doubt it that these colors would look as good as it does on these homes in Goa than on any other place. But it is the beaches by the Arabian sea that somehow seem to draw you towards it. A few beautiful beaches villas in these small pockets that make you wonder what if you could retire here. Walk down the shores on these powder-white sands, you will occasionally come across hoardings for villas for sale, beautiful properties overlooking the beach.

Many that own a second home prefer the beach villas but these aren’t easy to find on the market and of course, they are listed at a premium. Speaking of beaches there are a number of them to visit both on the North of Goa as well as the South. Properties are a lot more expensive in the north as it is the hub of all tourism activity. It is filled with crowds and frankly, it isn’t the place for me.

Holiday villas by the beaches are excellent for those looking to spend a majority of their time by the shores. Remember though, owning a home on the coast does require a lot more maintenance than owning a home towards the hinterland. Areas such as Siolim, Assagoa, Morjim are sleepy villages that are excellent locations filled with many second homes. Similarly, towards the South, villages such as Betalbatim, Cavelossim, Varca, and Utorda are nice areas to look for homes.

If you prefer the urban living, areas such as Porvorim, Guirim, and Saligao, are noted areas in the north. Towards the south you can explore, Verna, Velsao, and Cansaulim.