Goa

Goa works for almost any group because nobody has to agree on one plan. North Goa keeps the music, markets and beach shacks going; South Goa stays quiet and slow; and the two are barely an hour apart. Scooters, shared villas and beachside dinners make it one of the cheapest coastlines in the country to travel as a group.

North or South

North Goa — Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim — is where the crowd, the night markets and the flea markets are. South Goa — Palolem, Agonda, Colva — is for long empty beaches and early dinners. Mixed groups usually split the trip: two nights north, two nights south.

Getting around

Rented scooters are the default and cost very little per day; carry a licence, because checks are routine. For a group larger than eight, one booked tempo traveller for the airport transfer and the far beaches works out cheaper and much less stressful than app cabs, which are limited in Goa.

Costs and timing

Peak-week stays from Christmas to New Year get booked months ahead and prices roughly double. Monsoon Goa, June to September, is green, empty and very cheap, but water sports shut down and many shacks close. Water sports at Baga are noticeably cheaper when the whole group books together instead of one by one.