This January I knew that I did not want to be stuck in cold, grim, rainy London Town – so I took a trip back to India. A place I absolutely love. This time I went south, to the beaches of Goa. Here’s my 2 week Goa itinerary if you fancy a holiday there yourself.

FLIGHTS
I booked my flights with Jet Airways, they’re owned by Etihad, and while they aren’t the best they’re fine. A return from London Heathrow cost me £375. The flight to Mumbai takes 10 hours and then another hour flight from there to Goa airport.

ROUTE
I could never stay in one place for a whole 2 weeks – I get bored of things sooooo quickly, so I spent 4 days in Anjuna, 4 days in Palolem and the remainder of my time in Agonda. It’s easy to travel around Goa. I just took taxis everywhere as I wanted this to be a truly relaxing holiday. But you can easily take buses or trains.

ANJUNA
I STAYED… At the Funky Monkey hostel which was really great. Good facilities, a fun crowd of people and good location.
I ATE… At Banana Joe’s which is at the hostel. The Chicken Thali cost about £2 and was DELICIOUS.
I DID… Anjuna is known for its beach parties at Curlies beach shack and the huge Wednesday flea market. The beach itself is small and not that picturesque.
OVERALL FEELINGS… I’m glad I came here first as it was my least favourite part of Goa, but the parties are fun.

PALOLEM
I STAYED… At the Roadhouse Hostel. This place was actually terrible, so don’t stay here. Get one of the many beach huts on Palolem beach. I did meet two amazing girls at the hostel though, so if you’re travelling alone maybe try the one over the road.
I ATE… Malasa Papad. This food is a revelation, it’s mini poppadums topped with fresh, lime-y salsa and chillies. Delicious. Also I ate Fish Tikka at the Art House on Palolem beach. Soooo good. If you don’t like fish, Goa might not be the place for you.
I DID… Dolphin watching! Get a boat on the beach (I paid 1600IR between 3 people so about £7 each) and you can see pods of dolphins and also visit the stunning butterfly beach. I also went to Leopard Valley – a rave in the jungle which was quite cool.
OVERALL FEELINGS… I loved Palolem!

AGONDA
I STAYED… At Galaxy’s Beach Huts which were divine and right on the beach. Unfortunately, the view from the roadside was horrendous so don’t let that put you off.
I ATE… Vegan food. This place is full of great vegan cafes so I had juices, green smoothies and turmeric lattes while I was here. I also had an EPIC steak at Indah Desa on the beach… I never eat beef but had such a craving one day and it was the best steak I’ve ever had.
I DID… a lot of yoga at Sampoorna retreat. You can do 5 classes for 1500IR. Bargain. I also shopped for gemstones. Visited Cola beach whish is the number one thing you must do in Goa. And played with horses, cows and dogs on the beach.
OVERALL FEELINGS… Can I live here and continue to work on my downward dog?
This is a super top-line Goa guide, but stay tuned for my guides to Anjuna, Palolem and Agonda. Goa is super cheap but due to the weak pound it’s not as cheap as it once was. The last time I visited India you could get 100IR for £1, now it’s more like 82 to £1. So still good but ‘booo Brexit!’.

READ MY AGONDA GUIDE HERE

With regards to the culture, Goa has been a tourist destination for decades and it feels really safe, it’s easy to get around and most people speak perfect English. While some of the beaches are breath-taking, remember this is India so there will be litter, dirt and cows in most places – which might put some people off. I only visited a handful of places but other areas of Goa to try are: Arambol, Gokarna and Hampi. These are places that I’ve been personally recommended.

TOP TIPS: Take a portable charger as power cuts are frequent. I visited in January and temperatures were around 32-35 degrees Celsius but at night it got cold so bring a jumper. You can get all your toiletries etc. in Goa so don’t worry if you forget anything.

READ: Tips for making travel dirt cheap