The Mango Festival is Here!!

Goa is famous for its scenic beauty. Travelers visit this charming destination from across the world and go back rejuvenated. Most travelers are attracted by the breathtaking beaches, with views of the Arabian Sea, lush Western Ghats in a backdrop and soft sands framed by palm trees. Some even come to explore the fascinating churches. However, there is so much more that Goa offers.

Goa: Where Celebrations Never Seem to End

 

This popular holiday destination serves its guests with delicious Konkani cuisine. The freshness of the seafood, whether its prawn chilly fry, mackerel curry, fried mussels or crab xacuti, makes each dish a gastronomical experience to remember. Your visit to Goa is incomplete without trying feni (or fenny), an exotic cashew wine that you will not get anywhere else in the country. This destination has a vibrant nightlife and the bars and pubs are open till the wee hours.

With airfares becoming more affordable, people are planning even weekend getaways to this fabulous destination. In fact, one can easily book low cost domestic flights and have a memorable time even if the holiday is a short one.

Some Special Celebrations 

 

While the celebrations never seem to end in Goa, there are a few festivals that have made New Delhi to Goa flights even more popular. The two of these are Christmas and the February Carnival.

Christmas is a major festival in Goa. During this time, the streets are decorated with lights and the city becomes even more lively and colorful. The churches are lit up and hold evening mass. You may find decorated Christmas trees in every hotel, restaurant and mall. The air has music and celebrations.

The Goan carnival has been celebrated since the 18th century.  Usually celebrated in the months of February/March, this festival is a precursor to the abstinence and fast of the 40 days of Lent. You will get to see amazing dancing in the streets, vibrantly colored floats with flowers and feathers and masks. The carnival is also marked by the crowning of the legendary King Momo.

Don’t Miss the Mango Festival

 

Many tourists are unaware of Goa’s exciting Mango Festival. Organized by the Directorate of Agriculture, the Mango Festival is held every year, usually in April. The festival promotes the cultivation of mangoes. You can see a large variety of mangoes, including – local varieties (like mancurad, mussarad, ilario, colaco, xavier, furtado and alfonso), hybrid varieties (like ratna and amrapali) and varieties from across India (like totapuri and neelam.

4 amazing international trips to take in the year 2017

Year 2017 is a good year for tourism. We recommend four international destinations to check out this year.

Travelling all over the world has its own charm. You learn about other cultures and see many gorgeous sights. But often, deciding where to go is confusing – the whole world is open for exploration. Allow us to point you in the direction of 4 excellent destinations for 2017:

1. Canada. There is never a good reason needed to visit Canada. The US’s friendly Northern neighbour has many sights, cuisines and activities to keep visitors occupied all year. Since the people are outdoorsy and always in for a bit of fun and socialising, you will never be bored even on a solo journey in Canada. We especially recommend booking yourself into a special tour to view the Northern Lights in late November or December – the estimated viewing dates are announced mid-year.
2. Estonia. Gorgeous Estonia has less population and is high on beauty, but that is not to say that the local residents are not down for some fun. In recent times, Estonia has developed into a thriving music festival destination, and this year, the Tallinn Music Week takes place here in spring. You can get tickets to experience the music of over 200 performers from the country and around the world, across a wide variety of genres. You can also participate in the discussion tours, food walks and artiste symposiums all around Tallinn during this time.
3. Vietnam. Laid-back, scenic and grappling with dire poverty for the last decade, Vietnam is the ultimate backpackers’ paradise. The country is extremely safe for solo women travellers as well, and it offers many stunning vistas, temples, amazing local food and excellent accommodation at very affordable rates. It is best for a week-long family vacation or a girls’ trip.
4. Indonesia. Romanticised by the famous Elizabeth Gilbert novel Eat Pray Love, Indonesia offers up a tantalising mix of adventure, beachside tranquillity and spiritualism. You can camp at any of the country’s over 1000 islands, gorge on delicious food, and enjoy its wonderful summer season from May to September. You should especially book yourself into Bawah Private Island, a collection of five stunning islands spread over 300 acres and incorporated into an eco-sensitive resort. It opens every year in July.

Now that you have an idea of where you want to go, you can start booking your trip and getting visas. But do not leave an important task for the last minute – arranging for foreign currency. Get your bank’s guidance on how much money you should carry in cash and travellers’ cheques. Next, find out the bank’s range of foreign exchange services and if it offers an international forex debit card that you can use on your trip. Your bank will give you the best forex rate to maximise the value of your money.