Just about a fortnight remains of the summer month of May, and if you are a tourist thinking of making a trip to Goa, you should know that these are the two weeks which are best left for the locals.
The heat is on, and as is usual at this time of the year, plenty of locals can be seen enjoying the seashore, especially early in the morning. They come soon after dawn, and before the rays of the sun can hit the skin, they return home.
Except for the occasional showers (which actually make the weather a little hotter), May has been always been hot, and it appears to get worse before the monsoon sets everyone on a different tune. And so, it is better to wait before heading for the Goa holiday.
As the month comes to an end, most summer festivals also end, and most shacks have already shut down with the coastline appearing empty. The remaining few shacks will wind down by the end of the month, and what is on offer is best skipped because there is no harm in waiting for the coming season.
With the last Russian charter having soared across the skies a few days back, those foreign tourists who have decided to stay back are small in number, and hardly make any economic difference.
A few domestic tourists can be seen, but they are the ones for whom Goa is no more a destination, but a second home. For them, it is better to be in Goa than in their own places because, at least here, the heat is bearable.
Tourists staying in high-end resorts abutting beaches tend to come out to the beach to enjoy the sunset, but for most of the day, the beaches are empty, except of course for the locals who come out early in the morning.
Despite a decrease in the number of tourists, accidents involving tourists are on the rise along with incidents that leave an unsavoury taste. This is definitely the time of the year to keep intoxicants away.
Fishing will stop from June 1 till July 31, but frozen fish will be available along with river fish. Traditional fishermen will be pulling their boats ashore and hence, as is the case during the season, will not be found pulling their nets in.
This is the time of the year in Goa when locals go shopping to stock for the rains. Dry fish, caju feni, spices and pickles will be some of the main articles stored for use during the rains.
Fishing will stop from June 1 till July 31, but frozen fish will be available along with river fish.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a normal rainfall this year, and with the academic year due to start from June — monsoons in Goa tend to break on the first day of school — it is best if visits can be kept pending till the second week of June, when the rains normally tend to ease up.
People tend to promote hinterland tourism in May, but that is best avoided. Springs are frequented by locals, and with the flow of water being low, they are not much of an attraction and are best avoided.
Holidays at high-end resorts are okay, provided visitors are ready to experience Goa from a narrow prism. “Ninety one percent travellers say that they feel more connected to themselves after spending a week in Goa,” according to what a tourism website says.
If you are one of those, then take the next mode of transport, and head to Goa!