Adventure Budgeting: Beach Budget Bingo – Part One

ArambolThe beaches of Goa are legendary for parties in paradise. But the word is out, which means that the area is now becoming legendary for being a bit annoying. We showed up for New Year’s eve at the end of 2004, less than a week after the Indian Ocean tsunami. The disaster had wreaked the most havoc on the other side of the subcontinent, but water had still come up pretty far around Goa, flooding many beachfront businesses, so many people had freaked and gone inland. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of western twenty-somethings drinking and writhing to awful American pop music — I think I heard more Britney Spears in Goa than I ever did at home.
Here’s what we got for our dollar in the northern Goa beach town of Arambol. Remember these totals are for two people:

December 30, 2004 – Touring around Northern Goa

  • Train to Goa from Rajahstan = $10
  • Food: $3.75 (western breakfast)/$2.75 (vegan lunch) / $12.50 (huge seafood dinner w/ lots of booze) = $19
  • Lodging: Recently completed private room w/ bathroom, all new furnishings = $5
  • Transit: Rickshaws to go shopping and check out other ‘hotspots’ in Goa = $7
  • Beach supplies & Souvenirs = $4
  • Internet Cafe = $3.50
    TOTAL = $38.50     ($19.25 / person)

December 31, 2004 – Hiking, followed by sitting on the beach all day in Arambol

  • Food: $2.00 (western breakfast)/$3.75 (vegan lunch) / $10 (another huge dinner w/ lots of booze) = $15.75
  • Lodging: Recently completed private room w/ bathroom, all new furnishings = $5
    TOTAL = $20.75     ($10.37 / person)

Next time: We head south to the remote hike-in beaches beyond the borders of Goa, and find even better values!

Check out Adventure Budgeting – Introduction