6 Things to Know when Travelling to Goa with a Baby

Goa Calling and a baby on board? Worry not. I got you covered.

My hubby and I had always wanted to go to Goa on our babymoon. But somehow it didn’t pan out. Even after the delivery, we traveled to a lot of other domestic places before we could finally tick off Goa from our list.

When people heard, I was taking Pearl, our then 9 months old baby along with me, they were skeptical. Goa after all is a place for party and boozing and that was way out of the question when you have a breastfeeding baby with you. But I knew we would be able to manage it.

You see I traveled a lot in Pearl’s first year. Road trips, train journeys, air travel… Before she turned 1 she had traveled via plane, train, car, bus, auto. You name it she has sat on it;)

But Goa was the most enjoyable of all trips. We partied hard, attended discs, casino, tried out local cuisine, had fun in the beach…

Everything that you could think of doing without a baby, I did WITH one and I Loved it. So if you are worried and tiring yourself to death on planning your Goa trip or any other beach destination with a baby in tow, I say JUST DO IT!!

Here are a few things you need to know before you plan to go Goa with a baby.

1: Do not plan your trip to minute details

This goes for any trip with a baby really. How will the new environment and weather affect your baby, her sleep schedules et all is something you will only know once you have have landed on your destination. So, instead of being too rigid with your plans and worrying like hell if things don’t go according to your plan (which of course they never will..), just go with the flow.

Baby will sleep, eat, drink and cry at unusual times, even have fun at her own pace so just let it be. Take her cues and act accordingly.

2: Choose a Homestay or a Villa over Hotels and Resorts

Luxury resorts were my travel essentials up until now but I found that a home stay or a villa, provides a much more comfortable stay, if you have a baby along. Goa has a lot of nice villas that provide a great service and are super baby-friendly.

Look for one with all the basic amenities and an access to the kitchen. Preparing baby food and sterilizing bottles get so much easier this way.

3: Keep dry food handy all the time

Dry food like boiled potato, cottage cheese (paneer) (for 7 months and older), raw fruits (cheeku, banana, peaches) are your best option while travelling.

Organic baby food mixes are a great option for eating on the go. Just carry the food mix in an air tight jar. Sterilized bowls, spoons in an insulated bag and a hot water flask with you all the time. Mix the powder with hot water and your baby food is ready!

4: Take a stroller wherever you go

As much as I love wearing my baby, strollers are a much better option while going to restaurants, beaches or any place you think of spending a little time to unwind and enjoy.

Yes it will be difficult to push the stroller against sand but it is totally worth it. Diaper bag, snacks, towels, your shopping bags, all go in the stroller keeping you hands free.

Pearl loved the beach and after some playtime in the sand, she got sleepy in that wonderful breeze. While she napped in her stroller, this momma enjoyed her baby-free time on the beach with sand in her hair and water in her toes!!

5: Hit the beach, avoid the beach shacks

Beach shacks in goa are very popular for their food and ofcorse the view but unfortunately they are not child friendly. They are all time packed with people smoking cigs and hookah almost everywhere. You don’t want your baby to inhale that smoke so just avoid it.

Luckily my husband found a table in St Anthony beach shack  on Baga beach which was surrounded by mostly family with kids.  Pearl sat on her stroller and enjoyed watching the people, beach and everything around while we enjoyed the food. Needless to say it was absolutely delicious!!

6: A Mom too can party all night

Goa with no parties? That ain’t no trip,  is it? But before hitting a casino or a club, do check them out online or call them prior to your visit and inform that you have a baby with you.

If you are heading to Deltin Royale, the best casino in Goa, REACH there by 8:00 pm. They are crowded all year round and once the kid’s room gets fully occupied, you will not get entry there. I learnt it the hard way.

Babies are generally not allowed in the dance floors and gambling sections of any of the clubs in Goa but many will have a fully furnished children’s room with baby cots and beds. Just take your own sheets and comforters for hygiene purposes. They also have a caretaker in the room. They will note down your phone number and call you up if your baby wakes up or starts crying.

But being an over-possessive mom that I am, I just could not trust a stranger with my baby. Thank God we went with another couple who also had a baby with them. So while one couple enjoyed a couple of hours of romantic baby free time, other one watched the babies in the children’s room. It worked out fine for us and everybody ended up having a great time.

There you go. This is all you might need to know if you are planning to visit Goa with a baby.

I am so glad I did it despite of what others had to say. I suggest, just take the leap. Worry less, trust me I have been there and done that. Every trip that I take with my baby is a lot more fun than I had anticipated. So go on, have fun and make memories!!

Let me know in the comments if there is anything else you would like to know and I will try my best to answer.

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