Goa - Where Life Itself Is A Carnival!

If you want to experience Holi - Goan style, don't miss the carnival. Festivities derive their energy from floats, costumes, dance, beer, and water balloons. However, there is just one condition if you really want to soak in the experience - you have got to be a little bit crazy. 

We travelled to Goa this March and were fortunate to get glimpses of the iconic Goa Carnival. We unknowingly landed in Goa during the last two days of the carnival. I had heard about the carnival being an out-of-the-world experience. So, it was always on my bucket list.

On the way to our resort, the driver urged us not to miss the carnival. However, the hotel staff told us that the carnival was happening in Mapusa, which was quite far from Salcete, where we were staying. But the good news was Benaulim, which was close to our hotel, was hosting a local carnival.

So, all excited, we left for the carnival in a local cab and asked the driver to take us to a place from where we could watch closely. On the way, we could see people dressed up in colourful costumes, filled with enthusiasm. The driver dropped us at a junction from where all parades and floats were to pass, culminating at Benaulim beach. 

PUBG Themed costumes

The locals had gathered there with their water guns, water balloons and bucket full of coloured water to be spilled on people participating in the parades. It seems, in olden times, Goans would throw eggs, fruits and flour on one other, which has now been replaced by colours. It is Holi – Goan style.

The level of excitement and enthusiasm was crazy. Loud music, colourful costumes, excited locals, decorated streets - the atmosphere was electrifying. As and when the floats kept coming, making their way to the beach, the locals kept throwing water balloons, and cheering them. People were dressed like fictional characters - the iconic masks and PUBG characters. There were jeeps with people dressed crazily going around the streets.  

The carnival was to end at Benaulim beach, where prizes for the best floats and costumes were to be distributed. Competition categories included dancing, singing, acting and more...

Colourfully decorated floats are iconic symbols of the carnival. The floats floated around effortlessly in all shapes and sizes, making the atmosphere pulsating. We started walking towards the beach through colourful and crazy streets. There were jeeps and bikes going around at top speed. We too were hit by a harmless water balloon. Not just the locals, tourists like us too became part of the carnival festivities. 

Different types of Floats

At the beach a stage was set up to put up performances and announce the winners. As the sun set, the disco lights went on, and people took to singing and dancing in their costumes. Both beer and excitement flowed. I couldn’t stop myself from shaking a leg to Goan and Bollywood songs.


After dancing in the open DJ party by the beach, we ended our day at Rogers Shack, enjoying candle light snacks – a near-perfect end to the day. 

The Goan carnival is celebrated before start of the holy period of Lent. The carnival dates back 500 years and was started by the colonial Portuguese rulers. As a tradition, it is celebrated before a period of abstinence from meat and liquor. The locals let their hair down and party till sunrise.



The huge carnivals in the cities of Goa are thrilling, but the smaller local ones too provide an authentic experience. We were fortunate to be at Benaulim that day and experience this unique cultural extravaganza.