Goa India is a beautiful place to visit any time of year. Some vacationers chose particular seasons or exact dates to visit that will coincide with a specific celebration, holiday or festival. New Year’s Eve is one of the most popular and exciting times to be in this paradise of coastland. New Year’s is one of the oldest celebrations, which dates back about 4000 years to ancient Babylon. It is one of the many pagan holidays that was banned by the Catholic Church only to be reinvented as a secular celebration and continues today. Many guests are lucky enough to stay in a Goa luxury hotel that provides a great party right there outside their room. Some even have balconies with great views that allow people to watch the parades and fireworks while staying cozily tucked into their own space.
Although New Year’s is not a religious holiday today, the Church’s of Goa decorate for Christmas with poinsettias and colorful papers. They light many aromatic candles to illuminate and complete this beautiful ambiance. They leave these decorations up through New Year. Parties in Goa are extremely elaborate and festive and many of them continue through the night. One of the belief customs associated with New Year’s is the idea that whatever one eats or does on the first day will affect their luck throughout the year. Some people take this as seriously as many Westerners take the idea of resolutions. There are many ways to celebrate New Year’s in Goa, and one of the most popular is to attend the fabulous bonfires and barbeques at Pine Shack. This blazing party is specially organized for tourists and excitement and revelry fill the air and add to the flames. Another popular activity is a river cruise down the Mandovi River. Live music and dancing accompanies this scenic cruise.
