Goa-Tourists will party on beach

Tourists will party on beach
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Sonia Kail (29) has come to Goa from wintry Switzerland keen to soak up the sun on the state’s long, sandy beaches and party hard during the year end beach parties.
“In Switzerland, you don’t get to see the sea. I always wanted to welcome the New Year on a beach with music,” says Sonia.
The Goa government ban on “open beach parties” put a damper on her enthusiasm, but Sonia has found a way out. “Though parties are banned, there is no restriction on me going out with my friends to a beach, having a drink and welcoming the New Year by playing music and dancing on the beach by ourselves,” she says.
She’s not the only one who has hit upon this idea. Richard (40) from England has similar plans. “Some 30 or 40 of us have decided to pour in money for drinks, food and firecrackers. We will go and sit on the beach in Vagator, have fun and burst firecrackers at midnight. If we are caught bursting firecrackers, we will either go to a party at a night club or just go home and sleep,” said Richard.
Some 2.6 million tourists visit Goa annually, including about 4 lakh foreigners. “Why come to Goa if you can’t party on the beach. If there are no beach parties to bring in the New Year I will never come back here,” said Sonia.
Tali Levy from Israel came to Goa for its beach parties, but is now bored and plans to leave the state this week, but not before celebrating New Year in Goa. “I am planning to go to a night club for some music and fun. I had heard a lot about Goa and I expected the party scene to be much better but I am really disappointed,” she said.
With no fun in Goa, Levy visited Gokarna in Karnataka for a beach party that was all “music and fun”. “I really enjoyed it. If given a chance I would love to go to Gokarna for a New Year beach party,” said Tali.
Incidentally, a few foreign tourists have left the state for other destinations. Said a Japanese tourist, “We work hard, earn money to come and enjoy on the beaches but now there is a restriction on parties, music and even smoking. This is not our idea of a holiday in Goa.”

December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition