India welcomes tourists with bright colors, sounds, aromas and tastes. Experienced tourists think about what to bring from Goa in advance and even make a list of what this state of India is famous for. And when they go shopping, they take this list with them – so as not to buy anything extra.
A tip! When buying anything in the markets of Goa, be sure to bargain! And keep in mind that it is better to make purchases at the end of the holiday: market vendors identify only tourists who have arrived in India by tan and call them unrealistically high prices. If you do not know how to bargain in principle, then it is better to go shopping in the capital of Goa, the city of Panaji. There, many stores have fixed prices for goods, so you will not be deceived.
And then we will talk about what specific products, clothes, cosmetics and even what medicines to bring from Goa in India.
Grocery shopping
The list of what you can bring from Goa should start with the most popular and win-win products.
Spices
In India, spices can be bought literally anywhere. There are huge bags of various spices in the markets, but these products are intended exclusively for tourists. The bags are open for months, dust collects in them, and the aroma of spices disappears.
If you buy on the market, then you need to look for homemade-these are home-made seasonings that have a very rich and spicy aroma. Prices are higher than for spices from huge bags, but the quality is much better.
Good, carefully packaged spices can be bought in stores. The products of such manufacturers are in demand: Everest, MDH, Priya, Mothers Recipe, Catch. The price for a package of 250 g is from 0.14 to 0.25 $.
High-quality spices can be brought directly from the plantations that tourists visit as local attractions. Prices there are higher than for factory products in packages: approximately $ 0.5 per 250 g.
What to buy in Goa from Indian spices: cardamom, cinnamon, red Kashmiri pepper and chili, tamarind (sweet and sour date for meat, fish, rice, noodles and desserts), traditional masala (a mixture for fish or vegetable dishes).
A tip! If you are going to bring spices, please note: you can not take them in your hand luggage, because acts of terrorism involving their use are known.
Tea and sweets
Delicious, attractive-looking sweets and nuts are what you can bring from India and Goa not only for children, but also for adults. You can buy cashew nuts, banana chips, halva, fruit and nut balls, dessert “bebinka” or similar toffee “dodol”. Prices for sweets start at $ 4.2 per kilogram.
And with sweets, you can bring good tea. The choice of tea in India and Goa is huge: it is sold in markets, supermarkets and specialty stores. Like spices, it is preferable to buy tea not at the market, but in a store, and it should be in its original packaging. The right solution is to buy tea “Assam” or “Darjeeling”, the price varies from $ 10-15 per 1 kg.
Exotic fruits
The richest variety of fresh fruit can be found at fruit markets. There are such markets in North and South Goa, so you can buy everything you need in any part of the state. Prices for some fruits in dollars:
- pineapples – 0.3 per piece;
- papaya – from 0.35 to 0.85 per kg;
- passion fruit – 1.7 per kg;
- coconuts-from 0.1 to 0.15 per piece;
- bananas-from 0.2 to 0.3 per kg;
- grapes – from 0.55 to 1.7 per kg.
A tip! To bring fruit whole and unspoiled, you need to buy them slightly unripe. It is advisable to wrap each fruit in paper, and then put everything in cardboard boxes and transport it in your luggage.
Alcoholic beverages
Old Monk is a black rum that has a pleasant sweet taste of caramel and burnt sugar. The price of a 0.7-liter bottle is only $ 2.7 (there are also bottles of 0.25 and 0.5 liters).
A tip! Glass bottles are very beautiful, but plastic flasks are much more convenient and profitable to transport. For the convenience of tourists, Old Monk is sold in plastic containers of 0.5 and 0.7 liters.
Because of such a low cost, Old Monk is very popular.
There are absolutely unique alcoholic beverages in India that are not available in other countries. Fenny is an unusual moonshine made on the basis of coconut milk or cashew nut milk. Fenny is sold in coconut flasks, so it will be convenient to carry it.
Ayurvedic Products – Indian Exclusive
Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of medicine and lifestyle. Over the millennia of its existence, it has performed so well that its recipes remain relevant even now. Ayurvedic preparations are based on only natural ingredients: extracts and extracts of plants, natural oils.
Ayurvedic products that should be brought from India are skin care cosmetics and dietary supplements. By the way, it is dietary supplements that are meant when they talk about medicines that should be brought from Goa.
Important! Cosmetics and dietary supplements in India are sold in packages, and they are subject to MRP: the package shows the price above which the seller has no right to sell this product.
There are several manufacturers of high-quality Ayurvedic products in India. Many brands are well-known all over the world, but only here you can buy their products literally for pennies, and the choice is very wide.
India’s most popular Ayurvedic Brands:
- Himalaya. A popular international corporation, but Indian products are of much better quality than those made in other countries. It produces a wide variety of skin care products, as well as various dietary supplements.
- Swati and Khadi. These are products from the same company, but Khadi is a premium line. Swati is a skin care cosmetics for hair and body, as well as natural vegetable oils. “Swati” and Khadi are more expensive than “Himalaya”, but the quality is also higher.
- Biotique. Good inexpensive cosmetics with exotic fruits. There are products that protect against ultraviolet radiation. Feature of “Biotic”: an extensive range and a small amount of each product. A bottle of shampoos 210 ml will cost $3.
- Jovees. A huge selection of various creams, masks and tonics for the face. A wide range of anti-aging cosmetics. “Jovis” belongs to the average price category, cream from $ 3.
- Divya Patanjali. This brand is known for authentic cosmetics, incense, food, dietary supplements and literature. In demand are hair products with proteins, anti-aging creams, soaps with cow’s urine (prices for everything from $ 0.7). It is sold in branded boutiques, where an Ayurvedic doctor often conducts an appointment.
- Dabur. The company offers excellent care cosmetics, as well as dietary supplements to maintain the skin in a young state.
- Shahnaz Husein. A well-known Indian brand, whose products are comparable in quality to those of luxury European brands. Funds are more expensive than other brands-from $25.
Cosmetics required for purchase
And now read more about what you should buy in India in Goa from cosmetics:
- Coconut oil. A great moisturizer. Shelf life is 1-1. 5 years. Sold in volumes from 40 ml to 1 liter, 100 ml costs $ 0.5.
- Amla oil (gooseberry variety). If you regularly rub it into the scalp, you can speed up hair growth and improve their appearance, remove pain and insomnia. You can buy a large jar of amla butter for $6.
- Trichup oil. This is sesame and coconut oil, enriched with extracts of medicinal herbs. Used for hair: prevents hair loss, makes it strong.
- Gels, scrubs and masks with an extract from the leaves of the neem tree. Cleansers have a strong antibacterial effect.
- Toothpaste. The range is large: black paste with charcoal, paste with hot red pepper, paste made of red clay with clove oil, paste made of neem powder and black salt. The price of a 50 g tube starts from $0.24.
- Henna for mehendi. Mehendi-this is the name of the art of painting the body with henna. Henna is sold ready-to-use, starting at $ 0.14 per tube.
- Henna for strengthening and coloring hair. Henna packages are offered everywhere for $ 0.7, and luxury henna “Shahnaz Hussein” can be purchased for $1.7. There are black, burgundy and red.
Important! Coconut and sandalwood oil, as well as some cosmetics, cannot be carried in hand luggage, as they are classified as flammable substances.
Dietary supplements and other medicines from Goa
Tourists who have visited India write in reviews about what medicines you can bring from Goa not only for yourself, but also as a practical gift.
- Chyawanprash. The spectrum of action is extremely wide, but in most cases it is used as a powerful immunostimulator. In fact, it is a jam made from gooseberry amla (very rich in vitamin C), enriched with another 40 components. Chapanprash is sold in plastic cans, prices start from $ 1.25.
- Kailas Jeevan. This ointment with a very peculiar smell is universal. It anesthetizes the site of bruising and sprains, heals wounds and burns, fights fungus, treats acne and ringworm. It can even be taken orally for insomnia, diarrhea, sore throat and cough. There are different dosages of “Kailash Jivan”, the minimum cost is $ 0.4.
- Neem. Neem leaf extract is used to detoxify the body and cleanse the skin, treat genitourinary and intestinal infections, remove parasites, improve metabolism and strengthen immunity. Neem can be purchased in powder, tablets, or capsules, with a minimum price of $2.7.
- Tulasi. Tulasi syrup or capsules (Tulsi) – a medicine for coughs, sore throats and respiratory tract infections. A pack of 60 capsules costs $ 1.6, 200 ml syrup – $1.46.
- Spirulina. Spirulina contains a huge amount of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals – an excellent supplement to the diet of vegetarians. Spirulina also removes toxins and heavy metals from the body.
- Triphala churna. The powder removes toxins, normalizes digestion and rejuvenates the body. Prices start at $ 0.7.
A tip! You can also bring traditional medicines from Goa in India, which are often necessary at home, because they are very cheap here.
Decorations
Fans of unusual jewelry can bring quite interesting things from India. The craftsmanship and design are amazing, even if the jewelry is made of copper, brass, or bronze. Here you can buy both simple jewelry, which is offered on the beach for $ 0.4- $ 0.7 apiece, and exclusive hand made, which costs at least $ 9.8- $ 15.5. Traditional Indian gold jewelry does not really attract tourists: bright yellow gold and fancy design make them look like too cheap jewelry.
What you can bring from India and Goa is products purchased in specialized boutiques of Panaji. There are decorations made of gold in different shades, silver and precious stones, aimed at tourists. But even here there are some nuances: it is difficult for a non-professional to understand the quality of stones, so you must require a certificate.
In Goa, you can buy real pearls, the price depends on the shape and size. For example, a string of pearls of medium size and not very regular shape costs an average of $9.8.
A special category of jewelers in India is Nepalese. In Goa, there are many of their shops in popular tourist areas, in the market in Calangute. They are mainly engaged in silver, but there are also products made of other metals. Although the work of Nepalese jewelers is not too fine, their silver does not peel off, and the stones do not fall out of it, as is often the case with Indian masters. A silver ring with an original ornament and without stones can be purchased from $7.6.
Clothing and accessories from Goa
In India, they love and wear national clothes, and not only local residents, but also numerous visitors. Since ethnics are now in trend in our megacities, you can buy cotton saris, T-shirts, skirts, tunics, long scarves, “aladdin”s for yourself and as a gift. In the markets, prices for these items start at $ 1.5, while higher-quality items start at $7.6. You can buy factory-made products in stores, prices will be slightly higher, but the quality is also better.
In the north of India, they produce their hemp goods, but you can buy them in any market in Goa. Hemp is a material made from hemp, from which any clothing is sewn and knitted. A summer hat will cost $ 3, and a voluminous snood – $7-8.
Not only national, but also European clothing can be brought from Goa in India. In order to save money, well-known European designers often order tailoring from factories in Goa. Items with minor defects (missing a button, missing a couple of stitches) are sold at bargain prices in Anjuna (a resort in North Goa), where a day market is open on Wednesdays. In Panaji, the real center of Western-style shopping is Mahatma Gandhi Streets and June 18: products of the Benetton, Lacoste, Pepe Jeans brands are much cheaper here than in European countries.
In Goa, you can also buy practical and high-quality clothing imported from Nepal. From natural yak wool, Nepalese people knit unusual sweaters, warm hoodies with fleece lining, bright socks, unusual hats and much more. A warm hat costs $ 4-6, a hoodie from $9.
From Goa, you can bring high-quality leather goods. For example, you can buy a stylish jacket for an average of $ 50, and the chosen item will be adjusted to the desired size right in the store. Custom-made jackets for individual sizes will cost $ 100.
Belts, gloves, bags – the choice of such accessories is truly huge, especially in Candolim and Arambol. A medium-sized leather suitcase can be purchased for $ 20, prices for women’s handbags from $ 20 and above.
Home textiles
Not the last place in the list of things worth bringing from India is occupied by home textiles. Bright sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths painted with natural holi colors are beautiful and practical gifts for the amount starting from $ 2.5.
Handmade bedspreads stand out from everything you can bring from Goa as a gift or for yourself. They are distinguished by colorful patterns and original decor, and most importantly-good quality. Prices are different, usually $ 100 is announced first, after the auction it is already $ 50, and especially talented buyers can bring this figure to $20.
Souvenirs from Goa
The most popular souvenirs from Goa are elephant figurines, figurines of Indian gods and mythical characters. Simple, clay souvenirs, you can buy almost a whole collection for $ 1. Figurines carved from sandalwood or stone, made of metal, are more expensive-from $5. By the way, such souvenirs, as well as various masks, are often made from papier-mache in India.
Magnets and key chains are sold everywhere, the prices are cheap-for $ 1 a handful.
Incense sticks can hardly surprise anyone, but in India they are much cheaper: no more than $ 0.2 per pack. In addition, you can find very delicate, refined incense.
It is a good idea to bring a painting in the style of “madhubani”: mythological subjects, on the theme of the life of the gods. Paintings can be made on paper or fabric, prices start from $20.
Musicians may be interested in singing bowls and Indian drums – they are easy to play, the cost is $8-45. For $ 0.6- $ 5 you can buy bamboo flutes “bansuri”, but this is not a musical instrument, but just a toy.
What is forbidden to export from India
There are also some things that you can’t bring from Goa. In the list of things that are forbidden to export from India:
- The national Indian currency.
- Gold and silver ingots.
- Jewelry worth more than $ 28 (Rs 2,000).
- Antiques (items that are of historical or cultural value and were made more than 100 years ago).
- Skins of wild animals, as well as handicrafts made of ivory and products made from the skin of rare reptiles.
- Live plants and animals, if there is no phytosanitary or veterinary certificate.
