Life in Goa: A Day in my Life as a Digital Nomad & Travel Blogger Living in Goa, India

Life in Goa: A Day in my Life as a Digital Nomad and Travel Blogger Living in Goa

Ever read blogs or drool over photos on Instagram of those digital nomads and travel bloggers who’ve left the 9-5 world behind for a life of travel and wondered what it’s really like to be ‘living the dream? Ever wonder what life in Goa is like or what  travel bloggers does all day!?

Here’s what a typical day in my life in Goa looks like.

How I became a travel blogger living in Goa

I first visited India 3 years ago and fell in love with the craziness. The amazing experiences I had in India inspired me to write and so I started a blog mainly to keep family and friends updated with my travels and was amazed to see that people were actually reading it. I didn’t want to go back home and get a job so I looked for ways to earn money while traveling and realized that that it was possible to make money from travel writing and blogging which encouraged me to keep writing, to grow my social media followers and to learn about SEO.

Still it was a long learning curve and took 2 years of hard work until my blog was making money – its in no way a get rich quick scheme! If you want to kick start your travel blogging career I recommend signing up to the Travel Blog Success course which will take you through everything you need to know to start and make money from your own travel blog!

In one of my favourite beach shacks on Anjuna Beach, Goa
In one of my favourite beach shacks on Anjuna Beach, Goa

Why I love life in Goa 

As for why I love Goa – I was just captivated by the colour, culture and craziness of India – there is so much to see, do, experience and learn here that it would take a lifetime to see it all but after 3 years of full time travel I also wanted a base where I could relax, work and Goa just called to me and felt like home and its well connected with the rest of India so I often travel for a few weeks and then come back to my base in Goa to chill and get work done.

Goa is the the most westernized and easy going state in India and (compared to Western standards) life in Goa is pretty cheap. The days are sunny and relaxed and there are plenty of beaches, restaurants, markets, nightlife, nature and culture to explore. I love the fusion of the Indian and Portuguese culture and, well everyone from all the world comes to Goa so there’s a really interesting community of other expats, hippies and long stayers. Life in Goa is unique – you’ll just have to visit if you really want to understand why I love Goa so much.

The Shiva carved into a rock on Vagator Beach, Goa,
Uniquely Goa: The Shiva carved into a rock on Vagator Beach, Goa,

A typical day as a travel blogger living in Goa

Life in Goa is very relaxed but I usually try to wake up early to beat the heat and so that I can fit as much as possible into my day – they just seem to go so quickly in Goa!

I start my day around 8.30 am with a 2 hour yoga class under the palm trees and then pick up some groceries and return home for a late but large and healthy breakfast.

I usually work from about 11 am – 3 or 4 pm writing blog posts and promoting them, writing freelance articles, answering emails and pitching for more work, updating my social media accounts and responding to comments, editing photos and I also do some consultancy with travel companies.

By late afternoon I’m just dying to get out into the sunshine, to drive the motorbike through the countryside and head down to the beach for a swim, meet friends and enjoy a late lunch at a beach shack and watch the sunset.

Thali at Fishtail Shack on Vagator Beach
My usual lunch spot – fish thali on Vagator Beach

In the evening I’ll often try to get a few more hours of work in before going out for dinner, watching a movie on my laptop.

At weekends I like to go for a longer ride to some of the other beaches or to explore inland, I love going up to Arambol for the drum circle and sunset market and going to the Saturday night market, watching live music in a bar or sometimes raving all night long at a beach party! Life in Goa is never dull!

The best thing about being a travel blogger living in Goa

There’s alot to love about Goa – the sunny days, the warm sea, the friendly locals, the spectacular sunsets, driving through the paddy fields with the wind in my hair and eating out alot for relatively little money.

I started my blog because I wanted to show others how they don’t have to work a boring 9-5 but wanted to show that full time travel could be affordable and that there are many ways to earn money while traveling. I also want to give useful advice to people traveling India and encourage more people to discover this incredible, life changing country for themselves. 

Writing a travel blog is a great creative outlet, a great way to record your travel memories and it can be really rewarding to see your blog grow in popularity, to learn new skills, to get lovely comments and know that you have helped other travellers and of course if you make money out of the blog then you get to keep on traveling, writing and doing what you love.

The main reason I love being a travel blogger and life in Goa is simply the freedom – I have deadlines but I have no schedule or boss to adhere too, I make my own schedule, I can go wherever I want and I love to write, to connect with other travellers and to spread the word about places I visit.

Goa is a very laid back place – I feel free here to be myself and do what I love.

Exploring Goa on an iconic Royal Enfield motorbike
Exploring Goa on an iconic Royal Enfield motorbike

But of course, nothings ever perfect…

My biggest frustration working as a digital nomad in Goa is the daily struggles with power cuts and dodgy, slow internet. As much as I love India and Goa and I like the chaos, dirt, dust and wandering cows of India sometimes when you have a deadline and the power is off, the roads are being dug up and the internet doesn’t work again it drives me insane as I rely on being connected for my income.

Life in Goa always has surprises for you. There’s always something that doesn’t work, strange bureaucracy to get around and even a simple task can often take all day in India, plus, as the internet is slow it means everything takes so much longer which is a pain when Goa’s beaches are calling and I’d rather be out enjoying them.

Also, don’t underestimate the time that creating and maintaining a travel blog takes and the income can be very unreliable and its frustrating when you work hard and sometimes people take 6 months to pay you and every day I get emails asking me to write for free or to advertise their company for free 🙁

Anna conducting a hotel review and blogging from Planet Hollywood Resort in Goa
Doing a hotel review and blogging from Planet Hollywood Resort in Goa. But 99% of the time travel blogging is NOT this glamorous!

How to follow in my footsteps and become a travel blogger?

 It takes time to become a travel blogger, so start a travel blog today and be prepared to put the work in – it’s not as easy as it seems and take a long time to build up an audience and start making money as a travel blogger.

Learn as much as you can about SEO to gain more readers, decide on a niche (there’s so much competition) create useful, inspiring and engaging articles with personality and don’t be afraid to reach out to brands that you want to work with. You will want to have many income streams. It took me years to make money as a travel writer and blogger – if you want to kick start your travel blogging career sign up to Travel Blog Success to learn everything you need to know about starting and making money as a travel blogger.

Also, think outside the box – you don’t have to be a travel blogger to make money while traveling there’s many other ways you can earn money being location independent, use your blog as a portfolio to get freelance writing work or consulting work as another income stream.

As for Goa, get yourself a 6 month visa and get down here for a season and see how you like it. I’ve written alot about Goa so you can read all my insider tips and I also wrote about How to rent a house in Goa and the costs of living in Goa .

My little house in Goa
My little house in Goa

Contact me anna [dot] global-gallivanting [dot] com  if you are living a life less ordinary and would like to be featured  here

Find out more about me in:

My journey to a life of full time travel

How I afford to travel full time (and how you can too!)

Pin Me! 🙂

A Day in my Life as a Travel Blogger living in Goa, India

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21 comments

Anuradha Goyal April 22, 2016 at 5:34 pm

Hmmm…we both live in Goa, but my life is quite different from your except the blogging part and the time spent to author the blog.

Reply
Anna April 23, 2016 at 3:34 pm

Ha ha! Yes, I guess living in Panjim would be quite different but I like the beach life! 🙂

Reply
Chirag Dodiya January 11, 2017 at 8:28 am

Hey Anna,

Such an amazing experience. really loved the article and the way you experienced goa. I went there for the first time in July, 2016. My 21st birthday and goa greeted me with amazing memories. Nothing like it.

Reply
Anna February 3, 2017 at 4:40 pm

Hi Chirag

Glad you liked the article and had a great time in Goa 🙂 What a great place to celebrate your 21st!

Reply
B May 24, 2017 at 4:21 am

Beautifully written blog. You should also check out this site called http://www.nativefolks.com. Here you can find homestays in Goa, especially if you are looking to explore the other side of Goa away from the bustling crowd. Quiet homestays, amazing food, genuine people with a rich cultural backgrounds.

Reply
Anna July 16, 2017 at 10:08 pm

Thank you and thanks for sharing about homestays in Goa 🙂

Reply
Munira May 27, 2017 at 2:44 pm

Hey Anna,

I love your blog! Great and precise articles.
I just have a question, as a digital nomad living in India, how does the visa bit work?
My nationality allows a 6 month tourist visa and i understand for a work visa, one needs an employment contract.
I want to make the move but the visa aspect has always baffled me.
I know many western bloggers moving to India and living upto 3 years. How is the question 🙂
Any advise will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Reply
Anna May 29, 2017 at 8:25 pm

Hi Munira, thanks so much! 🙂 Many countries can now get a year long tourist visa and you can get a 1 year – 5 year business visa (but you still have to leave every 180 days with both ) . You shouldn’t need an employment visa if you are working freelance and not employed by an Indian company, but you should ask an immigration professional – I’m not really the right person to ask. Hope this helps. 🙂

Reply
Candice June 10, 2017 at 8:37 pm

Hi Anna! My best friend who is a yogi just moved to Goa, she been to India before and she also like yourself fell in love with Goa (so now i am interested as to what is it about Goa that you both love-i mean, by the photos its a beautiful place but i have been to Thailand that was breathtaking….so what is it in Goa that makes you fall inlove with the place?)…..the first time she was there my friend loved it there…she is now making a move to live there and I want to visit her, where are the best places I can travel around with her either in Goa itself as well as other places in India? And in your opinion, which beach in Goa is the best and a must see??

Reply
Anna June 13, 2017 at 12:33 pm

Hi Candice – cool that your friend moved to Goa (its a great place for yoga) and that you thinking of visiting. India is a really unique place – quite different from Thailand. You might like this post on why I love India http://www.global-gallivanting.com/reasons-i-love-india/ and this one about why Goa is so awesome http://www.global-gallivanting.com/its-better-in-goa-why-goa-is-the-best-place-on-the-planet/. I’ve got loads of tips about Goa and India on the blog – heres a post about the best beaches http://www.global-gallivanting.com/where-are-the-best-beaches-in-goa/ (they are all different so it depends on what you’re into) Also check out my suggestions for where to go backpacking around India. http://www.global-gallivanting.com/the-perfect-india-itinerary/ Hope you find these useful! 🙂

Reply
RINKU MEENA March 27, 2018 at 6:15 am

Hay Anna I read your whole article and I learned so many things and I am coming in Goa 1 April 2018 my flight reached HOA airport 10:30 pm I hope we meet in Goa I will wait your reply Anna..

Reply
Purvi Kamaliya June 23, 2018 at 6:48 am

You are living a dream life of many. Glad that you liked it in India. I am a digital nomad too, and the tips here really inspire me. Thanks!

Reply
Anna June 26, 2018 at 8:33 am

Thanks so much Purvi! So glad I could inspire you! 🙂

Reply
Jane Preston August 26, 2018 at 8:40 am

Life in Goa is nice and easy. I have made Goa my second home. Live here between November and February every year 🙂

Reply
Anna August 27, 2018 at 9:29 pm

Good for you Jane! Enjoy Goa 🙂

Reply
gunasindhu saikia September 20, 2018 at 3:22 am

nice to know that real life experience…..I also wanted to be like u, but dont know from where to start,,so just started with my blog.thanks a lot for sharing ur experiences . Keep exploring n be happy 🙂

Reply
Anna September 30, 2018 at 7:07 pm

Thanks so much! Good luck with your blog and hope you have happy and safe travels! 🙂

Reply
Scott Biales May 27, 2019 at 11:02 am

Learn the differences between North and South Goa in this personal account: https://www.ditchthemap.com/travel-blog/2016/5/29/x-days-in-goa-india

Reply
Anna June 3, 2019 at 9:46 am

Hi Scott – nice blog and lovely to see your off season Goa photos – so much less crowded off season in Goa! 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your trip 🙂

Reply
mounikamoni March 14, 2020 at 10:25 am

What a Great post! Goa likes an amazing place where I can enjoy a lot. I am adding these places on my list where I want to Goa. thanks for sharing the best information. The photos are also great.

Reply
Maria March 14, 2020 at 10:26 am

Another great article! I love your style of writing and this article had peaked my interest in Goa. Keep to the good work!

Reply

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