Goa

Mongolian passport holders get India's e-Tourist Visa on the official site. The official fee table lists Mongolian citizens at US$0 (bank charges may apply). The 30-day visa counts from your first arrival; apply at least 4 days before travel and no earlier than 120 days. Use only indianvisaonline.gov.in — look-alike sites charge extra.

Tip: Have a scan of your passport page and a white-background photo ready and the form takes 15 minutes.

Goa's private hospitals (Manipal and others) are good but want payment up front, so travel insurance covering medical costs and scooter accidents is essential. Ask your doctor about stomach infections and hepatitis A before leaving. Bring mosquito repellent, anti-diarrhoea medicine and sunscreen from UB — available there but quality varies.

Tip: Keep the English version of your Mongolian insurance policy on your phone.

November–March is hot by day and mild in the evening — light cotton clothes, a sun hat, sandals. For churches and temples you need one outfit covering shoulders and knees. In the monsoon (June–September) rain pours, so pack rain protection and quick-dry clothes. Indian sockets are types C, D and M — bring a universal adapter.

Tip: Sunscreen is expensive and poorly stocked at the beach — bring your own.

Goa uses the Indian rupee (INR). Rupees are not sold in Mongolia, so bring clean, undamaged US dollars; torn or written-on notes are refused. Cards do not work everywhere outside big hotels. Hotels fill fast in peak season (late December–January), so book early; North Goa (Calangute, Anjuna) is lively, South Goa (Palolem) is quiet.

Tip: Split your cash between several places.

Print the e-Visa approval and show it with your passport, return ticket and hotel booking. The officer takes fingerprints and a photo. Both Mopa and Dabolim are designated e-Visa entry airports. Ask your airline whether bags must be re-checked at your Delhi/Mumbai connection.

At Mopa's exit there is a state 'Goa Taxi' counter with fixed rates, the GoaMiles app and rental desks. Tell the counter your destination, take the slip and know the price before you get in — private drivers haggle and quote more than the app. Dabolim also has a prepaid taxi counter.

Tip: Landing at night? Book a hotel pickup so you are not haggling while tired.

State KTCL buses run from Mopa to Panaji, Mapusa, Calangute and Margao on a timetable from early morning to evening. With lots of luggage or kids take a taxi; travelling light and alone, the bus is cheap. The timetable is on the airport site.

If your phone supports eSIM (iPhone XS or later, Samsung S20 or later, etc.), install an international eSIM such as Airalo while still in Mongolia and switch it on when you land. Data only, no number — but enough for WhatsApp, Google Maps and taxi apps. The route most people use.

Tip: Keep roaming on for your Mongolian number so bank SMS codes still arrive.

For cheap, fast data over a stay of more than two weeks, go to an official Airtel or Jio store (Panaji, Mapusa, Margao). You need passport, visa, photo and hotel address; activation takes hours to a day. Do not buy a SIM from a street stall registered in someone else's name — they get cut off.

Most hotels and cafes have Wi-Fi, but along the coast the signal drops. In forest areas like Dudhsagar and Mollem there is almost no coverage, so download offline maps. Locals say Jio reaches further in the countryside.

GoaMiles is an initiative of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation; it shows the fare up front so there is no haggling. When the app finds no car, agree the price with a private driver BEFORE getting in — meters are practically never used. Prices rise at night and in the rain.

Tip: Hotel reception knows the going rate — ask and compare.

The freest way to see Goa — beach to beach on your own. Legal rental scooters have yellow-and-black plates; renting a white-plate one gets you fined. Bring an International Driving Permit (from the Mongolian traffic police) plus your Mongolian licence; a helmet is mandatory. Never leave your passport as deposit — a copy or a cash deposit instead.

Tip: Photograph and film the scooter before you ride off to document existing damage.

Cheap buses run everywhere from the Panaji, Mapusa and Margao bus stands; pay the conductor in cash and tell him your stop, as stops are not announced. Small private buses link the north-coast villages. Slow but safe, and you see local life.

Airport rates are poor — change only enough for the first taxi and meal. Panaji, Calangute and Margao have many licensed changers (look for an 'Authorised Money Changer' sign) with better rates. Keep the receipt — you may need it to change rupees back. US dollars and euros exchange best.

Tip: Many places cannot break a 500-rupee note, so keep 100s and 200s.

ATMs of SBI, HDFC, ICICI and Axis accept Visa/Mastercard, with limits and fees for foreign cards. Use an ATM next to a bank branch — if it eats your card, someone is there. UPI QR codes (PhonePe, Google Pay) are everywhere but do not work with foreign cards — carry rupees.

In restaurants leave 5–10% on the table; some add a service charge already — check the bill. Drivers and porters get a small tip. Bargain at markets and beach shops — start at about half the first price and keep smiling. Tourist areas have a 'foreigner price'.

Fish curry rice (Goa's everyday meal), pork vindaloo, grilled fish, prawns, Goan chouriço sausage, pav bread and bebinca for dessert. Fish is 'market price', so ask before ordering. Local drinks are Kings beer and feni (cashew or coconut spirit).

Tip: Vegetarian? India is the easiest place on earth — 'veg' menus everywhere.

Pick busy stalls that cook to order in front of you. Skip pre-cut fruit, open sauces and iced drinks in the first days — you do not know what water the ice was made from. Carry hand sanitiser. Your stomach is not used to the spice or the bacteria, so build up gradually.

Do not drink tap water; brush your teeth with bottled too. Buy bottled water only with an intact seal; Bisleri, Kinley and Aquafina are known brands. Hotel filtered water is generally fine. In the heat drink 2–3 litres a day and get ORS electrolyte sachets from a pharmacy.

North Goa (Anjuna, Assagao, Vagator) has some of the best new cafes anywhere — most aimed at foreign visitors, with prices to match. For cheap local food look for a 'thali' (a full meal on one plate) in the old quarters of Panaji and Margao.

Drishti Marine, appointed by the Goa government, marks safe zones with red-and-yellow flags — swim only there. A red flag means no swimming. Lifeguards work from 7 am until sunset; do not swim after that or during the monsoon. Swimming drunk causes most accidents.

More tourists get hurt falling off scooters than anything else. Unlit roads at night, dogs, cows, potholes — ride slowly, wear a helmet, avoid riding after dark. Never ride after drinking — police checks are frequent. Reconfirm the taxi fare before your bags come out of the boot.

Tip: A Mongolian licence alone is not enough — get an International Driving Permit in UB.

Do not leave clothes or phones unattended on the beach. Outside nightclubs, 'cheap ride' offers that take you far away; fake 'gift share' or 'gemstone business' pitches. People who forget to lock hotel rooms are the usual victims. Keep a passport copy on your phone and the original in the safe.

Tip: Drugs are a very serious crime in India — refuse any 'party drug' offer outright.

Cover shoulders and knees in Old Goa's churches and Hindu temples such as Mangeshi; in Hindu temples remove shoes and in some, men must remove their shirt. Ask before photographing inside and never photograph people praying. Do not pose with your back to a deity.

Tip: A small scarf in your bag gets you into any temple.

Swimwear is normal on the beach; put something over it when you go into a village, shop or restaurant. Goan law bans drinking alcohol, breaking bottles and smoking on beaches, with fines. Nude bathing is prohibited.

Tip: Things that are normal at home — spitting in the street, flicking a cigarette — can get you fined here.

Indians are friendly and curious — you will be asked 'where are you from?' a lot, and everyone knows Chinggis Khaan. Give, take and eat with the right hand; do not photograph villagers without asking. You may politely decline selfie requests. Shouting or getting angry achieves nothing — stay calm and smile.

Tip: Ask prices with 'kitna?' (how much?) and locals will warm to you.

Goa's only official taxi app. Install it before you fly and register with your Mongolian number (an SMS code should arrive). You can add a card or pay cash. Uber and Ola barely work in Goa — do not rely on them.

Download all of Goa offline — coverage drops in forest areas and the south. Bus routes are incomplete, so ask locals. Google ratings are enough for choosing restaurants; be wary of new places with suspiciously many 5-star reviews.

Find restaurants, see menus and prices, order delivery to your hotel. Useful for comparing prices. A Mongolian card may work for payment; if not, choose cash on delivery.

English is enough in tourist areas; in the countryside and markets you will need Hindi or Konkani. Download the Hindi offline pack and read signs and menus with the camera. It supports Mongolian, so you can manage even without English.

Arrive early for international flights — door check, check-in, immigration and security are each slow. Mopa is far from the North Goa beaches, Dabolim is close to the south — allow for the drive and book the taxi in advance. Have your ticket printed or as a PDF on your phone; without it you are not let in the door.

Change leftover rupees before flying — taking rupees out of India is restricted and they cannot be exchanged in Mongolia. Some changers ask for your original exchange receipt. A tourist GST (VAT) refund does not work in practice in India — if a shop promises one, do not count on it.

Tip: Spend the last 500 rupees at an airport cafe rather than lose them.

Seashells, coral and genuine antiques cannot be exported. Power banks go in hand luggage only. Watch airline limits on e-cigarettes (illegal in India) and large amounts of feni. Toy guns and weapon-shaped souvenirs cause trouble at security.

Tip: If you bought spices or tea, keep the receipt with them.