5 Cool Souvenirs To Carry Back From Goa

Souvenirs in the pretty beach state of Goa are of various types and are mostly made of easily available materials like coconuts, sea-shells, paper, beads and brass. The uniqueness of Goan crafts lies in Goa's multicultural history. The crafts of Goa bear influences of Hindu, Muslim and Christian origins. However, instead of bearing the distinctive elements of each of these cultures, they present an artistic amalgamation of all three. Fascinating indeed! Here are some of the coolest souvenirs you can hope to find on your holiday to Goa.

Beaded accessories made of natural stones and coloured glasses are quintessentially Goa. You will find these being sold close to the beaches. These are among the hottest selling souvenirs and you'll see sunburnt tourists covered in beaded bracelets, necklaces and amulets all over the place!

Sea-shell handicrafts include necklaces, rings, pretty day slippers with shell-laden straps, coasters, paperweights and so on. The shells vary in size and colour, ranging from pale pink to off-white to bluish-white. If you're lucky, the myriad rainbow hues of the mother-of-pearl might just become yours. You'll find these being sold in carts on the outer perimeter of beaches or along the touristy areas of Panjim.

Temporary tattoos are probably the coolest thing you can take back with you from Goa. Admittedly, they won't last forever, but they're funky and intricate and are sure to grab you a ton of eyeballs! Usually hand drawn or block-stamped onto you by young tribal women roaming around on the beaches, Goan black-henna tattoos are available in a whole heap of designs including the more popular "Om" symbols, tribal sun designs, your name in Hindi, and larger floral or geometric patterns.

These items include memorabilia with Goan pop culture drawings of sun, sand and musicians with big bellies, handlebar moustaches and hearty grins. Some graphics also include the typical "I heart Goa" designs and other assorted hand drawn scribbles.

Coconut art in Goa comes in a variety of shapes with the most popular ones being funky coconut shells, coir bottles, ashtrays and storage pouches. Since the value in terms of time and skill required in the making of coconut art is very high, these are the more expensive among Goa's collectables, but worth every penny!