Going to India/Goa please help.

jebus197

Hi, I'm planning a trip to India/Goa on a Yoga retreat/holiday for Xmas Dec 25 2010, until 7th January 2011. Obviously these dates are quite hard to meet (it will be almost impossible to travel at Xmas from the UK). However I am flexible and don't mind the idea of staying in a reasonably cheap hotel (preferably in Goa) for a few days before I (officially) start my holiday.

I am though quite an inexperienced traveller (I haven't travelled outside of Europe previously), so I'm rather looking for friendly advice on how to go about planning such a trip.

In particular I'm looking for the cheapest possible flights and recommendations for good/cheap accommodation there I can take up while I wait for my holiday to begin.

Also any other advice anyone can offer would be most welcomed....

Incapuppy

jebus197 wrote: »

(it will be almost impossible to travel at Xmas from the UK). .

I'm not sure what you mean by this?

For flights check out websites such as Skyscanner, Kayak and Opodo also Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways

jebus197

I just mean it will be busy.

Alan_Bowen

If you just plan going to Goa, charter flights will be the easiest since they won't require a change en route. The numbers of charters have fallen in recent years due to lack of demand, I think the Global Travel Agency, who use Monarch Airlines may be the only one this winter, their website is tvl4U.com The scheduled flights to India will be very expensive at Christmas due to the huge numbers travelling home at Christmas , a quick search found the cheapest flights with Kingfisher at £716!

Sandy_Beech

jebus197 wrote: »

Hi, I'm planning a trip to India/Goa on a Yoga retreat/holiday for Xmas Dec 25 2010, until 7th January 2011. Obviously these dates are quite hard to meet (it will be almost impossible to travel at Xmas from the UK). However I am flexible and don't mind the idea of staying in a reasonably cheap hotel (preferably in Goa) for a few days before I (officially) start my holiday.

I am though quite an inexperienced traveller (I haven't travelled outside of Europe previously), so I'm rather looking for friendly advice on how to go about planning such a trip.

In particular I'm looking for the cheapest possible flights and recommendations for good/cheap accommodation there I can take up while I wait for my holiday to begin.

Also any other advice anyone can offer would be most welcomed....

Remember your visa and medical requirements..

Info for your visa :-
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/postal-app.aspx

Im going in March 11... It's fantastic out there...

jebus197

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

If you just plan going to Goa, charter flights will be the easiest since they won't require a change en route. The numbers of charters have fallen in recent years due to lack of demand, I think the Global Travel Agency, who use Monarch Airlines may be the only one this winter, their website is tvl4U.com The scheduled flights to India will be very expensive at Christmas due to the huge numbers travelling home at Christmas , a quick search found the cheapest flights with Kingfisher at £716!

I don't know the difference between a charter flight and a "normal" flight. Obviously as a nervous/inexperienced traveller I would prefer a direct flight (leaving from the UK) and preferably returning to the UK directly from Goa, but I've searched quite a bit and there doesn't seem to be that many (or any) flights like this. The way things are shaping up, the flight looks like it could be even more expensive than the holiday! I mean I don't mind if a flight arrives a few days early, just so long as I can find good cheap accommodation at Goa. Also realistically if I can save a lot flying indirect, then I guess this would make more sense anyway.

jebus197

Sandy_Beech wrote: »

Remember your visa and medical requirements..

Info for your visa :-
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/postal-app.aspx

Im going in March 11... It's fantastic out there...

Thanks. I just love the idea of sleeping in a beach hut in paradise, watching the rising orange Indian sun at Xmas - while hanging out with some of the most chilled-out people on the planet.

Sandy_Beech

jebus197 wrote: »

I don't know the difference between a charter flight and a "normal" flight. Obviously as a nervous/inexperienced traveller I would prefer a direct flight (leaving from the UK) and preferably returning to the UK directly from Goa, but I've searched quite a bit and there doesn't seem to be that many (or any) flights like this. The way things are shaping up, the flight looks like it could be even more expensive than the holiday! I mean I don't mind if a flight arrives a few days early, just so long as I can find good cheap accommodation at Goa. Also realistically if I can save a lot flying indirect, then I guess this would make more sense anyway.

Charter flight:- (example)
http://charterflights.monarch.co.uk/Flight-Search/?aff=flymonarch&company=Monarch&departureIATAs=MAN&destinationIATAs=GOI&date=20%2f12%2f10&rtn_date=27%2f12%2f10&adults=1&children=0&infants=0&search=code


Schedule (normal flight)
http://booking.qatarairways.com/qribe-web/public/showIBE.do?L=en


There is many other operators... Accomodation in goa is in-expensive:
http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/Accomodation/acAvailability.aspx?qs=%2fwEF%2fgU8QWNvbVF1ZXJ5PjxTZWFyY2hIb3N0UGFnZT5odHRwOi8vd3d3LnRyYXZlbHJlcHVibGljLmNvLnVrL0RlZmF1bHQuYXNweDwvU2VhcmNoSG9zdFBhZ2U%2bPFNlYXJjaENvbnRyb2w%2bMjwvU2VhcmNoQ29udHJvbD48Q291bnRyeUlkPjM2ODM8L0NvdW50cnlJZD48UHJvdmluY2VJZD44NDk0NjwvUHJvdmluY2VJZD48TG9jYXRpb25JZD4wPC9Mb2NhdGlvbklkPjxDaGVja0luRGF0ZT4yMC9EZWMvMjAxMDwvQ2hlY2tJbkRhdGU%2bPENoZWNrT3V0RGF0ZT4yNy9EZWMvMjAxMDwvQ2hlY2tPdXREYXRlPjxDbGllbnRDdXJyZW5jeUNvZGU%2bR0JQPC9DbGllbnRDdXJyZW5jeUNvZGU%2bPEVzdGFiSWQ%2bMDwvRXN0YWJJZD48RXN0YWJUaXRsZSAvPjxBY29tQ2F0ZWdvcnlJZD4wPC9BY29tQ2F0ZWdvcnlJZD48QWNvbUJvYXJkVHlwZUlkPjA8L0Fjb21Cb2FyZFR5cGVJZD48UHJvbW9Db2RlIC8%2bPEVtYWlsPltFbnRlciB5b3VyIGVtYWlsIHRvIHNpZ24gdXBdPC9FbWFpbD48U2hvd0V4dHJhT3B0aW9ucz5UcnVlPC9TaG93RXh0cmFPcHRpb25zPjxSb29tc1JlcXVpcmVkPjE8L1Jvb21zUmVxdWlyZWQ%2bPFBhcnRuZXJLZXkgLz48UGxhY2VJZD4wPC9QbGFjZUlkPjxCb2FyZFR5cGVJZEZpbHRlcj4wPC9Cb2FyZFR5cGVJZEZpbHRlcj48Um9vbXM%2bPFJvb20%2bPEFkdWx0cz4xPC9BZHVsdHM%2bPENoaWxkcmVuPjA8L0NoaWxkcmVuPjxDaGlsZEFnZXMgLz48L1Jvb20%2bPC9Sb29tcz48QWR1bHRzPjE8L0FkdWx0cz48Q2hpbGRyZW4%2bMDwvQ2hpbGRyZW4%2bPC9BY29tUXVlcnk%2b

Hope this hleps and you book.....

jebus197

Well it looks like the best direct flights will be around the £768 mark, as even the charter flights are much more expensive. However even these flights look far from secured, as most of them (even now) are saying they only have 1 seat left. As I wouldn't be ready to start booking flights until perhaps mid-October this leaves me in a slightly precarious position. How accurate are these seat estimates? Are they just a sales gimmick, or do people really book that far in advance?

Also just to return the favour, that accommodation list was really quite expensive, so since other people here might be going, I thought this could be useful too: http://www.travellerspoint.com/budget-accommodation-en-ci-452.html

Luckyred

Have I got this right? You have accommodation already booked from 25th Dec to 7th Jan but cant get a flight that coincides with the dates so you want to get an earlier flight and stay somewhere else for a few days?
Goa is very busy over the Christmas period. Were you planning to book accommodation from home for the few extra nights or wait till you get to Goa? Also it might be better to try to book a flight sooner rather than later.
Which part of Goa are you planning on going to?
You will need to study the visa website (that another poster gave you the link for) to make sure you apply for your visa at the right time... not to early or late.
I have been to India/Goa many times. If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask.

Bob_the_Saver

jebus197 wrote: »

Thanks. I just love the idea of sleeping in a beach hut in paradise, watching the rising orange Indian sun at Xmas - while hanging out with some of the most chilled-out people on the planet.

I'll be there Oct-Mar but I get out of Goa at Xmas, too damn busy.