Going to India/Goa please help.

jebus197

markandkate wrote: »

HI we went to goa at the same time of year. To get the best prices you need to book as soon as possible. A charter flight is one that tends to be used by package companies and they are the only ones that are allowed to fly direct to Goa from the Uk as far as I am aware. They tend to be less flexible in terms of departure days as they will only usually offer 7 or 14 night stays. They will be unlikely to fly everyday but will usually offer a choice of regional airports.

If you don't think this is for you then a scheduled flight usually flying everyday will be more what you are looking for. Often you will need to go to London airports to get the best deal but you can sometimes get connecting flights from regional airports. If you fly from London it will be direct to Mumbai usually and then connecting to Goa. If you fly from a regional airport this will mean that you will have to make two changes.

Delhi airport is plagued with fog in December and January it is cold and there is a lot of pollution so many flights get diverted and internal flights get cancelled. We were lucky but prior to our flights from Goa to Delhi the airport had been closed for 3 days in early January. It is better therefore to avoid Delhi airpot unless you want to go there

With regard to places to stay I cannot speak of other parts of India south of Goa but south Goa itself is beautiful with wide sandy beaches and a very quiet laidback feel. North Goa is more built up and although there are lots of night clubs and hotels its hardly Benidorm.

Accommodation can vary a great deal but if you pre book through some one like hostel bookers you pay a 10% deposit If you hate the look of the place stay one night and look elsewhere when you are rested and under no pressure to find somewhere

I can't wait to go back to India I loved it and really want to get to Kerala or the Andaman Islands next

Thanks, that's some useful information. The Yoga school I was looking at is in the South and the patrons assure me that it is very peaceful, laid back and quiet. One can travel in to town and apparently there is plenty to do and see there if one wishes, but mostly this particular holiday is about a personal pampering of body, mind and spirit.

My only qualm is that it is not widely staffed by Indians - and that it may end up being a very Westernised interpretation of the authentic Indian experience. This may yet sway my decision, although all the reviews are excellent and I could equally decide that the degree of personal pampering (and potential for fun) involved may be sufficient to perhaps negate other more exotic experiences.

I will however look into some potential package holidays in Kerala, as it's possible I could find something equally self-fulfilling.

Luckyred

jamsandwiches wrote: »

Speaking from a great deal of experience of Goa please do not think it is Paradise on earth - far from it.

Thats true... paradise it is not but it does have something going for it which is hard to define. It does tend to "draw" you back time after time. Some people tend to think its like the Caribbean with white sand and turquoise seas but in fact it doesn't come close.
In my opinion Mobor beach in the south is the nicest beach of all.
There are some quite nice beaches in the far north too and a lot of beach huts but mostly they are extremely basic.
The best place for clubbing and nightlife in general is around the Baga area but there isn't that much to choose from there either. There is however an abundance of restaurants and shops, not to mention bars with satellite TV that show Premiership matches. How things have changed since our first visit in 1991!
Palolem in the far south tends to attract a young crowd and is quite busy nowadays. It has a nice beach too. There are a lot of beach huts there too.
Kerala is "supposedly" a dry state though they do serve alcohol to tourists, quite often in teapots!

jebus197

Well if you guys could recommend a holiday that provides some spiritual element - but a more authentic and enduring Indian experience I would be more than happy to look into this too. I admit I am a nervous/inexperienced traveller, so I confess that I don't mind the idea of being well looked after while seeing and experiencing as much as possible.

I almost wonder now if restricting myself to the Yoga school in Goa might be a wasted opportunity, particularly as it seems there is so much more to see in India. The opportunity to do something like this may not come again for a long time.

jamsandwiches

It all depends on how much you want to spend on your holiday - I would not put Goa into the Spiritual experience category anymore and there are many places in India where you could find a better experience. Kerala is definitely better for this type of holiday.
Will see if I can find the retreat we went to in Bangalore a few years ago although this is not a beach retreat.

Do you use Trip Advisor - on the Indian forum boards (not Goa - that is mostly 2 week holiday makers discussions) you will find Indian people who know their areas very well and will be happy to help you.

jamsandwiches

p.s also try the Kerala boards on Trip Advisor.

Luckyred

We have been to a number of Indian cities none of which appear "spiritual" on the surface but I think if you do some research you will find what you are looking for somewhere in India. Have you thought of Varanasi? That's one we haven't been to so I cant comment personally but they do say that's its a very spiritual place. It certainly looks that way from documentaries I have seen.

jamsandwiches

We have been to Varanasi and would not recommend it for a first time visit to India for a femail alone (IMO).

jebus197

I'm not female.

Bob_the_Saver

jebus197 wrote: »

I'm not female.

We have been to Varanasi and would not recommend it for a first time visit to India for a male alone.
I've been to India Dozens of times over the years and have seen virtually nothing 'spiritual' anywhere (and I've been all nearly all over). Most of the people thought of as spiritual are just laughing behind your back and taking your cash. I've even laughed with some of them.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Eluru-godman-arrested-in-sex-case/articleshow/6306879.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Godman-ranks-high-on-tweets-searches/articleshow/5644914.cms

etc etc etc

jebus197

Mmm... I am a realist, that's kind of why I like Yoga, as most of the people I've met who do it are sincere. You don't have to swallow all of the religious stuff that goes with it - and it can just serve to add balance, health and direction to your life. I certainly wouldn't be fooled by some bearded old bloke pulling a fake Rolex out of his butt.

But I'm also training to be an anthropologist, so I wouldn't mind at least seeing some of what Indians themselves consider to be spiritual.

More than that though I would like to experience beauty and might be a bit shocked by the seeming squalor and filth of Varanasi. The YouTube videos I have watched do not make it look like an attractive place to visit, at least not for the duration of an entire holiday. However Kerala does keep coming up in people's responses of what would be an ideal first place in India to visit. I'm seeking diversity of experience and to see and remember as much as I can. Perhaps that will prove sufficiently spiritual in it's own right.

I still like the idea of some kind of package, or organised event as I would like to feel safe in my first adventure outside of Europe - and I wonder if an organised tour may give me more to see, and to do, that I might miss if I opted to travel independently.

However I have promised myself that I would visit India at least once before I shake off this mortal coil, so I am keen to make sure if I get the opportunity, either late this year, or early next that I should make it count.