Travel to Goa/Kerela Help!!

haribol_2

I am travelling to Goa first week of November and need some advice:

Q1) Some people have said that I do not really need any vacinnations as I am not venturing into any very dirty places. It'll mostly be on the beach.Though inocculation is emphasised on various travel information and booklets. What should I do ?
Q2) Is it best to take TC's or cash sterling? If TC's what currency?

Q3) Hotels in Kerela: Any recommendations or ones to avoid. idea of rates charged?

Q4) Are vegeterians catered well in Goa/Kerela?

Q5) Any good internet sites for these regions

Any Help much appreciated

Haribol

cundall

Q1) Some people have said that I do not really need any vacinnations as I am not venturing into any very dirty places. It'll mostly be on the beach.Though inocculation is emphasised on various travel information and booklets. What should I do ?

I go without any though for best solid advise go to your GP...

Q2) Is it best to take TC's or cash sterling? If TC's what currency?

Cash Sterling and your debit card for using an ATM

Q3) Hotels in Kerela: Any recommendations or ones to avoid. idea of rates charged?

Don't know which ones to avoid though rates vary depending on what level you want, i only use the very basic ones (backpacker style) so i don't think i can help you on this...

Q4) Are vegeterians catered well in Goa/Kerela?

If you are a vegeterian you will have some of the best food in your life! Try the dosa's they are cheap and great! Or just have a Thali around 40pence and you get around 7 different dishes!

Q5) Any good internet sites for these regions

I used to use the herald for the news on Goa though now i just use Virtual Tourist..

Hope this helps.

mystic_trev

If you want to stay in the best Hotel in kerala - Fort Cochin book Bruntons Boatyard

http://www.cghearth.com/brunton_boatyard_fort_cochin_kerala_1.htm

Over £200 quid a night (for two) and the most expensive Hotel I've ever stayed in! I'd heard so much about this place that I just had to stay there and wasn't disapointed. However I also stayed in the Grand Hotel in the City. £20 a night and very good value. This was my third trip to India and thought the food in the Grand was some of the best I've ever tasted and under £10 for two including beer.

While in Kerala you must do a "Backwaters tour" for a night or two.

Can't really help with Goa, as the last time I was there was five years ago, and things change.

rubytuesday

First time I went to India got all my innoculations 2nd time didn't 3rd time did as travelling with son nearly 3. Speak to Doctor for advice. Kerala is fantastic.

haribol_2

Many Thanks for your kind response.

Any ideas how I can travel to Kerela from Goa? Can't make sense of trains and by flight, it seems I have to travel to mumbai first? Then a flight to Trivendrum.

please help !!

cundall

I am sure that there are two different trains down to cochin, one a normal train and one that runs along the coast though it gets booked up... This is all from memory though i am really sure about this for some reason!

mystic_trev

haribol wrote:

Many Thanks for your kind response.

Any ideas how I can travel to Kerela from Goa? Can't make sense of trains and by flight, it seems I have to travel to mumbai first? Then a flight to Trivendrum.

please help !!

The shortest route to fly is via Bangalore with Jet Airways, but you'd probably be better off getting the train.

cashsaver

Hi,

Goa is great!!!! We went in April.
We (family of 5 inc 3 boys... 11,9,7) and stayed in southern Goa on the coast. (Cavellossim)... which if you are going to kerala as well, is prob somewhere near where you will visit? Don't know too much about Kerala.

All our innoculations are up to date anyway but we were advised by our doctor (guidelines cover whole of India I think!!)to start a course of anti malarial tabs a week before we went (and continue to take them after we got back to u.k).. However, son number 1 had an allergic reaction to them about 5 hours before we flew (angy skin rash all over) and doctors here said it was our call whether to go. We were then told by others that there is no malaria in the part where we went and it is more risky after rainy season.

On arriving, reps told us that only around 20% of them took anti malarials, jungle formula did the trick at night. My son saw a doctor who could not do enough for us (son was not poorly in himself just pink rash) and doctor reassured us about really low risk.. so he and many others did not take them.
WE WERE STAYING IN A TOURIST AREA.
We had a fab holiday.......... food is fantastic, tried lots of different restaurants!!!!!!! I am a veggie and came back 10 pound heavier after 2 weeks!!!! People great too.
We visited nearest town, Margoa on locals bus 10 rupees... crammed 6 of us in a tuk tuk on a tour around the town. Had the time of our lives not just in touristy areas either. Beaches are beautiful !!!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this is of some help.

flossyblog

here's a couple of sites

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Goa/blogs-page-1.html

http://www.indiamike.com/india/forumdisplay.php?f=23

cashsaver

Just to claify..... sorry its longwinded....get all the innoculations you need but don't panic (in tourist goa area) about malaria my son was at more risk from the reaction to tabs than from the disease!!!!!!!!!

mystic_trev

cashsaver wrote:

Just to claify..... sorry its longwinded....get all the innoculations you need but don't panic (in tourist goa area) about malaria my son was at more risk from the reaction to tabs than from the disease!!!!!!!!!

I've heard these stories before i.e. you don't need to take them in a tourist area. Why? Has someone told the mosquitos that they're not welcome in a "tourist area"?

I've travelled extensively to over 80 countries and will be in Vietnam next month. I'm told most of the areas are "low risk" however I'd drop ALL my other medication and just take malaria tablets if I only had one choice!

Read this from the Sun. Posted on another thread yesterday.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006350193,,00.html