Goa - feedback please

HOVIS_McHAGGIS

We're off to Goa this Xmas. I'd like any feedback regarding:

1- Car hire
2- Places to see/avoid
3- Travel insurance
4- Possibility of retirement to a sunny/affordable country
5- Best company/travel agent to book with
6- Hints & tips from veteran Goa visitors

As I've mentioned we're going to Goa, this will be a "toe in the water" look at the area with an eye on going back regularly if it hits the spot ( sun, sea, value for money ). I've spoken to a couple of people that recommend it for different reasons. They have even implied that it could be a place to retire to e.g. pensioners stay there for at least 4 months a year because it is cheaper than staying in this country during the winter.
I know that I will form my own impression but as this is the "first run" and we're also on holiday I would much appreciate the input of people who know the ropes......;)

Mr_Wang

Hop on a train South to Kerala.

littlereddevil

Love Goa but stopped going cos I couldn't be bothered with all the visa hassle.
Car hire not really required as you can hire a car and driver for day/halfday or whatever very cheaply. Nowhere I saw the need to avoid.
I do think the place is changing though, not what it was when we started going many years ago.

Bob_the_Saver

1- Car hire
2- Places to see/avoid
3- Travel insurance
4- Possibility of retirement to a sunny/affordable country
5- Best company/travel agent to book with
6- Hints & tips from veteran Goa visitors

1- Hire a taxi with driver, not expensive and you wouldn't want to drive there (trust me) even if you remembered your International driving permit.
2- It's India so look at India no real tourist highlights compared to many places in India, except SOME of the beaches.
3- Yes you need this.
4 - Don't even think about it and don't look at buying there.
5- Dunno, never use travel agents to go anywhere.
6. Too many to list. just get your visa as far in advance as possible.

If you found a spot that suited you it could be a place to avoid UK winters but it's not 'real India' in fact I often think it's not real anything.

Westin

There is a very good and informative forum on Trip Advisor for Goa, well worth dropping in there.

gayleanne

1- Car hire
2- Places to see/avoid
3- Travel insurance
4- Possibility of retirement to a sunny/affordable country
5- Best company/travel agent to book with
6- Hints & tips from veteran Goa visitors


I would not bother with car hire taxis with a driver are quite cheap, also I would not drive any where over in Goa as they are all nut cases on the roads, take some ear plugs, because the sound of the traffic barping there horns is very loud and for some reason the drivers think that the louder the horns are the faster and better drivers they are.

Places to see and avoid is depending on what part of Goa you are going to, I usually spend 3 months a year in Candolim/calangute, it is close to the Anjuna market, Mapsua, market and central to most things.

Travel Insurance is up to you there are high cost ones and low cost, most hospitals will treat you, but if you are staying in a hospital, it is usual for the relatives to bring the food into the hospital for the patient.

You can retire there but I would not advise you to buy a property you would be better off renting privately, this is because the Goan government are at the moment against foreigners especially the British buying property, in fact there are quite a few court cases going on at the moment because the government has tried to repossess the properties, my friend is going through hell at the moment, as she bought a property 26 years ago and they want the property back, according to them you can never own the LAND ON WHICH THE PROPERTY STANDS.

I always book my own flights with Air India, Virgin or Jet airways, it works out cheaper, I always book my own accommodation, last year I paid £180.00 a month for a two bedroom villa, with a swimming pool.

Food is very cheap, so is alcoholic drinks, if you have an apartment it is nice to have a few evenings staying in and cooking your own food, I always seem to crave boiled egg sandwiches when I am on holiday.


Visa's are a pain in the backside to deal with they seem to change the rules every year, and the price, so make sure you allow enough time to get them.

Also as westen says there is an excellent forum on trip adviser.

Pollycat

Most of the questions have been answered, the thought of hiring a car (as opposed to hiring a driver) fills me with horror. :eek:

HOVIS_McHAGGIS wrote: »

4- Possibility of retirement to a sunny/affordable country

As I've mentioned we're going to Goa, this will be a "toe in the water" look at the area with an eye on going back regularly if it hits the spot ( sun, sea, value for money ). I've spoken to a couple of people that recommend it for different reasons. They have even implied that it could be a place to retire to e.g. pensioners stay there for at least 4 months a year because it is cheaper than staying in this country during the winter.
I know that I will form my own impression but as this is the "first run" and we're also on holiday I would much appreciate the input of people who know the ropes......;)

Retiring to a country to live and staying there for 4 months each year are 2 different things.

Lots of people go for 6 months (the usual validity of a visa unless you are PIO or NRI) and the season is pretty much 6 months long (Nov through April).

Would you want to be in a place where it rains hell of a lot for days/weeks on end i.e. monsoon season?

And as other posters have already said, buying property in Goa can be fraught with problems.

HOVIS_McHAGGIS wrote: »

6- Hints & tips from veteran Goa visitors

Westin wrote: »

There is a very good and informative forum on Trip Advisor for Goa, well worth dropping in there.

As Westin advises, you'll find lots of advice about your holiday on there.

You don't mention where in Goa you're going.
Although Goa is a very small state, it has 60+ miles of coastline and North Goa and South Goa are very different.

budgetflyer

Yes North and South are so different.
The North is manic. We spent 3 days in Calangute and I didn't really like it that much, although our hotel, Casa de Goa was lovely.
South Goa on the othe rhand is amazing. Long uncrouded beaches, with just enough beach shacks . Roads are not quite so crazy,although I still wouldn't drive a car there.
We did hire cycles though. 50 rupees per day each.
Cavelossim is a good beginners resort.Quite compact, some nightlife catering for the mostly package tourists staying in the handfull of 4/5 star hotels.
Benaulim is a bit more spread out,more independant travellers and has a lot of long stayers.
Palolem is an experience too with all the beach huts for accomodation and has a bit of a younger, hippy, back packer feel about it.

Despite Mr Wangs recommendation, I was not that impressed with Kerala "Heading south to Kerala", its actually 2000 km. 4 hours flying or 16 hours on an express train.
In Kerala, we stayed in Kovalam. The beaches and food were no where near as good as Goa. Due to expensive licencing laws, getting a beer with your meal was a shady under the counter,wink wink affair.
Beer just doesn't taste the same served in a tea pot and drunk out of te a cups.
Anyway apparently Kerala claim to fame is its inland backwaters. Trips on houseboats seeing wildlife and bird watching is where its at. If thats your thing, do it. Although Goa does offer mini versions of this with boat trips down the river Sal etc

Mr_Wang

budgetflyer wrote: »

Yes North and South are so different.
The North is manic. We spent 3 days in Calangute and I didn't really like it that much, although our hotel, Casa de Goa was lovely.
South Goa on the othe rhand is amazing. Long uncrouded beaches, with just enough beach shacks . Roads are not quite so crazy,although I still wouldn't drive a car there.
We did hire cycles though. 50 rupees per day each.
Cavelossim is a good beginners resort.Quite compact, some nightlife catering for the mostly package tourists staying in the handfull of 4/5 star hotels.
Benaulim is a bit more spread out,more independant travellers and has a lot of long stayers.
Palolem is an experience too with all the beach huts for accomodation and has a bit of a younger, hippy, back packer feel about it.

Despite Mr Wangs recommendation, I was not that impressed with Kerala "Heading south to Kerala", its actually 2000 km. 4 hours flying or 16 hours on an express train.
In Kerala, we stayed in Kovalam. The beaches and food were no where near as good as Goa. Due to expensive licencing laws, getting a beer with your meal was a shady under the counter,wink wink affair.
Beer just doesn't taste the same served in a tea pot and drunk out of te a cups.
Anyway apparently Kerala claim to fame is its inland backwaters. Trips on houseboats seeing wildlife and bird watching is where its at. If thats your thing, do it. Although Goa does offer mini versions of this with boat trips down the river Sal etc

I think the big difference between Goa and Kerala is what type of holiday you want.

For instance, if you want a holiday on a lovely beach set to a backdrop of tacky tourism driven restaurants/bars and amongst fellow British, whilst you get drunk, smoke weed and drop acid whilst raving into the night, then Goa is perfect.

If you want a gorgeous beach, set amongst some of most beautiful scenery in the whole of the South, with few British tourists, and where the pace of life is so slow its almost in reverse, where a 10 minute walk can have you in a local village, or you can laze the days away on the stunning backwaters - then go to Kerala.

And it's never seen 4 hours on a flight from Goa, I have flown Mumbai to Cochi several times and it takes around 1hr 45. Goa to Cochin can't be more than an hour on a plane.
It's 13 hours on a train, but if you hop on one that leaves at 9pm, you get there around 10am bright an early

Pollycat

Mr_Wang wrote: »

go to Kerala.

The OP has already booked for Goa:

HOVIS_McHAGGIS wrote: »

We're off to Goa this Xmas.

Mr_Wang wrote: »

I think the big difference between Goa and Kerala is what type of holiday you want.

Maybe the OP has already covered that:

HOVIS_McHAGGIS wrote: »

I've spoken to a couple of people that recommend it for different reasons.

Mr_Wang

Pollycat wrote: »

The OP has already booked for Goa:




Maybe the OP has already covered that:

I wonder how many people fly to Delhi and stay in just Delhi....;)