Goa

[moonsi til]

I’m looking to go back to Goa next March. I have been a few times but not since 2009. Looking for any recommendations on where to visit & where to stay that is more current than my last visit. It’s only for 2 weeks so I will be seeking a flight direct to Goa.

 

[Petcha]

I always used stay in Arambol - although I suspect I might be too old and cynical for that these days. Only so much fishermens panted, dreadlocked hippies downward dogging a man can take. Booze is cheap and stimulants are plentiful though.

I heard a cheesy package thing with Thomas Cook or whoever was the way to go. Flights were actually cheaper and you do get the accommodation thrown in, which you can use or not.

 

[Hollis]

I went to Chapora a couple times - in 1997 and 2002. Lovely place - God knows what it's like now.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I always used stay in Arambol - although I suspect I might be too old and cynical for that these days. Only so much fishermens panted, dreadlocked hippies downward dogging a man can take. Booze is cheap and stimulants are plentiful though.

I heard a cheesy package thing with Thomas Cook or whoever was the way to go. Flights were actually cheaper and you do get the accommodation thrown in, which you can use or not.

Yep, TUI has the direct flights (Air India too, but awful timings, middle of the night arrivals). Charter flights must be sold with accommodation, even though they are sold as flight-only accommodation is included, not sure you'd want to stay there though, 'bunk-house'.

My colleague went last month, had a great time. Enjoy.

 

[moonsi til]

Got a new plan of a 2 week tour starting in Mumbai & going south via Goa/Hampi to Kerala & fly back up.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Got a new plan of a 2 week tour starting in Mumbai & going south via Goa/Hampi to Kerala & fly back up.

Wouldn't plan too much time in Mumbai, total shithole.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Wouldn't plan too much time in Mumbai, total shithole.

I think you need to have a spent a while in India to enjoy it. I got there at 18 and was totally overwhelmed by the place.

3 months later when I'd got in the swing of things I didn't find it so bad.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I think you need to have a spent a while in India to enjoy it. I got there at 18 and was totally overwhelmed by the place.

3 months later when I'd got in the swing of things I didn't find it so bad.

If you are of average urban demographic I think you'll find the place has changed a lot in the following ~30 years...

 

[Voley]

Got a new plan of a 2 week tour starting in Mumbai & going south via Goa/Hampi to Kerala & fly back up.

Sounds ace. Love all those places. Hampi, particularly.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

If you are of average urban demographic I think you'll find the place has changed a lot in the following ~30 years...

A little younger, but not much, so yeah, probably. Not sure I'd want to got back to Goa either, it's probably quite different to 2000.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

A little younger, but not much, so yeah, probably. Not sure I'd want to got back to Goa either, it's probably quite different to 2000.

Went to Goa in 1996, went back in 2016, changed a lot. Couldn't recognise anything of Baga except the headland, were a lot of very rude and aggressive Russians. Also a lot of middle-class Indians down from Mumbai, who were not rude or owt, but just didn't exist in 1996. Mumbai, the streets were covered in human shit, the hotels were like fortresses with airport style security, plus the state had just outlawed beef, steak was on the menu at our hotel , but you couldn't get it

Delhi is a massive Indian city and is nowhere near as gopping as Mumbai, it's not the Indian madness of the place, but the literal filth everywhere, sat next to so much wealth, just, urgh. did-not-like.

 

[Joe Chi Min]

Went to Goa in 1996, went back in 2016, changed a lot. Couldn't recognise anything of Baga except the headland, were a lot of very rude and aggressive Russians. Also a lot of middle-class Indians down from Mumbai, who were not rude or owt, but just didn't exist in 1996. Mumbai, the streets were covered in human shit, the hotels were like fortresses with airport style security, plus the state had just outlawed beef, steak was on the menu at our hotel , but you couldn't get it

Delhi is a massive Indian city and is nowhere near as gopping as Mumbai, it's not the Indian madness of the place, but the literal filth everywhere, sat next to so much wealth, just, urgh. did-not-like.

Delhi was hard-bleeding-work for me though.

 

[moonsi til]

Flights now booked. I have been to Mumbai a few times & in no rush to go again but will be there with my stepson who has never been. Will be interesting seeing it through his eyes.

 

[moonsi til]

Due to Indian bureaucracy I spent far too long booking an overnight train from Mumbai to Goa today. Glad it could be done online but man alive it was not easy!

I failed to apply for my e visa as it wouldn’t go past February as an option for date of entry so fingers crossed it’s an easy process.

Plan now Mumbai -Goa /Gokarna -Hampi -Hyderabad-Mumbai.

 

[moonsi til]

February 1st comes and I try to apply for visa. 2 hours later I strop off to bed. I go into work early on the 2nd to use a PC with a large screen & 3 hours in I’m still defeated as I cannot get my passport to the dimensions specified. I’m also a IT muppet.

I then remembered a more IT literate friend is going in February & message her and she says it was an absolute nightmare applying for the visa with lots of googling to figure it out. On her advice I then signed up to smallpdf so passport could be compressed to right size & this morning email received that I have my visa. Just need to do this twice more!

 

[moonsi til]

Had a fab time in India however what would have made it easier would have access to internet/phone at all times rather than just when we could get wi-fi as India has absolutely embraced technology. Had hassle booking some stuff such as hotel & a walking tour as they wanted to text me details & I could only do What’s App or email. They also have Uber of local versions of Uber for rides on back of motorbikes, taxis & auto rickshaws which is great to figure out how much a journey will cost before negotiating on the street & for trains. The norm is paying even streetside vendors of anything online via a QR code.

I was very surprised by Mumbai which was in my last visit in approx 2008 to be dirty, polluted & streets full of people sleeping rough to now having clean air via electric vehicles, has a metro, very few rickshaws & I was approached in comparison a tiny amount by beggars & saw very few rough sleepers. Beer in Mumbai was very expensive. Went to Goa via overnight sleeper train.

Goa I went to Paloem & Agonda. Like both but if I was recommending to someone who wanted quieter side of Goa I would say visit Agonda though they are only about 20 mins apart. My stepson had friends out there so he did a trip on his own to Gokarna 2 hours from Paloem.

Went to Hampi from Paloem via overnight sleeper bus which was proper lie down bed with curtains. Hampi was great, hired a rickshaw driver/guide for 2 days. Then went to Hyderabad via overnight sleeper train & had booked a walking tour for morning we arrived to help get bearings & then did remainder via rickshaws. Managed to catch qawwali singing too. Hyderabad is quite polluted which I felt in my eyes & throat however I absolutely loved it plus beer is far less expensive than Mumbai!