A Review on Goa, India

[billyboy00007]

Goa is the State of India

Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda.

Ruled by Portuguese in the past, this region is famous for fusion of European and Indian culture and beauty. The Western Ghats running through the region makes it lush for wildlife and flora too. Goa is one of the most important tourist spots in the country because of its beauty and culture.

Despite stories of violent crime, drug-related misdeeds and police corruption (some of them internationally high-profile and involving tourists) Goa remains essentially a safe destination for travellers. So long as you adhere to a few basic and common-sense safety precautions, you should stay safe and secure in Goa.

Compared to most of the rest of India prices in Goa are relatively expensive, but compared to nearly anywhere else this place is a bargain. Even the food and drinks at the many beach restaurants are in line with places in town, so having drinks and a meal on the beach is definitely a bargain compared to Europe.

[Gill1]

A Review on Goa, India

Introductiuon:

Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.It is surrounded by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times that of the country. It was ranked the best-placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.

Famous Resorts:
1:Nilaya Hermitage
2:Resort Rio
3:W Goa
4:Acron Waterfront Resort
5:Caravela Beach Resort
6:The Leela Goa

Famous places:
1:Calangute Beach
2:Fort Aguada
3:Tito's Street
4:Baga Beach
5:Anjuna Beach
6udhsagar Waterfalls

Famous Food:
1. Pork vindaloo
2. Crab xec xec
3. Prawn balchão
4. Sanna
5. Goan red rice
6. Chouris pão
7. Poee
8. Kingfish
9. Feni
10. Bebinca

[Gamechanger2020]

Goa,India

Goa, state of*India,*comprising*a mainland district on the country’s southwestern coast and an offshore island. It is located about 250 miles (400 km) south of*Mumbai*(Bombay). One of India’s smallest states, it is bounded by the states of*Maharashtra*on the north and*Karnataka*on the east and south and by the*Arabian Sea*on the west.
A kaleidoscopic blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures, sweetened with sun, sea, sand, seafood,*susegad*and spirituality, Goa is India's pocket-sized paradise.

Beach Bounty:-
Goa’s biggest draw is undoubtedly its virtually uninterrupted string of golden-sand beaches. This coastline stretches along the Arabian Sea from the tip to the toe of the state, and each beach community has developed its own personality and reputation since the hippie days of the '60s. They cater to every tropical whim: choose from backpacker Arambol or bolder, brasher Baga; the palm-fringed sands of Palolem, hippie market bliss at Anjuna or lovely, laid-back Mandrem; expansive groomed sands in front of fancy five-star resorts or hidden crescent coves, where the only footprints will be the scuttling crabs' and your own.

The Spice of Life:-
Food is enjoyed fully in Goa, as it is throughout India. The scents, spices and flavours of Goa’s cuisine will surprise and tantalise even seasoned travellers: whether it's a classic fish curry rice,*a morning*bhali-pau*(bread roll dipped in curry), a piquant vindalho, with its infusions of wine vinegar and garlic, or a spicy*xacuti*sauce, the Indo-Portuguese influence is a treat for the taste buds. While you're here, visit a back-country spice farm to learn why the Portuguese were so excited about Goa.

[Pak3000]

A Review on Goa, India

Goa About this sound listen is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.It is surrounded by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times that of the country. It was ranked the best-placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India

Tourist destinations


1 Calangute Beach
Known as the “Queen of Beaches” in Goa, Calangute Beach caters to all types of travellers, from nature lovers to adventure junkies to party freaks. Acting as a haven for nature lovers, in particular, this beach is the biggest and the most popular one in North Goa, boasting of scintillating charm as well as beauty.

2 Fort Aguada
Another heritage from the Portuguese, Fort Aguada has been standing stern on the beach facing the Arabian Sea from 1612 when it was built in order to provide defence against the invading Dutch and the Marathas. It was a grand old fort in its time with the capacity to hold 79 cannons among other weapons of defense.

3 Tito's Street
Goa is India’s favourite party place. Therefore, you simply have to visit one of the many clubs scattered around Goa on your visit there. Tito’s Street is one of the best clubs you can visit. Tito’s Street, named after the street it is located on, is a club that attracts a lot of crowd especially because of its prime location and its top-notch service. Baga beach, where the club is located, is a party hub so it is no wonder that loads of tourists find their way to Tito’s Street after sundown.

4 Baga Beach
Baga is a famous beach destination in North Goa that attracts thousands of tourists and watersports lovers to its heart. The beach shares its coastal line from the environs of Sinquerim, Candolim, and Baga, with the Baga shore being more lively and enticing. This bubbly beach is one of the best in Goa that stays awake the whole night. Called as "The Hometown of Nightlife," Baga beach is reputed for its cranky music celebrations by late-night, mouth-watering food, designer shops, and adventure sports.

5 Anjuna Beach
India’s West Coast paradise, Goa, is home to some glorious beaches of India. One of them is known as the Anjuna Beach. From a quiet family vacation to an adventure-filled weekend with your squad, the beach caters to people with different travel tastes and budgets. Famed for its Goan influences, trendy nightclubs, beachside hotels and resorts, Anjuna beach is a glamorous paradise within Goa.

[piton]

Another activity you can do is to take a spice plantation tour. Tourists can see and observe firsthand vanilla beans and cardamom in the form of meat. There are also many other plants that thrive and can only be found there. In addition, tourists should not miss the time to visit the beach. Its proximity to the Arabian Sea makes Goa has several beaches.
There is Ashwem Beach which has white sand and has a lodge on the edge so it is perfect for relaxing.
There is also Mandrem Beach which is famous for its colorful bungalows. Tourists can visit the Mapusa Market which provides various goods. Starting from saris, textiles, jewelry, to spices. The best time to visit this popular market is in the morning. Tourists can also hunt for unique souvenirs such as antique artifacts at affordable prices.

[yuyul]

Goa's beautiful west coast, facing the Arabian Sea, has recently been discovered by tourists from abroad. Goa is more than 60 miles of beautiful beaches and is home to the most beautiful beaches in the world. Has a special charm of their own. For those looking for peace and quiet. Agonda Beach is a good choice, while Calangute Beach is the most commercial and bustling. For those looking for luxury resorts, yoga getaways, and holiday spas, the beaches of Salcete, Morjim and Ashwem are fashionable among wealthy Indians and Westerners alike. Palolem is another popular option in a picturesque setting.

if you visiting Goa, be sure to visit the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, home to forests and plenty of fauna, including deer, monkeys, elephants, leopards, tigers, and black panthers as well as India's famous King Cobra and several species of birds. Also worth a visit is Divar Island, accessed by ferry from Old Goa. Highlights include Piedade, a typical Goan village, and home to the church of Our Lady with its attractive stucco work, stucco baroque decorations, and altars, as well as stunning views of the surrounding area.

[JF2019]

We have just returned from our first holiday to Goa and want to write an honest review. We read a lot about Goa on this forum before we went and have to say that we found there to be some exaggerations (even when we got there people we met who went regularly completely exaggerated) mostly about how little some things cost.

We wish to start however by saying we had a fantastic time and really loved the place.

We are not planning to return every year as so many people do - there is a big wide world out there to be seen! - but we would go again for some cheap sunshine over European destinations.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
If you have not been before, there is a lot of litter on the sides of the road and you do witness a degree of poverty. However, it does not take long to see past that and really enjoy the place.

BEACHES
Baga Beach is very busy, but we have to say we thoroughly enjoyed it. You get a lot of vendors coming along but most of them will move on with a simple "no thank you". We favoured the Shining Star beach shack. Don't be tricked into paying for a sunbed at any of the shacks - they are free so long as you buy your food and drink from the shack. For food and drink for a whole day we were typically 700 to 800 rupees.

After Anjuna market we were taken to a quiter beach at Vagator but did not like it at all. You had to climb down a steep hill to get to it and there were cows roaming along the beach!

We went to Ashwem and Mandrem beaches up north and would defintely recommend those. Morjim beach is also next to Mandrem and Ashwem - we did not go there but heard it is also similar. There were still sellers here but far fewer and the beaches were quite a bit nicer and I would recommend heading up that way. For a taxi (from Arpora) we were 700 rupess and 800 rupees for Ashwem and Mandrem respectively for the driver to take you there in the morning, wait all day, then take you home.

Note - if you have been places like Australia the beaches are not overly spectacular and they do not make too much effort to keep them clean. The sea is fine for swimming though.

RESTUARANTS
It seems most of the recommendations on this site are based on cheapness or value for money! For NICE restaurants I recommend After Seven in Candolim, East Meets West (all the taxi drivers will want to take you there anywhere as they get paid for it by the restaurant), J&A Italian, Fiesta and A Reverie. All of these are "expensive" by Goan standards but still exceptionally cheap by UK standards - about 1500 to 2000 rps for 2 people to have 2 or 3 courses and a couple of drinks. If you like curry, whilst it is in a very basic setting (plastic furniture!) All Spice at Arpora is excellent value for money and the staff will make any curry on the menu to your taste - for 3 curries, 2 rices, 2 naan and a few beers it is just under 1000 rupess.

TRIPS
We made a trip to the Spice Plantation (900 rupess return by taxi from Arpora). This was a really pleasant and interesting trip and you can either ride or wash an elephant before you go in. This is a little bit of a rip off though - we were 500 rupees each for 5 min ride on the elephant together! The spice plantation itself is very good value though and entrance of around 300 rupess includes a really tasty lunch.

There is good shopping in Calangute and Baga for local goods and handicrafts, hand bags etc (remember to haggle!) but for designer goods a trip to the capital Panjim is worthwhile (700 rupees return in taxi). We expected it to be full of hustle and bustle as the capital, but it was actually less chaotic than Calangute. At Panjim, you can also take a 1 hour cruise down the river at sunset for 150 rupees each. This was quite a laugh - there is a display of some traditional dances and then all the Indian tourists get up and dance.

From Baga beach we went a boat trip to see the dolphins. It lasts about 20 mins and you will have to haggle over the price - pay no more than 600 rps a couple. If there are more of you, pay less. You are guaranteed to see dolphins and later in the day they will start to say that if you don't see any you don't pay.

We heard the trip up to the waterfalls to see the monkeys was also good but did not do it ourselves (wanted to leave something for the next visit!)

MARKETS
We went to Anjuna market on a Wednesday morning - and left after 20 minutes. Personally we hated it - we were constantly hassled and it was far too crowded but if its your thing you might enjoy it.

Beware of men trying to put a dirty metal stick in your ear. Be wary of anyone who says anything about your ears and be as forceful as you like in telling them to go away.

The night market at Mackies on a Saturday night is a much more pleasant experience and there is entertainment and food etc. I would definitely recommend it and, although we did not go, believe Ingo's Bazaar on a Saturday is also similar.

NIGHTLIFE
Titos and Club Cubana are the main clubs. We went to Titos on a Friday but did not enjoy it at all. We stayed long enough to get our money's worth and on the way out stumbled upon Kamaki's next door! This was much better and I would definitely recommend it. At quieter times it was nice to sit and have a drink but at busier times (late at night, after Titos / Club Cubana) it was jumping and had good music.

Club Cubana was excellent. On a Wednesday it is free for ladies and 900 rupees for men. Drinks are then free all night, including premium brands. It is also in a really cool setting with a swimming pool, palm trees and funky furniture. As expected with free booze, there can be a few people worse for wear but if you are young it is definitely the place to go.

OPTICIANS
We read a post before we went that someone got 3 pairs of Armani glasses for £60!! No way! Glasses are not that cheap but are still cheaper that at home. I got FCUK ones from Dangui Opticians in Calangute for £55 and my husband got Police ones from Romano Optician along the road for £80. Note however, you shold take a note of your prescription with you rather than relying on their eye test. We also had lots of problems with Romano and the lenses had to be re-done about 3 times! I had no problem with Dangui though.

GENERAL
In summary, take with a pinch of salt people who say they had three courses for 2 and loads of beers for £6, or bought jewelley for £180 and had it valued for £2,000! Also comments that the place is like heaven are putting it a bit too highly! I doubt heaven has so much dirt and poverty.

BUT it is cheap, the people are wonderful and you WILL have a great time. It is fair to say Goa does get to you by the end of 2 weeks.

If it is your first time, I would definitely recommend going for 3 weeks if possible. Discounting a few days for Delhi Belly, you are really just starting to get into the place in your second week and then it is almost time to come home!

We would defintely have no hestitation in returning to Goa and had a wonderful time. If you are planning your first trip I hope you have found this helpful and have a brilliant time!

[jellybelly2017]

INDIA has long been recognized by the world community because of the amazing Taj Mahal building. However, the beauty of Bollywood is not only limited to that. There is a tropical area that was popular among hippies in the 1960s, namely Goa.

Regions in the western part of India are now starting to be visited by many tourists because they offer something different namely the hubbub on the north and calm on the south. Yes, there tourists can feel the sensation of staying in rural areas and luxury hotels. They just need to choose the desired vacation concept.

In Goa, tourists can see various buildings with Portuguese-style architecture complete with typical dishes. In addition, there is also a state-mansion cultural center in the city of Margao.

Tourists can visit Mapusa Market which provides various items. some textiles, jewelry, to spices. The right time to visit the popular market is in the morning. Tourists can also hunt for unique souvenirs such as antique artifacts at affordable prices.

Attachment 22625

We have just returned from our first holiday to Goa and want to write an honest review. We read a lot about Goa on this forum before we went and have to say that we found there to be some exaggerations (even when we got there people we met who went regularly completely exaggerated) mostly about how little some things cost.
We wish to start however by saying we had a fantastic time and really loved the place.
We are not planning to return every year as so many people do - there is a big wide world out there to be seen! but we would go again for some cheap sunshine over European destinations.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
If you have not been before, there is a lot of litter on the sides of the road and you do witness a degree of poverty However, it does not take long to see past that and really enjoy the place.

[jigrak66]

INDIA has long been recognized by the world community because of the amazing Taj Mahal building. However, the beauty of Bollywood is not only limited to that. There is a tropical area that was popular among hippies in the 1960s, namely Goa.

Regions in the western part of India are now starting to be visited by many tourists because they offer something different namely the hubbub on the north and calm on the south. Yes, there tourists can feel the sensation of staying in rural areas and luxury hotels. They just need to choose the desired vacation concept.

In Goa, tourists can see various buildings with Portuguese-style architecture complete with typical dishes. In addition, there is also a state-mansion cultural center in the city of Margao.

Tourists can visit Mapusa Market which provides various items. some textiles, jewelry, to spices. The right time to visit the popular market is in the morning. Tourists can also hunt for unique souvenirs such as antique artifacts at affordable prices.