Goa

Goa, is a small state in India.

Meetings

There are currently no active meetings.

Tips

CS thread on Goa CS thread on Goa 2

Getting around

Renting out a scooter or a motorcycle is cheap and easy way to get around Goa. Roads are far less crowded and hectic than in the rest of India, at least outside the bigger cities like Panjim, Mapusa or Margao. Make sure you have your international driver's license and a passport copy with you. Prices in Panjim are around Rs2000/month and on the northern beach resorts (Calangute, Arambol) around Rs4000/month. Renting out just for one or to days should be around Rs200-300/day. Police seem to have a tendency to pick out anyone for any reason in which case you might be asked to pay a fine - reasons: not wearing a helmet on a highway, claims that you were speeding (even if they have no way of proving it).

Beaches: North

What would Goa be without the beaches?

Arambol

For the independent traveller, this is the place to be. Quiet and peaceful, with some good beach huts plus other accommodation. Less harassing shop-owners / beach vendors than e.g. in Calangute.

Morjim

Nearly empty, with one "coco-hut" accommodation place with a bar.

Vagator

Contains "Disco Valley", so should be the place to be for outdoor raves.

Anjuna

Famous for its Wednesday markets, and an age-old "hippie mecca", now lost too much of its charm.

Calangute

Crazy place, with tons to offer, but far too hectic for a beach holiday. Westerners should definitely keep on the south side of the beach to avoid stares.

Candolim

Spread out place with different offerings, by default not for the independent traveller but has available some peaceful and affordable accommodation.

Beaches: South

Palolem

(Leimondo - as at 1-4-07)

There are two Palolems - one north and one south of the main street.

The southern side has Cierans, Cuba, Cafe Del Mar, Havana etc down past Dylans Camp, Peltons, Titanic etc and ends at Chhasca on the point to then cross over into Bridge and Tunnel and then beyond to Neptunes and Collem leading further on to Patnem.

From the main street of Palolem that meets the beach: heading south, you have the general swimming area (supervised by the 9 dogs - three of which are the black and white guys we all know). From here to Cuba it is all TOOOO busy to sunbake with all the boat activity, the icecream licking daytrippers and Dolphin Boat touts - just a long Cirans is great but very expensive and is adjacent to Cuba which is noisy, as is Cafe Del Mar a little further along - Del Mar has the late night trading licence so prepare yourself for a bit more noise at night in this area - Next door is Havana. They have huts but its all too deck chairs on beaches for my liking around here with parades of nubile flesh and the constant whiff of joints and suncream with far too many cocktails - from this point (outside of Havana) south the beach pitches up, offering a shore-dump wave that continues down to opposite Titanic where the sweep of the bay brings it back calm again. IMO the south end is just way TOOOO busy however there are a few gems like Ma Rita and Dylans. Keep in mind however that if you want to party, watch the passing parade of bikinis and testosterone and save on accomodation then the huts down the south end are generally more affordable with the higher turnover they present for the more transient visitor (there are exceptions and there are long termers down the south end snuggled in amounst the palms - they have their own reasons to be there).

North of the street intersection with the beach you have Palolem Beach Resort up to Zappia controlled by 9 cows and far too much canoe traffic... a bit further north are the bungalows of D'Costa with its new two story restaraunt that doesn't quite work, the Leela with its sweet little huts that are cheap and well maintained with a good amenities block followed next by Presley Cocohuts with its affordable attached cocos run by a good local family. Next to Presley heading north is Brendons with its huts run by Bobi , then further north Fernandes, Alesandras and on to Cosy Nook with Dream Catcher and River Valley nestled in behind. then over the creek and away from everyone else is Ordo Sounsar and Sunset Point (BTW both have webpages for further viewing - just google them).

IMO the lay of the beach (bobbing or body surfing) is best north of Zappia up as far as Rocket which in my humble opinion makes Leela, Presleys and Brendons the best place on the beach. The tandoor cook at fernandes is brilliant, D'costa has great tofu, Presleys does brilliant Indian and Brendons has a great ambience to chill of an afternoon.

My advice - work out what you want from the beach - choose the end that suits your personality (introverted/extroverted) and swimming needs (dumper/body surfer/bobber), find a place that suits your budget (150R to 600R and up to 2500 at Cierans for accomodation), a bar with your type of people (Cuba, Del Mar, San Francisco, Peltons, Titanic or somewhere up the street in any one of 15 or so restaraunts or bars) and go for it and... should you not like your choice because you have chosen a noisy hut, a noisy bar, a quiet hut, noisy dogs (they all howl along the beach at the 5:00am train from Trivandrum or at the moon or just for the sheer pleasure of it - you'll find out - take earplugs if you sleep lightly) then pack your bag and do what everyone else does - move the next day to a new hut...

There's a ATM in Chaudi 3 Kms away, which accepts cards on the Cirrus network.

There's a UTI Bank at Fatorpa on the way to Margao and 40 Kilometers away in Margao itself there are plenty options.

There are no ATMs in Palolem but if you need cash then all the travel agents do cash advances on credit / debit cards. They charge some commission for it, ... somewhere between 2 - 5%?

Palolem Sunset

Away from Palolem to the north is Agonda Beach and to the South is Patnem. No doubt locals to these beaches will write up something with reasonable detail

Getting to Palolem

There is a local bus from the airport to Panjim and heaps of buses from Panjim to Margao. At Margao either catch a bus to Cancona Bus-stand from the Margao bus-stand opposite the Central Park,. Most buses go via the Cancona Bus Stand (where you can catch an auto to Palolem for 50R) or if you are lucky you can catch a bus all the way into Palolem from Margao (if you read Hindi it is written on the bus as Palole) - total cost should be 160R for combined bus fares from the airport to Palolem or you could pay up to 1500R in a "prepaid" taxi and share it with someone if you can find them at the airport - just hang around outside and talk to the taxi guys - they all know exactly what is going on.

If you step down from the train in Margao then there is a prepaid Taxi rank to your right as you leave the building - 500R to Palolem (1/2 hour). If you want to catch the bus you will have to make your way to the Highway intersection. Just ask the locals.

If you step down from the train coming from the south you will most likely find yourself at Cancona station (unless you have gone on to the next stop of Margao) - from Cancona it is just 10 mins by Auto (50R max)

CouchSurfers

• Clinton - An environmentlist and nautralist resident of Goa, living in Benaulim, but working in Panjim and Margao.
• Chris Dgama

wikitravel:Goa