Travel to Goa
- Sights in Goa : The first days you will feel completely amazed by the sea and the palm trees that gives such a relaxed atmosphere that you rarely see in the rest of India. All the costal towns in Goa are good for just that. After a couple of days you start looking for a beach that fits your preferences. Apart from the "old Goa" this place is pure beach resort, except for lying on the beach reading a book under the beautiful palm trees and traveling by Scooter between a couple of white churches there is not much to do. it is an ideal place for a breaking up a long trip and having a rest. Around christmas there is a lot of festivity which might help christian travelers longing home to feel a little bit closer santa and the others.- Panjim : the old capital of Goa is nicer and less hectic than Margao, the transport hub close to old Goa. Most of the budget hotels are situated in 31 Janeiro street, for a double room with bath you pay about 150-250 rupees. The cheapest hotel is Venite that charge 100 rupees for a double, the best middle class hotel is Hotel Afonso (afonsoguesthouse@yahoo.com, for 380 rupees per double room) and Hotel Comfort (31 janeiro, new, with TV, phone 228145, 400 rupees per double room). There is a cash point next to the bus station where you can get cash with a VISA or Cirrus card.
- The nicest beaches in Goa is in Vagator, Palolem and Gokarna.
- The beaches of Anjuna and Vagator are full of "ravers" and junkies, and is more a place for people who like techno parties and specifically drugs. i found the atmosphere quite asocial and most budget travelers I met didn't stay long here.
- Long time travelers who come to celebrate christmas in Goa mostly stay in Palolem, Arambol and Gokarna. Gokarna is the new place to be, nice beaches and very quiet. Palolem has also a great beach, nice atmosphere but is quite "exploited" with hundreds of straw houses with sea view built among the palm trees. Arambol is more quiet than Palolem, has a nice atmosphere and a beautiful beach. The difference with Vagator is for example how christmas eve is celebrated, in Vagator is there a 36 hour long techno-party, in Arambol a cozy barbecue.
- Baga is the most beautiful place of the bigger tourist resorts, where also a lot of middle class Indian tourists choose to go. The only reason to go here is if you search for more luxurious accommodation. On the other side of the bridge at the end of the beach you find nicer (and more expensive) hotels with a rather traditional style and quite a lot of character. - Old Goa : is about the only real place of interest Goa, and world patrimony by Unesco. About 10 old Portuguese churches and monasteries surrounded by palm trees. there are continuously busses leaving from Panjim to Old Goa, the bus trip takes about 30 minutes.
- Anjuna wednesday market : this souvenir market is not really worth the effort after having had to search the way to the water in between the souvenir stalls of towels (take care the colour sometimes completely washes out immoderately) cloth and elephant pictures on simply every beach in Goa there is little reason to go to this market with the same stuff but twice as many stalls. The only thing you don't see in the other villages is the bunch of hippies selling their stuff here.
- Moped, motor bike, and Scooter rental in Goa : there are everywhere scooters, mopeds and motor bikes to rent. The prices differ a lot depending on the demand and season and the number of days you want to rent (a week seem to be considered the minimum). From 80 rupees for the cheapest 50cc moped, and 150 rupees for a 100cc Scooter to about 250 rupees for a 350cc.
- Christmas in Goa : the christmas decoration that mostly consist of a lit up star, no christmas tree, is only put up on the 23d of December. There are night masses in the white churches in Goa on the 24th of December and the family visits and celebrations happen in between christmas eve and new years eve.
- internet cafes : there are everywhere internet cafes, even in Palolem and Arambol. The prices vary between 25 rupees per hour in Panjim to 50 rupees per hour of surfing on the internet in the rest of Goa. The connection is very good thanks to a satellite connection with Australia.
- Travel with public transport from Goa (Panjim) to Hampi (Karnataka) : Paulo Travels has a bus from Goa (Panjim) to Hampi, although you have to change bus along the road at the border of Goa but it's still a very good quality bus. The tickets cost 300 rupees for a seat, 400 rupees for a bed. it is cheaper to book in the office on the beach than in the office in Panjim itself. The Bed places are not really recommended on this route, the road is very bad and you have to chare two to one mattress. The bus leaves at 19:00 in Panjim, arrival at 9:30 in Hampi; they let you off very close to all the budget hotels. The government bus office in Panjim is called Kadamba.
