Glorious Goa
After a 10 hour flight we arrived in Goa and stayed for the first four nights in Candolim in North Goa. We stayed at the 4 star Fortune Select Regina. On first impressions it did not reach the expected standard, but after visiting other hotels in the area I can see why it is rated 4 stars in Goa.
The roads were the thing that surprised me the most. I have been to many countries where you think the drivers are chaotic, but in Goa it really is a free for all. There doesn’t seem to be any rules and bikes, cars, buses and cows just go aimlessly on their way. There are very few footpaths as well, so this means walking on the roads to get about. You really do have to have your wits about you. Due to the infrastructure I would not recommend it for families (especially if you have a pushchair) or anyone in a wheelchair, as it would be impossible to get about.
Cows are everywhere and are sacred in India and are allowed to roam freely, so much so, that they wonder up and down the beaches without a care in the world. When we were at the Wednesday market in Anjuna, we even had a cow walk through the middle of a cafe where we were having a cold drink.
The beaches in Goa go on for miles and have any array of beach shacks up and down the coast. The best beaches are in South Goa where the sand is whiter. Hawkers do approach you to sell their wares but a polite “no thank you” and they leave you alone. The people are very friendly but not too pushy. The Goans are ingenious when it comes to making a pound or two and I watched in amazement as a young girl built a makeshift tightrope on the beach out a few poles of wood and performed in front of us. She then dismantled it moved 50 yards further down the beach and did it all over again. At night the beach shacks play music and beach parties take place under the stars.
North Goa is more geared towards the younger crowd with many bars restaurants and nightclubs in the resort of Baga. Tito’s nightclub is known all over Goa and Mambos is where we danced until 4am one morning. Drinks are really cheap as is everything in Goa and your money does go a long way. Whilst in the north we did the Jungle Book tour which is centred round elephants. We drove for a couple of hours to Shanti Hamlet where we rode the elephants through the forest and up a river before watching a show where the elephants were the stars. After lunch we were taken to a lagoon to swim and cool down before the elephants arrived and went for a swim in the lagoon with us. We had the opportunity to wash the elephants using coconut husk and then took turns to sit on the back of the elephant whilst it sprayed a powerful jet of water over us. The original power shower!!!
For the final three nights we ventured to South Goa stopping on the way at Panjim (the capital of Goa) for a bit of sightseeing. There is a great Portuguese influence here with many churches dotted around. There is also a big shopping centre with lots of branded stores selling originals at bargain prices.
On arrival in South Goa we stayed at the Hotel Dona Sylvia in Cavelossim. It is much less hectic down in the south and the hotels are more spread out and of a better standard. South Goa is better suited to couples who just want to relax and enjoy the wall to wall sunshine over the winter months. The roads are much less busy here so I felt calmer. They still have the beach shacks and the souvenir stalls so you still get the same atmosphere just at a slower pace.
All in all if you want some guaranteed winter sunshine at value for money prices then Goa fits the bill. The people are lovely and if you want to party head north but if you want to relax head south. I would recommend the north to groups of singles and younger people and the south to couples and retired people. I think doing a two centre holiday staying near to Panjim first would be ideal. This gives you the opportunity to do the sites of the capital with all that shopping on your doorstep before moving either north or south for the beaches.