Goa

Travelling to Goa

We travelled to Goa from Delhi on 31st March with Air Asia at a cost of £90 each, which included extra luggage and a meal on the plane. Air Asia are very strict on weight and will charge you for even being the slightest kilo over. We had 20k each in hold luggage and 7k each in hand luggage. One of the hand luggage cases was only 6K and one of the hold cases was 21k. We were told that we could take 1k out of the hold luggage and put it in our hand luggage or we would have to pay. We decided to pay to avoid the hassle of opening up our suitcases and trying to transfer 1K of luggage. It was a bit over the top given we had already paid extra and the combined weight did not exceed the allowed weight. Anyway onto the plane and the meal we received was basic but edible . The flight took approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Transfer

When we arrived in Goa the temperature was quite high at 32^oC as it was 3.30 in the afternoon. We had booked our transfers with Booking.com. The advice on the booking information was that our driver would be waiting in the arrivals hall with a sign with our name on but unfortunately on arrival he was nowhere to be seen. Eventually we managed to contact our driver who told us he was waiting somewhere else at the airport and not in arrivals as we had been advised. We were carrying 2 large cases and 2 small cases; we finally located the driver who took the 2 large cases and asked us to follow him. We assumed that his car was in a nearby car park. To our dismay he took quite some distance down a road and then over what can only be described as a 3 lane motorway with all of our cases. He could not fit one of the cases through the central reservation therefore he left it leaning against it. The case was only inches away from being hit by a large truck. Luckily we managed to cross both sides of the motorway in one piece.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at our hotel – the Accron Regina in Candolim. We arrived and were given a nice soft drink while we were checked in. Check in was relatively quick with very polite staff who spoke good English. Our cases were taken to our room by the porter. There were two lifts in the hotel which isn’t very big therefore you do not have to wait long. Our room was a double room overlooking the swimming pool. It had a decent sized bathroom with corner shower. There was adequate room to put clothing (wardrobe with drawers and extra drawers). There were tea and coffee making facilities in the room. We were a bit disappointed that considering the temperature that there was no fridge in the room. There appeared to be a place where a fridge had been previously. The room was nicely furnished although not really to our taste in decour. Each day the room is cleaned to a very good standard which we could not fault. Clean towels are provided each day and toiletries.

The pool was not very big but there were never a lot of guests using it. We only spent a couple of hours round the pool on our first day. The pool has a swim up bar but this was not open although you could order drinks which were brought to you from the bar. Lovely cocktails forapproximately £3 which was good value. There are nice sun loungers around the pool with beach towels provided by the hotel.

Beach Shacks

Most of the days in Goa we spent on the beach where there are many shack bars to visit. Each shack has its own sun loungers which are mostly free of charge as long as you buy a drink or something to eat from the shack. Our favourite shacks were Bob Marley’s and Stringfellows. We were offered massages and beauty treatments such as nail decoration for a reasonable price.

The cost of eating out and drinks at each of the shacks was very cheap and therefore great value. For one lunch we ordered chilli chicken, stir-fry chicken with noodles and chips. We also had a kingfisher beer each and the total cost was £12. A bottle of kingfisher was 90p. Bacardi breezers were £1.50. Cocktails ranged from £3 – 5 which did contain a generous amount of alcohol!

Some days we stayed on the beach into the early evening to watch the sunsets which were amazing. Dusk is a lovely part of the day when the weather is not too hot but pleasant. The shacks were quite busy at this time of day. Most people had had enough from sunbathing and being in the sea.

Food and Drink

We did go down onto the beach to the shacks on a couple of evenings but they are relatively quiet compared to the day. Also there was a lot of red sand around which stains your shoes especially if they are white.

The main street in Candolim has so much to choose from when it comes to restaurants and bars. The cost of eating out is very cheap in Goa no matter where you go. There are some up-market restaurants which do cost a bit more than most but are much cheaper than in the UK. No matter what your taste in food is or budget there is something for everyone.

We ate at the Fisherman’s Cove restaurant on a couple of occasions. It is always busy therefore you may have to wait for a table but not for long. While you are waiting there are seats at the bar where you can sit and have a drink. Each evening there is live music which adds to the atmosphere.

At the Fisherman’s Cove you could also order snacks to the bar if you did not want a big meal which included small pizza’s and fries which were lovely. We were pleasantly surprised that they served Indian Cider.

There are so many bars to choose from that serve great cocktails and beers. It is very interesting sitting in the bars on the main street watching the world go by. At one of the bars we went for a White Russian cocktail and a beer and it came to £3.50. The cocktail was lovely.

Sacred cows

One of the things that was quite strange when walking around Goa was the amount of cows on the streets. We have been to Goa before therefore did expect this but still it takes you by surprise when you are walking along and one brushes past you. Most of the cows seem to be on the main street on an evening.

Although we got used to cows being on the streets and roads it was a bit of a shock when one decided to walk into the bar we were sat in. It was very funny to see it looking to the bar for attention. When we tell anyone it sounds like we are about to tell a joke “a cow walks in to the bar” lol. As the cows are sacred the people of Goa respect and care for them.

Saturday/Sunday Bottomless Brunches

There are a number of bottomless brunches in both North and South Goa. The prices are exceptionally cheap compared to the UK. They start as low as £10 per person. We opted for a bottomless brunch at the 5 star Alila Diwa in South Goa which is part of the Hyatt chain of hotels. It cost £22 each plus £10 each in taxi fare for 3 hours all-inclusive food, drinks and use of the pool facilities.  The journey was about 1 hours drive from Candolim.

When we arrived at the hotel we were not disappointed as this was a much higher standard of hotel than the one we were staying in.  Even so it did lack in atmosphere around the pool which was very quiet. Not sure if this was due to the time of year as it was coming to the end of the season.

Drinks

We made our way to the restaurant where the food was being served. There were plenty of waiters on hand to guide you to your table. As it was such a lovely day we decided to sit outside. There was a waiter there to take our drinks order. When was asked for a menu we were told that they could make any drink that we could think of. Champagne was very popular at the brunch therefore we decided to try a glass or two. It was evident that this was actually Champagne and a decent quality one rather than prosecco which is served at most bottomless brunches in the UK.  There is a cocktail list on the bar but other than that any cocktail you want they will freshly make. There is also a DIY cocktail station where they will show you how to make cocktails which was good fun.

Food

The food at the brunch was very impressive with various food stations inside and several cooking areas outside. The variety of food was immense. Whether you are a meat eater, vegetarian or vegan there was so much choice. The choice was so vast it is impossible to mention everything that was on offer.

Pool

The pool area was lovely with an infinity pool. There were also tables and loungers in the pool where you could sip your cocktail whilst staying cool in the water. Using the pool was part of the bottomless brunch. We had read about this therefore we had come prepared with our swim wear. Towels were also provided by the hotel.

This was definitely the best bottomless brunch we have ever been to.

Goa Tour

We had arranged with the driver we used to take us to the bottomless brunch to take us to the waterfalls but upon speaking to some of the locals they informed us that at this time of year the waterfall was not impressive as it was dry season and the flow relatively low. It was also a good 3 hours away by taxi and then jeep. They suggested we visit the sites of Old Goa. We messaged our driver Miko to inform him of the change of plan which was no problem. He charged us the same as to go to the waterfall which was £19 each.

Miko arrived a few minutes early to our hotel. We explained to him where we wanted to go and that we were also open to suggestions from him as to where was worth visiting.

Old Goa

As we had been picked up early in the morning we hit peak traffic which was a bit chaotic. Our driver Miko appeared to abide by the rules of the road and never went over the speed limit unlike most of the other drivers in India.

Although it was relatively early there were still plenty of tourists in Old Goa.  Many of them entered into the lovely church in the centre Basillica of Bom Jesus. Unfortunately we were unable to enter the church due to wearing shorts so it’s worth taking something to cover legs and shoulders. The church was an impressive building made of red sandstone. Many people were lighting candles at a shrine.

Across from the Basillica is the Catholic Church of St Francis of Assis. This is a lovely white church with well kept grounds which is very picturesque. There is also a museum within the church which you can look round at a cost. As we did not have that much time we didn’t do this and just walked around the grounds.

On entering Old Goa or leaving Old Goa you will notice the St Augustine Ruins. These ruins also appear to be made of red sandstone. The ruins are on a hill. Unfortunately there is no parking here so you would need to walk up from the centre.

Charoa Island

The next stop was the Charoa Island which is a short ferry ride across the Mandovi River. The ferries are very small and only are able to carry up to 5 cars. Our driver was very skilled in parking his car on the ferry to maximise the number of vehicles that could get on. Miko actually lived on the island so he knew his way around. Whilst driving around he pointed out various places where members of his family lived. He took us to some lovely spots along the river where he told us that he went fishing in his spare time. He also took us to his cousin’s bar for a cold drink.

Christ the king (Rei Krist)

This is situated on the top of a hill. This is the highest point of the Charoa Island. The view from here was amazing. Miko provided us with information regarding the statue and the surrounding areas. On the entrance to the statue there are various names of people and the donations they have made for the upkeep of the grounds and the statues.

The island is beautiful with lots to see and do if you have the time. The island is also famous for the bird sanctuary which you can pay to visit.

Coco Beach and Dolphin spotting

After crossing the river back to mainland Goa we were taken to Coco Beach to go dolphin spotting. We paid £3.50 each for the experience so we weren’t expecting much. Usually when going to watch dolphin’s you are on a large boat with a lot of other people but this was not case here; the boats were small and with space for a maximum of 20 people.

As we set off out to sea the driver of the boat pointed out different landmarks including what he informed us was millionaires mansion and the government building.

Once we were out at sea we were lucky enough to see quite a few dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins were very quick therefore it was difficult to get clear photos of them. It was amazing to see them playing around in their natural habitat.

After a while we returned to shore – the boat trip lasted in total for about an hour. The beach looked most inviting as we approached it from the sea. The sand was so soft and the sea very clear. Just behind the beach there was a small market selling food, drinks, ice cream and a whole range of souvenirs.

Considering what we had paid we felt the trip was well worth it.

Anjuna Beach and Market

This was our final stop before heading back to our hotel. Our driver parked up and we walked through the market to the beach. The market sells a variety of things from clothing and spices to souvenirs. There is also a bar in the centre of the market with live music. The market is only open on certain days of the week – we went on a Wednesday but it’s best to check with the locals before visiting. There is a fairly smart restaurant at the end of the market looking out over the sea which offers a help-yourself buffet. This restaurant is very popular therefore there was a queue for a table and so we decided to eat at one of the bar/restaurants on the beach.

The beach was quiet rocky compared to the other beaches we had visited. The food we ordered did not compare to other places we had eaten at in Goa. We were very disappointed with the service, surroundings and the food.

Summary

Goa is a wonderful place with lots to see and do. The beaches are picturesque and the people are so friendly. Things are so cheap in Goa that people of pension age often stay for 6 months in the winter due to it being cheaper to live here than the UK. Goa is a place that would appeal to people of all ages. We don’t often go back to the same places as we like to travel to new destinations but we will definitely go back to Goa.

Things to do

• Visit old Goa
• Spend time on one of the lovely beaches
• Check out the best time to visit the waterfalls
• Sample the local cuisine
• Try a Saturday/Sunday bottomless brunch
• Visit both North and South Goa
• Have a cold drink in one of the beach shacks watching the sunset
• Do a Goa tour with a local driver.

Top Tips

• Research your hotel for location and standard as these do vary a lot.
• Don’t wear white shoes or trainers on the beach as these will become stained due to the red sand.
• Take plenty of mosquito spray.
• There are many wild dogs and if you have food they will follow you therefore be aware. However they were in no way aggressive.
• Be prepared for people asking for photos with you as some Indian people are not used to seeing many white westerners in the flesh.
• If booking a transfer from the airport book a taxi at the airport or you could call the driver we used (Miko) on +99 985 646 37 09 to make a booking if he is available. We booked with booking.com which we will never use again as we had issues in both Goa and New Delhi with our transfers. It seems they sub-contract to local suppliers but don’t monitor the service provided.
• Check out the weather below for best time to visit Goa.
• Check out government safety advice before travelling https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india
• Check out other destinations we have visited in India – click on the following links Mumbai , New Delhi
• Check out our general travel tips. Click on the following link Travel Tips

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	31	31	33	33	33	32	30	30	31	33	34	32
Low Temp	20	20	23	26	28	27	26	26	27	25	23	21
Rainfall	1	1	1	12	113	868	995	513	252	125	31	17
Number of days	1	1	1	1	4	22	27	13	14	6	5	1