hi i cannot acess this site i have tried different ways could someone help please,any advise of any other river trips with other companies please.
Cannot get on the web address of johnboattours
Hi
Copy this and past it into your browser
http://www.johnsboattours.com/
Works for me
BC
After reading a lot of posts I am no closer to a decision on selecting a guide/tour company for 2 couples to visit India in Jan 2009.
Has anyone used Kensington tours--they claim to offer lots of flexibility and competitive rates.
We would like to avoid the large bus trip type tour however the really high end luxury tours are more than I care to spend.
Thanks for any recommendations.
Book flights to India yourself, and then use a private Indian company to do your India leg. It is usually much cheaper.
I agree. Which part of India are you visiting? Just put it into Google- something like '; Rajasthan car tour'; or ';Goa car and driver hire';. You will be overWHELMED. WHELMED I say!
There are loads of recommended companies on here, have a dig around.
Hello,
We are arriving late at night by train into NJP en route to Darjeeling. Is there any budget accommodation (clean, safe etc. obviously) right beside the train station that we could just tumble into to sleep before pressing on for Darjeeling the next morning or should we go to Siliguri? I imagine there will be taxis there to meet the train etc.
And is there any Siliguri budget accommodation that has a website? (10 euro per night for two people sort of price)
Many thanks,
Sarah
Siliguri should offer you more options hotelwise and you can catch the DHR toDarjeeling from there. We stayed at the Cindrella and left early morning to catch the train without any problems.
You%26#39;ll have to check out the price though as it may well be over your budget. I believe there are links on tripadvisor to find local hotels. Just type in Siliguri hotels in the search box.
Tony
Going to Goa for the very first time in March, flying Monach, booked premier class ( after reading the reports) our tour operator is Jewel in The Crown and we are staying at the Nanu Resort.
Can anybody recommend the best rooms at the Nanu Resort similarly is there any rooms we should avoid. Any other information would be very much appreciated.
The Nanu says it has three different categories of room - standard, deluxe and super deluxe. However, they are all basically the same. As far as I know, the standard ones are just those that haven%26#39;t been upgraded for a while, and the super deluxe ones have a fridge. I prefer the ones on the left and nearer reception than the pool, otherwise it can be a bit noisy on Russian karaoke night (the Russians seem to have taken to karaoke with great gusto). We had room 409 this time I think, which was nice and quiet.
The Nanu%26#39;s a little bit remote, but it is quiet around there. Betalbatim village is a good 20 minute walk up the road (and don%26#39;t be fooled by thinking the first clutch of houses you come to is the village - you need to keep walking), but there are shops there and a couple of good restaurants. The nearest ATM is in Colva which is about a 20-25 minute walk down the beach or a taxi ride. There are always taxis outside the gate.
There are about seven beach shacks within a five minute walk of the hotel. We use the Sea Princess, which is almost the last one on the left (last but one, actually). There are several good restaurants in Majorda, a short taxi ride away. In order of preference, Crab Key, Palm Shades, Pentagon, and Sinatra%26#39;s Chilli, which is a little out of the village.
Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.
Thank you, I am sure before we go I will have some more questions. We are looking forward to the trip but are a little apprehensive.
No need to be apprehensive about the hotel. The staff are lovely there, the pool%26#39;s nice. Rooms are fairly basic, but spotlessly clean. Beds are a bit hard, but you get used to it! We don%26#39;t eat there in the evenings as we find the food pretty bland and much better in the shacks or restaurants. Breakfast is good - everything from porridge, fruit, juice, bacon/sausages, eggs any way you like, toast, rolls, baked beans, tomatoes, curry, idlis. Big Seby will probably be in charge of breakfasts while you%26#39;re there. He%26#39;s worth cultivating to bring you things at breakfast time so the crows don%26#39;t nick your food off the table! There are some tables around the outside of the restaurant, and people unwittingly go and get fruit, toast and all sorts and put it on the tables while they go to get something else. Ever the opportunists, the crows dive in and pinch it and the innocent guest returns to find all their food vanished and they have to start again. The waiters do their best to keep the crows away! I don%26#39;t mean to put you off - it%26#39;s just all part of life%26#39;s rich pattern.
Hi, LGG says there%26#39;s no need to be apprehensive about the hotel %26amp; I%26#39;d add that there%26#39;s absolutely no need to be apprehensive about the area - my opinion is that it%26#39;s a lovely quiet, friendly %26amp; unthreatening area - I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll have a great time.
Andy.
I quite agree and I should have said that too - the area is fine. I%26#39;ve stayed there with my partner and on my own and I%26#39;ve never had any problems.
Hi Have you used the spa at the hotel? Also any trips you would recommend, we would like to do just a couple of trips but want to make sure we choose the right ones. Thanks
What spa? There%26#39;s an ayurvedic place there, but it%26#39;s not what I%26#39;d call a spa. I did have a massage there, but it wasn%26#39;t quite what I was expecting. I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s their fault - merely that I hadn%26#39;t realised that it was going to consist of lots of massaging LOTS of oil all over you. I was expecting more of a sort of deep tissue massage.
And trips out. Well, I%26#39;d go to Old Goa, for the churches, which are stunning, and if you like towns, I%26#39;d also go to Panjim for a wander around and some shopping. A trip to the spice plantation is pretty good too. In March there may not be much water at Dudhsagar in the waterfall. Anjuna market is held on a Wednesday up in the north - I don%26#39;t enjoy it much these days because it%26#39;s just too big and hassly, but that may be because I%26#39;m turning into a grumpy old woman. I haven%26#39;t been to Ingo%26#39;s night market I%26#39;m afraid, so I can%26#39;t comment on that, nor have I been washing elephants. The nearest town is Margao, which isn%26#39;t a tourist town at all. There%26#39;s a great covered market there (local market), and there is also now a department store, which is pretty good with a largish supermarket on the fourth floor. I like Margao, but I appreciate why some people (my husband) think it%26#39;s hell on earth - it is busy, and it%26#39;s noisy, but it%26#39;s interesting. Any of the taxi drivers will be able to take you on the trips that you want to do - it%26#39;s cheaper and much more relaxing - you can do everything at your own pace.
Hi again do you know if the Nanu has an email address
try this one: nanu@nivalink.com
Andy.
Or this one nrpl@nanuindia.com which is the address I dealt with last year.
Does anyone know if when you go to the HCI in London in person to get a visa, do they accept cash or must you still pay by postal order?
hi
they do accept cash,have done every time
i%26#39;ve been there anyway.
tom
Yep. Me too. Always cash.
That was quick! Thanks very much.
hi can anyone out there give me the email address of the riverside regency in baga.also are all the rooms poolview or do some look out onto the road thanks for any help
riverside regencyHi when are you staying?
We are staying there 1st 2 weeks of April.
You can go on to there actual web page to contact them.
riversideregency.com it looks really nice.
Hello All,
We will be in Delhi Next week! Our accomodations are set...and I am trying to plan a daytrip to Agra on Monday...I have received a quote of $5000rps for a car from Delhi to Agra and back from out hotel, is that a lot? Also do you suggest taking a train instead? Is Mathura a worthwhile visit?
thanks!
R-
A round trip of Agra from Delhi covers a distance of approximately 500 kilometers. My neighbourhood Taxi service provider would charge me Rs.8 per kilometer for an AC Cab (small car) and Rs.7 per kilometer for a NON AC cab.
So approximately it should cost you Rs.4000($100) for an AC Cab and Rs.3500 ($90 approx) for a Non AC cab.
Since you are renting it from your hotel they will charge a little more.
Yes, you can visit Mathura - it%26#39;s a Holy place bearing religious significance to Indians.
If you are more then one person it makes sense to hire a cab rather then taking a Train because you have to pay for cabs for railway station transfers as well as hire a transport at Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Having your own cab would be lot more convenient.
I am local living in Delhi, so if there is anything else you want to know or need any kind of help you can let me know and i will be glad to help.
Is it better to travel their as a day trip or would you recommend stay in Agra?
You can do the Taj and Agra Fort as a day trip, but if you want to take in Mathura as well, then you will need more time.
Just do a search on the forum for daytrip Agra. Lots of suggestions.
You should be aware that Indian traffic is absolutely crazy. driving on Indian roads involves a near death experience approximately once an hour so reckon on about eight of these for the Delhi\Agra trip.
The train is much quicker and more comfortable, safer and you even get breakfast and dinner thrown in. It costs about 800 INr per person. I think this is what you guys call a no brainer?
I don%26#39;t particularly agree with cmf%26#39;s ';no brainer'; assessment.
Agra is best done by car from Delhi because
a) it gives you flexibility, you can leave when you like, and if you run 10 minutes late early in the morning, you won%26#39;t have the risk of missing the train
b) in the final assessment you don%26#39;t save travel time, after you add the time it takes you to get to the station in Delhi, find your train, board it, and ditto at the other end while returning
c) you have to hire a taxi anyway to get to delhi station, and ditto in agra for sightseeing and then finding a place for lunch
d) you won%26#39;t get hassled by touts at the station in Agra
e) when you finish your tour you can come right back, without having to wait for the evening train.
f) you can stop at additional places like mathura if that interests you
- Deepa
And as for death on the highway, hey, you could die in Delhi. The road is still the most popular form of travelling to Agra and Rajasthan. My advice would be to get a biggish vehicle, like a Toyota Innova. On Indian roads, might is right, so the bigger the better. The Innova will cost more than 5000/-
Tooyota Innvoa shouldcost about Rs 5800
Going through a travel agency innova will cost 6200
If you are goign to agra alone then train is ok.
If your goign with toher epople then the amount you pay for the train tickets would work out to more than what you would pay to hire one taxi
Anyway innova s the most confortable. I like it. Depends on what ou want. I would not suggest the smaller indica%26#39;s etc, they are too small and not that safe.
As they say - better saffe than sorry.
hi, traverling with thomas cook april 7th to goa. flight time take off 3 55 in the afternoon. wantto get good seats how long before we stand before gate open dto get good seats. many thnaks for any information.
It really doesn%26#39;t matter alot of the time as its hard to tell who is going where as most big company%26#39;s now just have check in desks for all destinations. The easiest way to make sure you at least get sat next to each other(shouldn%26#39;t be a problem on a 767) is to book seats together for a few extra quid, believe me its worth it as last year i flew all the way back from Mexico sat behind my other half.
i%26#39;m sure that thomas cook use monarch planes
if so check in desks are in the 30%26#39;s which are on the right hand side in departures, right next to the screen, where the path is down to security.
there were 4 desks open when we got there
and all 4 had goa above them
we got there 3 1/2 hours before and was quite far back, but there was no problem with us getting geats together.
when you say good seats what do you mean, as extra leg room are taken, and basically the rest are all the same.
just back from goa flew thomas c , they use mytravel plane ,legroom was good flight good,we had no problem getting seats together .got there about 4 hours before plane set off and desk was just opening,
Hi
what was the tv situation on that flight ?
Did u get one on the seatback in front, or where they in the aisle ?
Same flight as me Silver!!! HAWAY THE LADS!!! Im plannin on gettin there for about midday as booked into the bollin lounge for the ';all you can eat and drink'; party before i fly!!!! Ive been after the info about this flight too but everyone sayin different, Monarch, MyTravel etc etc...........Who cares? 4 and a bit weeks to go!!!!!
hi dits deff a t cook flight rang them yesterday,any info on that bolin lounge do, it sounds good. many thanks silver
Its in terminal 1 mate. about 17 quid and you can use it as soon you have checked your luggage in!!! Snacks (Crisps and biscuits and nuts i think, beer and spirits all inclusive. Me and the girlfriend gonna make the most of it, Airport bars aint too cheap. We rang up and booked in over the phone. The number is on Manchester Airport website.
Does anyone have the telephone number for Hotel Mother Tree? Or an email for bookings? The reviews are great but I can%26#39;t find any details apart from the address.
Thanks
Kirsty
email: - mothertreeinn@yahoo.com
phone: - 0091 9447464906
0091 9995475105
Rang Thomas Cook yesterday to see when tickets will be in and they had arrived on Monday, 3 and a half weeks before we go :) Went down and collected them, got malaria tablets and insurance sorted, now just travellers cheques to get so almost there. Counting the days now!
We took travellers cheques with us but you do get a better rate with cash. If and I hope you do get a security box please bear this in mind. You will require your passport for cashing travellers cheques
We always take cash to Europe but travellers cheques to Goa, feel these are safer for Goa than taking cash and we always get a safety deposit box wherever we go.
Where are you flying from??? Im on a Thomas Cook flight in April from Manchester and wonderin what the planes are like??
hi ,flew with airtours /thomas cook in january the plane on the way back was freezing.because of the headwinds it took 11 hours 15 to get back.this was sat over the wing on the right hand side [inside the plane] o.k.
just back from candolim.went tc. mytravel plane seating was good plenty room also i think by end off march all there planes are going to have 33 inch legroom.we took cash and travel cheques,changed all money at elephant shop,cash and cheques,same rate for both didnt need passport to change at elephant shop ,rate was good 78.8 rps for pound,
Hi - it%26#39;s a Monarch A330, flying from Gatwick. Thomas Cook were just the travel agent we booked with.
Just got my tickets also. I%26#39;m on the Manchester flight though, three and a half weeks to go!
We are interested in hiring a driver to taxi us around triangle for only 3 - 4 days. Would we hire one person? Can we get driver one-way or does driver find place to stay overnight? How can we find reliable person? (I have seen the self-promoting posts!)
Many thanks.
Hiring driver Delhi-Agra-JaipurWhy dont you look for train bookings? Driver and car would work out expensive. I would say about Rs 10-12000 if you would be keeping the car and driver for all days to drive you around everywhere.
You could find out for a dependable car and driver from the hotel where you would be staying. They would give you a dependable guy, But i wonder on the how ecenomical it would be.
Get in touch with a few travel and tours companies and get their rates.
Hiring driver Delhi-Agra-JaipurHiring one or hiring three (one for each leg of journey) have there own pros and cons...hiring one means that the driver will understand your preferences and act accordingly all 3-4 days...hiring one for each leg may save u money but having to deal with 3 ppl in 3 days might be a bit too much...n u might not get the car of ur choice all the time...in a nutshell, atleast for golden triangle do it with one driver...
u won%26#39;t get a one way driver (which means u will always pay for two way)
asking driver to find acco for you is the worst u cud do on a holiday...
I suggest u start looking for places to stay over internet(or maybe browse these forums) and then once u hv shortlisted a few then ask for opinions from ppl on this forum..
alternatively u cud do all three journeys in flights, u won%26#39;t miss much in flights and u cud hire cabs for local site seeing at each of these places...
a little more on cabs...they charge u a minimum of 200 kms everyday even if u stay parked..so for 4 days u need to shell out charges for 800 kms plus 100-150 rupees for driver%26#39;s night stay...DELHI-AGRA is just about 200 so no issues there...AGRA-JAIPUR is more than 230 so no issues there and JAIPUR-DELHI is over 250 so nothing thr as well...and assuming you do 30 kms of local sight seeing at each of these places u will cover 800 kms in four days....so u won%26#39;t and up paying any extra bucks...
I hope u enjoy your golden triangle!
hi peeps ... i can%26#39;t find anything on here about touring with friendly planet ... has anyone ever travelled with them? i%26#39;m thinking about going to india for one of their trips ... can anyone please advise if it%26#39;s good or not ... asap!!! thanks.
.
Hi There !!!
Never heard of friendly planet.
Where is this based?????
Do a search...it seems that one TripAdvisor member had a really great experience with Friendly Planet in China. I too am thinking about their India tour, so if you go, let us all know how it went!
did you ever go with friendly planet? We are thinking about booking an Italy trip with them. If you went, can you give me some feedback?
I did go with them to India and Nepal. While my brief tour of Far Eastern developing nations is one that I value, because it opened my eyes to the true nature of poverty and the imminence of war, I would not reccomend Friendly Planet to anyone with a functioning head on their shoulders.
I do not wish to re-live my poor experiences with F.P. and their subsidiary, Sita Travel, at this time, but I%26#39;ll touch on a few highlights.
48 hours before my flight left, F.P. reversed the entire itinerary, meaning that 12 hours after arriving in Delhi from New York (via London), I had to fly on to Kathmandu, leading to extreme jetlag (under the original itinerary, I would have stayed in Delhi and then enjoyed overland travel for a few days).
F.P. repeatedly put me on a different floor/in a different wing from the other tour group members, when staying in hotels (as a woman traveling alone, I found this to be a dangerous choice, especially as my fair skin, red hair, and blue eyes, sometimes meant that I needed bodyguard protection in public places).
In Delhi and in Kathmandu, the F.P. guide refused to get me to either an ATM or a phone, and so when a revolution broke out in Nepal and the airport was shut down, I had to borrow money from some Canadians to contact my family via a porter%26#39;s computer and let them know that I was safe. In fact, F.P. did not get me to either an ATM or a ISP/STD phone for 7 days...only making an effort when my brother, who I had e-mailed from Kathmandu, called their office repeatedly and threatened a lawsuit if he didn%26#39;t get to talk to me and find out if I had enough money for food/water.
When we arrived in Varanasi, via airplane, at night, our hotel reservation was lost, and still jet-lagged, we were packed into a low-class establishment with no sinks, no toilets (no troughs, no pits, nothing to relieve one%26#39;s bladder/bowels into), no potable drinking water, no air conditioning, no locks on the inside of the doors, filthy sheets, and balconies that provided local, male workers with communal access to our rooms (after refusing to sleep alone, I was allowed to bunk up with a couple from Texas for two hours, until we revolted and were packed into cars to drive 8 hours to Khajaraho, for a 2 hour nap in a hotel with toilets, where exhaustion made us all sick and feverish). Our guide would not alter the schedule to let us sleep, though every member of the group wanted to rest instead of moving on.
There is much, much, much more...but that should be enough to give you a taste of Friendly Planet%26#39;s idea of a good vacation. At the end of the trip, 30 of us dubbed the group ';Unfriendly Planet'; and several of the men destroyed their commemorative hats. A note: after receiving many, many letters of complaint, and a note from our experienced tour guide saying that he%26#39;d never guided a group for whom so many things had gone wrong, they did give us a partial refund...but it wasn%26#39;t enough (perhaps $300).
I just returned from a Friendly Planet tour of India and Nepal. It was basically a good tour, but there were some aggravations. I felt that we were rushed through the sights to make time for stops at commissioned rug stores, etc. often lasting over one and a half hours. Other than that it was a good tour and I saw many amazing things. Friendly Planet was also a bit disorganized in the pretrip activities. They gave erroneous information on both the Indian and Nepal visa application procedures. They also slightly downgraded two hotels after we had signed up. I have had better experiences with Smartours, and would recommend them over Friendly Planet.
My Jet Airlines flight from Jodhpur arrives in Delhi at 3:40pm and my Malaysia Airlines flight leaves Delhi at 11:10pm. I heard there isn%26#39;t much to do at the airport to kill several hours. Is there any interesting towns near by? Any good suggestions to spend several hours between flights in Delhi?
Well by the time you get out of the ariport it will be arund 4.
Well there are no interesting towns neearby, Delhi is the most interesting - Though yuo could try the following
- head to qutab minar
- head to Cannaught place
- Check out the new malls - select city walk at saket
......
plus if u r keen, u may just about get time to enjoy a good meal in CP or south delhi...
be aware of this as well:
…indiatimes.com/Fear_of_Flying/…2843464.cms
Hello! We were booked into the Hotel Sarovar for a two night stay in Udaipur. Has anyone any info on the hotel or can anyone suggest a nice hotel on the lake for us? We will be in Udaipur the last week of March. We would greatly appreciate the input. Thanks so much!!!!
Hi
Near to hotel sarovar is hotel Mandiram Palace. its very nice hotel and nice view. The rooms ranging from 500/- to 800/- are very clean and beautiful.The food of its restaurent is delicious.
rmrpena,
my wife and I just returned from 3 weeks in INdia and stayed at Hotel rishna Niwas in Udaipur. It is gorgeous and right smack in the middle of everything and can be nosiy if you get a lake view because of the street below. We did have luch at Ambroi or Ambrai-no website, but you can find their phone number somewhere I am sure-very good food and the rooms whcih we saw-about 75 USD are beautiful and right smack on the lake with no street noise. Ask for the old section.
Good luck,
Paul Henri
Going to India in December for wedding shopping, going first time after 24 years. Can someone tell me what is the best part of mumbai to stay in terms of shopping - Indian outfit (men) and all the norm? I have been recommended to visit Santa Cruz, Bandhra, Anderie area. Is this correct advice.
Secondly, where should i stay if for example i wanted to shop in the Santa cruz region? i.e. in Santa cuz or Juhu beach area. Is that far from Santa cruz.
Am i expected to pay nearly æ‹¢100 per day for a decent hotel? is this the price i should be expecting or should i be paying a lot less - for a 3/4 star - should be clean and in a good location other luxuries is not to much concern, any recommendations then let me know please? really appreciate it
There%26#39;s shopping both in western suburbs (Santacruz, Juhu, Andheri) as well as in south Mumbai. Staying in Bandra/Santa Cruz makes sense. Try Executive Enclave in Bandra. Search on this Forum for all our earlier posts on wedding shopping. A lot of it is advice for women, but the same shops stock menswear. Specialist mens wear shops are Millionaire Men and Benzer Men. I would bet my last dollar on Roopam and Sheetal in South Mumbai (in terms of finding stuff that you like).
- Deepa
For your budget, you will just about manage a 3 star so you shouldn%26#39;t be expecting to pay less.
I am headed to Mumbai in a couple of weeks to attend a wedding. I will have only a few days to shop for outfits to wear to the wedding. I will be staying in MIG Club in Bandhra. Did you find any good shopping in this area?
Hi,we (my wife+son) just came back from Mumbay,We stayed in Colaba (impressive British architecture);best Bombay district.For me the only accepted place.We slept in a good hotel (Cowey%26#39;s-Oliver Rd.)-';next door'; to reccomended Bentley Hotel.I do not advice to stop in Bentley- unpolite manager,don%26#39;t keep reservation(even prepaid 10 days before).Cowey%26#39;s is clean,quiet,2500Rp(60US$).
good luck-Piotr
Anita66,
If I%26#39;m not mistaken, MIG Club is in Bandra (East). So, you%26#39;ll need to come to Bandra (West) for shopping.
The Inorbit mall in Malad (W) has many big names under one roof (eg. Biba, Sheetal, Millionaire, Jashn, Fabindia etc.) If someone is staying in the suburbs, it may be worth their while to visit the mall. The travel time to the mall from Bandra should be around 1 hour and its closer to Santacruz, Andheri and Juhu.
In Juhu, one could go to the Juhu Supreme Shopping centre where Kala Niketan is located (they%26#39;re having a sale these days). Also, there are small boutiques in this area.
Santacuz (west) market has a lot of shopping.
So, take your pick.....
Wow, an hour seems a long distance to go to do shopping! Anything closer? I am not looking for designer stuff.
Anita,
For you, the suggestion was Bandra (W), Linking Road and Hill Road. At Hill Road, there%26#39;s Elco Shopping Centre where you get good dress materials etc.
As I%26#39;m basing myself in Cochin and travelling outside only for day trips as my mother is elderly , and it would be too much for her .
So I%26#39;m looking for trips from Cochin itself , the backwaters or anything else you can suggest . If you have websites then that would be great .
Backwater day cruise from Cochin .You can go for a day cruise to Alleppy Backwaters %26amp; come back on the same day. From Cochin to Alleppy is only 65 KM.
There is conducted village backwater cruises from cochin organised in Canoe not in Houseboat.
You can go for sunset cruise from Cochin which is very beautiful %26amp; worth
Backwater day cruise from Cochin .There is a tourist office just near the Ernakulam jetty close to the Taj hotel. I went on a 4 hr backwater trip booked through them a couple of years ago. Dont have the contact details but you could check keralatourism.org
This is shorter than the Allepey backwaters cruise.
You can also do a Cochin harbour cruise which is very pleasant - even for your mother, and on your own you can take the public ferry especially from Fort Cochin to Vypeen Island and look out for the dolphins who always follow the ferry boats. You can visit the lighthouse at Vypeen - too strenuous for mother - and also spend time at Cherai beach further down. Fort Cochin is nice for wandering around the antique market area near the synagogue, may be strenuous for mother but she can always sit at a nearby restaurant.
You can also book Ayurvedic spa treatments for yourself and your mother - your hotel will advise you on this.
Thanks for all that , they sound about right for what I%26#39;m after ,
I would like some treatments while in Kochi (3 nights) and Kovalam (6 nights) can anyone recommend some places and give me an idea on prices? I can only afford them when in India !
Hi
I can recommend Dr Vinoy Vighneswari at Hawa beach, his website is ayurvaidya.co.in his charges are 650 per 1 hour session of treatment. The clinic has both male and female employees.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hey....check out this website...
www.mariaheritage.com
send them an email at sales@mariaheritage.com or rema.mohan@mariaheritage.com
they will plan out something wonderful for you
hope this helps..
Hi! I also search for ayurvedic center is not far from Kochi, preferably on the beach. Like Marari Beach , but very expensive, plan 21 days ..
Thanks everyone for your advice.
Hi there,
We are a retired couple looking to rent a really nice westernised 1 bedroom aparment at Baga beach for 4 - 6 weeks next winter.
Would appreciate any info and advice.
Thanks
Dave %26amp; Jan
wht r u looking in an apartment and please also advise your budget and which time of the year r u planning ? no sooner we get this infor shall recommend u one.
Try www.ownersdirect.co.uk
Can anyone tell me where the banks are located near in this area. I expect their are some on S V Road but just need it confirmed.
Also can anyone please advise if banks (ICICI) accept Cirrus cards?
99.9% sure that ICICI accept Cirrus. Think Citi is on SV Road
Hiya
Mine and my husbands first trip to Goa, we are going with another couple as well. We leave on 13th April from Gatwick for two weeks, cannot wait!
Staying at the Dona Sylvia in Cavelossim for a week, then down to the Chattai beach huts on Agonda beach, with a night in a tent on Cola beach, finishing off for two nights in the Wildernest resort before going home.
Few questions if anyone can help, we will be travelling by taxi wherever we go so does anyone know rough prices for our travels? So Dabolim airport to Cavellosim beach? Cavellosim to Agonda/Palolem? And then Agonda to Dabolim? As we have transfers from Dabolim to Wildernest. Excuse the spelling prob got them all wrong! Also does anyone know if we have gone a bit mad on travelling all over the place, I don’t really have much idea about the distances between these resorts/beaches, is it going to be too much ?
Would welcome any advice as to must see places/events? I know there must be absolutely loads of things! We are going to try to do as much as possible
Fave restaraunts will also be appreciated!
Only five weeks to go!
Thanks
The Hollies
couldn,t give you prices for all but from airport to calangute/candolim is 700 rps no more than that myself when from calangute to palolem beach 2hrs to get there from calangute he stayed and waited nearly 8 hrs and got me back for 1500rps £20 do ever go for the 1st best u r quoted always haggle if they will always ask if u been to goa b4 say yes 3rd time they wont try and rip u off find a taxi driver u totally trust and stick with him he will totally look after u
The trick as said above is to say you have been before but say you were up north so they dont catch you out with questions...lol
Agonda is about 30 mins if you go direct but ask to go over the ferry and coastal road and to see the fort and he will take you a pretty way and you can get out and look round the fort too. It will take longer though but worth it.
Wildernest...you will love it..can you find out what the rice stuff is called that they have for breakfast up there ...I loved it but cant remember what it was called..ta..lol
Thanks guys, I will def remember to ask about the rice!
Any recomendations on sightseeing?
Hollie
Hi - if by sightseeing you mean trips, Dudhsagar Waterfalls are great, a visit to a spice plantation where you can wash/ride an elephant and the markets are all good. Depends how far you want to travel. When we stayed south on our first visit we done the falls and spice plantation and when we went north, another spice plantation, churches, cathedrals and temples of old Goa, Anjuna market and a crocodile trip. This year we%26#39;re doing overnight beach huts at Palolem and a sunset cruise and definitely Anjuna market again - I love it!
Afraid I do not know about what you should pay for transfers but last month we paid from airport to Calangute 700 Rupees taxi and air conditioned car to airport in the early hours of the morning we paid 1000 Rupees a tip of 100 Rupees each way got smiles.However, I really hope you can help me. I have been trying to book for the Wildernest for next January. How did you pay them? They want a full payment now; which is a bit unusual but I am keen enough to stay there that I do not mind . They have sent me three lots of instructions for SWIFT transfers that my bank say are invalid.Wildernest want me to pay SWIFT to an English bank for forwarding to their bank in India and my bank say they can only do SWIFT straight to India. I have emailed Wildernest offering to do a bank transfer(even though that will cost me more) but got no reply. Do you know of any way of booking into the hotel other than dealing with them direct? It really looks like a super place and after many trips to the coast we are keen to go inland but the frustration of trying to confirm the booking is about to drive us back to a lounger in Calangute!(not there is anything wrong with that!)
As to whether you are doing too much I guess if you are savvy enough to have found all the places you have you must be seasoned travellers and more interested in seeing things than in chilling out; so probably not but do be aware that Goa has an appalling record of road safety and you may find the journeys a bit hair raising.Be prepared to be firm with your drivers that you wish them to go slowly and carefully
Cacaj
In reply to your question re wildernest payment. I am kind of in the same situation as you, they asked for all payment up front, and sent me an email with three different types of payments, none of which were clear to me that I could just pay through my internet banking, so I mailed back again asking for more details, the reply I received back just said dont worry pay when you get here! Which unsettles me somewhat as I am very much a control freak and have to have everything booked and paid for to guarantee no mistakes! I replied again saying please confirm that this is ok and we will definantely have accomodation, as yet i have had no reply to this mail. hhmmm i will keep you posted via this thread as to how this proceeds. I am not overly worried, i think they just need to sort out their banking systems.
Thanks for the other info guys, will def be firm with the taxi drivers and speed!
A problem shared is a problem halved! Somehow I feel much better knowing it is not something I am being stupid about but a problem at their end! I will await news.
We are thinking about going to goa for 3wks. over xmas and new year, anyone been then, and whats the celebrations like? where is the best place and hotel to stay? any info. would be appreciated.
Sheila and jimmy
xmas and new year in goaThis is by far the busiest time of year, as well as foreign tourists it%26#39;s packed with Indian tourists from other states. You should get a move on if you want to book, as I would imagine all the decent hotels will be getting booked up.
Difficult to advise on hotels, have a look at the hotel feedback on this forum. I have only been to the north at this time of year, but I%26#39;d imagine south Goa will be a bit quieter. We usually book a private apartment, which we%26#39;ve done again this year. We prefer the accommodation, as the standard Goan hotel is pretty basic. Lots available to rent if you search on the internet.
If you don%26#39;t mind a bit of hustle and bustle, go for it!
xmas and new year in goaHi Sheila and Jimmy
Christmas in Goa is great, we went 6 years ago for 3 weeks over the Christmas and New Year. We have booked to go back for Christmas this year but not the New Year as we found that it was just too busy, you get a lot of Indian tourists around this time. I would book as soon as you can otherwise you will struggle to get decent accommodation, we have always stayed in the North, Candolim to be precise, I would recommend the Sunset Beach hotel, it%26#39;s a small friendly family run hotel, you will find it in the Thomas Cook tropical shores brochure. The Goans celebrate Christmas, Goa used to be a Portuguese colony so a lot of Goans are Catholic.
Hope this helps
DebyC
We always go then. (always ha ha only been twice..3rd time dec 08)
We go to the south and found it is not too bad but we have nothing to compare it with.....but it suits us fine.
we book flights and accom independantly as it is a little cheaper and we can get flights from where we want and at times that suit us better. we have a friend and we stay at his Hotel. palm Grove. Cavelossim.
we stayed at the holiday inn in cavelossim ... they had big parties on xmas eve and also new year%26#39;s eve. xmas was better than new year as lots of people came to the new year party celebrations just for the night (as one would go to a party in a hotel here) and they were given priority over the people who were staying in the hotel.
having said that, wouldn%26#39;t hesitate to go back .... loved it :-)
What are the beach shacks like in Cavelossim on New Years Eve? I%26#39;d really love to go back next year and spend New Years Eve on the beach but am wondering if it might be too busy for us.
We have finally got booked! Going for 22nights on 12th dec. to the colonial de brezanza in calangute. Anyone stayed there? Its our first time, so any info. would be appreciated. Looking forward to it, it will be an experiance for us and somewhere different.
Regards Sheila and Jimmy
You wil meet alot of other folks from Yorkshire and have an absolutely brilliant holiday but by the time you leave your best friends will be the Goan people.
we are going to cavolossim over xmas what are the bars beach shacks like xmas
our friends carole and alan from mirefield
stayed at the debragzna and said itwas the pits building work going on staff rude , food terrible they moved hotels after 5 days couldnt get in before that .
she
hi, staying at this hotel very soon, can anyonetel me which rooms are the best to ask for, plenty off room , good views etc, many thnaks for any information sent.
You will probably find that certain rooms are allocated to certain companys and therefore you only have a choice on a certain number of rooms that belong to the company you are going with. In Goa it used to be easy to choose any room but recently I have found this doesnt work.
Good Luck.
what is the best way to travel to agra
With a car and driver from Delhi.
Since u asked for the best I wud say car has to be SUV...the bigger the better eg safari, scorpio or atleast innova, in that order (as bumps on the road will not reach ur head, though there aren%26#39;t many)
';What is the best way to travel to Agra';
Er...from where? Agra has several train stations, an airport and major roads leading in and out.
From Delhi you can take a car as suggested, or a very comfortable Shatabdi train, or a flight.
Here%26#39;s a thread all about getting from Delhi to Agra, from just a few days ago:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g304551-i3482-k177…
Hi
Are there plenty of ATM machines across India %26amp; Nepal ot are we best taking travellers cheques
Hi Traveler
Metros and big cities in India, they are splattered with ATMs. I had no problems in using my HSBC(UK) credit card in most cities. Even smaller towns like Agra etc have a decent number of ATMs. Don%26#39;t know about Nepal but since its a popular tourist destination, ATMs have to exist there as well. I wud suggest to keep a small amount (200-300 pounds) in travellers checks as well for those sepcial situations, if u know what i mean.
Needless to say all five stars have to have an currency exchange counter, and Nepal has atleast 8-10 five start hotels. So shudn%26#39;t be a problem at all.
There are ATMs in Thamel in Kathmandu (where you are likely to be I guess) and lakeside in Pokhara. They are not 100% reliable, but aren%26#39;t normally out of service for longer than a day or two.
India has plenty of ATMs as described, but do keep cash (esp. small notes) if you%26#39;re going to small villages.
And do tell your bank you%26#39;re taking your debit card with you or their fraud dept might stop your card!
If your trip is a long one (month or more), I%26#39;d take a few traveller%26#39;s cheques in case of emergencies- sterling is fine. For a fortnight%26#39;s holiday, don%26#39;t bother.
Keep cards, money and cheques in money belt under your clothes, but use a plastic cover for the cheques as you%26#39;ll sweat all over them and eventually they disintegrate!
I read that a 3 round pin plug adapter would be best but also that the European ones could be used as well. I%26#39;m only there for a week so unlikely to need a great deal of electrical stuff.... but just in case. What%26#39;s best and where has anyone got a 3 round pin one from as every shop in my city centre is devoid of them! Worldwide seems to suggest 2 pin plugs only (round or flat pins).
Hi gecko,
Indian plug points have 3 round holes arranged in a triangle- like British ones except the pins are cylindrical.
Most adaptors for India only have 2 pins. These work fine, but the absence of the top pin means they are prone to falling out if the plug point is in an awkward position.
You can buy these kind of Worldwide adaptors at Heathrow airport and probably most regional airports too.
If you want the proper 3 pronged adaptor you%26#39;d have to send away for it I think (there%26#39;s a US company that does them), or perhaps try a travel shop like Black%26#39;s.
Thanks. With only 2 weeks to go I probably haven%26#39;t time to order one online, so as I%26#39;m there only 1 week I think I%26#39;ll attempt to get by with the 2 pin one then.
Hi,I would like to visit Tekkady in April,can you pl suggest the decent hotel in 2 star catagory with tariff range.
2 star hotels in TekkadyChrissies is quite good. Around ￡20 per night with no breakfast. Probably cheaper rooms are available though. If you are going to the tiger reserve it is a waste of time. You will be lucky spot a deer never mind a tiger. Good luck.
Can anyone who has been to the Dona Sylvia recently tell me if there are tea / coffee making facilities in the rooms please. Travelling 12/04/08.First timers and can%26#39;t wait
There wasnt when we went 2 years ago. I took a kettle ect but found I didnt use it.
No there isn%26#39;t any tea/coffes making facilities in the room. Breakfast is available from 7am and tea and coffee are available at the pool snack bar from 11am. There is also tea/coffee available in the reception area during the evening. any more queries, feel free to ask.
Thanks guys. What about hair driers and safes ?
No hairdriers. and they had safes behind reception but someone said they do now have safes in the room.
Both are supplied.have a great time.don%26#39;t change money in hotel, go to the place opposite Haathi mmhal.I think it%26#39;called Jah%26#39;s or somthing similar
Thanks Guys. 5 weeks and counting
Hey me too, first timers and staying at the dona for teh first week, are you staying there week or longer, are you going anywhere afterwards??
Hollie
Hair driers and safes are provided in the rooms. Two weeks ago, the best exchange rate was offered by the chemist. We used our Nationwide card in the ATM to get a better rate.
Has anyone been to this place not sure if spelt correct is it any good, trying to get a few ideas of what to do
thanks les
I went there some years ago and found it very distressing. Elephants tied up, mongooses in small cages, all showing signs of distress. I don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s changed now - perhaps someone%26#39;s been there more recently than me. That was probably about 10 years ago.
Thanks londongoa girl
ill give that one a miss, hopefully its improved these days but wont go in case.
thanks lesley
I went there about 5 years ago and everything LondonGoa-girl said was much the same. They said alot of their animals had been rescued but I very much doubt it. I also hope that things have changed over the last few years. Anyone been to visit there more recently?
There is a letter in todays Herald complaining about the conditions at the sanctuary. So sadly it seems nothing has changed.
we where there in jan this year
theres a lot of rebuilding work being done there at the moment the aim of the place is to rehabilitate the animals that are back into their own enviroment within 5 yrs, the elephants get chained up when they are not taking people and school children on their backs for rides.there is a few more bison in this year young ones just born, only a couple sloth bears,plent porkupines ,a new king cobra that was caught just outside panjim,what you have to remember this place is run off donations and the 30 rups it cost to go in there are lovely gardens where the school kids all go for a picnic , we spent about 3 hrs there in jan
it cost us for 3 adult 1 camara 1 camcorder 110 rups our friends it cost them 130 rups 4 adults 1 camara
we think its a good day out
takes couple hrs to get there so you could do the spice plantation or waterfall on same day then youve done 2 trips in 1
hope this helps
she
It sounds like it has improved alot since we were there, which is very good news.
dont get me wrong its still run down but its improving and you can see that
she
Getting really excited now, so can I just say a really big thankyou to everybody who has taken the time to answer my questions, it%26#39;s been a real help. I%26#39;ll post a full report when I get back. If there%26#39;s one thing I%26#39;ve learnt about this forum is simply this; '; strangers, are merely friends we have yet to meet';. Enjoy the sauce my goan peeps. As ever, my best regards to you all.xx
Steve.
Have a great time, might bump inot you at ';Mackies'; night market. 8 more sleeps for me..
Have a great time my friend you will love it as much we all do.
Welcome to the '; family ';
ian ........
Have a great time Steve. 10 more sleeps for me yeyyyyy.
have a great time we%26#39;ve got 3 weeks to wait not that we%26#39;re counting ;o)
nickie
Can you help with itinerary?
Going to Kerala (for 3rd time) for 18 nights, December 2007 with 2 kids (10 %26amp; 12).
Flying in to Trivandrum and out from Kochi.
So far considering: Kovalum 4nights (recovering from v. long journey), Overnight houseboat (not sure from where), Kumarakom bird sanctuary 2 or 3 nights, Kochi 3 nights.
Would love to go on the ';Toy Train'; to Ooty and on to the wild life parks, and then relax a couple of days before a very early flight from Kochi on 2nd January. (A lot of places in Kochi are already booked for New Year.)
1.Should we stop overnight en route to Ooty?
2.Should we stay in Mudumalai National Park or just visit for the day?
3.Any suggestions for the last 2 to 3 days?
4. Any suggestions on the general itinerary?
Could travel with car and driver (as before) but open to suggestions.
(Have been to Kochi %26amp; Kovalum before but don%26#39;t mind revisiting.
Also been to Periyar %26amp; Varkala but don%26#39;t want to revisit.)
All suggestions very gratefully received!
Regards
Going from Cochin?Alleppey to Ooty can be done without a night halt-the distance is not more than about 350-400 kms. The raods are in bad shape but the morning Intercity will take you most of the way,and from Coimbatore it is about two hours by road to Ooty. Use the same cab to do Mudumalai, and back to the station at Coimbatore for the return leg. Any wildlife sanctuary deserves a night halt-you should do both a late evening safari as well as an early morning one, to enjoy it to the fullest.
Is it possible to travel from Ooty or Coonor direct to Cochin? If so, please could you let me know how long the journey would take and what would be your recommendations ie train, bus, driver?
Dear Friend ,
The suggestion for the travel iternary is as below
Kovalam - 4 ngiths
Kumarakom backwaters - 2 nights
Houseboat - 1 night
Kochi - 2 nights
Coimbatore / Mettupalayam - 1 nght (halt on the way to Ooty and catch teh Metupalayam - ooty train )
Ooty - 2 nights
Mudumalai - 2 night
Wayanad - 2 nights( hill station)
Cherai beach - 2 night
1. if you catch the train to ooty , well you can stay at Mettupalayam for a night
2.Mudumalai national park one night stay is advisable , as ponted out already , you can take the safari early morning or evening
3.a slight changes in the iternary , you can be in cochin on the newyears eve
Kovalm 4 nights
Backwaters - 2 nights
Bouseboat - 1 night
Coimbatore - 1 night
Ooty - 2 night
mudmalai - 2 night
Wayand - 2 nights
Fort cochin- 3 night
4.it is advisable to do the houseboat cruise on the last day at teh backwaters rather than on the first day , in peak season
best regards
indiantripadvisor@gmail.com
Hi Rob you may recall I and a friend visited you in December.
We were just wondering how the young girl who was so badly burnt in a %26#39;home%26#39; fire is.
When we visited you were having to dress her every day in a special suit how is she doing??
cheers
Lyn x
I am looking for a 10 day ayurveda spa retreat with yoga and meals included. Has anyone been to Indus Valley Ayurvedic center in Mysore or Ayurvedagram in Bangalore? Are there other centers that I should consider? I am travelling from Mumbai to the spa and I%26#39;m open to flying anywhere in India for a good relaxing experience. I will be a single woman travelling by myself, so I would like to find one place to provide all the spa treatments and accomodation and food. I have been to India before and know better than to travel a lot by myself.
Thanks for your help.
Indus Valley Ayurvedic center in Mysore is a delight! My husband and I spent 8 days there in November. The facility is relaxing, tranquil and comfortable, with modest yet attractive rooms. The grounds are lovingly tended, planted with fragrant plants, and there are ';sound boxes'; along the paths emitting the OM chant. We met with the highly professional medical staff the first morning to discuss our respective treatments, and were scheduled for various procedures each day. The massages were performed by a well trained and caring staff--each practitioner studies for at least a year before working on the guests. Before each treatment the attendants recite a prayer, which creates the proper spiritual sense that is hoped for in this type of ';mind-body'; discipline. They truly care and are incredibly sweet, gentle and modest.
The personal attention we received was a delight, especially since our typical doctors visits at home lasts for less than 10 minutes. Each day we had a consultation with the doctors to monitor our progress and make changes as needed. The prescribed diets were fresh, simple and caringly served. There was always a supply of fresh pure water and tea available. No worries about getting sick from the food here.
Of course the best thing about Indus Valley was that we both left totally relaxed, bright eyed, clear headed and completely rejuvenated. We shared many truly amazing ';success stories'; with the multi-national guests who were there during our stay. Many had lost weight, alleviated serious medical issues, and left feeling renewed. Anyone needing a true rest will be delighted with the results. We hope to go back periodically for a tune-up. Considering the distance and time it takes to travel there, it was an incredible bargain compared to the many ';spa'; options we have in the States. We have been to some of the top resorts, spas and ';wellness centers'; at home and have never experienced the complete relaxation we felt at Indus Valley. One last suggestion would be to arrange for their driver to pick you up if you arrive on a flight into Bangalore in the middle of the night. We saved several hours on the road by arriving when there was little traffic. By starting the program the next morning we seemingly got over jet lag very quickly. PS- there were several single women travelers there and they all seemed to be quite comfortable. We highly recommend this place but you need to be prepared for a completely authentic traditional ayurvedic experience which may not be entirely pleasant at times.
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4. Herbal Therapy
5. Recommendations for:
鈥?Simple exercises for specific age groups, specific conditions %26amp; specific problems.
鈥?Measures for the health of eyes, neck, low back, knees etc..
6. Specific measures for the soundness of mind and emotions also included
Dr.Bharadwaj believes that inputs can be powerfully imparted only in small group. By meaningfully associating and interacting with small groups of not more than 15 each time, he had achieved high levels of success in ensuring everlasting results for the participants. Therefore registrations are limited to this number. Participation of couples is given priority and highly encouraged with concessional participation fee.
Registrations open
Venue: KR Puram, Bangalore
Date: 16 and 17 February 2008
Faculty : Dr.D.Bharadwaj
Blog:- http:// drdbharadwaj.blogpot.com
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For further details and registration (All DD in favour of Dr.D.Bharadwaj only)
Local contact:
Name: Umashankar.V
Mob: 09845540861
Email: urshankar@gmail.com
Beat Ageing
Be fit and young forever
Experience the 2-day transformation workshop
';Integral Life Style'; by Dr.D.Bharadwaj on
The health of Mind, Body and Spirit
Learn the basics of a fit body, sound mind and bubbling spirit
Course includes:
1. Diet Therapy
2. Aroma Therapy
3. Color Therapy
4. Herbal Therapy
5. Recommendations for:
鈥?Simple exercises for specific age groups, specific conditions %26amp; specific problems.
鈥?Measures for the health of eyes, neck, low back, knees etc..
6. Specific measures for the soundness of mind and emotions also included
Dr.Bharadwaj believes that inputs can be powerfully imparted only in small group. By meaningfully associating and interacting with small groups of not more than 15 each time, he had achieved high levels of success in ensuring everlasting results for the participants. Therefore registrations are limited to this number. Participation of couples is given priority and highly encouraged with concessional participation fee.
Registrations open
Venue: KR Puram, Bangalore
Date: 16 and 17 February 2008
Faculty : Dr.D.Bharadwaj
Blog:- http:// drdbharadwaj.blogpot.com
Email : drdbharadwaj@gmail.com
For further details and registration (All DD in favour of Dr.D.Bharadwaj only)
Local contact:
Name: Umashankar.V
Mob: 09845540861
Email: urshankar@gmail.com
i%26#39;m going to this retreat next week. there%26#39;s still one more spot.
sacredearthjourneys.ca/TOURS/sacred-india-sp鈥?/a>
after researching other packages like this, the pricing on the Sacred Earth retreat to India is a good value.
Hi, does anyone know if the rooms at the Santiago in Baga have hair dryers??
I am in the middle of packing and was wondering this! doesn%26#39;t look like anyone knows tho!
hi stayed in santiago for xmas, you will love it staff all very friendly ,but take your own hairdryer , can buy converter plug over there,.love to all the staff only 9 months till we go back
Just had our accomodation changed from the Horizon Hotel to the Santiago Hotel. Has anyone stayed there recently? If so any info.
u r definately moving to a better option, i wld love to stay at santiagos then in horizon, both r quite properties but santiago is much close walking to the beach , make sure they compensate u will an alinclusive option as santiagos is an all inclusive property.n als make sure u get the rooms on the block facing the pool, n not the on near the thai restaurant.
santiago much better hotel,stayed xmas%26amp;new year it was great ,went to look at horizon and glad we picked santiago, offthe main road but still close to all the facilities,staff there are very friendly especially the bar %26amp;restuarnt lads regards to them all from spanish liverpool barbara
The Santiagio is a great hotel. It has very friendly staff and great food. Its close to the centre and the beach but far enough away to be quiet. The pool is quite small and the sunbeds get taken up quickly but we never stay by the pool and prefer to go down to the beach and relax there by the beach shacks, with a cooler breeze from the sea. The rooms are clean but basic and very well attended. All in all our favorite place to stay because of the great staff !
Has anyone one flew with !st Choice recently. What was the flight like. Flew with Thomson in January brilliant flight, nice and comfy, lots of leg room travelled economy.
First Choice long haul flights are very comfortable with 33 seat pitch. The same as Thomson new long haul planes. You wont be dissappointed
I%26#39;ve flown longhaul with First Choice last June to Mexico,the previous year to The Dominican Republic and we%26#39;re going with them to Goa (personally, would try and go with them everytime).
We went economy (don%26#39;t think there%26#39;s much point upgrading) loads of legroom, seatback TV%26#39;s, food - well, the usual airline offerings unfortunately but the benefit of a direct flight.
We went FC at Christmas and it was fine.You can upgrade your seat back telly for a fiver for more films and games.Leather seats, roomy and food not bad. Booked for Sri Lanka and for Goa next Christmas wouldn%26#39;t fly with anybody else if I had the choice.
Ideal for Dagnomians.
BC
Oh thats great lookforward to next saturday now. Thankyou to my neighbour, BC in the Naam we like to travel in class.
The whole plane got upgraded on the way back last year as they couldn%26#39;t get the return entertainment schedule to start up so we had to have the same one as when we went out - I thought it was great, mainly because you can pause, stop and start films/programmes where you want. I usually just get into something when one of the kid%26#39;s wants to go to the loo, or they make an announcement and I miss some vital line in a film I%26#39;ve been watching for two hours or something. Definitely going to treat us all this time.
I know what you mean about the Kids, thats why im not having anymore. lol
Heaven forbid, I%26#39;m looking forward to the day they want to go off on holiday with their mates and not bother with us two old foggies anymore. Ohh, then I don%26#39;t have to worry about how many people a room will sleep, book out of school holiday time (which will save me a fortune), have a meal in peace ....... I could go on, and on, and on but hey I love them to bits really. I suppose by then I%26#39;ll be fretting about what they%26#39;re getting up to like wild having parties in the house etc. lol
Been there done that.. Phew.. glad they are 22 and 24 now and standing on their own two feet (alledgedly)
Mine are almost 12 and 9, so a way to go for me yet ;-)
I have flown with a lot of scheduled airlines, we upgraded this time and I couldn%26#39;t fault the sevice and if I went again I would cetainly travel with them again. To be honest I wouldn%26#39;t want to travel with anyone else.
Has anyone been to the Palm Springs Beach Resort in Candolim? Struggling to find reviews...
Palm Springs Beach ResortHello,
I stayed there a few years ago. It%26#39;s in a great, quiet location and the owner is extremely friendly and the breakfasts are fab. Only slight prob is the bathroom walls (well in my room anyway) do not go to the ceiling in your room so you can hear everything!
Just noticed that http://www.johnthemap.co.uk/ website has disappeared.
Does anybody know where I can find an alternative map of Candolim with beach shacks and restaurants listed?
Also directions please for Bono%26#39;s.
Cheers
Paul and Sue
try www.findall-goa.com. That%26#39;s a pretty up to date map. Got quite a few maps on there and the Candolim one is fairly recent I think.
Bonos is down the candolim beach road and turn right about a 5 min walk.
maybe this will help
findall-goa.com/Maps/Candolim/Candolim.htm
Where about is the Sweet Chilli Restaurant. I would like to try it when I go, I have heard some good reports about it?
Sweet Chilli is down the main road, through Candolim and just past the turning to the Taj resort on the right.
Went there a couple of years ago and had a good night, great entertainment and fairly decent food, although my chicken was still raw in the middle so take a torch and check before you chomp!
Thanks for your help Simmybrinny and lenny9.
Shame about John The Map though as he%26#39;s about the only one I found who listed most of the beach bars.
If you look at http://wikimapia.org/275746 there are a lot - will have to try to update when I get back.
Only 10 days to go and we can%26#39;t wait!
Kind regards
Paul %26amp; Sue
if you pm me your e-mail address
i can send you a link to johns map i saved it
Beware of the scam at the burning ghat!
As soon as you approach the burning ghat some people come up to you and offer to show you the ghat from the special ';tourist platform';.They sometimes lie that tourists are not allowed to stay at the ghat. They give you a brief tour about the burning ghat. Then they say how there is a hospice ta the back and how they work as volunteers there and help poor people with no relatives to be burnt after death. Then they say how the wood cost 150 Rs for a kg an at the end they insist on you giving a donation of at least per 1 kg of wood per person (300Rs). And get really pushy and aggressive if you refuse to give. We became the victims of this scam to start with by giving 150 Rs but then we asked locals and found out that it is 100% scam and everyone know about these burning ghat scammers. Later on we went back and confronted them in the presence of other tourists. They got really angry and started to call me evel woman and tried to get rid of me asap. It was clear they can not object my accusations.
1. it cost about 300-500 Rs for a body to be burnt at the ghat and not the astronomical figures they mention.
2. Whatever they tell you people can walk pass the ghat with no obstacles and can stand anywhere.
If they start being pushy - you can a choice of either saying you donated to the hospice already or just being hard and tell them off and say you are not going to donate a penny.
Remember - most they say about themselves - are lies!!!
i think this is the general practice whereever you go to visit places in india. You got to be careful and know how to avoid them.
I am trying to make a reservation at Alidia Beach Cottages in the Baja area of Goa and am not getting any response. Does anyone know how to conatct this establishment.
The web search I did produced the following contacts from Lonely Planet :-
Telephone: +918322276835
Email: alidia@rediffmail.com
It%26#39;s spelt Baga though, not Baja which may be where you are going wrong.
I’m looking for an inexpensive (under 1500R, 60$ or £30) friendly hotel or lodge somewhere in North India to chill out for a week or so. It must be quiet and peaceful with a garden or roof garden and the room must be clean with an ensuite shower/WC. There must be OK food either in the hotel or nearby. Simple is fine! I don’t want anything posh! I don’t want a spiritual retreat place or go to Shimla (too cold!) Any suggestions, please.
http://kashmirvacations.googlepages.com
There are some small guest houses around 800-1000rs in Rajpur, just on the outskirts of Dehra Dun in Uttarakhand. Rajpur is a small community of Tibetans and Indians and has a market area but also is just at the foot of the foothills of the Himalayas. The views are nice up to the mountains yet there is still a town to wander in. Dehra Dun with more modern restaurants is a 20 minute auto rickshaw ride away, and Mussoorie is an hour bus or taxi ride if you want to be in the mountains and not just looking at them.
i%26#39;m going to this retreat next week. there%26#39;s still one more spot.
sacredearthjourneys.ca/TOURS/sacred-india-sp…
after researching other packages like this, the pricing on the Sacred Earth retreat to India is a good value.
hi enqland ray,
In uttranchal there is lots of full of natural beauty, inexpensive, quiet, places. like
rishikesh: - related to spiritual, adventure and lots of activities to do.
Dehradun: - peacful town wth good accommodations and good restaurant.
uttarkashi: - peacefull Himalayan town full wth natural beauty.
Joshimath: - another peacfull town in himalayas and near to famous ski slopes ';auli';.
kausani, binsar: - these r also himalayan small town, u can c full himalayan range from these places. wth natural beauty and peace..
tc
has any body stayed at the nizmar resort in calangute because i have got a good deal hal the prce of sun village i am going on 10 march flying with first choice ,accommodation by thomson
nizmar resort hotel,calanguteHi Wilky,
we have friends who stay there every january, they love it, its friendly and convenient for everything.
its a good choice.
enjoy !
ian.......
nizmar resort hotel,calangutethanks a lot ian
Likewise, my cousin has stayed there a few times and absolutely loved it. She said the staff, food and facilities were fantastic.
Loads of reviews here
tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g306995-d307416…
T%26amp;J
we%26#39;ve stayed there twice but now it%26#39;s gone all inclusive won%26#39;t be going back as not worth paying extra money to stay there. Six of us spent the night in mandrem and went into arambol for night out.We had 14 large vodkas, 2 beers, mixers and soft drinks (4 adults and 2 teenagers) meals for all of us total was 1095 rps. All inclusive hotel deals can%26#39;t compete with that!!
Agree with you 100% Tilly
We%26#39;ve stayed there twice before and won%26#39;t be going back ONLY because its gone AI.
T%26amp;J
thanks guys the only reason i am going to the nismar because i got a better deal than b%26amp;B IN OTHER HOTELS .STAYED IN THE SUN VILLAGE IN JANUARY,and regretted it. look on thomson holidays web site foe 11 march hotel only 2 weeks￡343for two
ps the snow is now crisp and even outside my front door so roll on the 10th
Loved the Nizmar - stayed there three years ago and staff were really friendly. One word of advice email hotel direct and ask for upgraded room f.o.c. - we got a wonderful suite with two balconies and it really made a big difference.
I am going to Goa on 20 March for two weeks but have chosen not to stay at the Nizmar because it has gone all inclusive and I really enjoy eating out in Goa because it is soooooooo cheap and delicious. If the Nizmar reverted back to B %26amp; B I would definitely stay there again.
Enjoy!
hi,curso re upgrade the one i have got from thomsons is a superior room ,is this an upgraded room ?
Have A Nice Day To All,
I am very happy to say this, Before 1 month i went for an my honeymoon trip to Kerala with the help of one tour operator , they provide all facilities to us. We enjoy lot of things in that tour because of our tour operator.
The site is www.kerala-honeymoon-tour.com. In that site can contain all the details about the kerala and tour place in kerala . The main thing is they give an a hospitality feeling to us.
If anyone go for an honeymoon trip or any other tour trip to kerala, Please refer that site . Surely it is useful for your tour trip.
www.kerala-honeymoon-tour.com
very nice site
me and me other r in delhi for 2 days fri 14th march wanting to know if there is any in door shopping malls or outdoor in has to be safe because my partner gets very scared and how much would it cost for a taxi to theses malls
Try going to Ansal Plaza. Its one of the better malls in Delhi proper. Just get a autorickshaw (tuk tuk) from Karol Bagh.
For bigger malls you could try heading to Gurgaon, but it will cost you more.
Plenty of shops in Karol Bagh too. Remember to bargain.
Ansal Plaza is in South Delhi while Karol Bagh is in West Delhi, also Ansal Plaza is the oldest Mall in Delhi. Since the past 2 years lots and lots of malls have come up in Delhi. The closest to Karol Bagh would be so to the TDI Mall which is At Rajouri Garden (West Delhi), you can take the Metro from Karol Bagh and get down at the Rajouri Garden station and can see TDI Mall across the road. Also, there is one more mall near this station name of which i cannot recall at this moment.
If you really like to visit a new and Hip mall go to ';Select CityWalk'; located in Saket (South Delhi) will take you 30-40mins by Cab from Karol Bagh.
There are lots of malls in the area i live (East Delhi) but it may be difficult for a foreigner to navigate.
Adjacent townhips to Delhi, like Noida and Gurgaon too have some new and fantastic malls, i esp. like ';The Great India Place'; mall located in Noida which is probably the largest mall here, it may take around 40mins from Karol Bagh to Noida on a Cab.
Hi Stonk
If I were u I won%26#39;t like to buy M%26amp;S clothes in a delhi mall, coz i can always buy these back home in wales.
The point is, these malls are full of branded things mostly from American and european chains.
I wud instead go to places like ';Dilli Haat';. Its pretty similar to car-boot sales back home. The difference is that it is ticketed so you won%26#39;t be bothered much (pickpockets, beggers etc) and its single showcase for all indian states%26#39; ethnic produce (clothes, artificial jewellery, ornaments etc).
i dont think u will find much fun shopping in high end malls but they are sure great to watch if u want typical indian taste then delhi haat and ghuffar market in karol bagh
but if u want brands like LEVIS. M%26amp;S cheeper then anywere in world then malls is better bet
go to GREAT INDIA PALACE in NOIDA
SELECT CITY WALK in SAKET
METRO WALK @ RITHALA u can take metro from CP to rithala for this
plus u can go malls at gurgaon there tons of there
At the IRTC website for reservation on the Shatabdi express from delhi to Agra, I dont see the Executive Chair Car listed under travel classes ie. on the reservation screen. Has this class been discontinued or what?
Its listed under 1A
I cant find it under 1a. It offers only berths. No mention of chairs.
Also when I press the Go button after listing the 2 passengers, the site keeps insisting ';there is no third passenger'; and refuses to proceed to the next page. Very difficult site indeed.
Also, which banks will accept a UK credit card ? The IRTC site does not make this clear. tried 3 banks and they will accept only their local card!
Try Citibank. It did not accept my Finnish VISA, but accepted Diners and should accept Eurocard and/or American Express as well.
Thanks. Citibank worked, the other two, HDFC Bank and ICCI just could not work the transaction.
And I think Ive got the Exec chair car as well sorted. Took 2 hours altogether! Should be easier now that Ive got the hang of the IRTC website.
I tried for 2 weeks to book my trains on IRCTC site. It would not accept my UK visa credit card payment. It drove me mad. In the end a tour company came to my rescue. I too was surprised to see Ex chair not offered on most of the journeys. Im off in 2 days and hopefully my tickets will be delivered to my delhi hotel!
We booked electronic tickets, so after succeded in booking the tickets (after many, many tries) we did not have to worry about getting the tickets delivered to us.
cards issued out side india are not mainly accepted on indian websites due to web security concerns...
but i hope if u talk with them they will accept it after confirmation probaly from bank
My husband and I will be in Delhi (Day 1) on Holi (March 22nd). We have tours booked for the following on that day:
Visit Qutub Minar built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibek in 1199, Humayun%26#39;s Tomb, India Gate (War Memorial Arch), Lakshminarayan Temple - a modern Hindu Temple. Also drive past President%26#39;s House, Parliament House, Government Secretariat Buildings and Connaught Place shopping centre.
How will Holi impact us? Do the hotels have celebrations for holi on the eve or day of?
hi ssz,
holi is one of the biggest festival in india. so most of the hotels also celebrate holi or party in evening. this festival starts on 21st night and on 22nd morning ppl play wth colours till afternoon..i dont think there is any impact on ur tour, may b ur day sightseeing starts in afternoon.
tc
I would suggest you do not go for sightseeing on holi. More than sightseeing you will be seen and coloured.
Btter to stay in the hotel and celebrate holi there itself. They surely be having a small party for their guests. Depends on where oyu are staying.
Anyway most of the things are closed till atleast the afternoon. And i think everyone will anyway be in a festive mood to be sitting at monuments managin it.
Though I am goign to Qutab minar tomororw, I will find out what the scene will be like and update you.
if u move around on holi day morning expect lot of colours, lot of ppl on roads dancing plyaing in colours but u will also find some drunkds who may spoil some party but rest sure moving on roads on holi will be experince to have in life time
Yes i am totaly agree with mr.Cpt. please don%26#39;t move from hotel atleast before the half past of the day.I would reccommend you to stay in the hotel and enjoy the holi there itslef.You might face some unwanted things to be haapens as they use mud and water before 3.00 pm.
I am living in Delhi .
thanks
Thank you all for your quick response. It sounds like holi will limit us from or tour. Considering this, we will likely not go to Delhi at all as we were only there for 1 day.
I%26#39;m booking a tour with caper travel company -- Golden triangle and Ranthambore for late January. I%26#39;ve had a lot of email contact and they seem fine, but I wanted to know if anyone has booked with them. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks.
Caper Travel CompanyI%26#39;m also looking for trips with them. Let me know how did you like it.
Caper Travel CompanyPlz check with www.travinfoindia.com and www.yatra.com..
they organise very qulity trips
Dear friend, many greetings.
I am having email with caper travel company, too. did you travel with them? How was it?
Thanks, Alex.
I am traveling to India on April and I would like to know how was your trip with Caper.
Thanks
What%26#39;s the form withthis - i%26#39;m there with my partner - will she be ok
just looked on IndiaMike board on this - very negative on the festivities
We don%26#39;t mind a party and don%26#39;t mind getting covered in coloured powder and water - more the merrier.
Any suggestions, do%26#39;s dont%26#39;s etc??
thanks in advance
hi,
1: - apply some oil or cold cream on ur face so its easy to remove colour.
2: - most imp. is ';avoid crowd';. celebrate holi in hotel.
3: - if u go out avoid to drink anything served by ppl or friends.
4: - use dry coloure...
happy holi
tc
Hi,
some more useful info..
funonthenet.in/component/…wap2
there are some locals and traveller who get together and celebrate holi
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=1906
IF you are a woman dont wear light coloured clothes (thin cotton). Wear 2 layers of clothes (inner/outer) while playing holi . Dont drink too much bhang.
This is just to let people who are stopping off en-route to be careful when buying duty free. For example, if you buy duty free in the UK and stop off in Bahrain, then they are likely to take it off you when you arrive. If you know that you will be stopping in the middle east then buy your duty free over there, it will be much cheaper anyway.
They seem to have become much stricter than they use to be.
never took ours of us,
flew out of manchester 26th jan stopped at bahrain, with a bottle of wine
stopped on the way back on 10th feb with bottle of honey bee
again no problems
Did you have it in your hand luggage as that%26#39;s what I meant?
We have been looking at flights for April and on the Odyssey website it now states that you shouldn%26#39;t take UK bought duty free into Bahrain.
We came back via Qatar yesterday and bought some duty free but they only allowed us to purchase it because we didn%26#39;t have any other stopovers before our final destination in Manchester. A russian lady in the next queue was having her expensive duty free cosmetics removed from the boxes and put into a clear plastic bag.
yep bought my wine in manchester airport
and bought my honeybee in duty free at goa
cause i forgot a bottle for a friend
both went through the scanners in my hand luggage at bahrain
