Goa in 4 days...anyone else gonna be around?

hey there folks

One canadian headin down to Goa to check it out and hopefully do some partyin....anyone goin to be around feb 24-28?

mascara

client time

fort aguada beach resort

unfortunatly we have had to change hotels from the cidade de goa to the fort aguada, we have heard great things about the fort???, any information would be great...also im confused about changing money??, do we change in this country or in india???

fort aguada beach resort

Hi the fort certainly looks the part, we have never stayed there though.

You will have to get your money over there as you are not allowed to take rupees in or out of the country.

When are you flying out?

fort aguada beach resort

I have stayed at the Fort Aguada, but as it was 21 years ago, things may have changed just a little. It was very nice then though!!

lucky you, never stayed at the fort but have been a guest ay the cidsde de goa. the fort is a differnet class an sin a much better setting, righ on the beach and 5mins to the centre off baga , which you must visit. you really dont no how lucky you have been in getting moved. the cidadeis miles from anywhere and out on a limb. change money when u get to indian but dont bother about money change in hotel.take a taxi into clangute should be getting about 77 to the pound.lucky to get 70 in the hotel.

i normally use the hotal wcs when i am on the beach up at that end, the beach goes for about 7miles righ along to baga, its a great walk an dget a taxi back it willcost you abouy 3 pounds, if that. when are you going, i wil be there for 2 weeks arriving the 8th april. i allways stay at the ronhill now in baga, but woulld love to stay at the fort, you lucky devil , enjoyim sure you will.

hi joylin, we are flying out on the 5th sat, arrive in goa, lunchtime sunday.thanks for the information regarding the money, are you visiting goa??.

hi silverguy, thats made feel very happy indeed!!!, we might even see each other out ther, i could even give you a tour of the fort!!!!!!.

thanks

I looked at the Hotel and the map on trip advisor shows hotel on other side of candolim, am i looking at wrong hotel?

ues thats right all the resorts are on the main drag about 20mins from end to end, its the best hotel on the strip.

I looked at this hotel a few times the other week when we was there.

It looks lovely from outside, that was as far as we got, because of security on the gate.

come out of the hotel and down the steps (at the right hand side there is a young lad sells fresh coconuts for 20r, just cuts the top off and gives you a straw, this is a must) and your straight on the beach, althoug i didnt quite like this beach it was a bit dirty. But a 10 - 15 min walk up the beach and it was much better. The calamari beach shack is here and we rated this very highly.

Also at night i would suggest getting a taxi into candolim should you wish to go here. As the road coming out of the hotel is a bit quiet and i would imagine very dark at night.

But hubby said to me he would love to have stayed here, i%26#39;m sure keith floyd has sayted here as well.

enjoy goa.

here is a map

[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/mlclfaad/candolim.gif[/IMG]

its not unfortunate but a brilliant change that ur staying at the Fort Aguada.. its the nicest in north goa.. past Candolim into an area called Sinquriem.. change at local change places not at ur hotel...

food in the Arpora/Calangte/Baga areas

not wishing to stir a hornets nest BUT, can anyone recommend their favourite eating places to me and wifey. some basic idea of where%26#39;s best? we both like curries; her%26#39;s is about a korma, mine can be as hot as you like. we both love most types of food, and within reason don%26#39;t really care what it cost%26#39;s so long as you get what you pay for. This is our first ever trip to Goa, so we really do need your help. As ever, many thanks guys/gals.( anyone been to Rui%26#39;s restaurent that was featured on Rick Stein%26#39;s .. Sea food odyssey? )

Steve.

food in the Arpora/Calangte/Baga areas

There are so many fab restaurants in these areas, you will be spoilt for choice.

A couple of our faves are

Kim Faa (Baga)

All Spice (Arpora)

Fiestas (Baga) This restaurant is in my opinion the best in Goa for beautiful surroundings, ambiance etc. It is really atmospheric, lovely for a special occasion.

There are loads more. I am sure others will tell you about their faves too.

food in the Arpora/Calangte/Baga areas

thanks minnie, have now started writing them down.

Steve.x

Thats the way, get them all written down then you can have a great time trying them out. You will be amazed at the prices too.

Are you on the countdown now Steve?

No not really Minnie, but in 26days 9hrs 48mins, We%26#39;ll be there Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeee

i love the food at nisha%26#39;s on tito%26#39;s road ,,,great seafood ..but they do everything else and at a really good price,,im always in there...would def recommend..

read my post earlier in the goa forum..lots of choices...

Trekking in Sikkim

Thinking of doing the 4-day loop starting in Pelling in mid-March. Has anyone does this? Can it be done without a trekking permit and what type of weather should we expect?

Thanks.

Trekking in Sikkim

towards pelling you wont need trekking permit but if you plan to headupwards to dzongri i hope you need to get it but do verify it . but in anycircumstances you shll needa special permitto sikkim which you can obtain in delhi orsiliguri or border town rangpo

Sikkim Vs Nepal

Hi,

I%26#39;ve been to Nepal (EBC trek) and might think to try Sikkim (Gochala treks) for next trekking plan in end March. I%26#39;m afraid Sikkim could not provide as best scenery as I experienced in Nepal (might lead to dissapointment). Can anyone share your views on this. If Sikkim not as beautiful as Nepal - I would rather go to Annapurna. Would like to hear your opinion. Thanks.

Sikkim Vs Nepal

tehy have their own beauty but skkim has some fantatic sceneries nature has in this world . I wold not compare nepal and sikkim as they hve both their beauty . its yo to decide . one thing for sur sikkim does not have much tourist as nepal and its still pure and raw nature .

but in the end its you to decide . one thing for sure you shall find agreat difference in sikkim something new . as you hae been in nepal already visit sikkim y shall not regret it

Chloroquine&Proguine

Hi everyone,

I am going to the Colonia Santa Maria (Calangute) in April! I cant wait. My doctor has advised I take Chloroquine and Proguine so I will. I have read the other posts on all the different things you can take but I will just stick to what the doctor has recommended.

I am slightly worried because when I went to Eqypt I got bitten so much on my legs that my legs all swelled up and I had to wear a long skirt for the whole holiday it was that bad.I could not stop itching my legs and had to stay in the hotel room most of teh holiday as my legs hurt so much. What do I take to stop them biting me?!! HELP! I am going to try garlic capsules which someone recommended but is there any other things I could try? Is there a tablet I can take daily before I go taht stops them?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Lianne

Chloroquine%26amp;Proguine

If you%26#39;re attractive to mosquitos, it%26#39;s something you have to live with. No amount of garlic or Vitamin B capsules will stop them biting you. However, you can plaster yourself in a good insect repellent.

I know everyone has their favourite, but after trying Odomos in Goa and getting bitten almost everywhere, I now stick to something with a hefty dose of DEET in it that I buy in the UK - Jungle Formula or Boots own, for example.

Chloroquine%26amp;Proguine

I am the same and i use Expedition from the camping shops comes in different strengths i use 50%,it contains deet, it works for me,buy a spray when you get there for the room,use it before you go out at night.I burn the coils and citronella candles on the balcony.Antihistamine tablets help the itching,can be bought at any chemist in Goa.

Regards Rita

Yeah boots do a 50% deet spray which is very good and about the cheepest you can get in the UK, as mentioned before anti histamines help with the itching. Plus if you go out in the evenings light trousers stop the little blighters getting your ancles

Hi Lianne,

I agree with the earlier reply that if mossies are attracted to you then you have to accept that, how ever there is a repellent that is supplied to the armed forces and is available to buy in your local pharmacy, called Ben%26#39;s 100 or Ben%26#39;s 30, the 100 contains the maximum Deet allowed and the 30 contains

30%. I have the same problem as you with bites but touch wood have never been bitten when using either of these.

Have a great bite free holiday.

AWS.

Liane

I always get bitten, even in England so my regime in Goa is always the same, I take the prescribed Chloroquine and proguanil malaria tablets. After being in the sun I always use an aftersun with insect repellent in it (Boots do a good one), spray myself with Avon Skin so soft dry oil spray (Green one) and spray myself with Insect repellent. I always take my insect repellent out with me in the evening too. I rarely get bitten.

Its so annoying though as my hubby hardley ever gets bitten he never puts insect repellent on - nothing - but he smokes cigars and I%26#39;m convinced this is the reason. If he does get bitten (as I say rarely) his bites never itch.

We%26#39;re off to Goa again Sat week for the 6th time taking my daughter and her partner for the first time, really looking forward to showing her all the things we love in Goa.

Hi, I%26#39;ve seen the Jungle formula spray in Homebargains for about ￡2 cheaper than elsewhere, if you want to compare that to Boots%26#39; own?

Not been before (but can%26#39;t wait 8-) ), and a workfriend whose family is from India said just nip into a chemist if you%26#39;re bitten and they%26#39;ll give you something to stop the itching. Over here M%26amp;S are selling some little clicker thing to press against the bite to stop it itching.

HJ

(2 weeks, 2 days, not that I%26#39;m counting)

Those little clicker things actually work quite well, and tiger balms quite effective for cooling the itching too. Bites generally swell up quite a bit on me, so I take anti-histamine cream AND tablets.

And Jenny - my husband doesn%26#39;t get bitten either. He reckons I%26#39;m the best insect repellent he%26#39;s ever come across. If he%26#39;s out with me, there%26#39;s no chance of him getting bitten because they%26#39;ll always make a beeline straight for me.

Lianne,

The best thing that you can do is as others have suggested, wear Tropical Strength Jungle Formula, don%26#39;t wear anything scented, so no perfume but also get a fragrance free deodrant and steer clear of body moisturisers / aftersun. Have a lovely time.

I had a nasty bite once in Greece and the chemist there gave me florestil gel and its really good for the swelling and itch. but I have no idea where to get it apart from Greece???

I got some sound sleep? repellant spray and its good handbag size seemed to work ok.

I%26#39;m exactly the same as LondonGoa–girl, get bitten loads and the little buggers never touch my husband. Odomos didn%26#39;t work for me at all but 50% deet jungle formula was better, still not completely effective but alot better. Regarding the malaria tablets, I%26#39;ve taken these twice with food both times and had no side effects at all.

parameter

Magnum Hotel, Candolim, Goa

Hi, I%26#39;m, staying in the Magnum hotel in November.

Has anyone stayed there before? Any tips or advise you can give me.

I%26#39;ve stayed in Victor Exotica twice before and loved it but they have put the price up so much we just can%26#39;t afford to stay there anymore.

I%26#39;d be grateful for any feedback.

Cheers.

Magnum Hotel, Candolim, Goa

we have stayed at the magnum 2 times nice little hotel and nice staff. basic as most hotels are in goa. john is the manager and is very helpfull. we now stay in the hotel next door kevins it has a music bar and live music. its a little bit bigger and we get a good deal from him. we just get a flight.

you will enjoy

Magnum Hotel, Candolim, Goa

Thanks for your reply.

I%26#39;ve just read a review on holiday watchdog and we%26#39;re very worried.

It says that there are rats running about the pool all the time and that its very dirty. It also says that the food is awful.

We don%26#39;t know what to do now, do we change hotels or cancel all together?

We%26#39;re just not sure.

We stayed there 3 years ago. Our room was at the front overlooking the high street. Very entertaining but could be a little noisy for first thing when the traffic started up but great for people watching. It is also in a good position being right on the main road.

We never tried the pool, mainly because we prefer the beach but also because it is quite small and does not really get the sun very much. As for food, never bothered with breakfast and never eat in any hotel.

Probably not very helpful but I think it is no worse or better than many 2 star hotels in Goa. If you are looking for a basic hotel which you just want to use as a base then it should be fine but if you are looking for one where you want to lounge around the pool and relax all day, then probably not the best.

If you are going in November it should be easy to get your own accommodation cheaply if you really cannot stand it.

I always say if the plumbing works, and you get a good nights kip, then you have a result with 2 star hotels.

Rats come and go with most places, on the bright side rats mean no snakes. Never been a fan of pools, the beach and sea it what we all go for.

When people write really bad reviews, they look for the worse in everything and possibly exagerate a bit, human nature I guess.

Nothing wrong with a few holes in curtains, and wobbly furniture, adds to the fun of Goa.

If the place does turn out to be Strangeways with a pool, check out, don%26#39;t let it ruin your holiday.

We walked out of Dona Francisco some years ago, best thing we ever did, saved us from grumbling all fortnight. Cost us about 拢200 for another place, money well spent.

We have just read that review and i must say that we are very concerned as we are staying there for 3 weeks over xmas with our 7 year old daughter.I dont think that we would be able to change hotels while we are there as everywhere is usually full at xmas.I have got to pay the balance on the holiday untill 17/11/07 so before i do i would like to hear as much about this hotel as possible.I am not expecting too much as i have been to goa before.Last time we stayed at the marinha dourada if anyone has stayed at both of these hotels i would like to know how they compare.

Hi guys

I have stayed at the Magnum hotel a couple of times now and we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. In April/May 2004 Magnum Hotel was closed as it went through some refurbishment, I haven鈥檛 been to this hotel since but it was in a pretty good condition when we stayed there in the past, so I can only imagine it to be in better nick now that it is refurbished!

I agree the pool is small and only gets the sun on one side at a time, so expect to move quite a bit if you intend to sun bath. It鈥檚 all part of the fun! To be honest Goa is so hot even in winter that you don鈥檛 need to sun bath for long.

We had a two bedroom, one living room, two bathrooms, one kitchen and three balcony鈥檚, with all the mod-cons (well for Goa); a large fridge, a two ring gas stove, a tv, sofa, a dining table and most important of all two air-cons, fantastic as it really does get hot!

If you have already booked the hotel/paid for it and are a little apprehensive then I would suggest that you ring the hotel directly (I can dig out the number for you if needed) and request that they give you a room, with a balcony which is north facing, faces the pool and near the entertainment stage. It may sound strange but we had a north facing balcony, which faced the end of the pool and was near their entertainment stage 鈥?this balcony got quite a bit of the sun. Don鈥檛 ask me why, I was curious about the south facing and north facing sun theory too!

Be prepared that the hotel maybe confused with the north facing stuff, so you are best off asking them to give you a balcony facing the pool, near the stage and one that gets the sun 鈥?much simpler! If you say that it is a special celebration and/or that you have a child (which you do 1963buster) they may be partial to you.

Also, the Candolim beach is only 100 yards from your hotel, there you have the sun all day!! You literally come out of the hotel%26#39;s left hand side exit (when facing the road), cross the busy main road, walk the narrow sandy/muddy road, just follow the yellow brick/sandy road!! And there, the beautiful sea and sand awaits you!

Food wise, this place is okay. If you have a kitchen with your accommodation and are worried about eating in this hotel or such like hotels, just have a day out to the Mapusa market buy some fantastic fresh produce for cheap and cook some simple fresh organic, yes organic food yourself! Priceless! The taxi driver located just outside the hotel, will take you there and wait till you shop and bring you back for no more than 400 rupees (5 pounds!)for a 3 hour job. Mapusa is 20 minutes away. Do negotiate before you travel.

Most of these guys speak reasonably good English. Also, Mapusa Bazzar on a Friday is a must see. It goes on for miles, in different directions. The exotic fruits are to die for! The coulours are so vibrant! The vegetable are delightful with so much variety and the fish 鈥?wow! Don鈥檛 wear your best clothes though and you must go there early as the later you go the hotter it gets and really gets to you after a while!

There are so many fantastic restaurants on the whole in and around the Candolim strip that are so cheap that are often fantastic too. Avoid eating on the main-touristy-Calagute strip and if you are eating in Baga then do so by carefully selecting where you eat. There is a fab restaurant (the name escapes me!) right at the end of Baga, go to the end tip of Baga and you will find two good restaurants, mind you there is a waiting time, so reserve your seats quickly.

Another place to visit for a meal is the Taj Aquada Village restaurant. A little pricy but the food is to die for and service is impeccable, their cuisines are Chinese, Goan, Indian and some Italian. The wine list is good for Goa. If like me you get bored of sipping the beer and G%26amp;T and fancy some wine instead then this place is for you. Wine isn鈥檛 easily available in Goa, you can buy some from liquor stores in Panajim (good prices).

Apart from Port wine which is the Goan/Portuguese delicacy! A taxi to this hotel, which is 12 minutes by taxi should not be more than 200 rupees. They don鈥檛 really have to wait for you as you can ask the Taj Village Hotel or near by Taj Holiday Resort, to call you a taxi for your return home, slightly pricy perhaps 300 rupees or maybe a little more but worth it, rather than your taxi chap waiting for you, which they tend to do in Goa. As transport isn鈥檛 the best in Goa, I tend to keep these guys waiting for a previously agreed fee! (Plus a polite tip at the end).

Within walking distance from Magnum there is another hotel called 鈥榃hispering Palms鈥?which is your typical Portuguese looking hotel, really gives you a sense of Goa. You could always nip in there for a chilled beer and a cocktail, they also have a pool table and some fantastic friendly guys who serve there. Good place to check out in case of your future accommodation.

Goan鈥檚 in general are very friendly and respectful people, all they want back is to have a laugh and a joke! After all they are relaxed folk!

Hope this helps.

Renee

Nice post summercat thanks for that,I pay the balance on my holiday on 17/9/07 not 17/11/07 which wil be much easier now that you have put my mind at rest.

many thanks

Mandy

Please put your mind at rest. My husband and I have stayed at the Magnum April and November 2006 and April this year and are flying out again on the 29th December and guess what ??? we are staying at the Magnum. Ok there maybe a few cobwebs under the bed and maybe the pool could be bigger and the maybe the sheets could be silk or egyptian cotton but none of that would take away the friendly happy people that work there. John, Elvis and every single person on that site who go out of there way to be helpful and make you happy. Liz

I%26#39;ve seen people complain of rats and cockroaches at places I%26#39;ve been to (in Goa and Barbados) and never seen them myself.... to be honest, pests are possible anywhere (don%26#39;t they say that here in Britian we%26#39;re never more than 3 feet or something away from a rat). I can%26#39;t see that even the poshest hotel can guarantee there are no pests... it%26#39;s not like there%26#39;s a rat etiquette about only staying in cheap hotels!

I have stayed in places I wouldn%26#39;t be in a hurry to stay again (like after my 2nd visit to Dom Francisco), but at the end of the day, I%26#39;d stay almost anywhere to be in Candolim. It%26#39;s a base to rest my head and that%26#39;s about it.

Often you can read between the lines on some of the very bad reviews and can tell they have never been to Goa before and their expectations are too high for the place (and it has to be said, some people are never satisfied). It largely depends on what kind of person you are and whether you like to see the best in things. If the hotel offers A/C, separate living/sleeping spaces and a fridge, you have pretty much all you need in Goa. The beach is so fabulous, you shouldn%26#39;t need the pool, but if you want one for your child and the hotel pool isn%26#39;t ideal, I%26#39;ll bet you could arrange with another hotel to come and use theirs if you agree to buy lunch with them (the Dom Francisco pool is great, large with lots of sun and not far from the Magnum).

Despite my disappointment with my last room at Dom F, I got used to it and by the end of the holiday I admitted that I would stay there again if it was significantly cheaper than anything else.

I have never heard of any hotel quibbling with customers who want to move rooms if they don%26#39;t like what they%26#39;ve been allocated, and I%26#39;ve done it myself... this shouldn%26#39;t be a problem in November, as all hotels should have plenty of empty rooms (and this should mean that no-one gets their worst rooms anyway).

Candolim Imp

I agree with you about some of the hotel reviews.

I was thinking about booking a particular hotel in Candolim and some of the marks were appalling 1/10 or 2/10.

However, reading through the reviews, it wasn%26#39;t really that hotel they were grading, IT WAS CANDOLIM %26amp; GOA IN GENERAL.

Comments like %26#39;red dust ruined our clothes%26#39;, %26#39;there were no pavements%26#39;, %26#39;too much hassle%26#39; etc etc.

I just don%26#39;t know how these things can be attributed to a specific hotel.

Goagirl

all we ask for from a hotel in Goa (at least for what we pay) is that it is clean %26amp; is kept clean and that most things (such as electricity) work most of the time.

We%26#39;ve stayed once at the Magnum, we enjoyed it and would be happy to go back again.

Polly

mascara