Travelling to India?

Question

I'm off to Goa, India in a few weeks and have heard a few horror stories - bad food, men, places to avoid. Any suggestions / tips from previous travellers?

This is my first propert travelling experience, as in not the usual package holiday, so any advise / places to visit / information would be appreciated.

Answer 1

i have spent two seasons in goa , last saeason and 2 years before that...so i cabn tell u thgat it all depends on what your lookin for really...and what u find to be horriffic....personally i foind baga , and calangute rather horriffic, sunbeds and resturants, hotels etc, its package tourisat land basuically and evrythin is overpriced -especially art christmas -newyear, and is extremeley busy. the south is quiter, and the far north, altho u r likely to find alot of stoned or otherwised happy floaty so called hippies, aloit of israelis , and indian tourists whjo love to ogñle bikini clad western girls...and even try to take sly pics sumtimes!! haha u get used to it tho...,jut tell em to piss off, altho theyll prob just continue to gawk as much as poss. dont b freaked out by this as they generally are harmless, worse was a bloke wankin in gokarna on om beach but youll get over it , dont let it put u off, just b aware. indian women are covered up so the guys cant gert enuf of bare wetsern flesh and think all white girls are sluts and nymphos and wat to shag constantly and cant understand why we get annoyed when we are walkin round in less than their equivalent of underware!!
if u wanna party then anjuna -vagator but the party scene aint so kickin anymore, just regular nigyhts at outdoor clubs , check out 9bar in vagator for suinset..yum pizza, then it will slolwy get busier with psy trance til 10pm ,...then stuypid goan laws say no amplified music agfter 10pm (legally) so then off to chapora for bars and alcohol..o and mayb the pharmacy...if u like dat sorta thing. goa is v touristy now and not really indian at all...keep an open mind, youll meet crazy, lovely, mad, bad ,psychadelic, earth star, forest , all kinds of peoplE! I AM RETURNING THERE MYSELF SOON!! AND CANT WAIT! i hope u enjoy yuour time and u can email me if u want any more answers abouyt goa stuff..or india stuff

Answer 2

Well, there are few you need to be careful, especially do not take food from street vendors, carry bottled water and if you have to buy water, do it from a drug store. Do not travel alone if going for shopping etc. Goa is a great place and has remnants of portugese culture. Just remember it is like any other city out there, you just should be on your gaurd. Keep your passport etc in the hotel locker - ask if they provide that. Good luck.

Answer 3

the best i could do...
Internationally renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic tourists each year, and has become one of the most popular holiday destinations for European travellers.

Besides beaches, Goa is also known for its world heritage architecture including the Bom Jesus Basilica. Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which are classified as a biodiversity hotspot.
Foxes, wild boars and migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The avifauna includes kingfishers, mynas and parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crabs, lobsters, shrimps, jellyfish, oysters and catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high snake population, which keeps the rodent population in control. Goa has many famous National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuaryand the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located on the island of Chorao.
Additionally, a large portion (approx 35%) of the Goan people are Catholic. This cultural heritage from the time of the Portuguese colonization makes the state somewhat more intimate to European or American people than the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Goan culture incorporates a very nonproblematic mix of Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

The food of Goa is a mixture of foods from Portugal, Western India and Arabia (and, in the tourist season, from Kashmir as well). Goa is one of the few places in India that you can go to a restaurant and order (beside fish and chicken) both beef and pork, which are usually served very lightly spiced; beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are sold freely.

These attributes, together with the fact that Goa’s economy is among the most prosperous in India, have won Goa the nickname "India for the beginners" – the great differences between Europe and India, very apparent in other parts of India due to large slums and other problems, are much less pronounced.

The most popular celebrations in Goa are Christmas, Easter Sunday Ganesh Chaturthi, New Year's Day, the Shigmo festival and the Carnival. However, since the 1960s, the celebrations of the Shigmo and carnival have shifted to the urban centres, and in recent times these festivals are seen more as a means of attracting tourists. Celebrations for all festivals usually last for a few days and include parties and balls.

Western English songs have a large following in most parts of Goa. Traditional Konkani folk songs too have a sizable following. Manddo, the traditional Goan music which originated in the nineteenth century, is sung and danced on special occasions. Goa is also known for its Goa trance music.

Rice with fish curry is the staple diet in Goa. Goa is renowned for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chile peppers, spices and vinegar giving the food a unique flavour. Pork dishes such as Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Catholics. A rich egg-based multi-layered sweet dish known as bebinca is a favourite at Christmas. The most popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is feni; Cashew feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from the sap of toddy palms.

Goa has two World Heritage Sites: the Bom Jesus Basilica and a few designated convents. The Basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, regarded by many Catholics as the patron saint of Goa. Once every decade, the body is taken down for veneration and for public viewing. The last such event was conducted in 2004. The Velhas Conquistas regions are also known for its Goa-Portuguese style architecture.

In many parts of Goa, mansions constructed in the Indo-Portuguese style architecture still stand, though in some villages, most of them are in a dilapidated condition. Fontainhas in Panjim, has been declared a cultural quarter, and are used as a living museum showcasing the life, architecture and culture of Goa. Some influences from the Portuguese era are visible in some of Goa's temples, notably the Mangueshi Temple, although after 1961, many of these were demolished and reconstructed in the indigenous Indian style.

Football is widely popular in Goa, particularly around Margao where the main football stadium, located at the Fatorda, Margao. Football is also played in local fields, during the non-monsoon, non-planting season, particular in central coastal Goa. Many of the country's top NFL clubs such as the Vasco, Salgaocar, Dempo, Sporting Clube de Goa, Fransa-Pax Football Club and Churchill Brothers are based in Goa.

In recent decades, a growing influence of cricket is visible, in large part fuelled by the massive coverage this sport gets on national television, thus making an impact even in a part of South Asia which hardly had any contact with the British Empire.

The state's sole stadium is the Fatorda stadium, located near Margao. The stadium hosts both international football as well as cricket matches. Hockey is the third most popular sport. Goa used to be a traditional bastion of hockey talent, though in recent times its popularity has been decreasing.
try not o get cheated gy shopkeepers etc..


HAVE A NICE TIME!!