Goa

[lotsofideasnoideas]

Hi looking at tagging 4 nights in Goa on the end of an Indian trip
any suggestions whether to go north or south Goa ? We’re a couple in our 50s who love music and culture as well as relaxation and a nice beach !
Any hotel recommendations also really welcome.
planning on going in February
thanks 🙏

Hi. Literally got back from Goa last night. First time. After much deliberation we stayed in the South at Palolem. Really enjoyed the area, Patnem beach was particularly lovely. We didn't think much of Agonda despite, on paper and from reviews being everything we should normally like.
There was fantastic accommodation at Patnem called Turtle Hills. We didn't stay there but had a nosey...stunning.

@Titasaducksarse thanks so much ! Did you visit anywhere else in India ? We’re looking at golden triangle first then flying down to Goa. Wondering if 4 nights is enough In goa ?

We stayed at the silver sand sunshine in candolim. We had the basic room, which was basic but the premium rooms looked much better. Very short walk to candolim beach, where there are plenty of bars selling decent food and drinks.

Lots of restaurants and bars in the area and fairly short bus/taxi rides to local markets and an old Portuguese fort.

We loved it and would highly recommend!

Hi. As we only had 2 weeks off work we did 4 days/3 nights in Mumbai...fantastic. We then took the train to Goa so that was another day used up...we flew back to Mumbai for return to UK. We thought about doing what you are but felt it was a lot in the time frame and wanted more beachy time. The flights were so reasonable from UK we'll return for Golden Triangle etc.
I think you'll be ok with your plan. It was 1.5 hours drive from south goa to Dabolim airport (there's 2 airports now) so also bear that in mind. A lot of time is taken up due to the sheer scale and getting where you want to be.

We’ve just come back from India. Flew into Delhi (1 night), train to Agra (2 nights), train to Ranthambore (2 nights), train to Jaipur (2 nights), flight to Goa, stayed at the Art Resort in Palolem (6 nights), flight home via Mumbai. It was the best holiday we’ve had in years, can’t recommend it enough. The Art Resort was incredible.

We were travelling with 2 young kids but met people of all ages and nationalities.

@welshweasel that sounds pretty much what we want but might miss ranthambore to make it a 10 day trip. Was ranthambore worth a visit ? Did you go through a tour operator or did you book independently? Any advice welcome on which were the best bits ? Sounds like you had a great time.

Ranthambore was lovely, but if you only have 10 days then it would be the obvious one to miss. We did a leopard safari in Jaipur which was actually better than the safari in Ranthambore. We booked everything ourselves and it was super easy. I would highly recommend the umaid bhawan hotel in Jaipur as well as the Art Resort in Goa.

Train travel is brilliant fun, cheap and easy. You have to register with IRCTC which is a bit of a ballache but once you’ve done that you can book direct via their website or using an app like ixigo. Trains go live 60 days ahead of travel. There is also a foreign quota you can book ahead of that via IRCTC. We used Uber for taxis, or just flagged down tuktuks in the street for short journeys.

You can book attractions like the Taj Mahal in advance online, we were surprised how easy it was to do everything online to be honest. I wouldn’t waste money on a travel agent.

@welshweasel sounds great, you make it sound so easy, sk after arriving in Delhi did you book tours in Agra, Jaipur or just sort of arrive and head out ! Used to be more adventurous with booking Independently not sure why I’ve got cold feet this time !

Mostly just booked stuff online. If you book Taj Mahal online you get a guide included for free. We generally asked the hotel to pick us up from the station/airport - more expensive than getting an uber/tuktuk but less stressful arriving in a new city knowing you’ve got a transfer sorted. All the hotels will happily arrange tours if that’s what you want, or you can book via platforms like Tripadvisor. Honestly it was super easy, I was really apprehensive as it was the first time we’d taken the kids anywhere long haul, but it was so much fun and really very straightforward. We booked most stuff via the official government websites.

We booked hotels with pools, so that we could sightsee for half a day and relax for the rest. In Agra for example we did the Taj Mahal in the morning then got a tuktuk to the Agra fort, spent an hour there then had the rest of the day by the pool, enjoying a glass of wine and a swim. There is so much you could see, I think the key is picking a couple of must sees and making sure you see them, then going with the flow.

Did anyone do any cooking classes ?
anyone Experience train from Agra to jaipur ? Think we might skip ranthambore

It’s a direct train from Agra to Jaipur so should be easy enough!

As mentioned once you get yourself logged onto the India railway train system it's easy to book
I booked dead on 60 days in advance to get from Mumbai to Goa and was glad I did as despite about 8 trains running that route a day they all got booked up (few days after Diwali so I think people travelling home etc).
We had lunch at the Art Resort other poster mentions..it was good. Lots going on there.

Edit...only thing is..blooming jetlag has got me as normally I'd not be awake 430am lol

We're sitting in a cafe outside the Taj Mahal right now. 2 more nights in Agra then Ranthambore then Udaipur where we will do a cooking class with the woman who featured on The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I will try to remember to review her for you.

We are staying at The Orchid Retreat https://share.google/Mo3DEij3bZYVX1GbM
It's lovely and quiet. Big change from our not so nice and very noisy hotel in Delhi. You can walk to the Taj Mahal very slowly in about 20 minutes.

lots of great ideas
Any website ideas for getting hold of good flights to Delhi wondering if online or best to go tot Flight centre etc?

Just check on Skyscanner then book direct - most flights are indiGo or Air India Express

It cost us £500 return to Mumbai with Virgin. Similar price to Delhi. Booked at least 6 months ahead.

Four nights in Goa is plenty to see everything and get in some beach time. From what our guide told us, the south is better than the north for couples - the north is more of a party zone.

We stayed on a B&B basis at Zuri White Sands which is one of the few places in the south that has a casino (which we didn't go to) and it was very good. Most of the hotel guests were Indian - there were only 3 or 4 European-looking couples. G&T on the beach was just ₹250 😉, and we had fantastic food at the Ouzo Delmar on the beach and the Barca Bar right outside the hotel entrance.

This is making me want to go to Goa/copy @welshweasel itinerary if I can persuade DS and DH!

@Twilightstarbright do it! Honestly it was the best holiday we’ve ever had and so easy to organise. Very happy to help out if you decide to go.

Thanks @welshweasel I will definitely reach out.

Goa is beautiful be prepared for the amount of food you will eat they are a nation of feeders!