|
|
Goa weather forecast and travel guide by Cheaperholidays.com.
|
|
Goa Holiday Guide and weather forecast
*** A Holiday Visa is required for Goa before you fly ***
Goa as a holiday destination is situated on the west coast of India on its own 120 kilometres of beach coastline each divided with its own attractions.
A holiday to Goa blends India with Portugal into an exotic mixture of temples and churches. The north part of the former Portugese colony has the livelier resorts and markets. The south would suit those looking for a peaceful and relaxing holiday either way Goa has something for everyone, and the pound in your pocket goes on and on.
Click here for the latest Goa holiday deals
Please note Goa holidays stop flying after April till October to avoid the rainy season.
 Goa is where East meets West, on the palm-fringed shores of the Arabian Sea. Offering accommodation to suit all tastes, the best time to visit is between October and March; avoid the April to September monsoon season.
Goa holiday resorts.
Anjuna Famed as a hippy hangout since the 70s, the main source of Anjuna’s enduring popularity is its superb beach. Fringed by fluorescent painted palm trees, the curve of soft white sand conforms more closely to the archetypal vision of paradise than any other beach on the north coast. The quieter southern end is protected by rocky outcrops while to the north the beach widens and stretches for almost a mile past groups of bars, cafes and handicraft stalls. Revellers from the UK and all over India come to Anjuna lured by the the club scene and the promise of big beach parties, particularly over Christmas and New Year. Outside this peak season the resort normalises to a simple, relaxed atmosphere, except on Wednesdays when locals and tourists flock from all around to come to the famous Flea Market.
Calangute Beach Once a peaceful fishing village, then a haven for hedonistic hippies, Calangute is now Goa’s busiest and most commercialised resort. The road from the town to the beach is lined with Kashmiri-run handicraft boutiques and Tibetan stalls selling Himalayan curios and jewellery. The quality of the goods - mainly Rajasthani, Gujarati and Karnatakan textiles - is generally high. But haggle hard and don't be afraid to walk away - the same stuff will crop up again. The beach itself is nothing special, but is more than large enough to accommodate the huge numbers of high-season visitors. To escape the hawkers, visitors should head fifteen minutes or so south of the main beachfront area, towards the rows of old wooden boats moored below the dunes where teams of villagers haul in their nets at high tide and fishermen will be seen fixing their tack under bamboo shacks. Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach and along the Baga road, as with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on seafood, though many places also offer vegetarian dishes. Western breakfasts also feature prominently. Thanks to repeated crackdowns by the Goan police on parties and loud music, Calangute's nightlife is surprisingly tame with most bars closing by 10pm. A notable exception is Tito's at the Baga end of the beach, and Pete’s Bar, a hippy hangout which offers affordable drinks, backgammon sets and relentless reggae until the early hours. Calagnute is a 45-minute bus ride north from the capital, Panaji.
Baga Beach Baga is a few miles south of Anjuna and is basically an extension of Calagnute. Lying in the lee of a rocky, wooded headland, the only difference between this far northern end of the beach and its more congested centre is that the scenery here is marginally more varied and picturesque and the beach less crowded. Baga has the best range of restaurants and liveliest nightlife in the area.
Colvo Colva is the oldest and most heavily developed South Goan resort. The town itself is dotted with colonial-style villas and ramshackle fishing huts, but the beachfront is crowded and blighted with unimaginative concrete hotels, snack bars and souvenir stalls. Indian tourists and local children mill around this central area and westerners are pestered by traders and beggars. However it is easy to steer clear of this central area; within a few minutes' stroll from here the beach is spotless and relatively uncrowded. Benaulim is only a 30 minute walk to the south, still on Colva beach, and attracts a more upmarket clientele, including British and Indian holidaymakers. There are many luxury resorts along the coastal stretch and brightly painted wooden fishing boats litter the beach. The hawkers and touts here are persistent but in a good-humoured rather than aggressive way. To escape completely visitors can hire a bicycle and ride further south along the beach, beyond the Taj Exotica, which stretches for miles with the only possible interruption likely to be a stray cow wandering along the sand, its bell jangling. Restaurants line the beachfront at both Colva and Benaulim, in general the food is of an excellent standard and the atmosphere is much better than at the hotel restaurants. For the freshest fish, aim for the more popular restaurants.
Palolem For years Palolem remained a secret to all but the most independent traveller. Situated towards the southern tip of Goa, twenty miles south of Margao, it has now been discovered but due to strict planning restraints tourism is kept in check. The crescent shaped bay is lined with a beautiful white sand beach and backed with groves of coconut palms. Either side of the bay is a rocky headland covered in thick black forest and offshore is a tiny island whose only permanent inhabitants are a colony of black-faced langur monkeys. During December and January the beach swells with day-trippers who come to escape the more commercial resorts but outside this peak season Palolem returns to its sedate pace.
Food and drink: Drink plenty of bottled water at least three litres a day. Mix a variety of Indian dishes with Portuguese for a tradiational Goan style meal. Or sample the delicious lobsters, giant tiger prawns and numerous kinds of white fish.
Nightlife: The numerous late night cafes, bars and restaurants have live music, traditional cabaret and discos, otherwise nightlife tends to be based mainly around the hotels.
Shopping: Bring a favourite top and have it copied in silk by the local tailors very cheaply. Most bargains on offer from migrant street peddlers include Karnatakan jewellery and Kashmiri rugs. Beware of duty to be paid on larger items.
Days out: Visit the Dudhsagar or Arvalem Waterfalls for a different day out, or go on one of the many available boat trips where lunch or a barbecue are often included.Visit the Lord Shiva Temple at Tambdi
Surla or One of the many Catholic churches. |
Back to holiday weather forecasts.
Goa forecast.
|
