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-   -   GOA (India) advice sought (http://www.travelbanter.com/showthread.php?t=35741)

Newbie July 31st, 2004 06:45 AM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.

Ben August 3rd, 2004 08:51 AM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
depends on what you want actually..
if you like to relax in the hotel with a swimming pool and sip cocktails all
day, take a package, they' prob. take you on a 1-day-tour to see Panaji and
the surroundings.
otherwise, there's no problem to find hotels on the net, many travelagents
will be willing to find you a nice deal. Take an AC-room though.
Depending on the season, make a hotel reservation. i think august is a the
busy season (i went there end october/november, when it was quite deserted)

Getting there can be done by train or by plane (easiest) from Bombay & other
places. Check the airlines sites or ask the TA.

personally i'm not very fond of packages, i tend to change the itinerary
often, plus in case ur not happy with something it's hard to quit a package
halfway.

Ben

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.




Ben August 3rd, 2004 08:51 AM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
depends on what you want actually..
if you like to relax in the hotel with a swimming pool and sip cocktails all
day, take a package, they' prob. take you on a 1-day-tour to see Panaji and
the surroundings.
otherwise, there's no problem to find hotels on the net, many travelagents
will be willing to find you a nice deal. Take an AC-room though.
Depending on the season, make a hotel reservation. i think august is a the
busy season (i went there end october/november, when it was quite deserted)

Getting there can be done by train or by plane (easiest) from Bombay & other
places. Check the airlines sites or ask the TA.

personally i'm not very fond of packages, i tend to change the itinerary
often, plus in case ur not happy with something it's hard to quit a package
halfway.

Ben

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.




Ben August 3rd, 2004 08:51 AM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
depends on what you want actually..
if you like to relax in the hotel with a swimming pool and sip cocktails all
day, take a package, they' prob. take you on a 1-day-tour to see Panaji and
the surroundings.
otherwise, there's no problem to find hotels on the net, many travelagents
will be willing to find you a nice deal. Take an AC-room though.
Depending on the season, make a hotel reservation. i think august is a the
busy season (i went there end october/november, when it was quite deserted)

Getting there can be done by train or by plane (easiest) from Bombay & other
places. Check the airlines sites or ask the TA.

personally i'm not very fond of packages, i tend to change the itinerary
often, plus in case ur not happy with something it's hard to quit a package
halfway.

Ben

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.




Ben August 3rd, 2004 12:36 PM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
JetAirways (and probably others like Sahara, AirIndia, ...) fly from bombay
to Goa
airport codes: BOM - GOI

http://www.jetairways.com/
http://www.airsahara.net/airsahara/index.jsp


"claire edwards" wrote in message
...

Originally posted by Newbie
An American couple would be

in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a

few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of

going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and

go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel

package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to

find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa,

hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice

from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly

appreciated.

I would buy yourself a lonely planet on India -
check out lonelyplanet.com. It's really useful and you can get an idea
of sights to see etc in the area. You can email and book some
accommodation prior to your arrival, if you wanted to, or book yourself
a package deal. Depending on what time of year you go, my depend on how
busy the Pune area is. I turned up in Arombol (North Goa) in November
(01) and had difficulties finding accommodation, ended up living with an
Indian family - it was brilliant, but we were lucky. Pune is bigger and
the choice of accommodation is greater.

In terms of flights, you can
get flights into Mumbai, but I'm not entirely sure if you can get
flights into Gao, I travelled by bus to Goa from Mumbai and I spent a
couple of weeks getting there. Would highly recommend it!

I loved
travelling in India, have fun.

Claire


--
claire


Posted via http://britishexpats.com




Ben August 3rd, 2004 12:36 PM

GOA (India) advice sought
 
JetAirways (and probably others like Sahara, AirIndia, ...) fly from bombay
to Goa
airport codes: BOM - GOI

http://www.jetairways.com/
http://www.airsahara.net/airsahara/index.jsp


"claire edwards" wrote in message
...

Originally posted by Newbie
An American couple would be

in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a

few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of

going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and

go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel

package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to

find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa,

hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice

from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly

appreciated.

I would buy yourself a lonely planet on India -
check out lonelyplanet.com. It's really useful and you can get an idea
of sights to see etc in the area. You can email and book some
accommodation prior to your arrival, if you wanted to, or book yourself
a package deal. Depending on what time of year you go, my depend on how
busy the Pune area is. I turned up in Arombol (North Goa) in November
(01) and had difficulties finding accommodation, ended up living with an
Indian family - it was brilliant, but we were lucky. Pune is bigger and
the choice of accommodation is greater.

In terms of flights, you can
get flights into Mumbai, but I'm not entirely sure if you can get
flights into Gao, I travelled by bus to Goa from Mumbai and I spent a
couple of weeks getting there. Would highly recommend it!

I loved
travelling in India, have fun.

Claire


--
claire


Posted via http://britishexpats.com




Nige August 3rd, 2004 09:12 PM

GOA (India) advice sought
 

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.


I went to Goa from Mumbai in late January. This time of year is very popular
with Europeans escaping the winter. August is probably still in the low
season. The monsoon hits this coast in June and peters out in Sept. So
don't think the hotels will be packed. I flew into Dabolim airport and there
is a board with all the taxi fares as you come out. The airport is a long
hike from anywhere. One thing is certain, if you don't already have a hotel
then the taxi driver will find one ! The choice is therefore where to stay.
I went to a place called Candolim where there are a few places to stay and
one nice resort for sedate travellers called Taj Holiday Village which is
probably the priciest place in this part of coastline. It's next to the Taj
Aguada which has been going for a long time.
http://www.tajhotels.com/resort/taj_goa/new.htm Nearer the airport
marginally is a place called Calangute which has plenty of hotels and used
to be a sort of hippie haven. Further along the coast strip is Baga beach
where again there are places to stay. There are plenty of other places in
Goa but that's my 2 rupee worth. but watch the weather forecast and track
the monsoon!



Nige August 3rd, 2004 09:12 PM

GOA (India) advice sought
 

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
An American couple would be in Pune in late August. From Pune, we
would like to visit Goa for a few (3-4?) days, and then go to Bombay.

What is the best way of going about this:

1. Should we simply fly to Goa, find a hotel and go around on our own?

2. Should we fly to Goa but then find a hotel package? Which hotel
would you recommend?

3. Should we try to find a package in Pune itself which includes a
flight to Goa, hotel/sightseeing there and then a flight to Bombay?

Any advice from experienced Americans, Indians, and others will be
greatly appreciated.


I went to Goa from Mumbai in late January. This time of year is very popular
with Europeans escaping the winter. August is probably still in the low
season. The monsoon hits this coast in June and peters out in Sept. So
don't think the hotels will be packed. I flew into Dabolim airport and there
is a board with all the taxi fares as you come out. The airport is a long
hike from anywhere. One thing is certain, if you don't already have a hotel
then the taxi driver will find one ! The choice is therefore where to stay.
I went to a place called Candolim where there are a few places to stay and
one nice resort for sedate travellers called Taj Holiday Village which is
probably the priciest place in this part of coastline. It's next to the Taj
Aguada which has been going for a long time.
http://www.tajhotels.com/resort/taj_goa/new.htm Nearer the airport
marginally is a place called Calangute which has plenty of hotels and used
to be a sort of hippie haven. Further along the coast strip is Baga beach
where again there are places to stay. There are plenty of other places in
Goa but that's my 2 rupee worth. but watch the weather forecast and track
the monsoon!




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