A couple of years ago I went to Goa for a fortnight. I stayed in an all-inclusive hotel on the Bogmalo beach.
The beaches are wonderful, and although the hotel was big there were plenty of secluded spots to be found.
The locals try and sell their wares on the beach, there was an old lady selling bannanas, and a group of girls who asked me to come and visit their "shop" which was virtually a tent on the beach containing carpets, sarongs and trinkets.
Over the back of the hotel was a small village, the locals there are genuinely pleased to see you. We made friends with a family who ran a little shop selling post-cards, sweets etc they also sent all our pics off for developing and had them back more or less same day so we took all our photos home with us.
The man who had the shop had all his family living there with him, including brothers sisters etc as well as having two daughters of his own. As well as the shop he had bought a jeep and used it for taxiing holiday makers to the towns, we used to club in with others and he would take us wherever we wanted to go, everything there seems rather spread out the towns were quite away apart.
One of the highlights was vising Anjuna market, a very busy and colourful spectacle with loads of stalls selling a wide range of items - even rip off designer ware and all the usual souvenirs.
If you are looking for a hectic nightlife Goa is not for you, we went to the local chinese a couple of times but there is not much to do at night you have to rely on hotel entertainment.
There were beach huts on the beach serving very cheap food and drink, but when I went to the toilets I saw a rat scuttling about, also a couple we got friendly with who were not all-inclusive and used these huts every day ended up with "funny tummies" so you do have to be careful.
The laid back atmosphere, the beautiful beaches, the always smiling locals and the hot weather in January all contributed to make Goa a really smashing holiday.
So if you want to just chill out, relax and enjoy go for Goa.
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Advantages: Sun - Marvellous Beaches & Markets-Friendly people-Relaxing Disadvantages: Bit Dusty - Third world technology - electricity goes off sometimes
WickWodderwick 29.06.2000 ·
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