Best Beach?

Ol, so I've read a plethora of guidebooks about Beaches in the Goa area and I keep getting more confused My sister and I are going for two weeks and then I am staying on for another 5 and will move on. We are looking for a calmer place, we are both over 30 so dropping out and dancing to techno feels a little passe. We want good restaurants, a city center that still is buzzing a bit with restaurants and vendors. My sister wants to buy pretty fabrics and get ayvureda and meditation. It would be nice to stay in a hut on the beach with a bathroom, western style. SO, am I dreaming, does such a beach exist? Or am I like the annoying tourist in The Beach, searching for the map to get to the ultimate beach? Any advice would be much appreciated

hi,try benolem ,on colva beach, stayed there a couple of years ago.Lovely little village,quite a lot of good accomadation.Great beach.big.white sand,coconut trees,good eating in the numerous beach shacks (try the fish).Not to many peaple,bit of hassle from the hawkers(but they are coulerfull)Nice memories!!!!

Thanks Freenote!

Do you remember where you stayed?

Hi Sarah,

I have just got an email from a friend who is in Goa and she is saying that she would much rather be in Kerala. Especially if you are interested in Ayurveda... when I was planning to go South (and ended up booking a trip to the very North :-)) I was looking into Kerala places as almost everyone, especially Indians, I have met so far mentioned Kerala in one way or another.

You will find several posts on Kerala in Destinations here.

Goa attracts certain kind of tourists... you may not like them.

Volga

PS Check the last 50 posts, we have had a discussion "the most beautiful beach" recently

Hi sarah,we stayed at lamour,a beach resort (rooms&chalets) 20 mts from the beach.on the other side of the road you could rent beach chalets.North goa is where most tourists go,lots of concrete&party time.south is mutch more peacefull.If its your first time in india its a good place to start.If you are traveling on Kerala is a good place to go.I arrived back from there two weeks ago and havent realy landed yet.I stayed in varkala,kollam,allepy&cochin, also went on a couple of back water tours,great time!!!!!!Hope this hasent confused you evan more.Freenote

The Udathi Guesthouse next to the Helipad Varkala is amazing! Varkala beach is stunning, the food at the Kerala coffee house awesome, try one of their 15 different types of massala dosa.....heaven.

God i wish i was back there now!

Ok, you all have convinced me, Kerala here we come! Do you know if one get from one place to another along the ocast via ferry like in Thailand? Would much rather travel that way than buses and trains...

Hi sarah,my journey was: arrived trevendran airport.Changed money,no problem.Pre-payed taxi booth by money exchange,booked taxi to varkala.(in the tropics,Yippee!!!!)Droped of at expencive hotel(very nice) stayed one night and found somewhere cheaper.Enjoyed varkala .bit touristy ,25% western 75%indian.After a few days train to kollam,.Stayed overnight at posh hotel (still cheap) Rickshaw to docks,(Boat left at 10.30 am) All day on boat ,lovely trip,loads of photos.It is a goverment boat ,mainly tourist ,and travels through rivers lakes & canals.Arived at Alepey and stayed at the Gowri Residence next door to the swami temple, Highly recamended.Good price good rooms ,good food very freindly&entertaining.Allepey itselve,is a s
mall indian town,Not touristy, very freindly& helpful After a few days caught a bus to cochin.The buses are great ,cheap frequant and seem to go through the heart of every where Next stop cochin.rickshaw from bus staition to fort cochin(good area to stay in) Indian antiquis to be bought in jew town.Stayed a few days,good fun.another backwaters trip.All day being polled through the most amasing scenary, and then back down the coast again . Would have liked to have gone on to munmar&the hill stations wild life parks etc. but sadley no time.Intend to go back later in the year. Back down the coast by bus (way to travel) stoped at a few plases, and ended up at kovalem, near to trevendrem,Main tourist area ,but good fun.Overall found the peaple very freindly&helpful .If you like spicey food your in heaven(no cutlery.Fingers are good)Not many tourists,In my opinion health precations have to be taken Normal travel jabs&anti malarials(lots of mossies) & insect repelant(deet) I am going back soon i hope .Hope this helps Enjoy

Varkala, Varkala. Varkala!