Avance book for Agonda mid November?

nadyalm

Hi IMs

Me and my boyfriend will arrive in Goa from late afternoon in a few weeks.. We're thinking of heading straight to Agonda. We weren't planning on booking any accommodation in advance. Now I'm not sure if this is a good or bad idea.. Any thoughts please?

Was thinking of dropping madhu huts an email to book for a few nights, then take it from there.. It's my boyfriends birthday so I especially want a really chilled arrival and know we're staying in a nice hut. Would love to be sea facing when I get up in the morning ..

Any other budget accommodation recommendations? Oh one last question.. Agonda, Palolem or Patnem? Or all of them!?

Thanks
N..

GoanCanuck

No need to book.

trustindia

In November there's no real need to book ahead, you're going to get something close to the beach anyway.
But since it's a special time for you and the BF, perhaps booking the first couple of nights isn't a bad idea.
For booking I would recommend the Mahamanas camp as another option but I'm not sure what you mean by "budget".
This is just one of many nice camps (including Madhus which is at the quiet north end of the beach) I mention it because I know the guys who run it and they are sharp with replying to e-mails (let me know if they're not and I'll remind them)
It's their stated aim to cater to guests booking via the internet.

Agonda, Patnem and Palolem all have different atmosphere´s, even though they're only a few kilometers apart.
Palolem was the classic palm fringed sandy bay, hidden by two wonderful rocky headlands that protect the beach and swimmers.

The headlands have been colonised, the beach and surrounds filled with shacks and huts, so barely a square meter of space is unused except the beach itself.
It´s a shadow of what it once was.
Don´t write it off though, it´s still a really friendly place, the shadows of the past are still to be found, take a swim or a boat out into the lagoon, look back, the man made stuff recedes and the back drop to the sand and towering palms is the green and majestic Western Ghats. It´s really an amazing sight, I´ll need to take my camera next time.
Palolem offers loads of great food, live music, (small affairs intimate jams session really) the "silent rave with headphones??"
A good mix of people from stoners to package tourist and everything in between. It's easy to fall in with a crowd and have a party for a few nights.

Patnem, is more intimate, it's a small pretty bay, again enclosed by two much smaller headlands. There's good food, and a mellower crowd. Watching movies at a genuine Kashmiri Restaurant, or indeed the football.
Hire a kayak to explore the nearbye river. Or just relax on a less crowded beach, sipping cocktails

Agonda is a massive beach 1 and a half times the size of Palolem.
It lacks the palms of Palolem though, yet the backdrop to this beautiful beach is closer and quite stunning.
Agonda has a much sleepier feel to it Than Palolem or Patnem, village life is more tangible, life lived at a more sedate Goan pace.
Around Agonda is a Goa many hanker after, from old hands to starstruck young backpackers.
Emerald green paddies, with kids whipping the backside of the buffelo.
Fish and Cashews drying in the sun. The whiff of Feni or Arack.

Agonda has now got all the mod cons, like a money changer and internet but it's certainly the most spacious beach of the three and probably is more indicitive of the dreams of Goa so many miss.It offer great accomodation as well, many cheap rooms are much nearer the beach than in Palolem or Patnem where the majority of the budget rooms are set back from the beach.

If you've got a few weeks take a look at them all, one of them will suit you I'm sure and iot's easy to commute between all three.

Have fun.

Edit

I'd be doing everyone a favour if I got the name right. The Mahnamahnas
Now linked to the website, for further details, the banner is a rather nice picture of Agonda on a typically beautiful day.

No I'm not making any money on this, though I might get a cold kings come February.

AshRo

TrustIndia, what a beautiful write-up that was. After that not much is left to even write about! Still, will try to add my bit.

Agonda is really a mammoth beach. Almost twice the size of Palolem and much quieter as compared to Palolem. Palolem market is the first thing that you see while approaching the beach whereas village is visible upon approaching Agonda. I'ld suggest that you spend your first night at Palolem (my own post for stay options at Palolem) and then talk to someone for which option to choose to stay at Agonda.

I went there in the first week of October and no beach huts were there. While in Palolem, i stayed at Gaurav's Om sai guest house (nice little place) and he told me that he will be setting up beach huts. The website is up and I see that he has come up with nice huts (Agonda beach huts). Seems like this is the right budget option.

Before leaving from Goa, I also had a talk with Shekhar of Madhu huts (www.madhuhuts.com) and what a wonderful person he is! They were never up in October and he suggested to me that I stay at Palolem.

Irrespective of where you stay, do go to Cabo de Rama. It is a ruined hill-top fort and has stunning views of the Sea. I felt so relieved at the spot that never felt like coming back. One more attraction is the man made lake near the Canacona-Palolem road. A nice swirling rod up the hill and the mist over the mountains and if it rains, you experience being in heaven. This is the green Goa, not blue beach one.

Booradley

trustindia

great post, very informative, thanks

Boo

nadyalm

Thank you all very much!
Some great info here..

Nadya