Best Beaches for Swimming in Goa or India

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 03:42

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India...log-47072.html

my recent blog from the Andamans.....

haddojetty · Jun 26th, 2006, 03:42

YES!!!! Smith and Ross taken Dec 1998. We did actually camp there illegally, there was this guy called 'Johnny' on Smith who met us there in his lunghi, he looked really intimidating but hung around our camp but all he wanted really was to have a cigarette and a drink!! The night it rained we raided his shack and he let us all stay there-bizarre experience!!!! So have you been to Smith then?

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 03:43

Posts crossed

See the blog above.....

haddojetty · Jun 26th, 2006, 03:57

What a wonderful blog Conor-I really enjoyed reading it. It takes me back to when we got the ferry from Calcutta (The MV Nicobar). We apent a month on th Andamans and got the ferry back to (the then named) Madras. One of the engines failed and we took 6 days to get back-and there was an Italian guy on the boat who was mentally insane and he totally lost it on ship. In the end, he was met by Indian doctors from the mental institution and he even managed to escape from there!! I think things turned out ok for him but my point was-that funny old things happen on that ship!! When we went there were only about 20 westerners out of 1,000 passengers-I believe that figure has changed now? The connected island to Smith is called Rose Island-Ross is the one off Port Blair with all the ruined buildings covered in vines I believe.

MeCasa · Jun 26th, 2006, 04:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conor M

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India...log-47072.html

my recent blog from the Andamans.....

Very nice ;-)

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 04:19

Great story!!! You do get an odd bunch on that ferry.....

All the budget airlines are now flying to Port Blair, so people are using the ferry less and less I suppose. A shame, the ferry journey is something I'll never forget.

haddojetty · Jun 26th, 2006, 04:29

The whole experience starts when you try to get a ticket in Calcutta!!!! We had to keep going back again and again to the Sipping Corporation and there were strikes on blah blah you know Calcutta!! When we finally left Calcutta we woke up the next day and there we were in the same place in the Hooghly-there had been a cyclone in the night and we had run aground and didnt even know it!! Ah its all coming back to me now. Bunk class was the way to go though. We tried to use the showers in first class and got chased around the ship by the first mate and then these Indian women said under their breath "Foreigners--totally uncivilised". What a hoot!!

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 04:59

Yeah, the Calcutta journey seems to be tougher....I heard stories of the ferry being beached in the Bay of Bengal for two days!!! I flew to Calcutta, so missed that leg of the trip. Next time I suppose.

haddojetty · Jun 26th, 2006, 05:34

When you went to Smith was the little shack there by the sandbar? Like a gazebo made out of bamboo.

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 05:40

I didn't see any shack. Tourists were really being discouraged from visiting the island, which is great in many ways. But it's now very tough to stay more than just 3 or 4 nights without getting caught. I met two guys there who had been camping there when the Tsunami happened the year before. It didn't affect Smith, but they stayed until January 6th when a 'rescue team' brought them back to Port Blair. This year, they were found camping again, but because the police knew them from the year before, they didn't fine them.

haddojetty · Jun 26th, 2006, 05:52

We were there for about 7 nights. We arranged with a fisherman in Aerial Bay to take us and then he came back 3 days later and took 2 of us to get supplies-fresh food etc. He dropped us back and then we arranged for him to come back a few more days later. As I said before though, nobody knew we were there, apart from the guy Johnny-South East Asian Guy and he was cool. Being there was like being somewhere totally secret-which it was!!!! It sadden me to think of the old adage 'Paradise found is paradise lost'. We were so aware not to leave any trace that we were there, we took all the bottles back and the fishermen had them off us to make as floats.

Shiver me Timbers · Jun 26th, 2006, 05:55

If you have any pictures haddojetty, please post them in the gallery, I broke my camera on Havelock, and have noe from the other islands. Also, there's a serious lack of Andaman photos in the gallery, so if you can, that would be great!!!

haritha · Jun 26th, 2006, 08:22

ever tried beach accomodations in Kannur --- Costa Malabari

also another one Sun Fun

Shark · Jun 26th, 2006, 09:19

Palolem is without a doubt the safest beach for swimming - particularly for children - that I have visited in India.

I first took my two children to India when they were 4 and 7 years of age and safe beaches was at the forefront of my wife and I's minds when the children were swimming.

My children have now been to India three times over the last six years and we have been to Golden Beach (Puri, Orissa), most beaches in northern Goa, Diu, Kerala, Kovalam etc.

I am from Australia and Palolem would be the safest open sea front beach I have been to. The children can swim at Palolem without the fear of rips and bad currents, the ocean floor is very shallow and gradual and where there's dolphins there are no sharks and they can swim without adults in the water with them. However, we always supervise them but the fear factor is diminished to almost zero because of the physical nature of the beach.

Yes, I too was there in 2003 when an Indian tourist drowned at Palolem. However, it had nothing to do with dangerous currents or a big surf. It had everything to do with alcohol and the inability to swim.

AnnieG · Jun 27th, 2006, 17:36

A lot of the people who drown in Goa are, sadly, Indian youths who come on a trip to the seaside from the hinterland, and have no idea of how to swim, or even understand that you should be able to swim when you go in to the water. They see people in the sea, and think that they can do it. They are also often bevvied up, with lots of booze inside them, boosting both their bravado and inability to survive.

There certainly are some nasty rips on parts of the coastline - stay away from estuaries, for example, and don't go in if it looks too rough for your standard of swimming. But generally speaking, if you go in on an empty stomach and have some experience of surf and waves, you'll be fine.
A

Jun 26th, 2006, 03:42	#46
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India...log-47072.html my recent blog from the Andamans..... __________________ Europe to India Overland / Andaman's Tips / Pakistan Tips / Flickr Photos / IM Photos

Jun 26th, 2006, 08:22	#58
haritha Account Closed Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Kadalikad-Kerala-India Posts: 527	beaches in kannur ever tried beach accomodations in Kannur --- Costa Malabari also another one Sun Fun

Jun 26th, 2006, 09:19	#59
Shark Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia, New South Wales Posts: 160	Palolem Palolem is without a doubt the safest beach for swimming - particularly for children - that I have visited in India. I first took my two children to India when they were 4 and 7 years of age and safe beaches was at the forefront of my wife and I's minds when the children were swimming. My children have now been to India three times over the last six years and we have been to Golden Beach (Puri, Orissa), most beaches in northern Goa, Diu, Kerala, Kovalam etc. I am from Australia and Palolem would be the safest open sea front beach I have been to. The children can swim at Palolem without the fear of rips and bad currents, the ocean floor is very shallow and gradual and where there's dolphins there are no sharks and they can swim without adults in the water with them. However, we always supervise them but the fear factor is diminished to almost zero because of the physical nature of the beach. Yes, I too was there in 2003 when an Indian tourist drowned at Palolem. However, it had nothing to do with dangerous currents or a big surf. It had everything to do with alcohol and the inability to swim.

Jun 27th, 2006, 17:36	#60
AnnieG Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Goa and Penzance, Cornwall Posts: 152	A lot of the people who drown in Goa are, sadly, Indian youths who come on a trip to the seaside from the hinterland, and have no idea of how to swim, or even understand that you should be able to swim when you go in to the water. They see people in the sea, and think that they can do it. They are also often bevvied up, with lots of booze inside them, boosting both their bravado and inability to survive. There certainly are some nasty rips on parts of the coastline - stay away from estuaries, for example, and don't go in if it looks too rough for your standard of swimming. But generally speaking, if you go in on an empty stomach and have some experience of surf and waves, you'll be fine. A __________________ AnnieG Live life to the full - you never know what's around the corner.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Jun 26th, 2006, 03:42	#47
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	YES!!!! Smith and Ross taken Dec 1998. We did actually camp there illegally, there was this guy called 'Johnny' on Smith who met us there in his lunghi, he looked really intimidating but hung around our camp but all he wanted really was to have a cigarette and a drink!! The night it rained we raided his shack and he let us all stay there-bizarre experience!!!! So have you been to Smith then?

Jun 26th, 2006, 03:43	#48
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	Posts crossed See the blog above.....

Jun 26th, 2006, 03:57	#49
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	What a wonderful blog Conor-I really enjoyed reading it. It takes me back to when we got the ferry from Calcutta (The MV Nicobar). We apent a month on th Andamans and got the ferry back to (the then named) Madras. One of the engines failed and we took 6 days to get back-and there was an Italian guy on the boat who was mentally insane and he totally lost it on ship. In the end, he was met by Indian doctors from the mental institution and he even managed to escape from there!! I think things turned out ok for him but my point was-that funny old things happen on that ship!! When we went there were only about 20 westerners out of 1,000 passengers-I believe that figure has changed now? The connected island to Smith is called Rose Island-Ross is the one off Port Blair with all the ruined buildings covered in vines I believe.

Jun 26th, 2006, 04:19	#51
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	Great story!!! You do get an odd bunch on that ferry..... All the budget airlines are now flying to Port Blair, so people are using the ferry less and less I suppose. A shame, the ferry journey is something I'll never forget.

Jun 26th, 2006, 04:29	#52
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	The whole experience starts when you try to get a ticket in Calcutta!!!! We had to keep going back again and again to the Sipping Corporation and there were strikes on blah blah you know Calcutta!! When we finally left Calcutta we woke up the next day and there we were in the same place in the Hooghly-there had been a cyclone in the night and we had run aground and didnt even know it!! Ah its all coming back to me now. Bunk class was the way to go though. We tried to use the showers in first class and got chased around the ship by the first mate and then these Indian women said under their breath "Foreigners--totally uncivilised". What a hoot!!

Jun 26th, 2006, 04:59	#53
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	Yeah, the Calcutta journey seems to be tougher....I heard stories of the ferry being beached in the Bay of Bengal for two days!!! I flew to Calcutta, so missed that leg of the trip. Next time I suppose.

Jun 26th, 2006, 05:34	#54
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	When you went to Smith was the little shack there by the sandbar? Like a gazebo made out of bamboo.

Jun 26th, 2006, 05:40	#55
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	I didn't see any shack. Tourists were really being discouraged from visiting the island, which is great in many ways. But it's now very tough to stay more than just 3 or 4 nights without getting caught. I met two guys there who had been camping there when the Tsunami happened the year before. It didn't affect Smith, but they stayed until January 6th when a 'rescue team' brought them back to Port Blair. This year, they were found camping again, but because the police knew them from the year before, they didn't fine them.

Jun 26th, 2006, 05:52	#56
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	We were there for about 7 nights. We arranged with a fisherman in Aerial Bay to take us and then he came back 3 days later and took 2 of us to get supplies-fresh food etc. He dropped us back and then we arranged for him to come back a few more days later. As I said before though, nobody knew we were there, apart from the guy Johnny-South East Asian Guy and he was cool. Being there was like being somewhere totally secret-which it was!!!! It sadden me to think of the old adage 'Paradise found is paradise lost'. We were so aware not to leave any trace that we were there, we took all the bottles back and the fishermen had them off us to make as floats.

Jun 26th, 2006, 05:55	#57
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	If you have any pictures haddojetty, please post them in the gallery, I broke my camera on Havelock, and have noe from the other islands. Also, there's a serious lack of Andaman photos in the gallery, so if you can, that would be great!!!

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Where are the best beaches in India ?	BWINDI	Polls	20	Sep 20th, 2006 01:43
swimming	christie	India Expat Area	0	Oct 3rd, 2005 11:49
swimming pools in dharamsala?	babybuddha	Himachal Pradesh	1	Aug 22nd, 2004 21:37
An Asthmatic in India/Swimming in Rishikesh	madmaxs	Health and Well Being in India	5	Apr 30th, 2003 14:52
Heated Swimming Pools	madmaxs	Chai and Chat	2	Feb 25th, 2003 09:32