Big Time Confusion!

My girlfriend and I are flying to Goa late November for 16 nights stay. We have no accommodation booked, no route/itinerary planned and after reading lonely planet and several forums, we still feel none the wiser!

We don't really want a rigid plan, just want to float around to various locations without moving around too frequently.

1. Where would you advise as the starting location? (We are not interested in the big commercial places but don't want to miss out must see locations!) Logic tells me start north and work down, just not sure what to skip altogether.

2. Is it easy and cheap to move around Goa and can accommodation be easily found without booking in advance? In beach hut accommodation are you expected to bring sleeping bags, etc?

3. I keep hearing conflicting stories about Malaria. Should we take Malaria medication or not?

I would leave to hear what people have to say who have experience of Goa as having never been I am really struggling to know what to do for the best.

don't expect sleeping in a beach boat there are no considerations.

I'd suggest a relaxing holiday, maybe 5 nights in Palolam (or one of the quiet beaches nearby), then 5 or 6 days at Hampi, then back to the same beach for the last 5 days, with 1 or 2 day trips.

Almost everything worth seeing is too far from Goa.

A 2nd option could include the backwaters and beaches of northern Kerala, unspoilt, and untouristy, but very difficult to also include Hampi, and Hampi is simply mindblowing.

So, romance or an experience never to forget.....think before you reply, I've heard a terrible rumour that some women have learnt to search the internet, scary.

no need to book anything and as steven says go to palolem and chill for a bit. hampi would be good. personally i,ve never felt the need to go from beach to beach. 16 days is a short time, just go with the flow

Whether you "should" or not is endlessly debatable; my usual advice would be to discuss it with your nearby travel health clinic/doctor specializing in the same.

However, modern advice on malaria tends to be regionalized, so no longer covering entire countries (or, certainly in the case of a country as large as India). To my best knowledge, and the last time I've seen them (over the past two years), on such modern maps covering it, Goa is listed as not a high-risk area for it, but a risky one alright. So where anti-malarials are advised. It may also be further specified to times of year.

(Another consideration could be on a short trip, if you run up anything, there goes much of your trip. It could be less of an issue if you have say 6 months to go on. Now others will say, but, what realistically are the risks. It is what makes it endlessly debatable, indeed. [One might conversely wonder, so what's the big deal about taking it for two weeks, and for whatever run-up and subsequent period is required. Shouldn't be crazy expensive, either, I don't think. Though maybe that's easy for me to say, it's mostly covered by our national health insurance where I live.]

It is your call; but I'd personally prefer to weigh the pros & cons with some professionals, then decide. Now that isn't to say that their advice will always be best, or that it may not differ widely depending on where you ask. Did I already say it's endlessly debatable? But you'd think it would at least give you something to go on.)

But so anyway, just simply in practical terms of what areas are known to be riskier, I know no better than Goa is listed among them, yes. (Whereas for some other areas and these days, with modern advice, just to take prevention measures as much as you can against getting stung would be more common. So if you run into a doc who goes "Oh India, yes, malaria, period," you might want to look on for a second opinion by one who is a litle more modern and up-to-date about it. They'll probably tell you what I just did. Usual disclaimer btw: I ain't no doctor, or anything like it.)

While you wouldn't need a sleeping bag it would be a good idea to have your own blanket with you. You can use it as a blanket as well as a cover. I always have one with me.

And it has been indeed endlessly debated here on the site, btw.

One says yes and another one says no.

So, my advise would be to do what makes you feel comfortable about it.
No need to being paranoid for your whole trip about getting malaria.

That's what it pretty much boils down to, yes

ps Another note on anti-malarials: Some may have side-effects you may not be too keen on. I'm not up-to-speed with all of them, but notably Lariam (mefloquine, or mefaquin) while it should be OK for most is known to be contra-indicated if you have any sort of mental/psychological issues. It can cause depression, and worse, and then apparently notably in those prone to such.

Normally, you ought to be asked about such conditions, and not prescribed such where there is any chance of it being an issue. But one hears in some countries, or by some doctors, they may be prescribed no problem, regardless.

So, discuss such stuff with your doc while you're at it. And, be (very) reluctant to take such even if they're sort of pushed on you. There are other courses available to you that should be perfectly alright. (Well, I guess in some parts of the world, Lariam may be about the only thing that still works. The malaria parasite(s) has/have a nasty habit of adapting to just about anything. But I'm not aware this is the case in India.)

Well I am no expert but we booked online for a few nights to get our bearings then got a taxi to Candolim where the hotel was....then searched around and haggled for places. All depends on your budget, sense of adventure - you get what you pay for, pay cheap and get basic, pay big bucks and get somewhere nice, we opted for mid range then went a tad basic for 50 quid a week - just ask round in bars, pubs and anywhere that looks ok to you.