Goa-not that into beaches!

lyndy · Feb 6th, 2005, 11:07

Where are the best places to stay in Goa, if one is not that interested in sitting on a beach and one is more interested in a bit of local colour, some temples and historic buildings, good shopping for local handicrafts & great places to eat? Is Panaji a good choice?

Our room budget is around 1000-1500 r's per night, prefer air cond place!

Thanks a bunch for any input!

steven_ber · Feb 6th, 2005, 16:27

I stayed in Panjim for 2 days, though I cant remember the name of the hotel.

I thought it was a relaxing & pretty town with great food and lots of interesting buildings, and it was the first place I'd been where nobody seemed to get out of bed before 8 in the morning.

seventies'hippy · Feb 6th, 2005, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyndy

Where are the best places to stay in Goa, if one is not that interested in sitting on a beach and one is more interested in a bit of local colour, some temples and historic buildings, good shopping for local handicrafts & great places to eat? Is Panaji a good choice?

Our room budget is around 1000-1500 r's per night, prefer air cond place!

Thanks a bunch for any input!

Goa still has lots to offer you. Steven is right, Panaji would be a good base, Old Goa the old capital is'nt too far away, theres plenty of churches & monuments to see, heres a LINK to some of them.
The beach areas of north Goa are worth seeing too, theres a whole infrastructure of shops & services built around them. Mapusa market everyday but especially popular on a Friday is full of local colour, with villagers coming in selling their produce.
The famous Anjuna Flea market on a wednesday is surely not to be missed if only for the experience & people watching, It's unique,,,,,,,,

jarman_ah · Feb 6th, 2005, 18:27

I would eagerly second (or is it third?) the above posts.

I posted the almost identical question to yours last October -- "want to see Goa, but don't want to sit on beaches, love old buildings" -- and was advised to stay in Panaji and visit Old Goa. That was great advice. The best area to find accommodation in Panaji would have to be the little area called Fontainhas, as it's full of old Portuguese buildings fronting narrow, cobblestone laneways. What's more, cross the footbridge and in five minutes you're at the bus station, where the buses to Old Goa leave seemingly every couple of minutes (that's where you go to get the bus to Anjune Markets, also.... but my advice is don't bother to buy anything there, as it's very definitely become an "in" daytrip for the tourists, and the vendors have adjusted their prices accordingly; nearby Mapusa, on the other hand, had a far better and cheaper market).

In Fontainhas we were lucky to find one of the best guest houses we encountered on our whole five weeks in India: the Afonso Guest House (a quaint old building near the Chapel of St Sebastian), which isn't as cheap as some of the nearby budget guest houses (our double room on the ground floor, facing into the picturesque cul-de-sac on which the Afonso and San Sebastian stand -- cost us 500 rupees per night, 150 rupees more than most of the places nearby. But it was worth the extra, and I recommend it to you unreservedly.

Panaji is very "upmarket India" -- well, it seemed that way to us, after we had spent a couple of weeks in Rajasthan! Relatively few beggars, you don't have rickshaw drivers stopping you every second to urge you aboard, and the prices of just about everything reflect its European heritage.... by Indian standards, things are expensive (a sari that cost 180 rupees in Mapusa was around 800 in Panaji). However, if you make up your mind to buy elsewhere and just concentrate on those elegant old buildings -- and make sure you spend half a day in old Goa and really explore it, with a map -- then you will love Goa, as we did.

Happy travelling!

In Fontainhas, we found

freenote · Feb 6th, 2005, 19:42

We are in Panjim at the moment and have to agree with the above posts, a very interesting city Note to big,peasfull,good resterants (good hunting) Just walked through the old quarter a very nice area.another poster mentioned a guest house there "afonso" if its were i think it is ,enjoy!!

Casey · Feb 6th, 2005, 22:13

I also stayed at the Alphonso guest house and found it to be a wonderful place. I arrived in Panjim after about 4 days with no sleep. I was travelling alone for the first time and had a bit of a panic upon arrival in Mumbai. It is the perfect place to relax, learn how things are done in India (banking, post office, pharmacy, etc.) and get over any jet lag. The architecture and pace of Panjim was definately worth the trip. It is a great place for those who want to relax, but aren't into the beach. If you go I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

lyndy · Feb 7th, 2005, 10:42

Wow! Great stuff! Thanks guys & gals!

Thinking we might stay a few extra days in Goa after all this great info! Just what we were looking for.

Anyone have an email for Alphonso or should we book from Mumbai or just turn up on the day? Seems from posts here that Goa is quite busy for the next few weeks!

Getting too excited now!! Much appreciate your replies!

lyndy · Feb 7th, 2005, 10:49

Sorry jarman_ah- it is Afonso-I found it in the latest Footprint but no email-guess I'll phone! Tks again.

spitze_udz · Feb 7th, 2005, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyndy

Sorry jarman_ah- it is Afonso-I found it in the latest Footprint but no email-guess I'll phone! Tks again.

Still.... take into consideration staying at a resort near celengute beach... this will be more interesting then staying at panji....

spitze_udz · Feb 7th, 2005, 16:46

Panaji is not far from beaches...

jarman_ah · Feb 7th, 2005, 18:10

I don't have an email for the Afonzo (note that spelling, or you could end up anywhere!), but their phone number (after all the prefixes to get you into Goa) is 2222359. Good luck!

lyndy · Feb 8th, 2005, 07:28

Thanks you two.

Feb 6th, 2005, 11:07	#1
lyndy Gypsy at heart Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 294	Goa-not that into beaches! Where are the best places to stay in Goa, if one is not that interested in sitting on a beach and one is more interested in a bit of local colour, some temples and historic buildings, good shopping for local handicrafts & great places to eat? Is Panaji a good choice? Our room budget is around 1000-1500 r's per night, prefer air cond place! Thanks a bunch for any input!

Feb 6th, 2005, 16:27	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,785	I stayed in Panjim for 2 days, though I cant remember the name of the hotel. I thought it was a relaxing & pretty town with great food and lots of interesting buildings, and it was the first place I'd been where nobody seemed to get out of bed before 8 in the morning. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information. RAC & Waitlists explained.

Feb 7th, 2005, 10:42	#7
lyndy Gypsy at heart Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 294	Panaji sounds like my cup of chai! Wow! Great stuff! Thanks guys & gals! Thinking we might stay a few extra days in Goa after all this great info! Just what we were looking for. Anyone have an email for Alphonso or should we book from Mumbai or just turn up on the day? Seems from posts here that Goa is quite busy for the next few weeks! Getting too excited now!! Much appreciate your replies!

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Feb 6th, 2005, 18:27	#4
jarman_ah Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 373	I would eagerly second (or is it third?) the above posts. I posted the almost identical question to yours last October -- "want to see Goa, but don't want to sit on beaches, love old buildings" -- and was advised to stay in Panaji and visit Old Goa. That was great advice. The best area to find accommodation in Panaji would have to be the little area called Fontainhas, as it's full of old Portuguese buildings fronting narrow, cobblestone laneways. What's more, cross the footbridge and in five minutes you're at the bus station, where the buses to Old Goa leave seemingly every couple of minutes (that's where you go to get the bus to Anjune Markets, also.... but my advice is don't bother to buy anything there, as it's very definitely become an "in" daytrip for the tourists, and the vendors have adjusted their prices accordingly; nearby Mapusa, on the other hand, had a far better and cheaper market). In Fontainhas we were lucky to find one of the best guest houses we encountered on our whole five weeks in India: the Afonso Guest House (a quaint old building near the Chapel of St Sebastian), which isn't as cheap as some of the nearby budget guest houses (our double room on the ground floor, facing into the picturesque cul-de-sac on which the Afonso and San Sebastian stand -- cost us 500 rupees per night, 150 rupees more than most of the places nearby. But it was worth the extra, and I recommend it to you unreservedly. Panaji is very "upmarket India" -- well, it seemed that way to us, after we had spent a couple of weeks in Rajasthan! Relatively few beggars, you don't have rickshaw drivers stopping you every second to urge you aboard, and the prices of just about everything reflect its European heritage.... by Indian standards, things are expensive (a sari that cost 180 rupees in Mapusa was around 800 in Panaji). However, if you make up your mind to buy elsewhere and just concentrate on those elegant old buildings -- and make sure you spend half a day in old Goa and really explore it, with a map -- then you will love Goa, as we did. Happy travelling! In Fontainhas, we found

Feb 6th, 2005, 19:42	#5
freenote senior member refused Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: cornwall UK Posts: 1,601	We are in Panjim at the moment and have to agree with the above posts, a very interesting city Note to big,peasfull,good resterants (good hunting) Just walked through the old quarter a very nice area.another poster mentioned a guest house there "afonso" if its were i think it is ,enjoy!!

Feb 6th, 2005, 22:13	#6
Casey Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 637	I also stayed at the Alphonso guest house and found it to be a wonderful place. I arrived in Panjim after about 4 days with no sleep. I was travelling alone for the first time and had a bit of a panic upon arrival in Mumbai. It is the perfect place to relax, learn how things are done in India (banking, post office, pharmacy, etc.) and get over any jet lag. The architecture and pace of Panjim was definately worth the trip. It is a great place for those who want to relax, but aren't into the beach. If you go I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Feb 7th, 2005, 10:49	#8
lyndy Gypsy at heart Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 294	Sorry jarman_ah- it is Afonso-I found it in the latest Footprint but no email-guess I'll phone! Tks again.

Feb 7th, 2005, 16:46	#10
spitze_udz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Udaipur,Bangalore Posts: 158	Panaji is not far from beaches...

Feb 7th, 2005, 18:10	#11
jarman_ah Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 373	I don't have an email for the Afonzo (note that spelling, or you could end up anywhere!), but their phone number (after all the prefixes to get you into Goa) is 2222359. Good luck!

Feb 8th, 2005, 07:28	#12
lyndy Gypsy at heart Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 294	Thanks you two.

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