The best guide book for Goa?

akt

Which is the "best" guide book for Goa? Better if it is about Goa exclusively, but otherwise a book about India with chapter on Goa would do.

Information (eg, a list of hotels on attractions) is here and advice more: e.g., which hotels are great value, which ones are terrible, which attractions not to miss, which ones to skip? This is for a 3-day visit coming up very soon.

ringo

hi
the are some very good books on goa i can guide you

akt

Hi Ringo, go ahead and please give me your opinion. Thanks.

ringo

hey just read PASSAGE TRAVEL GUIDE GOA 'the diary of the locals' you can write to them at julioreveredo@yahoo.com

Jeroen

I used the Rough Guide India's Goa chapter and that was fine for my one-week stay there. I think they also do a seperate Goa book. On their recommendation I stayed in quiet Benaulim (good for peace, an original village, cheap scooter rental and easy access) and scootered around to Old Goa and the village with the oldest Portuguese colonial house (really nice).
The LP is more exhaustive in listings of places to stay/eat but RG has more on what you're looking at and where you don't want to go. Example: I don't understand why LP bothers to include a section about a resort like Colva (15 mins walk north of Benaulim) that really sucks and where I spotted a bunch of foreign girls (LP readers no doubt) being hassled by excited Indians. RG uses one word to describe Colva: 'avoid'!

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freenote

Would agree with jeroen (except the colva bit) rough guide used to have a seperate guide for Goa ,don't know if they still do.Used it a few years back and found it very helpfull

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akt

Hi Jeroen, Let me ask your advice on one issue based on your experience. Of course everyone can join in. We have only 3 nights in Goa and want to take in some beach as well as some city experience. Trying to choose one of the two styles:

(1) Spend one night in north (say Ronil Inn), one night in Panjim (say, Panjim Inn), and one night somewhere south. Then airport. In other words, each day we move to a different part of Goa (our luggage will be light), and do local exploring.

(2) Base ourselves in one place and see everything from there.

Based on distances and available transportation, what makes most sense?

And if we choose to base oursleves in one place, I guess it has to be a beach, but should it be north or south?

Hey guys, here is your chance to influence our lives. Please opine!

butterball

Wow ... only 3 days

Get your priorities.. Personally I'd base somewhere like Benaulim ( nice & small / relaxed yet with some infrastructue ) ( sorry , Colva is NOT nice ) and visit Margao ( nearest town - some Goan architecture etc ) for shopping if you want and a 'day' trip to Panaji. All easy local buses. Or maybe tag a night in Panaji ( which is nice ) at either end taking in half a day and the night and then move on..

Only my opinion

Jeroen

Time is short... I wouldn't waste it hopping from hotel to hotel either. Base yourself somewhere central - Benalim is peaceful and nice compared to most places along that stretch of Goa - and do daytrips. Spend the other day lazing around on the beach and walk along the seaside south, away from Colva, to see some cool fishing boats parked on the sands. Then I'd suggest on day 2 to get a nice Ambassador taxi for a long day (should be 1000Rs I think) and 'do' Old Goa in the morning (very nice - make sure you go up to the one church on a hilltop that has great views over Old Goa), lunch in Panaji, then head out to the backlands to see Goan village life and the grand, oldest Portuguese colonial house (you get a personal tour by the 15th generation of the Braganza family - see RG for details); back via Margao. Spend the third day on a bicycle heading south from Benali through the villages, stopping off at a random beach. In Benaulim I stayed at one of the two places right on the beach (naot on the main road from Benalim to the beach, but one more to the north - see RG); very nice, 200Rs/room I think it was, good restaurant on site and others nearby.
Hope that helps; happy short holidays!

akt

Hi Butterball and Jeroen,

You guys really think Benaulim is better location that Baga etc?

My one concern is low season. Beaches generally described as overcrowded could be relaxed, while those that are relaxed in high season could be about dead. Called Oceanic Hotel in Palolem to find their September rates; they are closed.

Anyway, in Baga I had short listed a few hotes: Alidia, Ronil, Kerkar, Linda. Any expereince with these?

Three days is not much. I think we are going to do 2 at the beaches and 1 in Panjim/Old Goa. Everyone says Panjim Inn is a great experience, so still toying with 1 night there. But this does not have to be decided now. We'll start at some beach hotel and see what we feel 2 days later.

butterball

Benaulim will be quiet now.. just how I like it.

Baga = resort = bogo.. not for me.

I think Jeroen got it 100%

Jeroen

Haven't been to N or S Goa, so can't compare the two. I like peaceful, original places. The sound of 'Techno valley', the hippie market or whatever else they have up north did not sound appealing to me.

akt

Thanks, I 'll research Banaulim hotels. However the family thinks it'd be too hot n muggy and wants a/c for sure, so I need to keep that in mind. Theoretically at least, I do like the idea of spending either the first or the last night in Panjim.

freenote

oh dear!colva has such a bad reputation but i have to agree about benaulim , great memories.Three days is not long anough, can't you stay a little longer and do it justice.