Is it safe anywhere

Pip
x

I feel quite safe In Goa, the same sort of safe I feel in my own home town really. I wouldn't walk alone at night on a quiet street in either place.

I was there alone in feb and felt fairly safe. I took the same sort of precautions I would here at night i.e. not wander about in unlit or deserted lanes at night and stuck to mainly tourist areas. I can't say I ever felt threatened and found lots of people seemed to look out for me and make sure I got home safely at night.

I have always felt totally safe in Goa, in fact it's one place that I have said that I would feel comfortable to travel to by myself. But I think that, as with most places nowadays, you should take sensible precautions, whether you are alone or in company. As Sim1 says, think about where you are venturing and make sure you have made arrangements to return to your hotel safely, especially after a few honeybees

I haven't felt so safe the last couple of years, always try and get someone to walk you home if poss and take a torch. Just the same as here really, be careful who you talk to and how much information you give them!

We are now seeing the seedy side of Goa that was always there, the media seem to be highlighting the drug menace that is prevelent in Goa. With wealth and more tourists in the state than 10 years ago there was always the problem of more undesirables entering Goa with the view of cashing in.
Goa is still a safe place and just because your on holiday you shouldn`t let your defences down, I remember a women almost being raped in Vagator in 1999, luckily we heard her screams and along with some locals went to her aid, she had a lucky escape but was very stupidly walking along a dark path with earphones in listening to music as she was attacked doubt she would have done that in the UK would she ?
Be sensible and there will no cause to worry, another tip if your travelling alone is never tell anybody that fact and always make it sound as though your travelling with other people

I only asked, as I wouldn't have expected to see such high statistics in a very popular holiday destination.

I have heard of a number of tourists dying in Goa from natural causes. I wonder if the figures include these.

The point is people die all over the world when they are travelling- I'm sure the numbers for places like Spain and Thailand are much higher.
Unfortunately though a large number of people, when they go on holiday forget to pack their common sense and so do put themselves at unnecesary risk- we've all seen them=- thats not to excuse anything untoward that does happen but if you are sensible and do not get into potentially difficult or dangerous situations thes things will probably not happen

Unfortunately though a large number of people, when they go on holiday forget to pack their common sense

Absolutely spot on

Almost anywhere in the world if you keep your wits about you, then you can avoid most sticky situations.

Hi, after returning from Goa 2 weeks ago, i felt very safe with my partner, 11 year old daughter and 2 x 16 year old boys. The boys would out at midnight and go looking for food!! and had no problems at all. They were told to stay together and not go anywhere unlit and to be quite honest we didn't see much of them all holiday, they loved the freedom. The media has a lot to answer for!!
Jazz

just came back and read about the young girl who died everymorning in the local paper.it happened the day before we arrived.the mother and locals seem to think there has been a police cover up.they said she had drowned,but the evidence suggested sexual assault and strangulation.she was only 15.but a new police officer has been put in charge and the mother says she has more confidence in him.even though this has happened we felt very safe everywhere.like others have said people are murdered and attacked everywhere.i feel much safer in goa than i do in my home town where it seems someone is beaten or stabbed or robbed every week.but i just think that you need to use caution and common sense anywhere you are-at home or on holiday.

I have always felt safe in Goa - but am still as cautious as I would be anywhere - even at home. I don't walk around on my own in the dark at home (lived in home town 31 years), so why should I feel able to do this anywhere else? You just have to be sensible whever you are. Unfortunately you get isolated incidents, but people do sometimes tend to let all common sense disappear as soon as they go on holiday. I know we all want to relax, but you still have to think about your safety - whether this means not taking all your cash out, locking up valuables in a safety deposit etc etc. If you wouldn't do it at home - they why do it in another country?

Simple precautions can help prevent problems, keep your handbag on the shoulder away from the roadside as this is favourite in the last couple of years (snatching bags as they go by on bikes) I agree nowhere is really safe in the world, there are undesirables whereever you go, just be sensible as others have said. I do feel it is less safe here (in Goa) than it used to be but still safer than the UK and many other places!!
Chilly

most people have drowned in goa, but like many others say keep common sense about you as you would here. we been going since 96 and seen people drowned due to to much drink, and crime is anywhere today especically when tourist flash the cash and boast as its a cheap place, you wouldnt sit on a beach drinking in pitch black at 3 am here so why do it anywhere else but we do. so lets every one just have a great holiday and take care.

I have visited goa alone and so has a friend of mine on several occasions neither of us has felt uncomfortable or had cause to worry about our safety. In fact I feel safer there than I do at home! People do look out for you but you should use your common sense the same as you would at home. Take simple precautions as already stated and watch how many honeybees or old monk you drink and use taxi drivers you know.

I do know about an incident that happened a couple of years ago where a young girl was gang raped, she was travelling alone and had arranged to meet some people in a bar she didnt know and hadnt been to before, they didnt turn up and she went walkabout on her own looking for them in the dark in a fairly deserted area. Ladies would you do that at home?

It was very sad but because she had met such nice people and everyone was friendly she felt overly safe and secure.

This has not stopped me from going to Goa and I would still travel there on my own. As already stated pack your common sense and enjoy yourself.

We usually go to Sth Goa twice a year,and I've always felt safe. As with any other country in the world there are a few bad apples. But just keep your wits about you if you begin to feel a bit edhy and you'll be fine. I feel safer in Goa than I do in the UKor anywhere else in Europe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/10/windia210.xml

Please post ALL news article in the Goa News Articles topic to keep them all in one place.

Thanks

luci