i agree m8,although im still going at xmas/newyear. although in april i intend trying somewhere different

I think you will find a lot of people on the forum with similar views.But tourism changes everywhere.The infux of money alway drives prices up and we the tourists are the ones to blame.Over tipping is one problem and an unawareness of just how vastly different the cost of living is.I certainly found Goa had changed some for the better and a lot for the worse.

I am still having a debate with myself about wether I will return and am sorry it has been spoiled for good for you.

Would be interesting to find out if anyone has found the 'perfect' holiday destination? Any suggestions etc.

I must say taxis are the one thing that really bug me in Goa. I would like to use my shack owners brothers taxi all the time as i know he will not over charge, but that is not always possible.
It is the first time ever that i had an argument with one this year over change from a 100rp note. The trip wasn't far,but was fed up with walking and the cost was 70rps (previous day it was 50rps) so i handed over my 100rps and stated that yesterday was 50rps with another driver - no response except for the 'rocking head' - then he says he has no change (has been said to me a thousand times),''then if you have no change i wont pay you'' and took my money back and got out of the taxi. On reaching our apartment gates he suddenly finds 30rps change (what a suprise) still not happy at what goes on and as you say many people will not quibble over a few rupees (even myself in my first few visits) but now i will stand my ground.

I coud'nt agree more about the taxis I paid three visits to Goa this season and from the first one in Oct. I noticed a change in a lot of the taxi drivers.We always attempted to use the two taxis from our digs but when you tried strange one the difference was noticable The first time we tried to get one in the middle of th evening from the top of beach rd. in Candolim to the top of Holiday rd in Caanute (a50rp. fare) the price was 100Rps take it or leave it We alway found the biggest hassle with the drivers in the centre of Candolim, I suppose because it seems to be the place with the biggest number of non Indian tourists, we didnt encounter the same problems as much around Calangute or Baga Alan

Are we not the ones to blame for the"Rip Off"? When I first went I paid 20rps for a kingfisher at a hotel, when I was charged 95rps for two beers at Anjuna Market I argued but was told by another tourist walking past to pay up as it was only a couple of quid to us!!!!!!!! We over tip, accept first price on items, Bartering is second nature even to Goans. We push up the prices for local Goans, many can't afford to eat fish, fruit etc because WE pay over the odds. If you look on the dashboards of taxis it stated 8rps a km. If you accept the first price more fool you!!!!!!!!!

I always ask before I get in. One guy tried to charge me 250 rps to go from Baga to Candolim. I dont even give them the option of bartering, just say no and walk on. They'll soon learn if everyone does this.

As for tipping, for evening meals tip 10% and don't tip the taxi drivers. That and see my friends alright for a few drinks is plenty. Tipping is an American idea which is ruining the world.

I feel just the same about Goa I have had many good holidays there but I will not be going again, this last time I could not cope with all the hassle I must be getting old. There are far too many beach sellers now and the taxi drivers unless you refuse to take their taxi, want too charge over the odds. Years ago I used to take books , pencils, sweets fotr the children but all they wanted was money. I find the hassle at the airport too much with the officials asking for money, do the government of Goa know what is happening or are they just not bothered.

Gooner fan,

Ever tried pay the 8rps per km in a taxi in the last few years!!!!!

You'll quckly be presented with a price list that is based on 15rps per km (at the airport they quote this as the "Government Rate" which is bizarre given the dashboard says otherwise).

I would suggest there is not a driver in Candolim who would drive you for 8rps a km (that would make Calungute to Candolim about 25rps and the airport trip only 360rps!!!!)

If there is a driver who'll stick to this tariff post there details as I guarantee they'll be the busiest guy in Goa ferrying HTers around!

47rupees per litre (was 16rps 3 years ago) so i can understand the increase in fares and the knock on effect of prices in general food / drink etc.. what 'miffs' everyone is the way taxi drivers try it on with there own added increase and i would say that those that haven't sussed them out will pay up and will also not hang about for the 20/30 rupees change so this is something that will never change.
If they should be operating at the government rate of 15rps per kilometer and not the 8rps as shown in taxis/tuc-tuc's then this another issue that must be made to the tourism minister - so.... who's gonna be first to e-mail them ? Having bought and read 2 local papers per day over there it was a suprise to read in the letters section 3 or 4 from UK tourists who had just returned complaing about the beach errosion/tanker/jet skis and the amount of rubbish on the increase - shame there was no editors response to these letters but at least they are printing them. If more write to these papers then maybe something will be done (I guess not !!)

I never said to only pay the 8rps a km, just not to accept the first price thats given because "it sounds cheap" to us. If we as tourists pay the artificially inflated prices just once it soon becomes the norm.
BTW, going back to the original post read this article in the Herald
http://oheraldo.in/node/12017 it seems more and more tourists are not happy
Alan

I am an Indian (currently working and living in UK) and have been going to Goa since early 1990s and found major changes in and around the beaches. Goa was dirt-cheap a decade ago. Today the situation is different, some of that is understandable. However, major changes are required to keep the foreign tourists coming to Goa.

1) The government should regulate the whole taxi business including driving licences for taxi drivers, unnecessary honking and overcharging. The taxi drivers not only try to rip off the foreign tourists, they don't spare anyone, and Indian tourists are also treated the same way.

2) The locals, mainly the shack, hotel and restaurant owners and the likes whose livelihood depends on foreign exchange, which is their bread and butter, should make this known to the local politicians and some kind of awareness should be created.

3) The matter should be reported in a huge scale to the Ministry of Tourism both in Goa and at the centre in New Delhi. The government of India was quite aware of the fact that they were losing many foreign tourists to other neighbouring countries and with new changes to improve the Tourism industry, the government has set forth a few plans - but not much is being done at the grass roots level.

Unlike a regular tourist who goes on a package tour and wants to make the most of the trip by travelling to different beaches that entails them to take taxis and deal more with the locals, my trips are more on the beach, chilling at the shack and not doing many taxi rounds. Unfortunately, it's always going to be Goa for me, irrespective of all the hassle of dealing with the beach sellers, taxi drivers and finding the right accommodation. Hope things change in the future for all of us.

Just one observation on all this.I posted a topic on this a couple of weeks ago.

It seems 99% of people complaining about the changes in Goa stay in the north,why not stay further south, because it does seem that the majority of problems seem to be in the Baga,candolim calangute area.

We stay in a small resort (Bogmalo) although quiet we don't seem to suffer the same problems as alot of you are experiencing.

john

But wouldn't that be a case of not solving the problem and just shifting it to another ? - it wouldn't take long for the south to become like the north. As stated above, people are moving to other countrys but there are more newcomers to Goa each year (many many more) so unless action is taken to regulate prices on a fair all round basis then this will continue.

Your observation is quite accurate John. Most of these problems are in areas where the influx of tourists is increasing by the day, mainly north. All other secluded beaches are fantastic, serene, quiet and heavenly. I used to go to Colva and walk a kilometre away from the beachfront and it was absolutely brilliant. There were a few beach sellers - but they never harassed or anything. However, I have been going to the north and don't face much problem as I stick to the beach and the shacks.

Got agree with you,we have been going for 9 years now,and for us nothing much has changed.

jc

Hi everyone,

I have read all your comments and yes the taxi drivers are really getting bad but during our holiday in December we had a couple of nights in Cavelossim and although we had a lovely time we found the taxi drivers very rude in deed, we took a cab one night and as normal was very hot so our friend who was sat in the front asked the driver to put a/c on........no sorry replied the driver that will cost you extra 100 rps , needless to say we opened windows instead. Also there was no haggling over thr price they wouldnt budge on that one. Also the beach sellers were a real pain in the butt certainly as many seller as Calangute but lots less tourist...........on saying that we still love the place and no doubt will be back next winter

Jules

Not as a solution to the problems - but just because I love the place enough, I am going to buy an apartment end of this year and have a car of my own...good bye to the Taxi drivers.

Or we could take the bus, thats what we started doing, 4rps. Calangute to Sinquerm, 7rps Calangute to Mapsa!! and you see a bit of the country on the route to Mapsa. Or take the bus via Candolim to Panjim and get off with everyone else just before the Fish Market and get the free ferry which takes you over the Mandovi to close to the centre of town. The only snag is they stop running about 9.00p.m. They always stop when you stick your hand out and if you give them a 10 rp. note for two 4 rp. fares they always give you your change unlike the taxi men who never have any It's worth a thought Alan