Fiona, i agree, but only to a certain point.
I feel the need to inform the 'newbies' of the good and bad points about Goa.

The link i tried to post was about a young couple holidaying in Goa, the young lady got a lot of sexual comments made to her, and the Goan mafia gang threatened to rape her and kill her partner.
This is in no way a story, it is fact.

I also had a good holiday this year, but only because i took precautions, and i feel everyone should have some sort of an idea of what its like, afterall, it is a discussion board, or are we just limited to talking about the good points of Goa?

I am in the process of researching my next hotel, its out of the sunshine park in candolim, sunkissed resort in calangute, or the Somy resort.
Somy is looking more likely due to cost and location

yummymummy wrote:

I also had a good holiday this year, but only because i took precautions, and i feel everyone should have some sort of an idea of what its like, afterall, it is a discussion board, or are we just limited to talking about the good points of Goa?

if HT has only limited discussion to the good points I dread to think the bad points would be
I'm not sure which part of my post you don't agree with. If you read my first sentence we seem to be in agreement.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Goa_choking_on_its_tourist_success/articleshow/3004305.cms

Goa choking on its tourist success.

Have the Travel & Tourism Association of Goa finally woken up? A bit slow on the uptake methinks.

Hi Fiona, i think i misunderstood, and read your comment too quickly.
I think the point i was trying to make is that a few people tend to reply with ' stop moaning about the bad things of goa, we all go back so talk about the good things so we dont put first timers off'.

i think everyone enjoys their Goa holiday, even more so the regulars

The good and bad aspects of Goa, have often been discused, so just a word of warning to "Newbies", Beware it's Addictive
x lassi

yes , even though i have mentioned some of the negative sides of Goa, i am going back in 2009, and this will be my 7th time

So it cant be that bad can it?
Its just about common sense really, as you need when you go anywhere else in the world.

Big Neil,
excellent post on the 3rd of this month.
I totally agree with you, I am starting to get p....d off with certain parties within the goan tourist structure and one of them is those bl.....g taxi drivers, to where as I now P... them off when they don't agree with a price I just turn away and I don't look back and get in a tuk-tuk, now that really pi....s them off, same with the bars and the restaurants if you feel that the service or the price has been hiked you do not have to return, money is your power, I never ever thought I would have to write anything like this, but in the eight years I have been visiting Goa I have you might say become street wise, and sadly there will be casualties caught up in some of my decisions, like the person who washes the dishes in the back the person who waits on the table I am sorry but if his boss don't give me value for what I am paying for I just don't go back.

Now that I have come up for air, Fiona PLEASE excuse my unforgivable language....jxk8

JKK8,

Thanks.. The good news to all is Goa will still be inexpensive even if they put their prices up even 20%. I rarely go out in the centre of Edinburgh as it's like downtown London... 4 beers £14+ Taxi for mile and a half £8. I went out last weekend and was flabbergasted ... bought 2 rounds of drinks for 4 and taxi home, woke up next day looked in wallet had about a tenner change from £50 and not a hangover in sight. All this would have cost 800-1000 RS in Goa.

Goans know how expensive UK is and now take full advantage of new package tourists. I DO NOT mind paying over the odds if there is some QUALITY experiences to be had. Cheap does not always equate. I'll spend a few nights in a 5000 RS hotel IF IT'S top notch.

It's those who want 700 RS for Tiger Prawns or double the taxi price and the 'new' tourist will pay. You do have to be street wise, the friendly smile and big bill is very transparent to me. I've given mobile phones away, given £50 (on a few occassions) to help for someones 'operation' provided clothing and toiletries only to be asked for more next season. It's just a fact that if we can afford to travel to Goa on holiday we must be rich.

Not that I have any 'bling' but I do not like showing that I might have any money back home, I don't attract attention by wearing expensive jewellery, clothes, flashing electronic goods (digicams, ipods, mobiles etc). In fact I always act as if I am on a tight budget. The little they know of my situation back home the better, I always act is if I am travelling on a budget). Don't give waiters your email address either, you will receive begging emails wanting money.

Just be street-wise and enjoy yourself.

I do agree Neil, that the Goans think anyone wno can travel to Goa must be rich. How many of them can afford to make a trip outside India, except to work. So when they are given expensive gifts, this only encourages them to to expect more.
Of course there is a chance you will be ripped off, but dosn't this also happen at other destinations, it's certainaly happened to me, in other parts of the world.
I still think the cost of food and beverages is very reasonable, and the service in general good. Having just returned from 5 days in the north of England, I'm broke, why do'es a coffee cost twice as much as in Italy, and the food and service sorry

x lassi

Big Neil/lassigirl,
again good points from you both, and I will just tell you this short story of affection and friendliness being shown by myself to one of the beach sellers.

I took with me a couple of MP3 players last year and had them on the beach for most of the holiday, now for most days I was pestered by on particular guy who kept asking me for the player, so in the end, I thinking how fortunate I am gave him one of my players, and as you say lassigirl you give them something nice, and this only encourages them to to expect more, well the next day he brought his mate for my other MP3 player and after me chasing him, the first fellow that I gave one of my MP3 players to then had the cheek to come back and asked me did I have any more batteries as the MP3 player I gave him the day before, the batteries had ran out, well you can only imagine what he got from me and it wasn't batteries, anyway enough of that, no gifts I am afraid this year, as again lesson learnt and more street/beach wise.

I bet there is a few stories out there better than my one....jxk8

Not all Doom & Gloom....

Goa cracks down on illegal water sports operators

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=441581&sid=REG

Licenses suspended on water sports operators at Calangute..... not before time... a real hazard!

About time too! Been complaining about this for the last 3 years! There is no need for so many at Baga and Calangute! Maybe the odd one or two on the quieter parts of the beach, so as not to spoill it for those who like them. But the last few years, they really have been a nuisance!

Yes I agree, dangerous stuff!! and the guys that work on the things are a pain too.

I love this place but unforunately living here all the time i see many things i feel that are wrong and should not be encouraged by tourists, most of the youngters here line their pockets with money due to the goods tourists give them, trainers, mobiles, mp3 players the list is endless then they go and sell them for hard cash, all these items you can buy here now but much cheaper so they get good money then buy cheaper goods and still have money in their pockets.basically most are out for what they can get to earn a rupee but its the tourists that pay the price and unfortunatley over the past few years they have got greedier and want more and more....

I have to agree with poppetjay on this one.Having lived here for the past 18 months you would not belive what some tourists give to the locals.The majority of the stuff is sold on within a couple of hours of receving these gifts.One example is a girl we have known for 12 years originley a beach seller she now has her own shop,car, bike and has just bought some land to build a house.Now don't get me wrong i'm for anyone getting on in life,but she still comes out with the Sob story to unsuspecting tourists and i know of a couple that set up a direct debit paid every month for the family.

John

same can be said for alot of things here, dogs.... i am an animal lover i have a local dog i found in mapusa market rain gully, and did have twin cats found outside the cinema in panjim, but unforty]unatley a month ago one of them got bitten by a russels viper and dogs got him while he was vunerable after hanging on for 10 days i sadly had to have him put to sleep.
I just wish tourists would take the advise of animal rescue and not feed these stray dogs, as when you go home they starve and turn nasty, if you really want to help donate to IAR they are doing a great job and the dog numbers have fallen, due to sterlization programmes but they still have along way to go.
same as the kids here be very careful with to which charity you give to, some are just con artists who are out to feather their own nests not the kids so to speak, i can tell you lots of stories that will curl your toes as alot of people on this site can also with their first hand unhappy experiences.
I was once told not long after arriving here there not many poor goan families and that is very true so remember that when you are out and about hold on to your dosh or learn the art of bartering very quickly its fun and it can save you a fortune.

Some very good advice Poppetjay, I've mentioned tourists feeding dogs etc.. and it usually causes an uproar .So be warned
Regards

learn the art of bartering very quickly its fun and it can save you a fortune

definition of Bartering to trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services, rather than for money

What do you suggest us tourists offer in exchange for goods or services then?

Do you mean we should learn the art of Haggling? to bargain or wrangle (over a price)

a real pet hate of mine is the wrong use of these two words - they are not interchangeable they have two distinct and differing meanings

perhaps all those things that have been given away for nothing up till now- mobiles, trainers, mp3 players
Infact, perhaps we could start going round the beach trying to sell to the sellers