As a reasonably active member of the HT Goa forum, I said I would post a report comparing the two destinations. We had intended returning to India for a third year running but at the time of booking getting a VISA for India had been made far more difficult than in previous years as applications had to be made in person. Consequently, lots of people had the same dilemma. The Gambia seemed a comparable choice so we decided to give it a go.
This is a summary of some of the major points that we found.(Prices for two)
Gambia doesn't require VISA's.Save £80
Gambia requires Malarone. Cost an extra £60
Gambia advises Yellow Fever. Cost an extra £100 ( for 10 years)
Holidays to the Gambia appeared cheaper. Our excellent 3* hotel was vastly superior to our Goa or Kerala one's.Save £350 plus
Gambia is a 6 hour flight. Save 5 hours.
Gambia is the same time zone.
Weather is similar.Gambia in January about 31-35 cent
Beaches are far less populated in the Gambia, even the areas by hotels.The busiest resorts in Gambia are small compared to BAGA/Calangute
Gambia has far less rubbish.
Neither have that many "excursions" to places of interest available.
Cost of a taxi for the day is similar.
Hassle from the locals is more evident in the Gambia than India.More professional beggars or "bumsters" by far.Begging is frowned upon in India.However,I got used to it pretty soon and it didn't present me with a problem.
Gambia has higher prices for food and drink. Probably twice the price, but still much cheaper than Britain. Hygiene standards in restaurants seems better though by and large.
Gambia's airport and immigration is vastly better than India.
Which is better as a destination ?!
Only one way to really find out.
Try both !!!!!!!
An excellent summary.But one thing you didn't mention is,which one did you prefer Gambia or Goa.
John
John
Interesting post and very helpfull. I seem to remember the last time this subject came up some posters became pretty wound up that anyone dared to compare Gambia with Goa, hope the same reaction does'nt happen this time as it's good to get a level headed post like this, Alan
yes interesting, i would definately consider gambia..the shorter flight, time zone make it ideal for a week holiday and an all inclusive would cancel out the food being dearer than goa.but for me the question is..what is the food like? im a bit of a foody, well no infact i consider good food to be crucial in any holiday i plan..havent a clue what one eats in the gambia but i love goan fare.
DaveWales,
thank you, your post was very interesting, and the fact you pointed out about the visas, I would just love to know the true amount that Goa actually lost to this farce...jxk8
thank you, your post was very interesting, and the fact you pointed out about the visas, I would just love to know the true amount that Goa actually lost to this farce...jxk8
am in goa from sunday and have been once before also been gambia twice,although last time was few year ago.Goa wins hands down, more to do -safer-much more choice food.Not much difference in hotels.
Personally I found Gambia to be the worst place I had ever visited, It does have many advantages, distance time zone ect, but we were almost prisoners in the hotel unless we paid for hotel guides or local ones to take us about, just doing a small walk around the hotel had us surrounded by locals who we felt threatened by, two girls were mugged on the hotel steps. the beach although sandy had steep rocks to navigate to get in and out of the sea, and in the end gave up on the beach as the sand flies almost sent me demented. Goa has a long way to go but I feel safe here and can walk around freely, at the moment,
Lin
Lin
the gambia has a horrendous record of human rights abuses
Having been to the Gambia twice and Goa many times, I do not believe that there is any real comparison between the two. Yes Goa has its problems and is changing rapidly and not always for the better. However, I have never felt threatened in any way in Goa (crossing the road excepted), but never felt entirely safe in the Gambia. I have never yet been surrounded by prostitiutes in a bar every time my wife went to the loo, this was common in Gambia. Similarly my wife was equally plagued by hustlers any time I left the table. I consider the food to be far superior in Goa and the prices are certainly better.
Having said that if you are happy to lie at a pool for one or two weeks and eat whatever the hotel serves you, I can see the attraction of Gambia, particularly due to the shorter flight and the lack of jetlag. If however, you want to get out and about give Gambia a miss.
Having said that if you are happy to lie at a pool for one or two weeks and eat whatever the hotel serves you, I can see the attraction of Gambia, particularly due to the shorter flight and the lack of jetlag. If however, you want to get out and about give Gambia a miss.
I never set out to label one venue better than the other, merely point out what I found to give forum members some idea of what I found in comparison between the two destinations.
The Goa forum has great participation and it's interesting that there have been, at the time of writing this, 245 views and 8 replies on the "Goa Forum" yet only 11 views and no replies on the "Gambia Forum" where my attempts to find out information prior to travel there didn't illicit many replies and information was very sparse.
Several of the replies on this forum have reported quite negatively on the Gambia , it's a shame that these views were not expressed at the time of visiting The Gambia, and on the Gambian forum.
One area that I did omit to report on was sex tourism. As it has no interest to me I forgot !
Goa's sex trade is well hidden, if it exists.
Gambia's is quite up front, not so much with female prostitutes but with young athletic local lads who take up primarily with middle to older aged European ladies, most of whom have failed to find what they are looking for at home. I find it sad but it's not harming I don't suppose.
Incidentally, if anyone goes back to the Gambia for a second visit they can't have found it that bad and I would certainly consider going again, as I would Goa.
The Goa forum has great participation and it's interesting that there have been, at the time of writing this, 245 views and 8 replies on the "Goa Forum" yet only 11 views and no replies on the "Gambia Forum" where my attempts to find out information prior to travel there didn't illicit many replies and information was very sparse.
Several of the replies on this forum have reported quite negatively on the Gambia , it's a shame that these views were not expressed at the time of visiting The Gambia, and on the Gambian forum.
One area that I did omit to report on was sex tourism. As it has no interest to me I forgot !
Goa's sex trade is well hidden, if it exists.
Gambia's is quite up front, not so much with female prostitutes but with young athletic local lads who take up primarily with middle to older aged European ladies, most of whom have failed to find what they are looking for at home. I find it sad but it's not harming I don't suppose.
Incidentally, if anyone goes back to the Gambia for a second visit they can't have found it that bad and I would certainly consider going again, as I would Goa.
I did do a previous report on the gambia some time back but old posts get deleted after a certain amount of time, my post above is only my opinion, I personally would never reccomend Gambia, the opposite applies to Goa,
Lin
Lin
Intersting reading
We have been to Goa anumber of times over the last 10 years or so but I am taking my first trip to Gambia in April for a charity project so it will be interesting to see the comparison, although our days will be spent in a local village rather than on the beach!
Wish us luck!
We have been to Goa anumber of times over the last 10 years or so but I am taking my first trip to Gambia in April for a charity project so it will be interesting to see the comparison, although our days will be spent in a local village rather than on the beach!
Wish us luck!
Went to Gambia many years ago so do not really feel qulaified to make an up to date comparison or indeed a report on the Gambia forum.However the constant hassle and intimidation in Gambia just got us down so much in comparison to what happens in Goa that it would be a cold day in hell(if indeed such a place exists)before my OH and I returned.As for the food no comparison in my opinion Goa wins on any count.
As they say it is all about opinions and good for you dave for posting your experience.We will never go back to Gambia.Ever,ever,ever.
regards,
Papa
As they say it is all about opinions and good for you dave for posting your experience.We will never go back to Gambia.Ever,ever,ever.
regards,
Papa
Davewales the reason we went back to the Gambia a second time was that we only had a week, due to my receiving only allocated holidays, and we wanted to stay at the Senagambia as we both like birds. It was on the second visit we got all of the hassle. Both visits were prior to going to Goa for the first time, and having been to Goa, we will never go back to Gambia. We had friends went to Gambia last year, they have said that they will never to go back and will return to Goa this year. Do not get me wrong, did have a good time in Gambia, but really we never felt entirely safe there, and at that time the food was very poor, although I beleive that things are better in that department now. I would never tell anyone not to go, but simply give an honest opinion.
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