Everybody on here has a point - I suppose the BIG difference in the two senarios is that almost everything in UK has a price on it therefore you know what you are expected to pay before you buy it. However, most of the time in Goa you have to ask the price and they just make it up as they see fit, so for those who are less experienced ARE being ripped off. The sad part of Suckseed's story is that he has been going for so long and the barber was actually someone he considered a friend.

I'm afraid that the way things are going pricewise this year, the Goan tourist industry are in for a hard time. As the downturn bites here, shops and services dont immediatley stick 100% on their prices to make up for the shortfall, quite the reverse, but in the Goan philosophy that seems to be the way they think. For example many of the newer opticians who have started up in the last year or so are charging prices not much less than some of the deals you can strike now in the likes of Specsaver. Many people, I suspect, fresh from holidays in the Med, when seeing the price in Goa, think they are getting a bargain and pay up quite happily, but dont seem to take into account the outlay to get to Goa in the first place. The vast majority of Goans away from the coastal belt see very little of the money made from tourism, those involved in tourism are by Indian standards very well off indeed, and that includes not only shack and restuarant owners, but room boys and massage girls on the beach. One day last season I counted up the number of massages the girl did at the shack I use, she's an old friend, so I wont mention the shack, but it was an average day in early March. She did nine massages which brought in at least 3000rps. Even after paying off the police etc she made far more than the average Goan.As well as that, her "special friends", a new one every two weeks, (me included) brought an endless supply of phones, cameras, suitcases , cd players etc as presents to help her out. So as you can see, although I love the Goans dearly, after fifty years or so of visiting India, I like the first poster, dont appreciate being ripped off, and taken for a mug. Even when I am, which is a lot of the time, I always make a point of telling the barber, or whoever, that I'm quite aware of what they are up to, and of course there's no tip offered.Alan

i agree with all those who DON'T agree with 2 tier pricing!!!! there are certain people that are getting greedy!!! no hang on, have GOT greedy. taxi drivers, and it seems barbers too. there are plenty of others as well, those that have a dissapointed look on thier face when a tip doesn't come up to expectation!! (airport porters for instance)
i hear all that is said in thier defence, but i fear that the goans are going to be thier own worst enemy!!!!
the british are well known for not wanting to be ripped off!!! i wonder what the percentage of visitors to Goa are british, quite high i should have thought. then you have the russians, and there are quite a lot of them, they seem to not like paying too much either.
if the Goans continue to encourage higher prices than they should be, i fear they will lose the british and the russians, who seem to be the mainstay of the holiday trade
this is a personal view only. BOB

i think its wrong,fair enough, i realise w e normally pay more than the locals, but just beacause you earn more than them doesnt give them the right to extort you.should not bite the hand that feeds you.

I totally agree with bobthe bus if Indians visiting London were charged more than local we would be called racist,however it seems to be okay for other countries.

I love Goa and feel that this year will be my last costing nearly £85 including SDE for 2 visas is not cheap and the cost each year is increasing. A friend of mine has just returned from 6 weeks in Goa and has said prices have increased and an English bar Ruffles is now issuing their menu in Russian and the indian staff are learning Russian.

I think the days of English being welcome is short lived and prices will force visitors to Sri Lanka and Thailand. The only people that will suffer is the Goans however in saying that there are a lot of lovely Goans, however there appears to be a common feeling that British guests can be ripped off!!!

I will be enjoying Goa in Jan 09 however I have a very strong feeling that it will be my last for a few years, and I say that with sadness

Hear hear!!!!!!
BOB

LES.
Your absolutely right!!! we go to Goa because it suits our financial situation!! not because we are RICH!!!!
i go there and spend in the region of 600 to 700 pounds. i save for this for most of the year. probably why i don't like anyone trying to take advantage.
BOB

well it may be taffys last visit but I have just booked for 2010!
I have no doubt that a similar 2 price system works in Thailand etc. also

hey taff,
i'm going in january, not looking forward to getting ripped off though.:que but looking forward to the food and drink and the ambiance of Goa.
just really hope they don't outprice themselves from the market. they would really have to upgrade everything, if they hope to charge as much as the top destinations.
BOB

I agree gramps. I have certainly seen a difference the last 4/5 years, greed ruins a lot. It is hurtful for someone that you regard as a friend trying to rip you off, especially when you have helped them out in various ways. In 25 sleeps time I will see for myself, but those people who have holidayed elsewhere eg the Med, Goa is still a cheap option. I work very hard, have 2 jobs and I've paid a lot of money for my Goa hols in 07+08 as I cannot wait until last min with my jobs but it makes me laugh when I get asked to bring over a portable DVD player or laptop - I haven't got one myself! I've known a few regulars over the last 2 years either not going at all or cutting their visits down, the world is a big place with lots more interesting places to go!

If only tourists could see what happens to the gifts they bring to these guys at the end of the season, they sell all the good stuff, phones, trainers etc, but cheap indian ones and use the rest to buy their brand new scooters and bikes. Tourists give them phones and they sell them on to unsuspecting FN's who think there getting a bargin, if you look in most shops you can get all these items here, probably this is where they came from
Most of these guys make plenty of money wheeling and dealing and live life to the max come monsoon time when they dont do anything but sleep.
The barbers cant be doing that well the one where i live asked for a 300rps loan, pay you back in 20days !!!!!!!!! think his waiting for santa

I hate being ripped off! - Let me just make that very clear. There is a definate difference between spending lot of money and wanting to be ripped off. I think this is the problem in Goa, visitors come and want to spend money, SOME locals see this as a right to over charge us and rip us off, which just makes us not want to spend money - is that right?

I have to say that 'us foriegners' must take some of the blame as many give stupid tips and presents, which just enforces their idea of us having more money than sense. So stop giving silly tips and presents. Don't always give a tip, give a tip for good service yes, but I know many who give tips for bad service!! (what's that all about?) - I know waiters etc have low salaries and some do rely on tips to get by, but by tipping them for bad service doesn't encourage them to be good at their job!

Anyway, back to the haircuts that were mentioned earlier.. I get a hgaircut for 15 rs and a shave for 10 rs... Ok the guy isn't good at english but he doesn't rip me off so I keep going back, I give him my loyal business and also recommend him to others (he's just down the road from 'The Mango House' (just in case you need a shave).

Most things have a price on them MRP (Max retail price) never pay more than that! - some say that they charge extra because it's been chilled - rubbish! just go somewhere else. Obviously restuarants charge a little more as there's service involved but check around as there's still places in Calangute with good prices, eat/drink there and support the ones who don't overcharge. Look at the prices before sitting down! If it's too expennsive then tell them!

I think there's a bar on the way down to Calangute steps that charges 45 or 50 Rs/- for a large kingfisher! (bargain!), Anands small cafe on the main calangute strip (plastic charis outside) do fresh lime sodas for 10Rs and Banana milkshakes for 15Rs... (and they're nice!), In Panjim near the old fruit market is a fresh lime soda guy who charges 8rs/-

Near the old cinema in Mapusa (in the evenings) they open up stalls and you can get Ice cream and fresh fruit salad for 20 Rs/- (It's lovely, huge chunk of ice cream). Lots more food stuff there too! Start promoting the ones who don't rip you off!

Be the change you want to see!

Well said Rob, agree with all that.
BOB

They need to realise that people who feel they are getting a good service for a fair price will return time and time again and remain loyal, as well as spreading the word of nice people, nice food, good service etc and tipping for that service:cheers

No one likes to be ripped off, however some see it differently than others, my OH when we were there last year kept saying "just get in the taxi, its only £2,£3 etc "no matter what price they said, but I disagreed on principle. I do not consider myself to be tight but I work hard for my money and want to feel that when I part with it, it is a fair price I am paying for whatever I receive.

This has made me decide not to stay in Apora this time as I could not bear the arguments,m not only with the Taxi drivers, (some whom wanted 300rps at night from the Baga bridge to the MD) but also with my OH who kept saying just pay it

It's hard to disagree with much of what is said here. I don't like being ripped off but I don't want to have to argue about 30p either! We started using the buses because the taxis were getting on our nerves - it was good to see the taxi drivers watch us wait for the bus after we had had declined their services!

I always ask the price of a haircut and then when he's answered, I say, "Now pretend I'm an Indian". It usually gets a smile and a few rupees knocked off but the principle is you agree a price you're both happy with. I know I still pay over the odds and I take the point that if an Indian national walked into my local and was charged three times what I paid for a pint, the landlord would pretty soon find himself on a discrimination charge. But that is here and over there it's different....that's why we like it!

I'm prepared to get ripped off a bit - arguing the toss over 40 rupees here and there isn't conducive to a great holiday so if you agree a deal. make it, if you can't agree a deal - walk away.

Rob said I get a hgaircut for 15 rs and a shave for 10 rs..
sucseed got charged .70 RUPEES ....Now the rate charged at my regular barbers was 70 rupees and I was told this when I handed him my 50 rupees after I had my hair cut. So I was not a happy chappie
all I have to say is GREED BTW its not just a few pence

Your absolutely right!!! we go to Goa because it suits our financial situation!! not because we are RICH!!!!

I am getting 'slightly' apprehensive at going due to the rotten exchange rate and increase in prices this year, and if I'm going to be ripped of on top of that
I am on a budget like a lot of us on here and do extra shifts to pay for my holiday; I know how much I need to take but still enjoy myself so I guess I'll just wait and see what happens when I go in December.

No one likes to be ripped off, however some see it differently than others, my OH when we were there last year kept saying "just get in the taxi, its only £2,£3 etc "no matter what price they said, but I disagreed on principle.

Unfortuantely I have a friend just like that who came one year and paid whatever they asked, I found it embarrassing as well in the end because they knew she wouldn't haggle with them where as they knew I would and would make a beeline for her instead.

I find the whole situation very sad and do hope that they come to realise that a lot of tourists who have helped them in the past by holidaying there may not come back.

CELCAT.
you just have to take a few precations. always agree a price before getting in a taxi. if its to dear, then say no i'll find a cheaper one, usually works wonders.
before deciding to stay in a restraunt, have a look at the munu prices, if they look too dear, leave after telling a restraunt worker why your leaving.
always barter for goods. i always start at about 1/4 of what they ask, and am usually willing to go to 1/2, but only if i think its worth it.
of course there are some fixed price shops, which generally you don't barter. if you buy several things there though, its worth asking for a discount.
also find local supermarkets for your personal items, such as tooth paste, soap, anti malarial plug ins,and cream, and things like that.
never tell anyone your dealing with that its your first time there.(not sure if it is or not). cos' that likely to encourage them to rip you off.
hope this help you to get by in Goa. BOB

poipleshadow

Anands small cafe on the main calangute strip (plastic charis outside) do fresh lime sodas for 10Rs and Banana milkshakes for 15Rs... (and they're nice!),

they also do nice food too, glad someone else has mentioned anands, i love the place... .