Some trips were cancelled due to lack of support ( and tourists) at our hotel. There is nothing to stop you hiring a taxi or using the local buses though.
It's funny how second hand information often exaggerates the situation. Whilst we were in Goa, news filtering through suggested Britain was on the verge of total collapse. The weather was appalling, mass redundancies, shops shutting en masse etc. There is a lot of truth in the suggestions but the reality isn't as bad as the picture painted to us over there.
As for Goa, yes there is concern about more terrorist attacks..... but there has been in Britain too ever since the London bombings. Chances are that it won't effect your holiday. Appalling though the carnage in Mumbai was, a minute number of people were involved compared to the population of the city.
The weather in Goa is as reliable as ever, the tourist trade is down so your business is more valuable than ever. Despite the lower exchange rate I was paying less for things than on my previous visit 20 month previously. Goa is by no means deserted. There is a boom going on in the building trade with some really up market projects in the leisure industry. The road towards Arpora from Baga bridge has some new trendy eating places. The standard of apartments being built is excellent. The area is certainly getting it's act together. There is far less rubbish around ( Calangute being an exception, still stinks around the steps to the beach). There are household rubbish collections too ! You will note far less scavenging Kites flying around as a result.
Goa is now attracting more Indians because they have new wealth from their recent boom in economy. Like everyone , India has been effected by the "Crunch" but when it's over I think the North Goa area will undertake a significant change over the next few years. I think cheap and cheerful will gradually go. Goa wants to attract tourists , not long time stayers who aim to live on the cheap. For the latter that do I'm afraid it's a simple fact that can't be avoided. Hence the clamp down on over stayers, property buyers etc etc.
I just hope that the area doesn't totally compromise itself and get rid of the very things that make India different. I was saddened to see locals being forced out of their homes to make way for new developments, but those who were seemed to see a positive benefit, especially if they worked in the leisure industry. More tourists, more secure jobs and better tips was the way they saw it !!!!!

Davewales what a great post. Really interesting read. Can't wait till Feb!

On a side note if Goa went really upmarket and no longer as cheap as it used to be part of its charm would be lost! Ok the beaches are great but.. you can get beaches with cleaner sea in the med which is much closer to home. If they carry on increasing their prices the brits will stop going.

Mardon, When I suggest that things will change it will be evolution not revolution ! Compare places like Majorca today compared with the image in the 70's and 80's. They got rid of the low spending mass tourism and it's seen as an upmarket destination now. Compared to Eurozone prices Goa is still very, very cheap. The point I was making though is that the number of more expensive places is on the up. They provide what the European tourist seems to want most. Brightly lit, spotlessly clean and with decent toilet facilities. I am surprised more Northern Europeans don't visit, but they however are not suffering the fall of the Euro as we are the pound.

Great posts DaveWales, A very fair observation and opinion given however I personally am not sure that I would want to pay upmarket prices for an upmarket hotel when the overall infrastructure (and electricity supply in particular) is so bad. I guess those who would be prepared to pay are those who would spend their holiday lounging around the pool and not venture outside of the hotel boundary; IMO what a waste of money

Though I have often bemoaned the state of things over there, when I really think about it, these are partly the reasons we go there - because it is different than other places. Can you imagine Goan streets being clean and neatly tiled/slabbed like European/Spanish resorts- it just wouldn't be the same would it?

Sorry gone As for trips, as others mentioned - get yourself a good local taxi driver for the day - they will take you to any of the favourite places ie Dudshager water falls, spice plantation, Palolem etc., agree a price before you go and have a great time.

fizzy2 wrote:

get yourself a good local taxi driver for the day - they will take you to any of the favourite places ie Dudshager water falls, spice plantation, Palolem etc., agree a price before you go and have a great time.

thats what we did, got a deal too as we used our taxi driver for he whole holiday,

sorry

adele

hi all

thanks for all your replies......i just need to get a good taxi driver

angie xx

Check out the thread for reliable taxi drivers in North Goa as there are some recommendations there.