The season ends at the end of April so Easter next year wouldn't be too late. In fact, we are proabably going again next Easter.

You will find the humidity very high at this time of year though, so you will need air conditioning in your accommodation.

To be honest, I think Easter (April 8th 2012) is right at the end of the season and as Katie says, the humidity is rising fast! I've never been that late but I know late March was getting a bit too humid for me.

I've met several people who didn't like Goa. On one occassion a very loud guy was giving forth on how he'd just returned from a "holiday from hell" and that he would have paid £1000 to get the next flight home. It turned out he'd been to Goa and I asked which hotel. He replied, "The Ronil Beach - appalling dirty hole". We have stayed there 4 or 5 times and loved i! I kept a diplomatic silence

It turned out he liked 5 star cruises and posh American hotels. Goa was probably the wrong choice.

About 10 years ago we shared a taxi to the airport(Dabolim)with a couple we had met a few times on the beach.When I asked if they had enjoyed Goa.....WHOA,she let off a torrent of strong words,saying the food was awful,the people were ghastly,the sun was too hot and to top it all...the food was spicy!! The poor chap with her looked gobsmacked and said he had really enjoyed it,loved everything about it and hoped to return.I kept my mouth shut but thought to myself ..Not with her you won't
We love Goa and are returning on new years day for 3 weeks,it will be our 14th time,but I agree with roma,April can be very humid and uncomfortable,we even found March a bit too much for us,so we now stick to January or February.
We have also stayed at the Ronil Beach a couple of times and it was fine.

When asked what Goa is like, I would say the popular response is ''you either love it or hate it''. I know a few at work who did no research into the place and accepted ''what the brochure says''
Both groups stayed at the Whispering Palms and didn't venture far..
Remember our 1st time 1n 1999 and thought ''what the hell have we come here for'' - a 3 day delay on our return would put many off - but we ain't missed a year since then.

I too find the back end of the season a bit too humid.
I have also met a few (only a small few) who didn't like Goa, mainly'cos they were used to Spain etc and weren't too happy with the dirt and litter everywhere.
Will you like it?
If you don't go, you'll never know

One year when we were there we came across a couple, he suffered very badly with an upset stomach and just simply did not seem to do anything which he was advised. He spent the entire time trying to get a flight home At the end of our holiday he was on the same flight home to us and must have left the hotel a couple of hours before us. We said ' o well we won't; see him again'.

About a year of two later we were on our way home checking in for our flight at Dabolim and who was right behind us?! He said that when he got home and got to thinking about it he really rather, underlying, enjoyed Goa and had booked again and really enjoyed himself.

I believe the first trip to Goa you can be quite unsure about the place, however it gets under your skin and somehow you just know you will go back.

We leave again on the Christmas Eve, it will be our 14th trip and hopefully we will go back again in March. Yes the humidity is high, the sea is like stepping into the bath, but we absolutely love the place...... warts and all!!

Roll on Christmas!!

it gets under your skin

It certainly does despite the growing problems we still get drawn back every year.

We get home and say " Thats it not going back ". A few weeks later we change our minds.

Papa

I've met several people who didn't like Goa. On one occassion a very loud guy was giving forth on how he'd just returned from a "holiday from hell" and that he would have paid £1000 to get the next flight home. It turned out he'd been to Goa and I asked which hotel. He replied, "The Ronil Beach - appalling dirty hole". We have stayed there 4 or 5 times and loved i! I kept a diplomatic silence
It turned out he liked 5 star cruises and posh American hotels. Goa was probably the wrong choice.

That probably says more about you than it does him.

I've always been amazed at how many people are prepared to turn a blind eye to the filth, the rubbish and the indifferent service, glibly excusing it all saying - "that's India." Or Goa was probably the wrong choice, or - we love it, warts an all.

On our first trip 10 years ago while on the bus with square wheels being driven to our hotel we all said ( 4 girlies) 'what the hell are we doing here'

2012 for 3 weeks is our erm 14th trip

Re: going in April, if you can cope with the humidity then go for it. We usually go in March and I cope ok although I look wrecked by the heat most of the time, hubby copes better than I do! I have been a couple of times in November which was more manageable and we are going again the end of January so a different month and a new experience.

I think I have only ever met one guy who hated Goa and after trying hard to point out it's merits to him I soon realised I was losing the battle so gave up the fight, I don't expect he ever returned.

I have many a time wondered why we return, I have at times fallen out of love with the place, been mad as hell with how things have changed but...........for some reason or other we always end up going back.

The one thing I can say for sure about Goa, well for us anyway.....We always return home feeling like we have had a good relaxing holiday and come home totally chilled out..........can't ask for more

Fizz

Max13Biker

That probably says more about you than it does him.

If by that you mean I realise the futility of arguing with somebody about something that's purely down to individual taste, I guess you're right.

I don't like posh cruises but I don't go on posh cruise web sites to tell everyone.

Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone We have been to Mexico in August twice, so the humidity, I think we can cope with. Certainly something to think about before we are too much older!

Been over twice now at Easter, 2008 and 2009. Yeh, both times it was hot! But that's exactly what I wanted. Down on the beach there was always a welcoming breeze blowing off the sea that did sort of cool you down. At night, it was hot and a fan and aircon are essential.

Was I put off by the humidity......not a chance! I loved the holiday and would go back at Easter whatever time of year it was.

Another thing to take into account is that Goa has a huge Catholic population and so Easter, like here, is a "holiday" time where lots of domestic tourists flood to the beaches, especially Easter weekend. So it's likely to be busy that weekend. I've not seen any shacks closed at Easter although a few were packing up in Candolim as the "police" were getting heavy handed in enforcing licenses and the playing of music at the end of Easter 2009. But in general, it was a great time to visit because most things were pretty quiet (except the weekend) and were keen to do an end of season deal!!

That probably says more about you than it does him.

I've always been amazed at how many people are prepared to turn a blind eye to the filth, the rubbish and the indifferent service, glibly excusing it all saying - "that's India." Or Goa was probably the wrong choice, or - we love it, warts an all.

Don't think it was necessary to get so personal Max13Biker, and I certainly did not mean that I like filth, quite the contrary, but then, like you, we are careful where we chose to spend our time.

Hopefully the replies which have been posted have helped the OP make up their minds, it is a varied country, something to cater to all tastes and should be approached with an open mind. We always return completely relaxed and feeling like we have had a great holiday. The Goan people we have met over the years have been great, going out of their way to ensure we have a good time.

Once you get out and about you will find a beautiful varied country with friendly people and also some of the best food and drink around.

I've always been amazed at how many people are prepared to turn a blind eye to the filth, the rubbish and the indifferent service, glibly excusing it all saying - "that's India." Or Goa was probably the wrong choice, or - we love it, warts an all.

I doubt that even the most fanatical Goa lover, turns a blind eye to the above.
Most, I venture to suggest actually "trade off" the negatives against the positives, at least I do.
Goa offers pretty good value for money compared to other holiday destinations and whilst if I was paying top dollar for a 5 star hotel I would expect more than Goa offers, as long as I am happy to pay a lot less for a 3 star I find it better value than most, if not all, European destinations.
My, limited, experience of non european holidays doesn't show Goa as being so bad if price is part of the comparison.

Not sure that I would agree with "indifferent service" either, I can't off the top of my head recall any service that I found less than satisfactory, ....... haphazard or confused maybe.

But , each to their own!

I will never turn a blind eye to the filth, always fed up with the power cuts at the wrong time, the crazy drivers taking risks, the stray dogs, having to be cautious of where you eat, the airport and visas, hell of a lot of downsides really, but we can't keep away.
It amazes me that the tourism ministers that come one after another, and promote Goa more and more each year, can not see the problems that are plain to see every year.
Having visited many places, Goa just makes me feel at ease more than anywhere, that's why it will always be my No1 destination.

Like members have said the 1st visit can be very traumatic, our 1st time in 2000 was the furtherest we had flown and then to be hit with the heat and chaos and then been shown the bathroom in the hotel room and how to flush the toilet we too wondered where the hell we had come!! we have returned every year since and although we have travelled to other far away desitinations we cant forego our goan fix....bliss.....regarding the rubbish yes it is a major problem in Goa but I think british people arent the ''cleanest" I was at traffic lights last week as I came off the motorway and glanced at the grass verge and couldnt believe the amount of plastic burger boxes/water bottle/ drinks cans etc and newspapers thrown out of vehicles and I feel pretty sure this isnt ''tourist'' that throw it there.......Im sure that many many HT members dont just thrown away rubbish here or on holiday but I'm sure that on every flight from Uk there will be plenty of people of do.........

Rant over...........roll on February

This is typical of the sort of things I was moaning about.
It's not tourists that dump the rubbish here, and it's not the tourists' fault that the cattle and the beggars spread it all over the place. It should be the shack owners' responsibility to clear it up and get rid, but as usual with so many things in Goa - the locals just can't be bothered.



Annoyingly - this is one of the main access routes to the beach.

Max13biker - why do you keep returning?