Keep us updated on your trip Gramps....

I have been seeing videos of the chaos from friends. Also of course stunning photos of the celebration.
Have a great time! Keep us updated please. Would love to hear your views. It's been a few years since I went and am looking forward to my visit

Good to hear from you Fiona. You will see enormous changes since your last visit. Certainly the main tourist belt from Baga to Sinquerm is seeing what I would reckon is a doubling of tourist numbers every year. Ten years ago there was 17 charter flights from the UK every week this year about 6 weekly. The long stay people who come in on scheduled flights has remained pretty steady but tourist numbers from the Uk are way down. The package market has shifted to the likes of Cuba, and elsewhere in that region or to cruising. The beaches here are now the main destination for India’s booming economic miracle and for a newcomer visiting from the UK it can be a bit overwhelming but for myself I love it but it may not be for everyone. There’s still quieter sections of beach, we are based along past the Goan Heritage Hotel going towards Candolin where quieter shacks can still be found with just a stroll along the beach from the hustle and bustle of the busier parts of Calangute I can’t see Goa ever reclaiming the lost UK tourists, it’s a shame for lots of small businesses who relied on this market but that’s progress I guess. We have been visiting since the very start of the package market in the 1980s through the boom years til where we are today and have loved every visits, warts and all and still continue to do so.
Gramps

Due to my job I can't go at the best time. I have found Goa winds down before the Easter holiday. There were definitely a lot of Russians the last time we went, as well as Indian tourists. The Russians were good for the beach shacks as they seem to eat a lot about lunchtime.
Although the visa can now be done online it still puts people off going. We would like to try a few days in the South but I think it may just be too quiet! Mind you the first visit to Goa was at a time of year when almost all restaurants in Candolim were not open yet and it huge parts of it were in darkness at night. The taxi driver wasnt too sure about taking us in from Holiday Street as he couldn't think what was open:-D Yes you did get honest taxi drivers then!
On a positive- the exchange rate could perhaps persuade some to give Goa a go!