Have taken the plunge!! - Goa Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

Have taken the plunge!!

scruffyish

2005-12-28 21:14:06

Hi folks,

Have been reading the Goa forum since I got back from the Gambia 2 weeks ago and have taken the plunge tonight and booked for our first trip to Goa for 3 weeks staying at Marinha Dourada, the only drawback is that it's not until March 2007

, would have liked to have gone earlier but we are already booked to go on 3 different hols in 2006 and think that my partner would kill me if I tried to squeeze another one in!! Thanks to all the regulars on this board I've managed to find out quite a lot of handy info regards the hotel and various trips etc, but was hoping someone could tell me if there are any local tour/ground operators in the Baga/Arpora area and also if it is possible to hire fishing rods and tackle locally or would it be best to take my own. Also can anyone give me any idea of how big the resort of Baga is, don't get me wrong am not expecting it to be enormous but as long as there are a handfull of restaurants/bars we will be happy enough. Thanks to you all for the interesting reading for the last couple of weeks and any advice and tips will be warmly welcomed.
Hope you all had a great Christmas and wishing you all a Happy New Year
Cheers
Scruffyish

Big Neil

2005-12-28 22:04:47

Answers.

Take rods.

Any taxi driver will take you a tour.... they are cheap.

A few not bad restaurants in Arpora Baga Road, Italian, Mexican. Better get a taxi to Baga.

Maybe too hot to walk to Baga unless early (before 12). I prefer really early if you like walking, then you will enjoy LUNCH.

A nice trip to Morjim beach across the Chapora river. Nice sights, Cost about 700rupees including 4 hour wait and 2 hours driving. If the taxi driver is going to rip you off it will be for 50 or 100 rupees ask around. I use a driver who uses the rank at MD called Bharat, good man, met his family. I tend to use the same guy for a week or so if I like them for the conversation.

TIf you are going to Dudsager Falls get a taxi, it's cheaper. Same with Old Goa.

scruffyish

2005-12-28 22:58:50

Hi Big Neil,

Thanks a million for your fast response, your info is really helpful and we will take our own fishing gear, went fishing quite a bit in the Gambia and although it was good fun (caught my very first sting-ray!!) it would have been better if we had decent tackle with us, so will definitely take your advice and go equipped. Don't mind a walk, neither of us are sunbathers so we tend to fill our days wandering around, fishing or sitting in the shade (beer in hand) watching the world go by, how long a walk would you say it is into Baga and when there are there quite a few bars/ restaurants? Sounds like the taxi option is the best for us for sight-seeing etc so will look out for Bharat when we go. Just as a matter of interest have you stayed at the Marinha Dourada yourself? Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it
Cheers
Scruffyish (Yvonne)

Big Neil

2005-12-28 23:38:27

Baga is approx 2 miles (max) walk from MD along the Baga River. It's a nice walk and has protection from sun. There is avery good German cafe en route - Lila Cafe which does great lunch/breakfast... very clean and efficient.... it's run by a German couple who stay in Goa, Goan staff. Good place if you have a dodgy stomach and want good assurance of quality simple food.

If you like walking. Walk from Baga to Calangute another 2 miles. You will see more than most tourists if you do this and meet the locals. If you get tired hail a taxi, loads of them.

If you want to walk the other way (before you cross the metal ridge that is 200m from Baga) head straight on and up the coast to Anjuna, a bit rocky but nice.

Around MD. Good quality of air and lot's of birds to spot if you like that sort of thing.

Haven't stayed in MD but I imagine it's very good. A lot of people eat there I think. Not my sort of place but I'm sure it's good.

I like to eat away from hotels.

scruffyish

2005-12-29 00:05:26

Big Neil,

Thanks, you're a star!! Thanks for all the info, and sorry for all the questions. I've just managed to download a pretty good map of the area, it even shows the Lila Cafe that you mentioned, so am now able to see where the hotel is in relation to Baga beach and Calangute and have got to say it looks great, just far enough out to get a decent nights sleep, but easy enough to get some night-life if I want some...............in other words perfect!! It also looks like fishing paradise, ie, river, lakes, rocks & sea fishing all within easy distance, sounds like paradise to me

.
Thanks again for all your help
Cheers
Scruffyish (Yvonne)

Goan Crazy

2005-12-29 11:31:13

I have been to Gambia 3 times and stayed at the Kombo Beach hotel each time. One day I will return to Gambia but it's Goa that is rocks my boat at the moment.

In my opinion the locals in Goa are far more genuinely friendly than those in Gambia and Goa has miles more choice when it comes to bars etc. Beggars and sellers are much easier to get shut of in Goa and I have never once been worried about walking anywhere at night (need a torch though) You will also find that Goa is quite a bit warmer on a night, if I remember correctly Gambia gets chilly in the evening quite often.

I have stayed at the Marinha 3 times and am going again 5 weeks today. You have chosen a great hotel in a cracking area that is in easy reach of just about anywhere.

scruffyish

2005-12-29 12:49:30

Hi Goan Crazy,

I must admit that I only booked the Marinha Dourada after checking all the reviews on this site, I could have got a cheaper holiday by staying at other hotels but all of the reviews on here definitely swung it for me and the fact that so many of you are return customers to the hotel speaks absolute volumes. I'm really looking forward to trying Goa because most of the people we met in Gambia had holidayed there and all recommended it highly, although I loved the Gambia I really want to go to Goa as it's somewhere I have always wanted to travel to, so am feeling really pleased with myself for having taken the plunge.....................even though I do have to wait 15 months :shock:

to get there!!
Thanks for your reassurance on the hotel and hope you have a magic holiday when you return in 5 weeks.
Cheers
Scruffyish (Yvonne)

del949

2005-12-29 15:16:33

Scruffyish,
don't need to go far to fish whilst at the MD, you can fish in their own lagoons.
No idea what the fish are, but saw some approx 18" to 2ft.
not too sure whether you are allowed to fish in the river behind it.
but maybe you are talking about sea fishing, plenty of that on the beach.

del949

scruffyish

2005-12-29 21:26:41

Hi Del949,

That's excellent news about being able to fish the hotel lagoons, have already
found out that I can fish the river there so it looks like we are going to be completely spoiled for choice and that's before we even head for the sea, this really does just get better and better!! I'm going to have to do a bit of research on what I can expect to catch out there because whilst out in Gambia we had to be really careful about handling the fish because of poisonous spines & stinging tails, not to mention the Jaws like teeth and that was even on the tiddlers :shock:

!!! and it would be really embarrassing to come home and have to tell everyone I'd been mauled by a goldfish!!! We plan on taking all our own gear with us so have you any idea if it's possible to charter any boats locally?
Thanks again for your help, it's very much appreciated
Cheers
Scruffyish (Yvonne)

operationhennessy

2005-12-29 21:42:37

Handy tip: wear a t-shirt saying NO THANK YOU.

You'll understand why when you get there!

scruffyish

2005-12-29 22:18:52

Hi Operationhennessey,
I've got to admit, I'm intrigued!!! Is it because of touts/beggars.................. what?.............please, please, please tell me?
:wink:

Scruffyish (Yvonne)

BAM

2005-12-29 23:01:24

SCRUFFYFISH - there is a recent post on fishing in goa (search) and also the local tourist board do really good trips all over Goa - mostly Indian honeymoon couples - that are very good value and interesting - check out the goa tourism sites on the net.

Fiona

2005-12-30 03:29:44

here is the recent post on fishing!

scruffyish

2006-01-05 17:19:18

Cheers BAM & Fiona,

That was excellent reading and most helpful.
Thanks again
Scruffyish

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