Iwaited 10 years to go! I travelled with my daughter she's 10 im 31 and we had an amazing time. Because i waited so long to go i was scared it wouldnt meet my expectations but from leaving the airport to getting to the hotel i was smitten!! I've never seen so many palm trees and the scenery was just breathtakin so green, beautiful. Ladys washing laundry in a river!! I felt i'd waited my whole life just to have this experience. It exceded all my expectations. The little one who had been poorly since an hour out of Manchester took her face out of the carrier bag for only 5 mins and said the journey had been worth it.

We stopped at the Taj holliday village Candolim (i've done a hotel report). It was fabulous i didnt think it would be so good after i had read the reports. I could have stayed in our cottage forever. If anything it was so good we only ever ate out of the resort once and that was a chinese in candolim horrid. The restaurants in our resort were great but very expensive for Goa, on average i spent about £45 a night and i only had 5 glasses of wine in 2 weeks We did the go wild trip and i highly recommend it. Its something you will remember for the rest of your life especially for children. From the staff at the Taj to the guide on the trip to local shopkeepers(well everyone we met) i have never visited anywhere so friendly, ever. People at the Taj came looking for us to say goodbye the night before we left some bearing gifts. That left me really touched almost teary. Even other holiday makers were more friendly than anywhere i have ever been before stopping to ask how we were. I think the Goan smile is a contagious one. I couldnt barter to save my life i new i was doing things wrong when i thought id got to a good price and they offered to give me one for free. Never mind im sure they had a good giggle when i had gone. We flew with monarch premium and im sorry you guys i know how you feel about them but i give them 10/10. For the extra money the service was brilliant. The stewardess's were very friendly no pretence or false smiles. Fully reclining seats, loads of leg room, 34" seat pitch, good food a digeplayer with around 6 films, dramas, cartoons, music channel. A travel pack full of knic knacs. I would fly with them again. As for taking children to Goa i wouldnt hesitate unless they were tiny and needed a pushchair. My little girl experienced so much in 2 weeks i dont think i could top that trip if i tried. The only problem we had whilst there was a taxi driver that worked for our hotel he got a little too friendly on the way back from the Anjuna market. After telling me all the places he wanted to take me and asking if i wanted to go for a drink to which i said no thankyou he kept asking for our room no. I told him no way but the little one was highly amused and getting out of the car told him it. Although id already given her the lecture on safety she thought he was just being friendly until we started getting calls morning, noon and night. I had to have the phone blocked then and never used their taxis again. He was creepy and because id been sat in the back i couldnt remember what he looked like. So to any ladies traveling alone always mention the strapping chap you have waiting at the hotel for you. All thats left to say now is that i cant wait to go back. Anna.