April 1995 (I would get shot if I didn't remember it was our honeymoon ) and we absolutely fell in love with Goa

haha glad you remember then!

which part of Goa did you visit?

i always think that the north is the 'real' india

but the south is a lovely hideaway.

we went in 2000 for our 25th wedding anniversary we stayed at resort de goa near varca in the south it was all inclusive and we fell in love with goa like everyone else we know has on their first visit anita

glad you enjoyed it anita!
i hope youve been back since and have been bed and breakfast! theres so much to Goa that going all inclusive!

i went when i was a teenager, not many children went to Goa when i first went, so all the waiters and hotel staff gave me and my little brother lots of attention. they're just so friendly
and they're still really good with children now!
i took my little lad a few months ago in April, hes only just turned 3 last month and they couldnt do enough for him.

yes we have been 5 times since going again in october couldnt go anywhere else at present anita

very good
im off to goa again this year, dont know what month yet, either nov or dec. and then off again in april . might as well make use of the 6 month visa and use it twice

great if you can do it the visas are so expensive and such a pain to get ,where do you stay anita

yes i agree there anita about the visa;s

i just stay where ever i can get a cheap deal from.
ive stayed in calangute, baga, arpora.

hotels ive stayed in have always been really basic, but thats all i need
stayed in aldeia bello, stayed there on my first visit, but the price now has just shot up.
stayed in hotel kamat, tio carmino, abalone in aprora

Monsoon 1955!! The ship I was an engineer on carried Indian crew and all the catering side were always Goan so we stopped of at Marmagoa for a crew change. I went ashore but I,m afraid I cant remember much about it as we went all round the Indian coast loading and discharging and nothing sticks in my mind from then. I returned with my wife in about 1990 and have visited regularly ever since, but with the rate of change accelerating year on year I dont know how many more years are left till it,s changed into somewhere other than what I've always loved Alan

I am a real late starter where Goa is concerned - to be honest wasn't sure if we would like it - we always favoured the Far East and have been there for the last 6 years, then I just decided to give Goa a try just for a change and if we didn't like it then at least we'd tried it.

we did not expect to fall in love with the place and have booked to go back

Oh by the way our first visit was Xmas 2005 and we will be back for Xmas 2006

I was there in 1969, haven't been back since, I would imagine it has changed quite a lot. I went to Kerala about 10years ago and have't been back there either, I must plan a trip soon.

Judith
you will have to describe Goa as it was- see if anyone recognises it!

we went in nov,98.
we got married at 10,in the morning & left for the airport 3 hours later.
we stayed at the dona terenzinah,in calangute,which was basic,but adequate.
we have never been back,but i always said,i would like to return,for our 10th anniversary.
the children,amazed me,they had absolutely nothing,but their smiles,were amazing!
the only reason,we haven't been back,is because,the world is so small now,that there are,so many far off places,to visit,that we are spoilt for choice!
when we do return,i hope it hasn't changed too much!
tracy

1997 for us,most memorable for the 72 hour delay we had coming back,all thanks to Monarch (missed my Rugby League cup final at Wembly - thanks !!).
Any members on here with photos from early 90's / 80's or even further back ? - would be nice to see what it was like then.

Me too spike i was thinking the same thing, have heard so many stories about Goa and how it's changed, now i've been i wish i would have gone years ago so would love to see old photo's if anyone has any
crystal xx

First visit Easter this year! Booked for Easter next year , Love it!!!!
Bighally.

We first visited Goa (Calangute) in November 1994, I think it was one of the first years that it appeared in the UK main brochures.

We've since been back in Feb 2003, Nov 2004, Feb 2005 and Feb 2006, but always stayed in Candolim.

On the first visit there were NO jeweller shops, NO handbag shops, in fact not much at all to buy.

There were not many beach shacks either, and none of them had sunbeds out front, just plastic chairs.

We found that most of the restaurants didn't appreciate the concept of boneless breast of chicken, and the first meal we had (Chicken Vindaloo) had a chicken just chopped up, so we had drumsticks, wings, thighs etc.
Still tasted great, just not what we were used to at the time.

We have seen a lot of changes over the years, but we do still love it.
Not sure when we're going back again - we go to Mexico in November and we last went there in 1991, so I guess that may be a bit of a shock for us.

I have noticed that the prices for Candolim hotels for the 2006/07 season seem to have increased a lot, so we may leave things more last minute and maybe look for early 2007 after Christmas.

Polly

My first visit was to Cavelossim in 1994 and it has changed beyond recognition. The only hotels there were the Leela Palace, Averina Beach (now Holiday Inn), Dona Sylvia, Old Anchor (where we stayed, travelling with Inspirations India) and Gaffinos Guest House. The most popular places to eat were Gaffinos and a fish Restaurant on the River Sal, accessible only by boat. It's still there, must make a mental note to visit their again next March. Oh, the memories ........

The fish restaurant (The River Sal Hotel) is now really rundown which is a shame becauase it was great. The old man with the torch guiding you down to the riverside then the boat across and then thay broght a plate with the catches of the day so you could pick your fish mmm mmm mmm... great memories