Drink prices

How much is it a bottle of beer in Kovalam! Also how is the wine!

Drink prices

Think beer%26#39;s about 80 rupees. As for the wine - well

I drink dry white but found Keralan wine was very expensive vinegar! Spirits are about 100 but most places serve a really big measure (triple).

Drink prices

Hi the beer varies 140 rups in the hotels to about 80 ,i drink vodka think thats about 70 but you get a 60 mil measure,we bought vodka in the airport 2 bottles for £15,we spent a lot less than we do in Goa,and i loved Kerala,only got back late Saturday .

Cheers Rita

Transport options Shimla to Hyderabad

I have a three-day break in my work schedule in May and I%26#39;m considering a trip to Shimla. I would need to get from Shimla to Hyderabad. I was under the impression that one could fly from Shimla to Delhi, from where I could connect to Hyderabad, but I%26#39;ve tried searching for flights, and nothing comes up. Can anyone advise?

Transport options Shimla to Hyderabad

www.makemytrip.com says Air Deccan has flights Shimla-Delhi. Deccan aren%26#39;t very reliable though and I doubt they fly every day.

I think in practice you%26#39;re kinda limited to the roads, either driving, bus, or car and driver, to Delhi.

travelin late may

I am going to be in Mumbai in late May. I would have chosen a different time to visit when it is not so hot. but.. this is the time we have to be there.

I did not want to miss seeing a bit of India. While my husband works what are the best things for me to do alone?

Just how hot does it get and how to stay comfortable in the heat.

What clothing is appropriate for the weather as well as not sticking out too much as a foreigner or offending local customs?

Thanks,

travelin late may

Mumbai in May, especiallly late May, is at its muggiest worst !!! That is because the monsoons are just around the corner. Temps will be around 35C and humidity around 80%. In the shade it is bearable. It is definitely better than the dry furnace North Indian summer which guarantees a heat stroke. Mornings and evenings after sunset are okay thanks to the omnipresent sea breeze. Light loose cotton [not knit] / linen clothing, and open sandals is the best. Avoid strappy, revealing or short outfits in public if you do not want to attract unwanted attention. Hotels, clubs and swimming pools are not a problem. If the heat gets to you, head to the nearest air conditioned mall or movie theatre, there are plenty of them around.

Spend a day at Esselworld water park at Gorai [about 2hrs drive from S. Bombay] or go further along National Highway 8 to Silent Hills Resort at Manor [3hrs drive] which is a beautifully landscaped water park and picnic resort along the banks of the Dehiraja river. You can also go to Matheran, a densely forested hill station about 2 hrs drive away but it will be packed with tourists in May. Do a half day trip to the ancient Kanheri caves located within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivili [E] in Mumbai city limits. Or take a flight to Aurangabad and see the world famous Ajanta and Ellora caves - it will be very hot here. Preferably do not go alone on overnight trips.

Take a boat ride to Elephanta Island from the Gateway of India, its a pleasant outing with ancient sculptures on the island, but can get very hot. The key is to start early and get back by lunch time. Alibag and Kihim across the harbour are also pleasant spots with beaches but will be crowded as it is vacation time. If all else fails, go shopping, you cant go wrong there !

travelin late may

Yes it is very hot in May. My guides are already fretting about the heat and we%26#39;ve pushed back the timings of our bazaar walks to late evening. The best thing to do is go as early in the morning as you can, or late in the evening. There are enough museums, shops and art galleries to while away time indoors in the afternoons.

For cultural appropriateness of clothing, check out this discussion.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g304554-i4228-k123… What_would_be_deemed_as_appropriate_dress-Mumbai_Bombay_Maharashtra.html

Shack Problems AGAIN

Hi

Calangute March 14th

Big problem with shacks and sun beds. For the last two days shack owners have been jittery over inspections of sun beds and illegal shacks. Each shack along with its licence can have 10 beds,for that they read one shade and two beds equals one bed.They can then purchase an additional licence for extra beds,but don%26#39;t do this.They just fill up every available space with beds that are quite often more than half empty as we have all seen.

The story goes that complaints about this and the beach being blocked have been made to the courts and the courts ordered the Government to ensure that things were as licence.Government didn%26#39;t bother so it seems that the courts informed Gov that they are not above the law and that the court will take action.Hence the s**t has hit the fan and it looks like there is a big purge as each shack now has just the regulation amount of beds.Unlicensed shacks have shut up shop and look abandoned and people are walking the beach looking for empty spaces. Basically all because the stupid shack owners insisted on taking up every little space with beds instead of being a little sensible.

Shack Problems AGAIN

I am sure you could see this coming, Bruahy. I must admit I was shocked to see the number of sunbeds each shack had out, it certainly did nothing to improve the ';ambience'; of the beach!

It%26#39;s one of the reasons we went to the south last visit, in Benaulim the shack owners appeared to be a bit more sensible.

Greed once again rears its ugly head, and will end up spoiling it for everyone. Very sad!

Shack Problems AGAIN

Hi Emiline,

Seems like i%26#39;ve got it wrong,its not the mass of beds filling up the beach causing the problem,its the Hotel Owners.

Can%26#39;t see it can they or don%26#39;t want to.

Goa Herald Saturday 15th March UPDATE

Tourism dept criticised for removing surplus beach beds

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

PORVORIM, MARCH 14 – Shack owners have criticised the Tourism department for removing surplus beach beds from Candolim, Calangute and Baga beaches.

The Tourism department had permitted shack owners to put 5 pairs of beach beds in front of their shacks. However, the shack owners were accused of flouting these rules and had lined up beach beds along the entire coastline, leaving little space for tourists to move freely along the beaches.

Acting on directives of the high court, the tourism department removed the surplus beach beds on Thursday and Friday.

Speaking to Herald, the beach shack owners claimed that tourists preferred the beach beds, instead of lying on the hot sand. “Since the tourism department has removed the excess beds, our business has suffered badly. The number of tourists visiting the beaches has come down,” one shack owner said.

Another shack owner alleged that the tourism department had removed the surplus beach beds at the behest of the hoteliers in the area. “Now, the tourists will prefer to stay in hotels, instead of coming to our shacks,” the shack owner said.

oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=1081%26cid=26

Do people like the sunbeds or not? - can we have a quick poll? - Just curious...

Answer with :

Yes Can%26#39;t live without them

Yes, But way too many

Not really

No they completely ruin the beach..

yes, but way too many

Yes, but way to many.

Yes, can%26#39;t live without them

because, when I lie on the sand the sand flies have breakfast lunch and dinner off me, and they itch for months!!

Yes, cant live without them

(not a problem in Candolim, maybe a problem in Baga)

hi

don%26#39;t use them,don%26#39;t like lying in the sun,prefer

sitting in a shack with a cold beer.

tom

Hi

tomtaff the only guy that comes home from Goa whiter than when he went

I think that probably the vast majority of FOREIGNERS would prefer a sun bed to lie on but what the shack owners have been doing is plain rediculous.

In many cases there has been insufficient room between beds to enable you to turn the bed in any direction to face the sun,and if you turn over you run the risk of suddenly ending up with the neighbours wife.(that could be interesting)While at the same time vast amounts of beds have remained empty.Pesonally if I want to be that close while enjoying the sun i%26#39;d travel 3 hours not 9.

Foreigners are not the only people to use the beach,there are also the Indian Tourists to consider.Many of them come as family groups bringing their Tiffin with them and they obviously do not use the shacks or sun beds.

Yes we like sunbeds but there are way to many on Baga beach in particular, and so close together,its awful. I think the south is better, not to many at all but who knows how long it will stay that way.

purple makeup

Goa or Kerala

Hi just got back at midnight Saturday from Kerala,stayed at the Sea face that was fine,but for the first few days i was comparing it with Goa, but as i found my way around, i got used to it, must thank everyone on trip advisor for all their information,made things much easier.

I will go back, but independently, never with Thomas Cook again,and i think we will do a week in Goa.

My other half was very happy that i couldn%26#39;t find much to spend the money on,not like Goa.

Will put a report on later in the week,we did travel round quite a bit.

Cheers Rita

Goa or Kerala

Looking forward to reading your report - we fly out next Monday! wooo! :D

spending money??

hiya, just wondering around how much would i need for a weeks spending money?? thinking about 300-400 for myself... is this enough?? never been before but i%26#39;ve heard most things are dirt cheap.

us 4 girlies going on the 19th... goa here we come

wooooo!! :)

xx

spending money??

300 - 400 will be more than enough to live like a princess.

spending money??

£300 to £400 is an awful lot in Goa for a week - that would last me at least a fortnight.

Me too Gemma.

You%26#39;ll be able to buy alot of handbags with that amount of money!!! Have fun shopping.

Sounds like loads of money to me.

Don%26#39;t forget my presis though!! :o)

you could take me with you for a week With that much spending money!! LOL.

BOB

the other girl thats goin with us is plannin on takin 1000!! thats just stupid!! i guess i%26#39;l take about 200 then n prob bring some bk!! i%26#39;m likin goa already...its so cheap!!

thanks

exchange rate

should we take cash with us and exchange money when we are there?or is it safe to use the atm manchine?

what is the exchange at the moment?

exchange rate

Hi

Was 81.30 yesterday Saturday 15th on the street in Calangute at 1130.

exchange rate

You take a chance with cash as always. I prefer cash as I know the hotel I am staying in is perfectly safe.Check on forums like this to see if hotels have problems with theft(with respect!!).

It is perfectly safe to use the ATM machines, we do it all the time. We are going for the 8th time at the end of April and use our Nationwide flex card.

One thing I noticed on another forum was to advise your Bank that you are travelling. I phoned my Bank and they informed me that it is required that a %26#39;flag marker%26#39; be placed on my account otherwise I wouldn%26#39;t have been able to use my card in Goa.

Maybe your Bank aren%26#39;t the same, but i%26#39;m glad I phoned them to check otherwise i%26#39;d be well stuck.

Don%26#39;t know if i%26#39;m allowed to mention the Bank, but it was Barclays!

It took no more than 2 minutes, and guess what, I had the pleasure of speaking with a very nice lady in India, she was well chuffed I was coming over there.......

Same with Lloyds.