GOA, India, have you been, with Mumbai thrown in...

[za1]

I need a decent beach holiday and thinking of going to Goa in India and as the trip is via Mumbai may as well stay there and check it out for a few days.
So have you been and any recommendations?
I'm a bit hesitant traveling to India, but looks awesome and their food is just amazing, though I suppose will need to be careful where you go and all that.

[blunomore]

Yes yes yes, I cannot say yes enough times! Go! It is amazing.

Goa used to be the hippy hangout in the sixties - apparently even the Beatles went there - and you still find a lot of laid back, dagga smoking hippies there It is a very nice town, filled with holiday makers and you will have a fantastic time. There are also painted cows walking on the beach, elephants and snake charmers. You will not regret!

Mumbai is wonderful too. Try to stay in the Colaba area - this is where you find good shopping along the Colaba causeway with books being sold for next to nothing, clothing, incense, jewellery, and a myriad other souvenirs. Try to get to Leopold's Cafe as well as Cafe Mondegar. There are taxis and tuk-tuks everywhere, so transport is no problem. For tasty food, you will have a million places to choose from - we love a little place where the locals eat, Food Plaza - excellent biriyani.

Enjoy!

[Griz]

Delhi belly

[Pynet]

Mumbai can be hectic, lots of people, chaos, beggers, dirty, slums but can probably be one of the best experiences you will have. Thier culture, the people like nowhere else in the world. Just dont go there expecting Europe and you will love it.

Goa, totaly different, much less people , more relaxed lifestyle, strong Portuguese influence. Beaches amazing, food dirt cheap, so cheap you can litteraly order the best prawns/ steaks etc for every meal ( You must try steak sizzler with goan sauce), massages on the beach again so cheap. Loads of different beaches to visit, all thier own styles, there is also a hippie flea market (Europeans and Americans who went to find there inner selves and ended up just living in Goa, they basically sit on the beach smoke weed all day, earn money by making stuff and selling to tourists )

All in all, amazing place and will surley be a life changing experience...... get out there and do it!

[za1]

pfft, not so fond of Europe, so no worries there.
Is there anything special in Mumbai to see, or just walk around and soak in the chaos?

[samr1wp]

i would love to go to anjuna beach

[Nerfherder]

India is epic !

I ate absolutely everything, even the pork. Was never sick once.

We did stay in the South though... much more chilled and less crowded.

[blunomore]

Is there anything special in Mumbai to see, or just walk around and soak in the chaos?

There are lots of things to see, depends on your interest. Museums, art galleries, a park with wildlife, Elephanta island with caves which used to be inhabited, boat rides around the Gateway to India, etc.

Tell me what you had in mind ?

[za1]

open to all suggestions
is early December a good time to go?

[Pynet]

There are lots of things to see, depends on your interest. Museums, art galleries, a park with wildlife, Elephanta island with caves which used to be inhabited, boat rides around the Gateway to India, etc.

Tell me what you had in mind ?

Go to Juhu beach ........ just watch out for those guys with pet monkey's These monkey's which is on a leach is trained to do tricks etc and pull on you clothes to beg for money. They get peed off if you dont give and start jumping on you .....

[blunomore]

India is epic !

I ate absolutely everything, even the pork. Was never sick once.

We did stay in the South though... much more chilled and less crowded.

The south is lovely. I enjoyed Kerala .... went to Cochin, and further south along the backwaters, stayed on a houseboat, had fun in the Jewish town in Cochin, went to the Coconut Lagoon, etc etc.

Do not discount the east of the country though. We had fantastic times in Calcutta, Chennai and Pondicherry!

[Nerfherder]

The south is lovely. I enjoyed Kerala .... went to Cochin, and further south along the backwaters, stayed on a houseboat, had fun in the Jewish town in Cochin, went to the Coconut Lagoon, etc etc.

Do not discount the east of the country though. We had fantastic times in Calcutta, Chennai and Pondicherry!

Sounds like you did the same tour as us

I loved the Backwaters, we stayed in a Homestay. I was a bit worried about how rustic that would be but it was awesome. You stay in a house with a family.... its the most amazing thing.

[blunomore]

Sounds like you did the same tour as us

We just worked out our own programme. No official tour

[mmmig]

I prefer Banlgore

[mic_y]

I prefer Banlgore

Only place in India that I have been to is Bangalore, and realistically, after a month there (was a work trip) I was so bored of the place. Unfortunately, I didnt get to travel around the rest of the country, and we only went to Mysore for the day, which, besides the temple and palace was quite boring TBH.

I would still love to travel around India properly. I have heard that the far north is quite interesting, but Goa is on my bucket list, so will have to make it happen at some stage.