Goa Travel Tips
Goa Travel Tips
Away from the trodden track, travelers discover a dreamy and other-century Goa in its medieval small towns, and gorgeous villagers, with rich flora and fauna. A truly elating out of this world experience that only Goa can provide. Whether it's fun quest, sunbeams, mysticism or just plain relaxation, you don't need to look beyond the miraculous land of Goa.
If you are a foreign tourist visiting Goa the currency which you should carry is Indian Rupees. It is prudent to carry your ATM cards other than liquid money. Traveler's cheques are widely recognized in Goa. Especially United States Dollar and British Sterling Pounds are acceptable. Money change facilities are accessible in all Govt. run State Banks, some hotels and resorts also offer Money alteration facilities. Beware of touts and frauds and do not change money with local traders.
Goa is admired for beaches so beach wear should be chosen accordingly. It should provide you with utmost comfort. Cotton is the order of the tour. Nudity in beach or public places is punished by law. Carry good number of cotton clothes. If you are traveling in winter season carry a light woolen jackets and shawls.
Motor traffic circulation is on the right, and pedestrians should walk on the left. Foreign nationals must have an International Driving License and should keep all travel and other related documents at hand.
Always negotiate for goods while shopping as they quote high prices. Be in touch with a local source to make your bargain gainful. Carry a proof of your identity bearing you name, age, address, and blood group.
Do not accept any sexual invitation from any professional sex worker while lazing around in the beaches. They can be tainted with HIV Aids virus. Do not work barefoot; it might give you fungal and parasitic infection. Do not carry or trade for any drugs while your stay at Goa. It is prohibited and you can be seriously punished if caught.
Check for purity and cleanliness while eating out in small restaurants. Drink mineral water while dining out in restaurants. If you are in need of medical help always go for sterilized and disposable syringes. Wash and clean public toilets before use. It is wise to carry an adapter for all your electric spots. Always keep your electrical gadgets in a plastic bag.
Visit the places of worship and maintain silence as instructed. In some tourist spots photographing is constrained so do not infringe the rules.
Goa has some great accommodation facilities and gastronomic options which will make your stay more memorable and delightful.
High Fliers
- To beat jetlag, book an overnight flight or one that arrives in the evening when travelling east so you can either catch your sleep on the flight or as soon as you get in to your destination.
- To prevent the swelling of feet as is wont to happen on long flights, walk in the aisle at intervals and try not to take off your shoes.
- Refrain from OD-ing on the free booze when on a flight, as too much alcohol causes dehydration. Tank up instead on aqua-pura.
- When making flight reservation, remember to request for special meals if you have any food restrictions.
- After September 11, airlines follow very strict security procedures. So make sure you reach the airport for check in well before departure time. Its best to check with the airline regarding how much in advance you should be at the airport.
- If your baggage does not arrive on the same flight as you, fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), with a description of the baggage, a list of contents and address to which it should be forwarded. If your baggage does not arrive at all, place a claim with the airline within 21 days.
- Overbooking is a fact of life in the airline industry. If you are not in a particular hurry to get to your destination then volunteer to give your seat up and take the next flight. The airline will provide you a hotel room and other frills, so you can end up having an extended vacation at the airlines expense!
- Do not accept any package from a stranger.
- For a smooth ride on a plane, choose the seats located near the wings as if the plane hits an air pocket, this is where you will get the least amount of bumps.
- If you are planning to watch the in flight movie, choose the fourth or fifth row from the screen to avoid getting a neck cramp.
- If you are prone to motion sickness, take an anti sickness pill before the flight. The pill won't help much, if you have it after you have started feeling sick!
- Abide by the list of items prohibited on board and carry most items like skis/cues/walking canes/sticks/Swiss knives in checked in baggage - this smoothens the check-in process plus avoids the risk of confiscation and unnecessary delays.
- Last and this is equally important - report any unattended items in the airport or aircraft to the nearest airport or airline personnel.
Weather Vane
- Keep track of the weather at your destination and be prepared, especially if you are going to a hurricane prone area.
Heartbreak Hotel
- Make your hotel reservations in advance, especially if you are visiting a place in peak season. You don’t want to be caught without a roof over your head!
- Negotiating room tariffs over the phone? Call the hotel twice to confirm the rates. Note down the name of the person you have talked to and request a written/faxed confirmation. This way you can be sure that you will not be wrongly billed by the hotel.
- * Don't depend solely on the hotel's alarm service. Carry your own little alarm clock to catch an early morning flight or that pre-dawn sightseeing trip.
- * When you check into your hotel, ask the reception to give you a card with the hotel's name address and telephone number. This will come in handy if you get lost or forget the name of your hotel.
- * Check whether your hotel has a hair-dryer, iron, coffee percolator, etc, to avoid carrying these gadgets and also making it easy to skip the 110/220 conversion problem when travelling to foreign countries.
- Most hotels frown on guests doing their own laundry in the bathrooms, but if you do need to wash some smalls, carry a length of nylon twine to improvise a clothesline.
