Recommended accommodation in Goa
Goa abounds with places to stay that suit a wide range of budgets. You might find that following your guidebook, or quite simply your nose is good enough to get you a suitable place to stay, but Helen does have her favourites. To help you along we’ll even give you a map once you arrive!
Chikoo House, Vagator, GOA
Family run guest house, lots of fun and a great place for healing!
Email HERE for info and reservations.
Medicine Buddha Guesthouse, GOA
Small, friendly guest house at reasonable enough rates.
Email HERE for more info and reservations.
The Tamarind Hotel, Anjuna, GOA
Mid priced Portuguese style hotel with swimming pool and a lovely breakfast room.
Yoga Magic, Anjuna, GOA
Live in a Rajasthani tent, swim in a pool with with its own little island, eat wonderful food, do yoga, meet like-minded people and chill out in this exclusive paradise in Goa.
A useful link for accommodation in India and Goa:
A few others that we recommend:
Casa Vagator, Coutinos Nest, Rene’s Guest House, Orange Guest House.
Food in Goa:
Goa has many places to indulge the appetite and delight the senses. Anjuna alone has a huge amount of restaurants, cafes and beach shacks. The latter range from the Shore Bar on the beach to Peppy’s Shacks – just after the market.
Club 55, Tantra, all have good menus and are nice places to hang out in.
The best fish curry on the beach is at the Sun and Sand.
For restaurants off the beach, there’s Blue Tao, which has excellent salads and organic food. There is a sushi restaurant, for the raw and organic lovers and for others with Mediterranean inclined taste buds, an Italian restaurant called Basilico.
In Vagatore you have Thalassa for elegant Greek dining with a sea view, or Fusion with floor seating and a chilled atmosphere.
Mexican is served round the corner from Chickoo House at Mezcal.
Back in Anjuna, the German Bakery is a good place to start your day with some breakfast. Orange Boom is another great breakfast place – Lazarus and his son Winston are extremely friendly, and the restaurant is squeaky clean.
For that special treat, try Sublime – truly divine fine dining in Saligaon, a 15 min drive from Anjuna.
Yoga Magic, Vagatore also creates culinary magic, as does La Plage in Asvem beach which is around half an hour away.
Bomras in Candolim is also another amazing restaurant offering a fusion of Burmese specialities.
Handy hints
Do not pack too many clothes – the world famous Flea Market in Anjuna and countless shops in the neighbourhood will give you enough fun and light wardrobe options for the weather in Goa.
Also in Mapusa – the local town close by, you’ll find a big market with Ayurvedic pharmacies, the best and most wonderful handcrafted incense by
RAMAKRISHNA a personal friend…and most things you will need while you are here.
There are enough western pharmacies here, but if you do have allergies or any other medical issues remember to pack your regular medicines from back home.
Vaccinations and malaria medication are a purely personal choice. But generally speaking in the season malaria is very rare, and natural sprays with Citronella are enough to keep mosquitoes at bay.
For the ladies, tampons are available, but if you have a favourite brand it’s best to bring it with you.
Scooters and cars can be easily rented, and it is generally OK to drive in Goa, just be very careful at intersections and don’t ever expect anyone to obey traffic rules. You are supposed to have an international driver’s licence to drive in India.
The sun in Goa can get pretty strong and spirited, especially at mid-day, so keep the sunscreen lotion to hand.
Goa is famous for its parties and trance music, especially on the beach.
Ingo’s Night Market in Arpora (10 minute drive from Anjuna) is great fun for shopping, people watching and partying. It’s on every Saturday from sunset to about 2 a.m. and fills the weekend social calendar quite successfully!
The Flea Market in Anjuna is an amazing sight of colours, people – and cows! In the afternoons and evenings live bands perform on stage and the atmosphere is very lively. It’s on every Wednesday, 11 a.m. till sunset.
Beaches in Goa are beautiful, and while Asvem and Mandrem are a bit further away, needing you to drive for 30 to 40 minutes, they do make for a great day out.
There’s also para-sailing for those with a sense of adventure. Please remember that there are sometimes strong currents in the sea in Goa so take care whilst swimming.
If you are a fan of colonial architecture you can drive around Anjuna and Assagao and feast your eyes on some beautiful houses. The churches are also quaint examples of Goan Portuguese architecture.
If you want to make a difference, go visit the International Animal Rescue in Assagao. It’s an NGO that provides shelter and help for suffering animals in Goa. They also have a neutering program. You can visit the centre, and spend time with a variety of cows, pigs, dogs, cats and the occasional python in need of medical care.
