Christmas in Goa Post Reply

[sallyarmyshop]

Hi
We (2 people) are looking to travel to Goa for 4 weeks at Christmas. Currently looking to book a package but just wondering if anyone on this site have contacts/knowledge of folk we can book with locally over there and then organise our own flights.....

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

Try this guy. He sorted out a trip for 3 all around India for one third of the cost of UK travel agents. I sorted the flights myself but he organised drivers/ tours/ hotels etc.

Nidheesh Saxena
Pragema Travels Pvt. Ltd.
A-32/L, 1st Floor, Opposite Una Enclave,
Patparganj, Mayur Vihar Phase-I,
New Delhi-110091 (India)
Tel : (+91) 11 43012667, 43023667,
Tel/Fax : (+91) 11 22757213
Mobile : + 91 (0) 9811444727
E-mail: ansaxena@vsnl.net, pragema@vsnl.net
Website: www.indiabudgettravel.com, www.selectholidaysindia.com, www.pragematravels.com

[maryd]

Try Rosemary Clark who works for Travel Counsellors - she is based in Southfields - her webpage is http://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/rosemary.clark
She is very helpful and organised a wonderful trip to South Africa for some friends of mine recently

[LdS]

I agree with Arcade, as also being of Goan origin too. Better safe than sorry. Goanvoice is a good place to start

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

@ Arcade 2007 & LdS- I recommended this particular Dehli agent because he organised a tour for myself, my husband and mother in law taking in Chennai, Madurai, Periyar,and Kerala in the South and Agra, Rajasthan and Almora. All the hotels were 4-5* and internal flights, tour guides and drivers were included. We organised everything via email and he always responded courteously and promptly making helpful suggestions and taking into account the age range and cultural differences.
Although I have travelled to India previously, it was my husband and his mother's first trip and we all had an amazing time.
I've never met the travel agent in person and I have no financial links with him either. I know I would never have been able to organise such a trip with local agents at each location and I could not afford the trip using a UK tour operator. I think the original poster's point in asking for recommendations was so that she wouldn't get ripped off!

[Kiwigirl]

Hello
Not put a downer on your plans but having just spent a month in India and 14 days in Goa (Arambul) I would just like to let you know that it is not the nicest place to go on holiday. Perhaps it was just the beach we were at although we did take scooters to other parts of Goa most days and they were all much of a muchness. The beaches were filthy - the water polluted with sewage. The sand covered in dog poo from the many stray dogs. I really couldn't imagine having my famiy holiday there for a week let alone 4 weeks. Better to head somewhere nicer...South Africa has amazing beaches especially if you're on the Garden Route or Egypt perhaps? Hope this helps.

[mumbelievable]

We went to Goa 10 years ago and would ever go back. Weather was good, but a few of us got ill and I agree there are much better beaches in the world to go to. Thailand would be a much better choice 

[ally30_1998]

I last went in 1990 and for a while recently thought I would like to go back, until I saw photos of the area I used to stay in...
If you are really stuck on India, there are lots of other places.  The attraction of Goa originally was because it used to be Portuguese colony and therefore Catholic, and more of a European feel compared to India at large. So unless you really have a thing for visiting old churches why not look at the rest of the country - it is vast and there are some fabulous places to stay judging by the pictures I see from friends who visit now.