Goa travel review & recommendations by Father_Son_Cycle

GOA, India

This recommendation covers the key locations of interest in Goa, India. It includes the state capital Panji (Panjim), the southern resorts of Palolem, Patnem and Agonda, and the northern resorts of Anjuna and Arambol.

The recommendation is largely from a backpacking point of view but will also be of interest to those on shorter 'package' holidays who are looking to experience more than what can be found on organised tours in the more well nown tourist spots. We travelled around Goa on bicycles as part of a trip from Ireland to Japan (see our blog: www.bugbitten.com/father_son_cycle).

Palolem is still a relatively small beach resort in the very south of Goa. It amounts to a single street about 1km long, leading down to a lovely sweep of white sandy beach (in a bay about 2km long). The beach ends in Green Island Point to the north and Neptune Point to the south and is backed the entire length by dense palm trees, within which are sited numerous collections of 'coco-huts'.

Most of these bamboo and thatch coco-huts have no planning permission and were in fact buldozed in 2007 by government order. They have returned of course since they are a vital source of revenue for locals. The plan is that they now take them down at the end of each season. Hence it is difficult to give fixed recommendations on these huts.

Most of the coco-hut accommodation consist of a single room with a double bed and partitioned shower-room with running luke warm water. Most have a ceiling fan and a few have perspex windows. They are basic but comfortable in a kind of Robinson Crusoe way. We stayed in San Pedru around the middle of the beach, which is bottom end budget (400 Rupees per night). We would also recommend San Francisco Coco Huts nearby, Brendan's Huts and at the southern end Papillon (run by an English lady and her Indian husband (600R plus).

The beach at Palolem is fairly clean given its popularity. However the dog population is becoming a slight menace. The sea is clean enough but not crystal clear.

Along the beach there are numberous beach restaurants / bars, mostly associated with coco-huts behind. These change in popularity, atmosphere and ownership from season to season but a few are worth recommending:

Moksha is a well run restaurant and bar with consistantly good food at reasonable prices (100R average main course). It caters for those wanting Indian food and tourists missing home who want burgers or full english breakfast etc. The burgers are pretty damn good actually. They also run Cool Breeze on the main street. The menu is the same but the chef here is one of the owner/brothers so the food is slightly superior.

Cuba beach bar is the current favourite (there is another on the main street).

Cieran's Camp is the most upmarket. The menu is pretty much the same everywhere but here you get proper napkins and more attentive service at a premium price.

Banyan Tree Beach Restaurant has a wholefood orientation and serves superb spinach and mushroom burgers etc.

Chaudi is the nearest main town to Palolem and is just beyond the railway station. Cancona railway station is about 3km away and Chaudi another 2km further. It is a bustling small town with a fruit and veg market and a couple of good cheap restaurants. Udipi Hotel (Veg Thali for 40R) is excellent but grubby as you would expect. Their onion ravi masala (pancake) is superb for 20R. All the long-termers can be found here at lunch. Their fresh sweet lime soda may be the best in Goa. Udipi Krishna is a smaller and cheaper alternative nearby (Veg Thali 25R).


Patnem is the next village, 2km down from Palolem and is quieter. Many of the long termers rent houses here. It has become a bit dirty and for some lacks the atmosphere of Palolem itself. If you want it quieter with no short term tourists then this may be for you. Bahti Katir Eco-huts are very nice huts in a self-sufficient hamlet on the edge of Patnem. The price for being ethical is 2500R per night.

Nearby is a guest-house called 'Home' which is popular along with Ocean Hotel (run by Brit's). Lonely Planet sings the praises of Seaview Restaurant. It was run by a Canadian couple but they were too successful so were run out of town at the end of last season. It is now run by a slovenly collection of locals so has lost its charm somewhat. This is apparently a common scenario so good places run by foreigners may suddenly take a dive in quality.


12km to the north of Palolem is Agonda. It is smaller like Patnem and is also for those seeking to 'bliss-out' in peace and tranquility. There are a few beach restaurants just starting to go up though so things may change soon. There is a bus from Chaudi but many people rent scooters of the ubiquitously chaming (but unreliable) Royal Enfield. We suggest Franco's Guest House or Jasmine (decent huts).


Panji (previously Panjim). Heading north you arrive at the historic small state capital of Panjim (as most people still call it). It is noteable for it's decaying Portugese colonial architecture (wooden collonaded balconies overlooking narrow atmospheric streets). Many travellers pass through it on their way to the beaches but it is worthy of a longer stay. It has a pleasant municipal market, some decent shops and restaurants and a safe, calm atmosphere. It is located along a wide estuary onto the Arabian Sea so has large ships passing close to the promenade. The old colonial government buildings add an air of history.

Food lovers will love Panjim and should head, without delay to 'Viva Panjim'. This is a small family restaurant run by a charming lady named Linda de Sousa. She has a lifetime achievement award (2007) from the Goan International Cuisine Festival and it is well deserved. The largely regional Indian food is subtle, well cooked and very reasonably priced. The atmosphere in the small dining room or outside is relaxed with well dressed waiters and a tempting menu. We came back every day for 4 days and never tired of it. It is just off 31st January Street.

We stayed in the Comfort Guest House on 31st January street. It was well priced (300R for a spacious twin room with shared clean bathroom). It has a pleasant airy atmosphere and a pleasant though strict staff. Checkout is at 8.30am and they expect you to stick to it. Laundry is 10R per item. There is TV in each room (72 chanels). The well known Hotel Venite is further up the street and serves good food although prices have increased as more tourist guide-books have recommended it. Worth a look or a tea on one of their tiny balconies though. At the end of the street towards the post office you will find Vihar, a local Indian cafe serving vegetarian staples for a lower to middle end Indian clientel. There is a good menu of dosas and bahjis along with a very good fresh juice bar. Prices are low. The pancakes are great.

Mapusais a busy junction town north of Panjim where many travellers chang buses, go to banks etc. It may be worth delaying here to experience a bit of 'real' Indian small town life. It has a good Friday night market which is well known to 'Long-termers'.

Anjunais a well known resort on the northern end of Goa's coastline. It was once a chilled-out small seaside village but has suffered from over popularity by westerner holidaymakers. Consequently it has an oversupply of beach hawkers, hustlers trying to clean your ears (and often pick your pocket at the same time) and now parascending etc.

There are some pleasant beach restaurants / bars but it is less relaxed than Palolem to the south or Arambol to the north. There is an undersupply of accommodation in season. The mid to higher end of the market is well covered by Villa Anjuna (proper stone and brick with windows) is a good hotel on the main road into town. Rooms are around 700 to 1200R.

Lower down the range but still a proper building is Mary's Holiday Home overlooking the beach from the cliffs. This is very popular so booking required. 600R plus.

On the beach there are a number of Coco-hut collections. Manali guest house is also popular with backpackers and is cheap at around 250R).

The main attraction in Anjuna is the now famous friday market. It takes a whole day to see every stall, although after you have seen 20 you have basically seen everything. Only if you are bargaining hard for something do you need to see it all, but it is a colourful and entertaining day out.

Restaurants /beach bars to recommend are Agnello's and Janet & John's (which does an all you can eat seafood buffet on Saturdays and Thursdays after 8pm for 250R. Also Baba Beach Restaurant and Guest House. Sea Queen restaurant on the main road has movies every night and good food.

Oasis cafe has good German bakery. Shiva Cafe is by the bus stand and is an airy rooftop location. Near there on the way to the beach is 'Yash' a traditional and cheap Indian cafe / restaurant serving good biryanis.

Arambolis still a pretty chilled-out place which is prefered by long-termers. We met some really nice western semi-residents here who come each year for a 5 month season and fall into a day to day / week to week routine of breakfasting together (Akram cafe), lunching together (Ganesh) and playing guitars / singing on the beach at night. It really is the late 60's revisited. The Beatles came here during their Budhist period.

There are some good restaurants in Arambol to suit most tastes. A few we would recommend are:

Ganesh - on the main street has Indian basic thalis etc at the bus stand end of town (35R veg thali).

Akram - has a good menu of typical Indian fare with superb pancakes and fresh fruit salads at good prices. They also show football and cricket matches in a low-key local community kind of way. It is run by Piya Guesthouse people / vice-versa.

Rice Bowl is at the headland end of the beach and serves decent predominantly Chinese food along with a few Tibetal and Japanese dishes. Prices are mid-range at around 100R main course. It has snooker tables (90R per hour) and a healthy mosquito population at times.

Double Dutch is famous locally for excellent steaks and fits into the upper end of the market but is still reasonable for what you get (Arambol is still cheaper than Anjuna or even Palolem). It has a better selection of deserts than most restaurants in India. Apple pie is a favourite.

Accommodation is well priced but often basic (which is what the typical visitor here likes it would seem). Piya Guest House (next to Akram restaurant) is very popular. It is pretty basic - the classic Indian Guest House of backpaking 30 years ago I'd say) but has twin rooms with basic en-suite bathroom for 300R. The management (Piya and her family) are pleasant and relaxed. People come back year after year.

Residensea is a largish collection of coco-huts at the north end of the beach. Huts are about 4 to 500R in season (Nov to Feb) but the popularity of these huts at this end of the beach is starting to create a light sewage problem and contributes to the mosquito population at this end. Om Ganesh huts and Sunny Guest House nearby are also popular (with travellers as well as mosquitos).

There are various yoga / beach paradise oriented huts along the beach to the south which are quieter and priced similarly.

The beach goes on to Mandrem to the south which also now has coco-huts. These are for those wanting to be away from the busier and more social atmosphere in Arambol.

Arambol has plenty of internet cafes and some provisions shops (mainly fruit, vegetables and sun cream). Buses go to the nearby towns of Mapusa and Pernem every hour. It is a paradise to many who yearn for the sixties of their youth (or their parents' youth) but could be irritating to some who find this commune oriented lifestyle passé or naïve. Personally I find it reassuringly different to be in a place where everyone is trying to make good things happen for each other, but each to his own.

We quickly met a bunch of long-termers at Akram Bar / Restaurant who lacked the all too common snobbery of many westerners towards newcomers who have discovered ‘their’ special place. A lovely guy (from Blackpool via London) who spends a 5 months ‘season’ here every year took us on a cycle trip around the backwaters and made us feel really welcome.

Rumours back home that Goa is ruined are premature. If the developers manage to persuade the local planners / government that an airport is a good idea then things will change quickly.

Mark Swain (50)
Cycling from Ireland to Japan with son Sam (19).