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By Root 1923 0

by confining yourself to your hotel or guesthouse, but all the popular bars and restaurants will be filled to capacity, with queues so long they can cause traffic jams. Besides, everything—particularly accommodations—will be extremely expensive at this time (room and villa rates virtually double up on the already extravagant high season rate that runs from Nov through mid-Mar); many places also tack on an additional surcharge for the in-house “festive party” (even if you don’t plan to attend). If loud and raucous merriment (accompanied by a definite sense of being ripped off) is not your style, avoid Goa during this time; your money will go twice the distance here once the sardine-format revelers have departed. On the other hand, the best-value period is the summer and postmonsoon season (mid–Mar through May and Oct), when prices are reasonable, crowds thinner, and the whole vibe a damn sight more mellow; you may find yourself at a loose end if you’re looking to get your party shoes on, though.

1 Arrival & Orientation

Goa

ESSENTIALS

GETTING THERE By Air The state capital is Panjim (also called Panaji), which is pretty much centrally located; Dabolim Airport lies 29km (18 miles) south. It’s possible to fly directly to Goa from Europe, as many travelers arriving on charter flights from the U.K., Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and Scandinavia do. A more likely scenario is that you’ll be capping off your wider India trip by letting your hair down here; for that you can fly in from Mumbai (a mere 40 min.) or Delhi, as well as from Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad. If you really cannot wait to sink your toes into the Goan sea sand, your best bet is to book a direct flight from London with Kingfisher (www.flykingfisher.com); there’s a short stopover in Mumbai before you hop on a connecting plane and commence your holiday immediately. See for details on alternate airlines offering the best and/or cheapest service for domestic flights in and out of Goa. There’s a helpful government tourist desk ( 0832/251-2644) in the baggage-claim hall. A few hotels offer complimentary airport transfers, but more often than not, you’ll be charged for the service; you can either arrange this in advance (when making your reservation), or make use of the prepaid taxi counter, which eliminates the need for any bargaining and haggling over price. The trip to Panjim should cost Rs 490; for destinations in north Goa you’re looking at between Rs 650 and Rs 1,250; slightly less for the resorts along the central coast; and a little pricier if you go all the way to Palolem. Given Goa’s popularity with both international and domestic tourists, prebooking your accommodations here is essential, and don’t fall for a tout’s offer of “discount” lodgings—chances are the rooms will look like they fell off the back of a bus.

By Train Goa’s three main jumping-off points are Thivim in the north (20km/12 miles inland from Vagator), Karmali (12km/7 1⁄2 miles from Panjim), and Madgaon (also known as Margao) for the resort-intensive central coastal stretch. If you’re going straight to Palolem, or any of the gorgeous beaches in the far south, jump off at Canacona, also known as Chaudi. Several trains travel daily from Mumbai to Goa along the Konkan Railway; most of these take a good 10 to 13 hours, so it’s best to book the overnight Konkan Kanya Express, which leaves Mumbai at 11pm and gets into Madgaon at 10:45am. For a slightly quicker option, you’ll need to get up real early for the 5:10am Mumbai-Madgaon Jan Shatabdi (from Victoria Station; Thurs–Tues), which (theoretically) reaches Madgaon by 1:55pm. If you’re traveling from the south, catch the 11am Matsyaganda Express from Mangalore to Madgaon (61⁄2 hr.); the trip offers mesmerizing views along the Konkan coast. Note that it’s worthwhile to book your seat in your home country (www.irctc.co.in or www.konkanrailway.com), especially if you plan to head to Goa soon after your arrival in India or in peak season when trains between Mumbai and Goa are often fully booked; you may also ask