Another part of Asia is GOA in India .

Now today I'm at work discussing my dreams of retirement to a colleague who is of India born.

 

After I tell him about Pattaya etc he tells me there is a similar place only much cheaper and it's called GOA ...it's a great place for retirement he says .

 

Now has anyone had any experience in GOA and would you say it's similar to Pattaya ?

 

I'd more call it upscale Ko Phangan than Pattaya-anything.

 

Not an India fan over all, due to the constant sleeve-tugging factor. Say what you will about Thai hassles, they don't actually physically touch you when you're out and about.

 

Bit of bragging: I met Cleo Odzer there, who wrote the first academic book about bar girls, Patpong Sisters. Her writing about Goa is out of date by now, but worth skim.

Heard it oncx desctibed as the "Hippy shangrila" of the 80's. Ok for short visit enroute to elswhere but thats abouf it.(apparently)

One mans food is another mans poison as they say.????

 

And this more recently from Mr Google

"Goa is a famous tourist spot for Indians because of its dazzling nightlife that never ends. This city offers amazing, and exciting nightlife that starts from nightclubs, bars, beach shacks, and more with non-stop music, latest songs, perfect ambiance, dizzy neon lights, delectable food, and fancy drinks."

 

Definitely NOT something that would appeal to me .

Spent a month in 2019' lay back friendly locals, fantastic beaches, sacred cows wandering the streets, It is a favorite haunt for Russians, cheap food, and a bottle of honey brandy will set you back $5.00, nothing at all like Pattaya, one year visa was very cheap and easy to obtain, you have to experience it at least once and see what you think.

I once had a holiday in Sri Lanka and vowed never to return. While it's not actually India, and the people are mainly not Indians, I have to assume that India is more of the same and therefore I'll never visit India.

It sounded not very nice when a friend told me loads of indians would go there to oggle western women

Goa is nothing like Pattaya. Parts of Goa are so beautiful. The south was fabulous a few years ago. Depends on your love for India. For me it is a fabulous country.  I am not into booze or bars. Beaches and food were my reason for living in Goa. Finally moved further south into Kerala because it offered more calm and less party noise. To each their own.

8 hours ago, LaosLover said:

Not an India fan over all, due to the constant sleeve-tugging factor. Say what you will about Thai hassles, they don't actually physically touch you when you're out and about.

Funny - one of the rare Thai hassles for me was that the Indian tailor shops had ropers outside who would actually grab you and detain you, trying to get you to buy... a major turn off for me.. 

I liked Goa.  Its Portuguese/Christian heritage makes it rather more bearable than much of India.  The 17th century churches are interesting, and there's pork on the menu.  Of course, Goa is the birthplace of vindaloo curry - originally made with pork.  (It's derived from the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos.)  There's also a lot of good, reasonably priced seafood.  

First off no retirement visa options in India and presently only 30 day visas issued but that is likely to change in the immediate future as flights resume March 1.

 

Goa is an excellent spot which has moved from a hippy haven in the late sixties into the seventies to a package tour destination in the eighties and nineties into more of an locals dominate holiday spot today. It is a seasonal attraction due to monsoons that hit May-September and the place pretty much shuts down.

 

Give it a go but be selective in timing and come to terms swiftly that india runs as Indians want and sure you'll enjoy.

Other India beach options:

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/indias-10-best-beaches-handpicked-by-timestravel/photostory/89826125.cms

Pics are from 2011, my ship anchored close by. Me, personally I wouldn't spend my dime to come to Goa. Beggar kids abound, the squat toilet with no roof is from the bar in pic.

15 hours ago, CharlieH said:

One mans food is another mans poison as they say. ????

Quite possible so.!

Ask Mr Google about the sh*t pigs of Goa. I wonder how it will answer.

Briefly the toilets are suspended above an enclosure with pigs in it, they eat what you deposit, later, when it's time, it's served up as pork, in any form.!

They say it has a unique aroma, not that I've tried it.

 

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Pics are from 2011, my ship anchored close by. Me, personally I wouldn't spend my dime to come to Goa. Beggar kids abound, the squat toilet with no roof is from the bar in pic.

 

Was 2011 the first time you saw a squat toilet?

 

 

I had a lovely year there 38 years ago.  You will need to soak the pay for play girls in dettol.

6 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

Was 2011 the first time you saw a squat toilet?

 

 

This wasn't a toilet for locals as much as for tourists on the beach. The place was sh*#e.

27 minutes ago, andy said:

Visas are easy as long as you stay < 6 months in a year (you can get 5 or 10 year multiple entry Tourist visa depending on nationality - 6 months permission to stay). 

Not at present. Limit is 30 days but as I said earlier likely to be extended once flights resume March 1 plus long term visas are suspended but again maybe reinstated at some stage.
 

If you are Brit you have to get a paper visa but most others can get e visa.

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

It sounded not very nice when a friend told me loads of indians would go there to oggle western women

And farangs oggle Thai women ????

17 minutes ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

And farangs oggle Thai women ????

yeah but the story went along with western women getting frequently pestered and groped in India on buses

I had a workingpermit in India..first we worked in Kakinada(terrible place)and after in GOA.I worked offshore then.GOA was ok,but thats it.I tried to take a local girl to my hotel.Had to pay security and other just to get her to my room.Wasted time.I gave up.NOT like pattaya at all.

It was my dream to retire to Goa but the visa rules changed so it became a no-no.

I loved Goa and India in general very helpful people.  First went i 94 and last went 2011.

 

Been to Sri Lanka but found outside of the hotels the people were very pushy and unusual for me I felt quite intimidated.

 

Never been to Pattaya

 

 

If comparing to Thailand is your focus the answer is ... No. Yes it is cheaper but the quality of life is far below LOS. It's much easier to get sick in India than LOS by far.

20 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Pics are from 2011, my ship anchored close by. Me, personally I wouldn't spend my dime to come to Goa. Beggar kids abound, the squat toilet with no roof is from the bar in pic.

Thanks for the second photo. Having seen that, there is nothing would induce me to go there.

On 2/26/2022 at 6:15 AM, scubascuba3 said:

It sounded not very nice when a friend told me loads of indians would go there to oggle western women

Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black ? And what exactly is it when foreigners stand in front of the bars and shows in Thailand and * oogle* the Thai girls ?

34 minutes ago, geisha said:

Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black ? And what exactly is it when foreigners stand in front of the bars and shows in Thailand and * oogle* the Thai girls ?

Not the same, if you said crowds of farang were  lining up at BTS stations to watch Thai girls I'd agree

On 2/26/2022 at 8:47 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

I once had a holiday in Sri Lanka and vowed never to return. While it's not actually India, and the people are mainly not Indians, I have to assume that India is more of the same and therefore I'll never visit India.

Indian be worse

Edited February 27, 20224 yr by Sparktrader

On 2/25/2022 at 5:45 AM, LaosLover said:

Bit of bragging: I met Cleo Odzer there, who wrote the first academic book about bar girls, Patpong Sisters. Her writing about Goa is out of date by now, but worth skim.

I did a couple of semesters at AUA in Bangkok back in the ’80’s, and Cleo was in my class. She was there studying Thai as part of her prep to help with her research for her book. One day she shared some of her films with the class of her early days in Goa.

Very interesting lady.

Who is this Cleo lady you all keep mentioning

 

Cleo Odzer, you can view her books on Amazon.

 

Famously friendly, a little mad. The kind of traveler that doesn't exist anymore, and that goes double on the female side of the aisle.

 

You can pick up a copy of Patpong Sisters for about $4 via USA Amazon. It's a confusing but fun read.

On 2/26/2022 at 5:14 PM, Nurseynutcase said:

Never been to Pattaya

see a doctor

 

edit> maybe you're a nurse judging by your username, sorry

Edited February 27, 20224 yr by cyril sneer