Tourist Attractions in Goa

The beach sellers can be quite persistent. They intend to engage you in conversation for about 5 minutes which is great but then they try to sell you their wares - jewellery, sarongs and niknaks. This is fine but they can be quite hard to shake off. Just be firm but polite and remember they are trying to make money, you're sometimes better to pretend you're asleep....

hmmm... ok... well not really a tourist trap as such.... just a word of warning!

The beaches we visited in Goa were superb, and the local Goa people who hired you the beds, worked in the beach bars, and so on were really cool.

However, some .. not so local people sometimes come into Goa to... well sight see..

Only problem is that they like to see... well women sunbathing in their bikinis through their binoculars!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dont let this scare you off, because most of the beaches are great and you can spend days just kicking back and relaxing, and after a brief chat with one of the beach shack owners he assured me that its a very rare occurance and they come down from other parts of India.

Unique Suggestions: Just be aware, and gents leave your skimpy bikinis at home!!!

Not really a trap but something to be aware of - along the main streets of Calangute and Candolim you will see a few "monks" in their orange garb with a large elephant.
You will want to take a photograph and they will encourage you to do so and offer to take your photo with the elephant.
When you've done they will ask for a suggested donation of 1000 rupees for the children's home.
Whether and how much you donate is up to you but just be aware of what will be expected if you get involved.

Unique Suggestions: If you don't want to pay then don't take the photo, at least not where you can be seen taking it.

When visiting the markets watch out for the women, who normally come from the areas outside of Goa.
They will offer to shake your hand and then drag you kicking and screaming into their "Lookee my shoppee". It's all good fun really but some people can become paranoid about the whole market experience.

Unique Suggestions: Relax have a few drinks and enjoy the experience - if you're male and get grabbed by one of the women ask them if they are offering to marry you - they soon let go!

Fun Alternatives: If you really cannot bear to "run the gauntlet" of the whole market experience then you will miss out, but there is always the beach!

This isn`t a tourist trap as such just a bit of advice for first time visitors. When you have your welcome meeting with the tour rep they will try to get you to book their trips out. Before you do this check with the local taxi drivere or tuck tuck for shorter distances and you will get the same trip for a lot less. Besides being less expensive you will be spending your money with local people and benefiting the local comunity that way.

Goa's pace at any given time of year, is slow at best. And when you add a million tourists flocking around new year's eve to that equation, you will need to add loads of patience to balance it.

The service at restaurants is the most obvious casualty. Your vocal chords will be tested as you compete to get the waiters attention- with other tourists like yourself, who have been waiting forever - to get a glimpse of that one starter which was ordered over an hour ago...

Unique Suggestions: Deep breathe, and tell yourself that if you`ve chosen to brave the peak season, you should have known...