Comments on Calangute

We have just returned from two weeks in Calangute.We stayed at the Palmarinha Hotel which is in a lovely location just outside the town,set against fields and open countryside which is very peaceful.A taxi to town or beach is 100 rupees but a Tuk Tuk is only 70. (£1).The hotel runs a courtesy bus every hour between 9-12 am %26amp; 3-6 pm.It can however be waled if you prefer in about 25 minutes.

The staff at the hotel are brilliant and cant do enough for you.The rooms are clean and spacious with Frig/Minibar,cable TV with both BBC and CNN and several film channels etc.Rooms are all A/C with phone and balcony as standard and Tea and coffee making facilities are available free on request.

We also stayed there last year and can thoroughly recommend it.There are safety boxes available for less than £ day but you will need your own padlock.

There are two pools with plenty of sunbeds and mattresses and lovely natural shade if you want it (trees)Pool towels are supplied which you can take to the beach if you wish and clean ones every day.

There is a comprehensive library with Internet access,a games room and a beauty salon/massage parlour to keep the ladies happy.Entertainment is laid on every night and we will certainly choose it again when we return.

Adjacent to the hotel and about 5 minutes walk in either direction there are two restaurants one of which only opened last week so we haven%26#39;t tried it yet but the other one called %26#39;Curries%26#39; is very good.

There are plenty of good restaurants in Calangute and surrounds but two stand out for both Quality and prices.

The first one is %26#39;The Tibetan Kitchen%26#39;.It is on the left going down Beach Rd in Calangute past the roundabouttowards the beach.There is a large sign by the road and you have to go down a narrow alley stepping over 2 small walls about 10 inches high before arriving in a large covered courtyard where the restaurant is housed.I give these precise directions because there are 2 othe Tibetan restaurants on the same road and I%26#39;m told they are not so good.My recommendation is the prawn Sizzler.I%26#39;ve never seen so many prawns on a plate in my life!

The other restaurant is the %26#39;Taste of India%26#39; which is on the Candolin Rd in Calangute on the right hand side going towards Candolin.It is owned and run by Nepalese staff and I can recommend the fillet steak with mushroom sauce.

We did vist East meets West again this trip but sad to say,in my opinion the prices have gone up from last year and the standard of the food has gone down.I had a fillet steak(supposedly) which was tough as old boots(I%26#39;ve had better frying steak from ASDA)

A good place to watch the sunset with a drink is an Indian bar/restaurant called %26#39;The Blue Bay%26#39;It has a huge balony overlooking the beach and it is located right at the bottom of Beach Rd Calangute on the right.(as far as you can go before the steps)

The drinks are mega-cheap and they serve large bottles of Kingfisher Strong which is 8% and very nice for 65 rupees.I drank it all the time I was there without one hangover and even managed to convert 3 of the other hotel guests to it,all of whom admitted that they would never dream of drinking Tennants Super or Carlsberg Special back home.

One tip though, don%26#39;t be tempted by the food there as they cant cook !

I hope some of this info will be useful to those of you heading Goa way,especially those booked to the Palmarinha and not knowing what sort of a place they are coming to.Take my word for it it is one of the better places in Calangute now !!

Enjoy your holiday.

Martin.

Travel India

Comments on Calangute

Hi Martin, great read and thanks for posting. Glad you enjoyed your holiday :) I%26#39;ve often looked at the Palmarinha and it%26#39;s good to hear that it comes up to scratch. Cheers!

Comments on Calangute

Thanks alot Martin, great read and some really useful info, we will definately take the directions with us for %26#39;The Tibetean Kitchen%26#39; %26amp; i%26#39;m looking forward to the 8% Kingfisher Strong....Many thanks again %26amp; made up you had a great holiday...Deb

hi, me and OH are going to the Palmarinha for Easter. great to know that it is not too far out of the way, we were getting worried. is the walk to the beach a pleasant one, are there shops to look at on the way?

can you give us a rough idea of prices of food in the beach shacks and restaurants, prices on beer/soft drinks etc. so that we can estimate how much spending money to take. any trips or places to visit you would recommend.

Hi Heidi

Have a look at this map

Your hotel is in the middle with the +

wikimapia.org/beta/…8

T%26amp;J

wikimapia.org/beta/…palmarinha

Not the one this is

Hi

I am just waiting for my visa and then hoping to bookt he Palmarinha for the last two weeks in April, great read up! I will be travelling alone (female, first time to goa and first time abroad alone!)

Apart from the obvious precautions to take, would you think it would be safe eating alone in Calangute on an evening?

Cheers

Jane

Absolutely !!

I love the Tibetian Kitchen too. I love their %26#39;fish of the day%26#39; dish and their momos. Always, always have had a good meal there.

Picking up on the Tibetan Kitchen. Last year I would have rushed in to say that the Taste of Tibet ( opposite the Tibetan market,Calangute) was SO much better than the Tibetan Kitchen that I could not see why the Tibetan Kitchen had any fans ( we have had two bad meals there on different years) but this year the Taste of Tibet had been taken over by kids ( sorry ageist ,I know, but they were)and although OK it was not a patch on its former self. Does any one know where (if anywhere) the best place for momos is now? they are part of our love of Goa,so I really want to find a toothsome source for January 09.

I love the Tibetan Kitchen as well. I%26#39;ve not stayed at the Palmarinha as it%26#39;s a wee bit outside the main drag and I usually go in quiet periods so don%26#39;t need to be that far out. At this time of the year there are plenty of places closer in that are cheaper and more accessible. Not going to mention nay names in case yoiu think %26#39;m just advertising. Best bet is to book something foir a couple of days then get out there and sort out terms for a place you really like. I%26#39;m heading out there on Suinday and that%26#39;s what I%26#39;ve done anyway.

Cheers