Holidays in the resort state of Goa (India) became popular with the light hands of European hippies who had chosen this region in the 70s. They were attracted not only to the local magnificent beaches with white sand and the sea of wine; not only an amazing culture and a special, deep and friendly perception of life by Indians. Times are changing, since then significant international investments have been made in Goa, and developed resort infrastructure has grown. Our story is about one small fragment of it: the three-star hotel Santana Beach Resort 3 *. It is for tourists a wonderful comfortable portal to India, the starting point for exploring it.
In Goa, the taste of real, false freedom is felt in everything; musicians from the legendary Liverpool Four loved to relax here. The northern part of the state is a pronounced youth, party resort. Goa regulars believe that nowhere else in the world do holiday-goers feel such emancipation with such force. This special feeling is inherent in the resort town of Candolim.
Goan Beach Candolim
In the vicinity of the coastal village of Candolim, you will not find either garbage or slums, so familiar to other parts of North Goa. Here, on the neat streets, lovely houses are built, the courtyards are well-groomed and cows almost do not roam the village. True, there are ubiquitous dogs. But here they are some kind of non-aggressive, peaceful, and tourists willingly feed them.
Candolim is also called a cozy suburban beach, a segment of a huge ribbon of coastal beaches of Goa, stretching along the coast of the Arabian Sea from the beginning of Bagi Beach to the end of Sinquerima Beach. (In fact, there are no strict borders between the beaches on this coast of the Arabian Sea, but each of them has features in its infrastructure.)
In particular, both the village and the Candolim beach are considered the most respectable and clean in North Goa. Just in this well-kept mini-resort there is also a small cozy hotel Santana Beach Resort 3 * considered by us.
Hotel Location
The European hotel complex Santana Beach Resort 3 * (India, Goa) is in great demand among European tourists. It seems that managers with special higher resort education work there, and the staff is remarkably well trained and values work. And it is no coincidence that he is in the non-shocking Europeans Candolim. Historically, the inhabitants of this town were among the first in India to be converted to Christianity and their lifestyle is quite close to the European one. Here, the streets did not smell of slop, and there are very few typical thin and hungry sacred cows typical of India.
The local extensive, but quiet and comfortable beach is located south of the noisy and one of the largest beaches in Goa, Calangute. The local hotels are more respectable than in other regions of Goa. Sheki (seasonal beach cafes) Candolima is relatively neat and their food is delicious.
Climate and spa vacation
The rest of the hotel guests is determined by the seasonality of the weather in Goa. The dry season, lasting from October to May, is most attractive to tourists from Western Europe and America. It coincides with the local resort high season.
The period from June to September is characterized by humidity close to 100% and prolonged heavy rains. This is a low season at the resort. Tourists leave, and resort infrastructure collapses until the next high season.
Also an important factor determining the specifics of a beach holiday is the height of the waves. If the sea surface allows even children to swim, then high waves can drag an inexperienced swimmer into the sea. Therefore, the rather hectic Candolima beach, according to its characteristics, serves for swimming adults and well-kept people.
About hotel
In a picturesque place, in the resort village of Candolim, among the dunes and tropical gardens, there is a small hotel of the first line Santana Beach Resort 3 *. Photos of its two-story building and cottages of the same number of storeys are nice, calm and, undoubtedly, attract tourists. Tours at this hotel are snapping up like hot cakes. And this is not surprising. By the criterion of price / quality, this hotel complex is one of the best in North Goa. Tourists hitherto vacationing in Goan hotels - “five-star hotels” - recognize this hotel as not worse than its “colleagues” of higher accreditation.
The hotel complex has a garden maintained in perfect condition with pedestrian paths and terraces. In the center of Santana Beach Resort 3 * there is an outdoor pool, and next to it there is a very wonderful hotel bar. Some Western tourists simply do not reach the sea, enjoying the relaxation area by the pool.
Hotel Housing
Apartments, not standard rooms, are offered to their guests by a small hotel Santana Beach Resort 3 * (Goa). The reviews of its guests are very loyal, because the living conditions here in reality are at the level of “four stars” (meaning furniture, appliances, and bathroom functionality). The apartments (and there are only 20), in addition to the sleeping quarters, have a private bathroom and two large balconies. There is also a small kitchen with an electric kettle and a daily replenished set of coffee, tea and sugar. A free minibar is replenished daily with bottled drinking water.
In addition to the three-star standard - round-the-clock reception, daily thorough cleaning, twice-weekly linen change, the hotel has its own know-how. So, each cleaning of the room by the staff here is necessarily accompanied by the making of towel installations, and before leaving the tenants from the apartment, the hotel’s deputy director personally directs the cleaning of their rooms. If guests buying a tour to the Santana Beach Resort 3 * hotel (India, Goa) wish to register a marriage here, the administration undertakes to organize this action. At the same time, two months before the desired date, guests must notify the hotel by private letter.
Breakfast at the hotel
Breakfast included in the price of the tour is quite voluminous. They include local and European dishes, toasts, cheese, omelet with spices and vegetables, rasam or dal soups and paratha cake, the sweet rice pudding khir, granola, fruit (pineapple, papaya, watermelon), jam, freshly squeezed juices, tea, lassi milk, coffee.
Breakfast menu Santana Beach Resort Candolim 3 * is almost vegetarian. About once every three days there are chicken sausages. After all, food enterprises in India pay a tax on meat.
Lunch and dinner at Candolim restaurants
However, vegetarianism does not threaten hotel guests. Following along the short road to the beach (some hundred meters), they willingly go to the Calamari Bathe & Binge Calamari restaurant located on this path. The signature dishes of Goan Fish Curry and Prawn Balchao were to their taste.
Tourists from Santana Beach Resort 3 * (Goa) usually, organizing their daily lunches and dinners, find for themselves an inexpensive solid restaurant near the favorite beach. For example, The Stoun House, where you can taste a delicious and inexpensive portion of chicken or tomato soup (equivalent - 100 rubles), a large portion of spices seasoned spinach salad at the same price, a delicious seafood soup (130 rubles), noodles with chicken or seafood (260 rubles). Also positive reviews of tourists deserve the cafe "U Pasha", located a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Prices for popular dishes there are similar to those mentioned above, but here you can also enjoy delicious seafood (cooked lobster costs 1,600 rupees).
Generally speaking, the average check for a two-person non-alcoholic dinner is 800 rupees.
Beach vacation
The hotel we are considering is in the first line, tourists in 2 minutes go to the beach directly from the territory of Santana Beach Resort 3 * (Goa). Their feedback on the beach is positive and even metaphorical, judge for yourself: “golden sand”, “gentle waves”, “charming sunsets” ... However, it should be borne in mind that this is what tourists who come to rest without children write (namely they prevail in the hotel complex).
We have already mentioned the relatively high waves of Candolim Beach. It should also be recalled that the bottom was smoothly lowered when entering the water, which is undesirable for the smallest holidaymakers. Thus, young and healthy people are comfortable swimming in this resort beach. Children and older guests are safer to swim in the pool.
Additional amenities for tourists spending time on the beach promise shakes - seasonal beach cafes that cook full-fledged food, including seafood at affordable prices for an economical tour. It will be beneficial for tourists to buy fresh lobster or tiger shrimps at the fish market and ask the chefs to cook them.
Excursions
Guests of Santana Beach Resort 3 * (India, North Goa) immediately upon arrival offer a whole list of standard excursions. Among them - a visit to the six-meter Dulsagar waterfall, trips to the spice plantation, boat trips. Excursions in old Goa (price $ 100 per person) hotel guests give a low rating. After all, an experienced taxi driver for only $ 40 will be able to show the sights to four tourists at once.
The coolest excursion here is considered to be a trip to the village of Hampi in the neighboring state of Karnataka, located 260 km from Goa. There are well-preserved ruins of the capital of the ancient Vijayanagar Empire, belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage.
The empire that controls all of South India lasted from the 13th to the 15th centuries AD and was destroyed by the Arabs. The majestic remains of the buildings of her capital are located in a mountainous area on an area of 26 km 2 : Rama Temple, Virupaksha Temple, sacred wells, Krishna Temple, and the palace complex.
An excursion, if you buy it, is quite expensive: $ 200 -250 per person. Did the Santana Beach Resort 3 * tourists put their hands together at the sight of such a price tag? Reviews indicate that by no means! They go to her savages: they go on the night by bus, going from Maputo to Hospet, located 14 km from Hampi. At the same time, the price of a one-way ticket is $ 20-30. It is advisable for tourists to organize in a group with a pair of people ("slipper-bass" provides for twin sleeping reserved seats, and the European may be shocked by the proximity of the Indian). Then, upon arrival in Hospet, tourists hire a motor rickshaw (there are many of them), who play the role of guides to the ancient buildings. Payment for the day of the auto rickshaw is $ 14.
Water sports
On Candolim Beach, closer to its border with Sinkaerim Beach, there are centers of almost all sports. Novice tourists can take introductory diving and surfing lessons there. By the way, diving in Goa is only unprofessional. Although for those who wish to learn this occupation tourists lack of transparency of the water did not become an obstacle to diving and exploring the local coral world.
Another thing is surfing. Goa waves, whose usual height is one meter, are ideal for teaching him. In addition, Russian instructors are often working in surfing centers, able to effectively train newcomers-countrymen.
Conclusion
A wonderful platform for exploring India is located in Goa Santana Beach Resort 3 * hotel. Reviews of tourists have repeatedly stated that India, filled with human kindness, left in their souls the impression of a light touch on the hidden aura of a paradise lost by people. Visitors familiar with these reviews have the impression that they “looked at this country not with their eyes, but with their souls”.
Indeed, despite the poverty of most of the population, India is beautiful and, contrary to it, lives positively. Perhaps this explains the tourism phenomenon of Goa.