hope you have a great holiday. You have me intrigued- with the history part!
Sorry I can't help with recommendations but one or two of the regulars may be able to(goldenflipflop- haven't you been there?)

Haven't been to Martins Corner but like you am planning to visit in feb whilst on honeymoon. Check out their site http://www.martinscornergoa.com/index.html

Hi thanks for the earlier info on the silver spoon. We are also staying in the Oceanique. We read a review that said the rooms their have fridges
First Choice don't mention this in their brochure. Did you have one in your room? Can't wait to go only one week to go

Yes, we had a fridge in our room. not a big one but big enough for bottles etc. It appears as though they did have a sort of mini-bar but that has been discontinued.

We did have a few problems with the fridge at the start. Just contact reception straight away if you have a problem and an 'engineer' will call almost immediately. Whether he will be able to fix it is another story. We managed to work out our own way around controlling the electricity supply so did not have any problems after that.

Personally, I think the problem lies in the fact that the electricity supply is controlled by the 'key' system. Obviously when you go out the fridge goes off. That is obviously why they discontinued the mini-bar.

Don't forget tp take a torch with you. You will definitely need it when walking back from the beach shacks at night. this is especially so from the Silver Spoon which is close by.

Get up early at ;east on one morning to see all the activity of the fishermen and associates. If you have time also at that time of the morning take a fairly long walk along the beach going South and you will see different type of fishermen pulling their nets in by hand. Quite an amazing sight as they co-ordinate everything.

if you have any more Q's then just fire away.

thanks lucky for you I only have 6 days before we go cause I could get boring. A few more questions is their tea making facilities in the room or should we take our own. Also a friend who went to the North just before xmas advised us not to drink the hotel tea and coffe at breakfast as not bottled water. any thoughts?

Don't drink tea or coffee? Never heard of that one. How far do you have to go with it. water is added to curries in cooking-- that may not be bottled. how are plates and utensils washed? Where do we stop?

I drank copious amounts of tea and coffee at breakfast in the hotel with no known problems.

All just a matter of being sensible and not become too paranoid. OK-- don't have ice in drinks- sensible. Avoid ice cream.

There ae no tea/coffe making facilities in the room. I suppose you could take your own if you have an adapter for the socket in the room. it is cheap enough to order a pot of tea anyway.

What else to tell you. towels, large and small are provided and changed daily. Large towels atre also available for use around the pool. the boy either gives them to you or just take them yourself.

beach shacks normally provide towels if you use their sunbeds(remember to buy drinks from them!!!).

take your torch and loo paper with you at night.

Plenty of places to change cash money in Colva. there is also an ATM machine as well.

Any more question sthen just fire away.

regards

thanks possibly a bit paranoid as taking 2 kids and never really been out of europe. We are really all excited and its so cold here today snowing at present. Will post a Colva review when I get back hope you have a great holiday when you go back once again thanks for all your help.

Couldn't make it back to Colva this season. I was wondering if much has been added since last year?

Hi
I returned from Colva 2 weeks ago - thanks for the info that Pedrogooner gave me (but pity Arsenal beat Spurs while we were there!!). The Silver Spoon is doing well, we spent several days on the beach and enjoying the great service of Martin & Co.
I've put a hotel report (The Oceanique) on the hotel review bit - we heard while we were there that the hotel is to be sold at the end of this month to a company from Delhi who are going to bring in their own staff - a pity as I presume most of the current staff are local and will therefore be out of work next week - and they do try hard and are very helpful. However, the hotel does not seem to be well maintained - there are tiles coming off the pool and the stairways are dirty where the crows sit. Also towels and bedding are beginning to show their age, not dirty at all but looking a bit grey! I wouldn't class it a three star, more like two. The taxi driver who shall remain nameless is still outside the hotel, asking you every day if you want to go here, there & everywhere. We got a taxi in town to take us to several places and then back to the airport at much cheaper prices than he was asking.

We really enjoyed Colva, just right, not too busy, but enough places to eat and drink and shop. The Bambooze bar/restaurant in the Willaims Beach hotel was good, and Goodmans (run by a Goan with Norwegian wife) at the t-junction of the main drag where you turn for the Oceanique.
Also excellent value was Kentuckee near the front where the buses terminate - a steak for 2 pounds that even my friend couldn't finish!
Also the Lucky Star behind the Silver Spoon shack was also excellent - the cheese and tomato naan to die for - I could eat one now but will have to wait until next year! I shall certainly be going back but not to the Oceanique, although it was fine, next time we'll probably do it independently and they want 3500rupees a night for a room, we have seen many other places much cheaper and just as good. We only took a package as it was our first time in Goa (we've been DIY to Thailand several times) and we didn't really know what to expect ( I hadn't discovered this site before we booked!).

lizspain.

Thanks for that. Pity the Oceanique is ''decaying'. I suppose once the owner decided to sell and got a buyer he did not see the need to keep the hotel up to scratch. Pity that. Mind you, why didn't the First Choice rep and others put pressure on them.

Also a big pity about the staff having to eventually leave. They were all wonderful when were there (twice).

Glad Silver Spoon is doing well. It did go down the pan for a while but good that it has recovered.

Did you manage to get down to the beach at sunrise to see all the fishermen etc. That smell has always stayed with me!

regards.

No, didn't manage to get up that early, but one morning the boats must have come in late, as they were still sorting the fish when we went to the beach. But the smell is there all day, where they put the fish out to dry.
I was also fascinated by the pigs that seemed to be living in the fishing community - not the pink sort we have in Europe, but grey/black ones! They would walk across the road at all hours, with the piglets trotting behind. There are probably even more now, as when we were there, there were several sows in an advance state of pregnancy!!

Shame about the Oceanique going down hill as we really enjoyed it last year. We have only just got back from Candolim. I would have liked to have gone down south for a couple of days but it just didn't happen.

Was really glad to hear that Martin is doing ok at theSilver spoon, could'nt of counted how many times my son said wonder if Martin is there.
The owner of the Silver spoon was going to do bedowin (sorryabout spelling) tents on the beach this year did it happen?

No, there weren't any tents at the Silver Spoon while we were there, sounds a good idea though. I don't remember the names of the others working at the Silver Spoon, they were all friendly, but we chatted more to Martin. They had a beach party with fireworks one Sunday, when we enjoyed a huge red snapper, several beers, coffee & a few(!) honeybees (my first taste) and all for about 900 rupees! Actually, it was the most expensive meal all holiday, but well worth it!

Ive never stayed in Colva, but have visited many times especially on Sunday afternoons, for people watching. This is when the locals from the Margao area pack the beach.
I always choose Domnicks shack, so I can watch the small pleasure boats setting out for a trip that lasts all of 6-7 mins, it takes much longer to load and unload and the goings on are a joy to watch. The food at Domnicks is also very good, but no sunbeds so maybe thats why it hasnt been mentioned.
There are families with kiddies splashing in the sea, groups of teenage boys in their sunday best out to impress the girls, and old ladies , saris hoisted up gathering cockle type things at the waters edge. Its busy noisy and not many westerners around, I love Colva on Sundays
Theres a great little book shop on the right of the square approaching the beach where you can buy new and used books and do a swop if you like.
I usually stick to chai in India, but the last time in Colva I found The Coffee Bean at The Silver Sands Hotel, I had one of the best espresso machiatto's i've had outside Italy for 27rps
Also found a lovely little boutique "Mystique" on the main road more Bollywood than beach trader style! I bought 2 beautiful kurta's not cheap but good quality
Lastly a ? Ive never been to the night market held on Mondays I think, by the footbal ground, does anyone know if its worth a visit thanks b.

'

The night market was ok, usual touristy stuff, sarongs, cushion covers, jewellery etc. It's only small but I managed to find a few things there, but as usual you have to do some serious bargaining! At one stall I got so carried away with trying to get them down a few more rupees, that I had to be reminded that I was arguing over about 10p!!. I didn't go to any other markets as my other half wasn't too well for a couple of days, so I can't say how this small market compares with the others.

Thanks
Sounds big enough for me and as I stay in Varca not far to travel to. Never made it to Anjuna yet too much hassle for me.

Can you please let me know what time the night market starts and exactly where it is? I'd never heard of it until now and would love to go somewhere local.

Thanks for all the interesting information, I'm building up a lot of ideas of how to spend my time staying around Colva. That is apart from enjoying myself and relaxing in the sun!

JHN!

The night market is not a local market, its just for tourists, If you want a real market you must go to Margao.
If you look on http://www.findall-goa.com you should find a map of Colva the night market is held near the football pitch, I think

JNH
The night market in Colva is on Monday evenings - starts about 1800 and finishes about 2100 ( I think). We went early so not sure the exact time it closes. It's in the football ground, a bit of waste ground just off the main street in Colva, just along from the Bambooze bar. Yes, it's just a tourist market - if you want to look round a local market, the one in Margao is worth a visit, it's where the locals shop for food, household goods etc, but you can get all the spices you need there really cheap. It's busy, hot and a bit smelly, but that's India for you!!
Ps go there in the morning as most of the stalls seem to close at about 1400.