Are Goa's Golden Days Gone?

Are Goa's Golden Days Gone?

As we make our way past the dilapidated shacks towards the coveted Goan shores, the foretold beggars clammer to follow us, asking for alms. We look around to spot fellow westerners in the same predicament and are startled to find only a few stragglers. The markets are as busy as a bible belt bar on Sunday, with only a smattering of randoms at India's most popular tourist spot. Not struggling to park our seats on the best spot on the beach, at one of Lonely planet's 'highly recommended' restaurants, Joel and I ponder Goa's pre 26/11 party days.

We predictably stop our waiter for a chat.

"Busy this year?" we doubtfully ask.

"No, No, this time last year the beach was full of people- we had tables down 40 feet onto the beach. People partying every night, with bonfire and hashish."

The reality is clearly not the same this year. Only one other table at our beach bar is occupied.

Our waiter, Rani, points out the obvious. "It was the Mumbai attacks, now no one wants to come to Goa."

Despite the fact that no actual terrorist attacks have happened in Goa, a good 12 hour train ride away from Maharashtra's capital, hasn't changed a thing. Tourists around the world are changing their plans, cashing their 'just in case' travel insurance and saving a few pennies to party closer to home rather than at Goa's golden beaches. Hotels have seen a 70 per cent drop in occupancy according the local Goan News and the beggars are forced to chase the few whities still brave enough to come.

This will, undoubtedly, have a devastating effect on this year's tourism season and those who depend on it. A crippling winter here, where most are hand to mouth, also means that many might starve.

Another waiter at another empty beach shack bar (we tried to go as many as we could in order to help the local economy, of course) reiterated the troubled times ahead.

"Here in Goa, we don't make anything, there is no production, no stuff... we just have the tourists."

To make matters worse, the newspapers are screaming terror and worries that Goa will be the next target has resulted in Government intervention (never a good thing, according to Joel). They will shut down all Christmas and New Year's beach parties- the main draw for foreigners and the only reason that Goa is on the map for hippies around the globe. This is the sort of blow, last minute and full of fear, that will make exotic beach seekers choose Phuket over Goa for years to come.