Travel guide – palolem
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Overview
For years Palolem remained a secret to all but the most independent traveller. Situated towards the southern tip of Goa, twenty miles south of Margao, it has now been discovered but due to strict planning restraints tourism is kept in check. The crescent shaped bay is lined with a beautiful white sand beach and backed with groves of coconut palms. Either side of the bay is a rocky headland covered in thick black forest and offshore is a tiny island whose only permanent inhabitants are a colony of black-faced langur monkeys. During December and January the beach swells with day-trippers who come to escape the more commercial resorts but outside this peak season Palolem returns to its sedate pace.
Climate
It is hard to generalise in a country that runs from the Himalayas to the beaches of the Indian Ocean but broadly speaking October to March tend to be the most pleasant months in India, when it relatively dry and cool. In the far south the best months to visit are between January and September, while northeastern areas of India tend to be more comfortable between March and August. The deserts of Rajasthan (west of Jodhpur) and the northwestern Indian Himalayan region are at their best during the monsoon (July to September). The mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir should be visited over the summer months (May to September).
Health
There are a number of health risks associated with travel to India, including malaria and dengue fever, and travellers should take medical advice on vaccinations at least three weeks before departure. Those travelling from an infected area should hold a yellow fever certificate. Food poisoning is a major risk in India; all water and ice should be regarded as contaminated and visitors should drink only bottled water and ensure that the seal on the bottle is intact. Meat and fish should be regarded as suspect in all but the best restaurants and should always be well cooked and served hot. Salads and unpeeled fruit should be avoided. Health facilities are adequate in the larger cities but limited in rural areas. Travellers are advised to take out medical insurance. Bird flu was first discovered in domestic poultry in February 2006, but no human infections have been reported. The risk for travellers is low, but as a precaution close contact with wild, domestic and caged birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes should be well cooked.
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