Going to Goa

Goa in brief
Variously known as “Pearl of the Orient” and a “Tourist Paradise”, the state of Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as Konkan.

The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa a firm favourite with travellers around the world.

But then, Goa is much more than just beaches and sea. It has a soul which goes deep into unique history, rich culture and some of the prettiest natural scenery that India has to offer.

Much of the real Goa is in its interiors, both inside its buildings and in the hinterland away from the coastal area.

Legends from Hindu mythology credit Lord Parshuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu with the creation of Goa.

Over the centuries various dynasties have ruled Goa. Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Silaharas, Chalukyas, Bahamani Muslims and most famously the Portuguese have been rulers of Goa.

Goa was liberated by the Indian Army from Portuguese colonisation on December 19, 1961 and became an Union Territory along with the enclaves of Daman and Diu. On May 30, 1987 Goa was conferred statehood and became the 25th state of the Indian Republic.

Having been the meeting point of races, religions and cultures of East and West over the centuries, Goa has a multi-hued and distinctive lifestyle quite different from the rest of India. Hindu and Catholic communities make up almost the entire population with minority representation of Muslims and other religions.

All the communities have mutual respect towards one another and their secular outlook has given Goa a long and an unbroken tradition of religious harmony. The warm and tolerant nature of the Goans allows them to celebrate and enjoy the festivals of various religions such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Christmas, Easter and Id with equal enthusiasm.

The state of Maharashtra borders Goa on the north, the state of Karnataka on the south and east. The vast expanse of the Arabian Sea on the west forms the magnificent coastline for which Goa is justly famous.

Terekhol (Tiracol), Mandovi, Zuari, Chapora, Sal and Talpona are the main rivers which weave their way throughout the state forming the inland waterways adding beauty and romance to the land besides being used to transport Goa’s main export commodity of Iron and Manganese ore to Mormugao Harbour. Along the way to the coast these waterways form estuaries, creeks and bays breaking the sandy, palm-fringed coastline behind which lie the fishing villages among the coconut groves.

Panaji (Panjim) is the state capital located on the banks of the Mandovi river and Vasco, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda are the other major towns. Goa is serviced by an international/national airport located at Dabolim near Vasco. An intra-state and inter-state bus network also plays an important role in getting locals and visitors alike in and around Goa.

The vast green expanse of the Sahyadri mountain range ensures that Goa has an abundance of water. The sea and rivers abound in seafood – prawns, mackerels, sardines, crabs and lobsters are the most popular with the locals and the visitors.

Along with English which is widely spoken all over Goa, Konkani and Marathi are the state languages. The national language Hindi is also well understood in most areas around the state.

Goan cuisine is a blend of different influences the Goans had to endure during the centuries. The staple food in Goa is fish and rice, both among the Hindus and the Catholics. Unlike the Christian food the Hindu Goan food is not strongly influenced by the Portuguese cuisine.

De Souza’s Goa – Chain of hotels and resorts located in Baga Arpora, Candolim, Baga Bardez, and Calangute. Details of each property included.Goa Beach – A travel resource directory.Goa Eco Tourism – Excursion tour operator with elephant and camel rides, jungle walks and trips to Dudhsagar waterfalls.Goa Tourism – Travel information for Goa – Information on travelling to and within Goa, travel and tourist guides, information and listings on accommodationGoa Travel – Information on places of tourist interest, hotel accommodation, and holiday packages.Goa Unplugged – Travel information, history, sights.Goa Vacation Guide – Offering information on culture, carnival, beaches, churches, customs, people, history, music and nightlife of Goa.GoaInns – Listings of attractions, accommodation and local businesses.

Alor Holiday Resort – Economy hotel resort with pool, gymnasium, food and beverage outlets. Information on location, rates and amenities. Calangute.Paradise Village Beach Resort – Facilities include a mini golf course, sun lounges, pool tables and mini bazaar. Tariff and local contact details.Pousada Tauma Boutique Hotel – All suite boutique hotel built on the concept of traditional Goan architecture with an ayurvedic treatment centre.Resort Lagoa Azul – Beach resort in Bardez. Includes information about the hotel, including location, accommodation, dining, facilities and tariffs.Ronil Royale Hotel – Hotel in Bardez. Contains pictures, and information about the hotel including rates, reservation and location.Ticlo Resorts – Beach resort in Bardez. Features information on reservations, tariffs, accommodation and facilities.Varmas Beach Resort – Tourist hotel, close to beach. Details of hotel, location, facilities, and accommodation.Villa Bomfim – Family run traditional Goan lodge. Features information about the villa, accommodation, dining, location and tariffs.
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COMMENT extra

 

  1. Madan says:

    goa is very beautiful place..

  2. Guru says:

    Goa, one of India’s smallest states with a territory of 3,702 sq-km is cradled in the Sahayadri range in the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Arabian Sea on the west, Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south.

    Those who know Goa already must have found this introduction queer. Not because the information is unauthentic, but because, when it comes to Goa hardly a soul cares about geography, topography, ‘any-graphy’! What matters most it one has just one life to live and it should be BEST LIVED! Warm-hearted, uncomplicated, down-to-earth, fun-loving, humble humans people the landscape and lend their very warmth and humility to the nature the aquamarine sea, the golden beaches, the cashew and teak plantations, palm groves.

    The Best of Goa

    Beaches
    If there is one maverick joint in India where ‘fun’ is the buzzword – it is Goa! And with a 50 mile beachfront breezing with the pleasantest of weather, needless to say, you will find it swarming with humanity – multi-colored, jovial, nocturnal, and what not.

    Carnivals
    Goa beholds her people going hysteric many a time round the year during festivals. Year-end, that is the Christmas eve followed by the New Year, has tens of thousands of tourists from across the world coming to Goa.

    Churches
    Of the many Portuguese legacies that echo from every nook and lane of Goa and its denizens, the legion of imposing, white-dyed Churches are most vivid to the curious tourist.

    Culture
    European style central squares and Indian bazaars, Portuguese churches alongside Hindu temples. Goa is rich in folk culture with a delightful blend of vigorous Konkani folk songs and remnants of Portuguese dance and music.

    Goa’s best cities: Panjim, Mapusa, Margao, Vasco-da-Gama, Old Goa, Ponda, Canacona

    Goa’s best buys are brassware, terracotta, shell work, crochet, carved furniture, bamboo work, papier-mache?
    The Wednesday Flea Market at Anjuna, started by and for foreigners, is a swarm of shopaholics, vendors and lip-smacking options like home-made toddy, carvings, beachware, T-shirts, sarongs, chillium, spices and Port wine (a must buy). The Friday Market at Mapusa has everything from curios and old coins to dried fish and spices. For a different flavor go to the markets at Baga and Calagute known for their Kashmiri carpets, Rajasthani and Tibetan handicraft items. Most deluxe hotels and resorts have their in-house shops for tourists, but the price ranges are usually higher due to the extra taxes. Goa’s presence in the designer map owes to the Wendell Rodrique’s boutique at Panaji. Camelot at Ribandar with its stylish home furnishing and Luisa by the Sea, a grand shopping mall, at Cavelossim (South Goa) are modernistic options.

    Good news is that, those who love bargaining can apply their skill to their heart’s content and walk away with the best buys.

    Gourmet gossip

    A Goan dining table has four prime items – fish curry, feni and rice. The unmistakable Portuguese flavor is spiced up with influences of the erstwhile Mauryan and the Turk dynasties making Goa a gourmet’s favorite. Being a beach city, coconut products in the recipe comes naturally along with chilli pepper, spices and vinegar. Pork delicacies like vindaloo, xacuti and sorpotel, the egg-based sweet-dish bebinca (a Christmas darling) – are all as exotic as the sound of their names. And when they are cooked in the clay pots, as done in the rural areas, you will be left “bowled”- is the word.

    Scrumptious seafood delights at Goa like crabs, prawns, pomfrets, lobsters, ladyfish, mussels, and oysters. More to the list are fresh seafood, dried and salted fish dishes – new flavors to the tourist tongue.

    Incase you don’t know what Feni is, thank god you are reading this, because it is near to blasphemy. Cashew feni (the popular one) and coconut feni (made from sap of toddy palms) are fermented alcoholic beverages so popular that you begin to correlate its aroma with the very land.

    Goa’s real Wilds

    A replenishing change from the beach-culture is the wildlife reserves of Goa. Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, home to a legion of local and migratory birds, is at binocular-view distance from Panaji, on the western tip of the island of Chorao along Mandovi River. Bondala Wildlife Sanctuary at 50 km south-east of Panaji in the foothills of the Western Ghats, has a botanical garden, a fenced Deer Park and a zoo. Molem & Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuaries are larger than Bondla, but you will need your own transport to get there.

    Reaching Goa: All flights to and from Goa operate from the International-cum-domestic Airport at Dabolim near the port town of Vasco-da-Gama. They have regular train connections to Belgaum, Bangalore, Hubli and Hyderabad and via Miraj to Bombay, Delhi and Agra. Kadamba Transport Corporation. MSRTC and KSRTC operate frequent bus services between Panaji, Vasco da Gama and Margao. Ship services between Bombay and Goa organized by Damania.

    Goa’s Off the Beaten Track Secrets

    The Indian sub-continents most ancient rocks (3600 million old) are discovered here in Goa. These rocks are found between Molem and Anmod on Goa’s border with Karnataka, along the NH-4A, linking Panaji to Belgaum city in Karnataka.
    Some sights not-to-miss are the majestic rock arch at Keri beach at Pernem, the wind blown cliff of Canaguinim Betul, the deep trench known as “choramchim Baim” at Baga (opposite the jesuit retreat home), the tunnel like cavern at Verna, the Limestone caves of Bhimgarh-Krishnapur in Sattari on Karnataka border, the Thumb-shaped rock at Padi Canacona, the meteorite well at Partagal-Canacona, the ancient rock pools of Palolem carved by nature (wind, rain, salt and waves) from 2600 million years old Granite.
    Goa is a land of islands, but what is lesser heard of is that it has more than 40 estuarine, 8 marine and about 90 riverine islands some that don’t even find a mention in any record book.
    The Portuguese had recorded and classified more than 100 medicinal springs in Goa. The remaining ones are Pomburpa, Kesarval, Salmona etc.
    So take your time to explore Goa bit by bit, for every bit will have a surprise you least expected.

    When to go

    Goa has visitors all the year round. The weather gets fairly hot around May and by end of June, Goa receives the full blast of the Indian monsoon with sudden downpours and tropical thunderstorms. However it is also during the monsoon that Goa is probably at its most beautiful, with greenery sprouting all around.

  3. Guru says:

    Goa is the heaven for holidaymakers. Stunningly beautiful emerald beaches, diverse fauna and flora, aesthetic silvery sands, prosperous heritage, many temples and churches and many more are there in Goa to embellish it with. The festivals and feasts of Goa beckon the travelers and backpackers round the year. Goa is the epitome of luxury and ecstasy. Being one of the hotspots among the scores of hideaways in India the Indian state of Goa is frequented by whopping number of tourists every year from each corner of the country and abroad. This is the place which is celebrated the world over for its bewitching landscapes, sun-draped beaches, vibrant nightlife and gothic churches. The striking seafood of breathtakingly beautiful Goa would surely entice you to ask for more.

    Prime Attractions

    Anjuna Flea Market
    Anjuna Flea Market is affluent with variety of shopping items. Dealers and buyers from several corners of India get into the place to sell and purchase their wares. Shoppers and dealers with their traditional attire sell woven clothes. The market gets going every Wednesday. The market is a great place to buy variety of items and see the world of variety.

    Church of St Cajetan
    Church of St Cajetan was built by Italian Friars who preached Christianity to the kingdom of Golconda.

    Panaji
    Panaji lies on the southern banks of Mondovi River. In the year 1843, Panaji became the capital of Goa. You can explore the city to its fullest by foot only. The roofed houses, cafes and pubs are worth exploration. Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1541 is the most memorable and evocative one among many others.

    Dudhsagar Falls
    This fall is not far away from Margao.

    Shri Shantadurga Temple
    This temple is devoted to the goddess of peace.


 


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