A Beachside Carnival
Goa is a tiny speck of sun-drenched, palm-fringed, hillock-speckled,
lush-green-field-dappled paradise, skirted by white-topped sprays
of salty blue waves. But then, Goa is a lot of things. This little
seaside state, with an identity that's a seamless blend of Latino
influence and Indian tradition, was crackling enough to have been
one of the Millennium destinations of the world.
What to expect
The essence of Goa lies in its marvelous expanses of palm-fringed
beaches and azure-blue seas, all warmed by the sun and local hospitality.
Goa is all about relaxed lifestyle, enlivened by the Goan love
for music and dance, spiced up by its superb cuisine. Summers
on the golden sands, winters in the warm waters, or soaking in
the Goan rains - Goa is exhilarating round the year. The scenic
splendor of Goa simply dazzles as nature bares her treasures,
unfolding miles and miles of glorious vistas of rivers, ponds,
wooded hills and valleys. Whitewashed churches and temples at
strategic points heighten the effect.There's more to Goa than
sun, sand and natural beauty. The allure is quite distinct from
the rest of India - it's not just the familiar remnants of European
colonialism or the picture book exoticism that makes it so accessible,
it's the prevalence of a form of social and political progressiveness
that westerners feel they can relate to. Goans are friendly and
happy-go-lucky. They are fond of the good things in life and are
certainly not caught up in the rat race.
Best Time to Visit
High Season
November to March
Low Season
April to October
Climate
Tropical - between 23-35° Celsius
Throughout the year: Warm
Clothing
Cottons, throughout the year.
Getting There
Goa is linked by air to Bangalore, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi,
Kochi (formerly Cochin), Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum).
Both domestic carriers, Indian Airlines and Jet Airways, fly there.
The flying time from Mumbai to Goa is just under an hour. It is
advisable to book both your inbound and outbound sectors well
in advance. Goa is linked by the South Central Railway division
(having major stations for halt at Margao, Vasco da Gama and Colem,
linking Goa with the neighboring state of Karnataka) and the Konkan
Railway division (having major stations for halt at Pernem, Thivim,
Karmali, Margao, and Canacona linking Goa with Kerala, Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh
and Delhi). Goa is linked by road to Ahmedabad (1138 km), Aurangabad
(699 km), Bangalore (592 km), Mumbai (597 km), Chennai (923 km),
Pune (473 km).
Where To Stay
Deluxe Hotels
Taj Exotica, Goa
The Leela Palace, Goa
Fort Aguada Beach Resort (Taj)
The Aguada Hermitage (Taj)
Goa Marriott Resort
Cidade De Goa Beach Resort
Renaissance Goa Resort
Majorda Beach Resort
White Sands Beach Resort, Radisson
Park Hyatt
Standard Hotels
Fidalgo
Hotel Nova Goa
Mandovi
|Captain Cook's Beach Hideaway
Ronill's Beach Resort
Ronill Royale
Other Hotels
Paying guest accommodation and many 'lower-end' hotels available.
There are also rooms and beach apartments with all amenities available
for rent
What To See
Panaji
Panaji, the Capital of Goa, on the banks of the river Mandovi,
was originally a major port. It still retains the old, narrow
streets in Fontainhas. The Church of our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception is one of the oldest buildings (circa 1541) in the
city. An evening cruise on the river is a must. Here you get a
beautiful view of the capital. There are refreshments and traditional
entertainment on board.
Old Goa
10 km east of Panaji, Old Goa was the capital of Goa during Portuguese
rule. This has given it a rich architectural legacy of many beautiful
churches like the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Se Cathedral and the
Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
Fort Aguada
Built by the Portuguese in 1612 to defend Goa, the fort is now
better known as the location of the Taj Group's luxury resort.
Walk along the keyhole shaped jetty for a superb view of the coast
from Sinquerim almost up to Baga, and then, walk up the hill to
see the citadel and the 1864 lighthouse. The fort also has a prison
that is no longer in use.
Beaches: North to South
Querim, Arambol, Mandrem, Morjim, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute,
Candolim, Sinquerim, Vainguinim, Siridao Bogmalo, Velsao, Arossim,
Utorda, Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim,
Betul, Palolem
Cuisine
Goa is famous for its sea food. Try the vindaloo and classic sorpotel.
Also the local red wine, and feni, made from cashewnuts.
The Euro-charter boom of the 1980s, which peaked in the 1990s,
brought in a wide range of cuisines from all over the world. You
can get good Afghani, Italian, German, Mexican, Thai, Tibetan,
British, Korean, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Portugese and Greek cuisine,
apart from the ubiquitous Chinese and popular Gujarati, Punjabi
and Udipi food.
Music
Goans were the pioneers for Western music in India. But even Indian
music has a Goan connection. Playback singers Lata Mangeshkar
and Asha Bhosle, as well as classical singer Kishori Amonkar,
trace their roots to Goa.
Festivals
The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Old Goa on 3rd
December.
Easter, Christmas, Shigmotsav Zatra, and Ganesh Chaturthi are
also celebrated.
The Goa Carnival is very popular here. Held just before the season
of Lent, it is a time of celebration and gay festivity. A parade
of decorated floats on the streets is indeed a delight to the
spectator's eye. Many tourists from India as well as abroad come
down to Goa especially for the Carnival.
Dive Sites
The sea around Goa is a great place to learn scuba diving. Not
only it is safe and shallow, but it is also teeming with marine
life.
Grand Island : Much of the local diving
is conducted around this island. Some of the sites near the island
include Suzy's Wreck, Davy Jones Lockers, Sail Rock, Turbo Tunnel,
Surge City, Uma Guma Reef, and Bounty Bay.
Angria Bank :
A four-hour high-speed boat ride takes you to this world-class
dive site 120 miles from Goa. A vast underwater landmass about
half the size of the state of Goa, it offers an amazing wealth
of coral and fish. A 'live-aboard' is available with the local
dive center to make diving at this site an unforgettable experience.
Pigeon Island : This
rocky outcrop has interesting marine life as well as good visibility.
Malvan Shoal :
Malvan Shoal is 100 km away from Panaji, by road, along the
sea cost of Maharashtra in the southern district of Sindhudurg
bordering Goa.
Permits
The visa issued for India is sufficient for your trip to Goa,
no individual permit is required.
