GOA Info

Sun and Sand is the best way to describe Goa. Top it by Goan Culture, Goan cuisine, Goa Night Life, the relaxed atmosphere there and what you get is a perfect holiday. Also 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 unique history, rich culture and some of the prettiest natural scenery that India has to offer.

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

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 a 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 vast expanse of the Arabian Sea on the west forms the magnificent coastline for which Goa is justly famous for.

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.

Goa has been a major destination on the itinerary of both international and domestic tourists.The tourist season in Goa begins in late September and carries on through early March. The weather in these months is usually dry and pleasantly cool.

Then 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.

Besides the natural beauty, the fabulous beaches and sunshine, travellers to Goa love the laid-back, peaceful, warm and friendly nature of the Goan people. After all, more than anywhere else on planet earth, this is a place where people really know how to relax.

Popular Beaches of Goa

Anjuna Beach - Anjuna beach is one of the most popular beaches in Goa. The beauty of the white waves rushing to embrace the pale golden sand on the beach can be witnessed in full form at the Goa Anjuna beach. It is a perfect haven for both the international and domestic tourists. It is a perfect haven for moonlit parties which is one occasion that the tourists look forward to.

Aguada Beach - Aguada beach is situated in the north of Goa and is quite a frequented beach. Tourists flock towards Goa Aguada beach to catch the magnificent view that Fort Aguada offers of the sea and the beach. Apart from the fort, once you are at Aguada beach, there are several interesting churches that are worth a visit.

Benaulim Beach - Benaulim beach is a very quiet beach. It starts where the Colva beach ends. The best thing about Benaulim beach is that it is still undiscovered by domestic tourists even though it is a famous beach for fishing. Benaulim beach gets fairly crowded in the evenings and on weekends. Local visitors often frequent this Benaulim beach.

Bogmalo Beach - Bogmalo beach sports a mixture of serenity and commercialism, splashed with simple beauty where one can happily lose oneself. Initially Bogmalo beach in Goa was a fishing village until tourists started pouring in and tourism started catching up in this small Indian state. Despite modern eating joints, hi-tech shops selling handicrafts surrounding it, the village at Bogmalo still manages to stay alive. Bogmalo beach in Goa is clean and not very crowded like Anjuna beach or other beaches in Goa and while Bogmalo beach, you can definitely go in for a swim as the water is quite safe for swimming. After the swim, you can try out those numerous eating joints which offer delicious Goan cuisine.

Baga Beach - Baga beach is an option for those who want to be away from the hustle-bustle found on the other beaches. Baga beach in Goa looks as if it has come alive out of a painting… majestic white waves rushing to wipe out the feet imprints left by you on the brown sand while the wind continues to flirt with the palm trees. Goa's Baga beach is a small but perfect beach located between its two more famous cousins, Colva on one side and Calangute on the other. It is a good place to enjoy some quiet moments and dwell in peaceful contemplation with oneself.

Calangute Beach - Calangute beach is also called the 'Queen of Beaches' because the beauty you at find Calangute beach in Goa cannot be found elsewhere. Under the shade of palm trees, bathes the Queen of Beaches-Calangute. Goa's Calangute seems to be a distortion of the local vernacular word-'Koli-gutti', which means land of fishermen. Some people connect it with Kalyangutti (village of art) or Konvallo-ghott (strong pit of the coconut tree) because the village is full of coconut trees. With the advent of the Portuguese, the word probably got distorted to Calangute, and has stuck till today. In a green semi-circle, the villages of Arpora-Nagoa, Saligao and Candolim do their bit to enhance the divine beauty of Calangute. There are picturesque agors (saltpans) at Agarvaddo, Maddavaddo is full of madd (coconut trees), Dongorpur skirts a bottle-green hillock and Tivaivaddo laces the beach. In Gauravaddo lived the gaudds or milkmen ran dairies.

Candolim Beach - Candolim beach comes as an ideal beach for those who are slowly getting tired of the crowded beaches of Calangute or Anjuna. Though tourists quite often frequent Candolim beach, you can still find some quiet places for yourself. If you want to try your hand at fishing, you are welcome to do so too. Some hotels at Candolim beaches offer yoga and meditation session which will give any tourist a sense of relief from all the stress and fatigue that he has been trying to run away from by being in Goa.

Colva Beach - The frilly movements of the sea appear as if the sea is lazily enjoying the tickling sensations spread by the waves riding over it. This is how you can describe the sea at Colva beach. You go to Colva beach just to laze, laze and laze. Just gather your collection of interesting books and head for Goa's Colva beach. You can enjoy the day reading the book with just the whispers of the sea to disturb you.

Dona Paula Beach - Dona Paula beach, associated with a romantic myth, is one of the hottest tourist spot in Goa. People throng the Dona Paula beach not only to enjoy the sun and the sea but also to indulge in water sports on the clear waters. The Dona Paula Beach offers an opportunity to the tourists to have a sunbath and buy cheap seaside goods from local vendors.

There are several shops along the beachside, which sell variety of goods ranging from eatables to clothes. Fishermen-turned-local vendors also sell straw hats, lace handkerchiefs, and spices in these shops. Feni and port wine-the two Goan liquor specialties-are a must buy and local liquor is easily available. Indian handicrafts and jewelery are available at the Indian Arts Emporium in Dona Paula.

Majorda Beach - If you want perfect silence responding to the humming of the sea, where you can sit engrossed in a book and look up to catch the picturesque scene of the sea dressed in golden orange frills sprayed by the rays of the setting sun before sinking into oblivion, then Goa Majorda beach is the place to be.

Vagator Beach - Vagator beach boasts of pure white sand, doted with black rocks and swaying coconut and palm trees. The Vagator beach in this Indian state of Goa is less crowded giving you the ideal opportunity to slip away into a quiet reunion with yourself as the waves reach out to caress you.

Sinquerim Beach - Sinquerim beach is located some 13 km away from Panaji. The Taj Hotel group has set up the Heritage Complex here which dominates the headland around the historic Fort of Aguada. There is uninterrupted beach, starting from here all the way to north to Baga and if you want a long walk on the beach, there cannot be a better place to start from than here.

Varca Beach - Varca beach and Goa Cavelossim beach are filled with soft white sands and doted with black lava rocks at certain places. These beaches being much cleaner and quieter than most of the famous beaches of Goa manage to attract many tourists. There are numerous beach shacks offering a variety of Goan dishes and seafood at reasonable prices. There are several food joints around Dona Sylvia where you can get entire package of good food, good drink, nice service, and a pleasant service at quite reasonable rates.