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GOA

GROUP HOTELS : CITIES : GOA HOTELS : GOA SIGHTSEEING
 

GENERAL INFO

Goa is  lively and modern, with many western style entertainments. there is a choice of luxurious hotels with plenty of night life, or simplicity and tranquility in one of the inexpensive, clean and comfortable rooms with their own charm, right on the beach. The Portuguese influenced food is mouthwatering. Choose massive fish steaks fresh from the sea or a wide and delicious choice of both continental and Indian dishes. Panaji, the capital, is an easy-going town with  Portuguese styled cafes, whitewashed churches and overhanging balconies; a delight after your journey. Old Goa, east of Panaji, was once the capital of the eastern Portuguese Empire. Now, it is little more than a fascinating small village surrounded by huge convents and churches dedicated to the zeal of Christianity, including the Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the famous Basilica of Bom Jesus. The mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, who spread Christianity among the subjects of the Portuguese colonies, are entombed here. Which beach to choose from along the 100km long coastline of silvery sand. Possibly Colva with its warm turquoise sea and fishermen hauling in their nets by hand in the clear morning light as they chant an ancient sea song; or maybe sophisticated Aguada, with its jet-set beach and sixteenth century fort. Try the experience of a full-moon party at Anjuna, or mingle with the variety of people in Calangute selling handicrafts, jewellery and modern fabrics. Enjoy the old Portuguese fort in Chapora, surrounded by secluded and sandy beaches and dense green coconut palms. Visit all the beaches or just adopt one and make it your home. Wild boar and sambar in their natural habitat in the hills of the Western Ghats can be seen in Bondla, one of the Goan wildlife sanctuaries. In addition, the region is justly famous for its many colourful festivals, including Mardi Gras, celebrated with Christian fervour. There are so many delights in Western India and so many glorious choices; from the vibrant life of commercial Bombay to the home of the indomitable Mahatma Gandhi then down to the peace and magic of sunny Goa - the choice is yours. As a matter of fact the Goa is for relaxation  and experience the idyllic peace. If you have ever dreamt of a warm land of space and light, where the beaches stretch for silvery miles, where the glittering sea always beckons you, where the people are always smiling, where the succulent juice from a bite of ripe pineapples or papaya drips on your hot skin as you luxuriate lazily on the white sand, then Goa, a fascinating blend of Latin and Indian cultures, will be a place where the wish to linger will be overpowering.  

SIGHTSEEING

CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
It was built in 1541 and rebuilt in 1619 and main place of worship, and  it stands above the square in the main part of the town, reaches by the several intersecting flights of stairs. Panaji was the first port of call for voyages from Lisbon, so Portuguese sailors would visit this Church to give thanks for a save crossing before continuing to Old Goa.   

The old district, Fontainhas, is to the west of the Queen River. It's an interesting area to walk around, with narrow street, title buildings with overhanging balconies and an atmosphere more reminiscent of the Mediterranean than of India. There are numerous little bars rarely visited by foreigners.

CHURCH OF ST CAJETAN
Modeled on the original design of St Peter's in Rome, this church was built by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, who were sent by Pope Urban III to preach Christianity in the kingdom of Golconda ( near Hyderabad ). The friars were not permitted to work in Golconda, so settled at Old Goa in 1640. The construction of the church began in 1655. Historically, It's of much less interest than the other churches. 

SE CATHEDRAL
The largest Churches in Old Goa, Se Cathedral was begun in 1562 during the reign of King  Dom Sebastiao (1557-8). It was substantially completed by 1619, though the altars were not finished until 1652. The cathedral was built for the Dominicans and paid for by royal treasury out of the proceeds of the sale of crown property.

The building's style is Portuguese-Gothic with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interior. They were once two tower a, one either side of the facade, but one collapsed in 1776 The remaining tower houses a famous bell, one of the largest in Goa, often called Golden Bell because its rich sound. The main altar is dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandra, and painting on either side of it depict scenes from life and martydom.

SRI SHANTADURGA TEMPLE
33 kms. Sumptuously built at Kovlam, is dedicated to Shantadurga, the Goddess of Peace - Parvati, who mediates between Vishnu and Shiva. King Shahu of Satara built this temple in 1738. This temple is the largest and most famous in Goa. The goddess here is also referred as Durga.

IDALCAO PALACE
Once the castle of Adil Shahs it was rebuilt by the Portuguese in 1615 and until 1759it was the Viceregal Palace, in 1843 became the Secretariat and now houses passport office.

ARAMBOL BEACH

A unique beach in the North Goa, it is both rocky and sandy, beach and much sought after by foreign tourists. It has a sweet water tank right on the shore. Along the Goa border is Arambol  with its fresh water lagoon. Due to its isolation, not many tourists have been able to reach this beach. The 16-km-long sea beach along with the Goa border is Arambol with its fresh water lagoon. The main beach has adequate bodysurfing and there are several attractive bays a short walk to the north. Beyond an idyllic, rocky-bottomed cove, the trail emerges to a board strip of soft white sand hemmed in on both sides by steep cliffs. Behind it, a small  freshwater lake extends along the bottom of the valley into a thick jungle. Fed by boiling hot springs, the lake is lined with sulphurous mud, which, smeared over the body, dries to form a surreal, butter-coloured shell. The resident hippies swear it's good for you and spend much of the day tiptoeing naked around the shallow like refugees from some obscure tribal initiation ceremony - much to the amusement of Arambol's Indian visitors.

  Some years ago, when the screws were tightened at Anjuna in an attempt to control what local people regarded as the more outrageous activities (nudism and drug use) of a certain section of the travelling community, the die-hards cast around for a more sympathetic' beach. Arambol, north of Chapora, was one of those which they choose. Initially, only those willing to put up with very primitive conditions came here. Things are a little more comfortable these days, but development has, so far, been minimal.
 The village remains tranquil and friendly - just a few hundred locals, mostly fishing people, and a couple of hundred Western residents in the November to February high season. The coastline lacks the palm-fringed exotic clinches of the southern Goa beaches but it has plenty of character and is pretty in its own kind of way. 
 At one time, Arambol was the most backward village economically, with farming and horticulture as its backbone, but today, it has captured a place on the international map of tourism. Believe it or not, the local barbers have disappeared from this village, but one finds a barber who has come all the way from Kerala or Andhra Pradesh to settle down in this village. Kashmir is have set up their shops, Punjabis run restaurants and fast-food joints, Maharashtrians operate regular tours, while half-a-dozen hotels are under construction by entrepreneurs from Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi, realising that the sea beach has assumed great importance in the global village.

A final note, please treat these lovely beaches as your backyard and keep them clean. We have lost innumerable natural resources to our own be...

ANJUNA BEACH

Anjuna is 18 kms from Panaji, the capital of Goa. This is the Goa Freak capital of the World. A popular beach area adjacent to Chapora Fort - it was the haunt of the flower generation in the sixties - and is still popular with the younger generation. At night, the Anjuna band plays for the beach party. Palm trees stand motionless in the warm air. To the east is a mountain. If you want to return to civilization, climb the mountain to get to Baga where you can catch a ferry out.
The  attractions of Anjuna Beach are the magnificent Albuquerque Mansion built in 1920 (flanked by octagonal towers and an attractive Mangalore tile-roof), the Mascarenhas Mansion, and the Chapora Fort. Wednesday Flea Market, every Wednesday. Anjuna breaks into a riot of colors. Lines of vehicles full of tourists start virtually raising clouds of dust in this area. Anjuna attracts a weird and wonderful collection of over  monks, defiant ex-hippies, gentle lunatics, artists, artisans, seers, searchers, sybarites and itinerant expatriates who normally wouldn't be seen out of the organic confines of their health-food emporia in San Francisco or London. Full moon, when the infamous parties take place, is a particularly good time to be here if you want to indulge in bacchanalian delights. Only a Brit would think about raving about the main beach, but it's worth the walk to the small, protected sliver of sand at South Anjuna where the area's long-term house-renters tend to gather.

A final note, please treat these lovely beaches as your backyard and keep them clean. We have lost innumerable natural resources to our own be...

Travel Information

Nearest airport is at Dabolim,  47 km. 
Nearest railway station is at Karmali  29 km
Nearest town  Mapusa.

COLVA

Colva beach is 6 kms. from Margao. It is the pride of Salcete and the only rival to Calangute in scenic splendor. Here sea, sand and sky blend in enchanting natural harmony, weaving their magic spell on the visitors. Colva is one of the most popular beaches in South Goa, though not as developed or busy as Calangute in the north. special to recommend it. The beach offers good accommodation.

Colva stretches sun-drenched, palm fringed and virtually deserted for km after km. 20years ago precious little disturbed its soft white sands and warm crystal-clear turquoise their waters, except the local fishers who pulled their catch in by hands each morning, and the few of the more intrepid hippies who had forsaken the obligatory drugs, sex and rock and roll of Calangute for the smoothing tranquility of this corner of paradise. However, it is the main evening and weekend day-trip destination for the people of Margao, only 6km away, so it becomes packed with cars, motorbikes, scooters and pedestrians. On the road into Colva from Margao you pass the large Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Nossa Senhora das Merces, 1630, re-built in the 18th century). The statue of Menino Jesus housed here is said to have miraculous properties. Colva is at heart of the longest unbroken stretch of beach (25 kms) in Goa from Mormagao peninsular in the north to Cabo de Rama in the south.
A hot-season retreat for Margao's moneyed middle classes since long before Independence, Colva is the oldest and largest - of south Goa's resorts. Its leafy outlying vaddos, or wards, are pleasant enough, dotted with colonial lection of concrete hotels, souvenir stalls and fly-blown snack bars strewn around a bleak central roundabout. Colva is pleasant and convenient place to stay, swimming is relatively safe, while the sand, at least away from the beachfront, is spotless and scattered with beautiful shells.

A final note, please treat these lovely beaches as your backyard and keep them clean. We have lost innumerable natural resources to our own be...

Travel Information:

 Airport: Dabolim   25 kms.
 Nearest Town: Margao  6 kms.
 Nearest Railway station: Margao 8 kms