Home :: Travel Guide :: Goa Travel Guide

Goa Travel Guide

The tiny piece of paradise- Goa, lies in the West Coast of India and is spread over an area of 3,702 sq. kms. With a coastline of 105 kms it is washed by the Arabian Sea. Goa's outstanding attractions are its serene and scenic beauty, diverse landscape- wide, sandy, palm - fringed beaches, clean waters, delicious food and hospitable people with a rich cultural milieu.

Goan culture is a confluence of many religions, faiths and traditions. People from various religions live in absolute communal harmony and participate wholeheartedly in the religious festivals of others. The Portuguese invaders destroyed many temples and mosques. As a result most of the temples are relatively new, though some date back to over 400 years.

There is no sea food like the Goan sea food. The shoreline stretched over miles, numerous river streams and the ponds produce the most amazing variety of fishes and other sea food. Delicious tiger prawns, oysters, shellfish, and black river crabs are available in plenty. The variety in fishes includes king fish, tuna, shark, rock fish and sardines. You can never have enough of the delectable Squids, cuttlefish, sea prawns, lobsters and mussels available here.

Donot miss out on the fabulous Feni, an alcohol produced only in Goa from the coconut and cashew tree.

Goan churches are absolutely peaceful and beautiful. The Church of St Francis of Assisi, with its gilded and carved woodwork, murals and a floor made of grave stones, it is one of the most interesting buildings of Goa. The Church of St Monica is as old as the 17th century. Se Cathedral is the largest church of Old Goa. Built for the Dominicans in 1562, it still retains its old splendor.

PLACES OF INTEREST
Old Goa: is located nine km east of Panajim and is famous for its churches and cathedrals. The Archaeological Survey of India has given some of the old buildings a facelift by converting them into museums maintained. The spiritual heart of Christian Goa, Old Goa has been given World Heritage Status by Unesco for its extraordinarily grand churches and convents.

Basilica of Bom Jesus: The 1605 church of Bom Jesus, "Good" or "Menino Jesus", is known principally for the tomb of St Francis Xavier. In 1946, it became the first church in India to be granted the status of Minor Basilica. On the west, the three-storey Renaissance facade combines Corinthian, Doric, Ionic and Composite styles. The church can be entered from beneath the choir, supported by columns. On the northern wall, in the centre of the nave, is a cenotaph in gilded bronze to Dom Jeronimo Mascaranhas, the Captain of Cochin and benefactor of the church. The main altar, beautifully engraved in gold, projects the infant Jesus under the protection of St Ignatius Loyola.

Vasco Da Gama: is on the narrow western tip of the Mormugao peninsula, overlooking the mouth of the Zuari River. Acquired by the Portuguese in 1543, the port town of Vasco-Da-Gama - popularly known as Vasco - was formerly among the busiest ports on India's west coast. It remains a thriving and key shipping centre, with container vessels and iron-ore barges crowding the river mouths. Vasco is Goa's most cosmopolitan city.

Dudhsagar Waterfalls: Measuring a mighty 600m from head to foot, the famous waterfalls at Dudhsagar on the Goa-Karnataka border, are some of the highest in India, and a spectacular sight. It attracts a steady stream of visitors from the coast into the rugged Western Ghats. After pouring across the Deccan plateau, the headwaters of the Mandovi River form a foaming torrent that fans into three streams, then cascades down a near-vertical cliff face into a deep green pool. The Konkani name for the falls, which literally translated means "sea of milk", derives from clouds of foam that gathers at the bottom when the water levels are at their highest. Overlooking a steep, crescent-shaped head of a valley carpeted with pristine tropical forest, Dudhsagar is also set amid breathtaking scenery that is only accessible on foot or by train.

Aguada Fort: which is at the top of the rocky flattened top of the headland, is the best-preserved Portuguese bastion in Goa. Built in 1612 to protect the northern shores of the Mandovi estuary from Dutch and Maharatha invaders, it is made picturesque with several natural springs. These springs were the only source of drinking water available to ships arriving in Goa after the long sea voyage from Lisbon. On the north side of the fort, a rampart of red-brown laterite juts into the bay to form a jetty between two small sandy coves.

Anjuna Beach: attracts a motley crowd of tourists. It is famous throughout Goa for its Wednesday flea market and has retained an undeniable charm.

Dona Paula Beach: Situated 9 km west of Panjim, it is nestled on the south side of the rocky, hammer-shaped headland that divides the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries. This former fishing village is now a commercialized resort.