Goa - Packages

Mangeshi Temple-Old Church-Dona Paula Beach-Miramar Beach

General Information From Goa:

Goa is a state located on the shore of Arabian Sea.It has two districts namely North Goa and South Goa and the capital is Panaji. It is known for its pristine beaches, beautiful churches and delicious Goa cuisine and much more.
Goa is well connected when it comes to transportation and commutation. The Goa International Airport is located in Dabolim near the city Vasco da Gama. The government has established a proper connection on road by running the Kadamba Transport Corporation. National highways like NH4A, NH17 pass through Goa. For commutation, private vehicles are available throughout the state. Goa railway lines are administered by South Western Railway which connects this state with Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad etc. and Konkani Railways which connect Goa with Mumbai, Mangalore and Kerala. Cites like Ahmedabad, Mumbai are very well connected to Goa, through air route.
Goa has two world heritage sites as inscribed by UNESCO:
The Bom Jesus Basilica
Churches and Convents of old Goa.

Geography: Located on the Western Ghats of the country, Goa grips the Konkan coastal belt. It is bordered by the Maharashtra and Karnataka states. It is a beautiful blend of beaches, forest along with the wonderful flora and fauna. It’s the smallest state in terms of area. The highest point of Goa is the Sonsogor, which is located at an altitude of 1,167 meters. The climate here is tropical. Most time in the year it is very humid and hot in Goa. The temperature can get as high as 35°C during the month of May. The state expects a good amount of rainfall during the late monsoon season. Winter is pleasant in Goa, as there is less humidity and temperature is around 28°C. Goa is blessed with rivers like Mandovi, Zuari, Terekhol, Chapora Khushavati and Sal. Zuari and Mandovi are the most important water bodies for Goa. The rivers in the state make the land conducive for agricultural purposes.

History And Culture: Goa has witnessed many rulers in ancient times. The state has experienced the rule of the Maurya Empire under the rule of Ashoka. Later for several years, Hindu dynasties like the Bhojas, the Silaharas, the Kadmabas, the Chalukayas and the Hoysalas ruled Goa. It was also controlled by Muslims before many Portuguese adventurers discovered Goa as a land for ferrying spices. These adventurers included Vasco da Gama too. This was the time when the Portuguese culture developed in Goa and thus started the spread of the Christian religion and varied languages. By the end of the 16^th century Goa was profoundly known as “Lisbon of the East”. This was known to be the golden era of trade in Goa. Saint Francis Xavier brought the Christian culture to this land. During their rein, the Portuguese developed this land in many ways. They built many pilgrim sites for Christians in old Goa. The Bom Jesus Basilica and St. Cathedral are still very famous sites that were developed by Portuguese.On gaining Independence, Indian government requested the Portuguese to give away this Indian land, but they refused to do so. Eventually, Indian government resorted to “Operation Vijay” for the annexure of Goa, Diu and Daman. It became a union territory and later it was given the statehood on 30^th May 1987. Goans celebrate 19^th December as “Liberation day” on account of the “Goa Liberation Movement” which freed them from the Portuguese rule. The varied background of the rulers of Goa, establishes it as one of the most multi-cultural state in India. It is a land of amalgamation of Latin, Oriental and Southern culture and yet has its own individuality.

Best Places To Visit in goa :

Fort Aguada
Old goa Church
Panjim City
Chopora fort
Wildlife Sanctuary
Dudhsagar Falls
Beaches

What to do:

Hit the waves

Plunge into the azure sea and then just relax at the beach on a shack to grab a bite. And the best part, Get a tan! The most famous beaches are Anjuna beach, Baga beach, Calangute beach, Morjim beach, Aarambol beach, Vagator beach, Candolim beach among others. You might also want to visit the secluded beaches like Majorda beach, Banaulim beach, Cavelossim beach, Palolem beach and Agonda beach.Witness picturesque sunsets or sunrises at these beaches.

Water sports

Go scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, and wind surfing at the beaches. One can also learn surfing or kayaking here. All these activities are available throughout the year. Best time to learn surfing would be from April-May. There are experienced and skillful facilitators to guide you take the wild ride. Get the adrenaline rush to boost the fun of the beaches.

Fall in love with the waterfalls

One of the best known site seeing places around Goa is the Dudhsagar falls. Located on the Mandovi River, these falls are 10 kilometers from a village called Collem. The Dudhsagar falls is the 5^th largest waterfall in the whole of India. Just as the name suggests, the fall looks like majestic splashes of milk. It is a breathtaking look!

Take a spiritual ride

Visit the churches and the cathedrals of Old Goa. Bom Jesus Basilica is a one of the world heritage sites as listed by UNESCO. The other religious sites like Saligao church, St. Michael’s church, Shantadurga temple, Mangeshi temple, Mahalasa temple would be places you might want to visit.

Experience the Goa cuisine

Goa cuisine is a result mixture of the Hindu and Christian culture. It’s a perfect blend of spicy, sweet and sour taste of the east and west. Sweets like Bebinca are worth tasting here in Goa.

Pamper yourself and get relaxed in Spa

If you are looking for leisure, then getting a massage would be the ideal retreat. You can get the ultimate relaxed holiday vibe with a massage by the masseuse on the beach itself or take a perfect spa treatment atthe different resorts. The best part here is that they are quite budget friendly

Shop till you drop

One could visit the flea market in the Anjuna beach which is a perfect place for shopholics. You can buy anything like jewellery, clothes, second-hand bike, cameras, cellphones, footwear etc. at a very cheap price. Some other well-known flea markets here in Goa are the Mackies Saturday night bazaar, the Ingo’s Saturday night bazaar, the Mapusa market and the Calungute market.

Visit a casino

Goa is one of those rare state where gambling is legal. It has some classy off-shore casinos like Casino Royale and Casino Carnival. Many games like Black-Jack, Roulette, Baccarate and others are enjoyed in these casinos. All casinos are usually open 24 hours but the best time to visit would be post 8 in the evening. If you are visiting with your children, then that’s not a problem, this is becausemany casinos have gaming zones especially for kids.

Sail in Mandovi river

The goa tourism development authority organizes different delightful cruises on the Mandovi River. The best time to take the cruise would be during the time of sunset or sunrise. These cruise rides are embarked on two ships namely Shanta Durga and Santa Monica. There are live bands and traditional performances to enhance your evening.The river also boasts of Crocodile and Dolphin spotting sites as well as venues for sports activities like kayaking and fishing.

Visit the butterfly conservatory

If you are looking for a peaceful vacation away from the loud perception of Goa then, visiting the butterfly conservatory in Ponda is something you must do. A couple started this conservatory with a view to provide an environment for conservation and breeding of various species of butterflies

Best time to visit:

November to February is generally considered to be the best time to visit Goa. The weather is perfect, not very cold, not very hot. It’s also a good time as almost all the beach shacks are open during these months. Water sports, like banana boat ride, jet ski, parasailing, etc. are also open to tourists during these months on most of the popular beaches.

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