Goa, India's Vacation Paradise
| Goa, the "holiday hot spot" of South Western
India is India's smallest state however its entire western border is
along the Arabian sea so there are miles and miles of coastline. The
largest city in the state of Goa
Cheap
Goa holidays is Panaji which is located about 600 KM south of
the huge city of Mumbai. Flights, buses and trains (Indian Railways)
all make the long trek between Mumbai and Panaji. If you will be
visiting Goa during the busy season (October to January), it is
highly recommended that you make your flight reservations
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Typical Indian boat, sunset on Colva Beach |
well in advance. Goa was ruled by the Portuguese for
several hundred years and its most cosmopolitan city is named Vasco de Gama
after the famed Portuguese explorer.
Goa
is internationally recognized for its fabulous beaches and as a result
attracts thousands of visitors each year. However beaches aside, Goa has
much more to offer with its rich history, welcoming people, culture and
temples (some temples have both Hindu and Christians worshiping together!).
Attractions
Shree Mangueshi temple is one of the most frequently visited temples in all
of Goa and is located at Priol in Ponda Taluka which is about 20 kilometers
from Panaji city. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva and is
over 400 years old. Be sure take in the 7-story lamp tower and take some time to walk around the entire
temple complex including the courtyard.
The Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is one of the nicest
churches in Goa. It is located within the city of Panaji and is one of the
oldest churches in Goa dating back to the 1540's. It was built on a hill and
the front tiered steps almost remind one of the front of the
Sacré-Coeur cathedral in Paris (see
photo below). This
is one of but a number of churches that still remain in Goa dating from when
the Portuguese controlled this area.
Colva Beach is the largest of the southern Goa Beaches.
Cheap
Goa holidays The white sand is among the finest you can find anywhere;
it is almost like a fine powder. Parts of this beach are very developed and
are continuing to be developed but there are still "less touristy" areas
available.
Also don't miss the old former capital city of "Old Goa" about 9km south of
current day Panaji. This ancient city is often referred to as the "golden
Goa" due to all the fancy buildings and churches that were built during the
Portuguese control. UNESCO designates very special sites for their World
Heritage List and Old Goa is one of these sites.
Weather
The best weather in Goa is from October through the mid part of March. The
"summer" months of May to late September produce the highest humidity and is
considered the rainy season. These rains are called the "Monsoons" which
typically are violent downpours most often lasting for short periods. Like
the Khareef season that turns parts of the Eastern coastal Arabian Peninsula
completely green, Goa also experiences this "greening" after the rains. In
addition, the rivers and estuaries swell up and the Arabian coastline can
produce some killer waves. This is certainly the time to visit if you are
looking to avoid the crowds that descend upon Goa, especially in December
and around New Years. December through February is considered the "cool"
season with just the right type of average temperatures during the day ~ 29C
and at night about ~20C.
Other Resources
There are a plethora of tourism related sites about Goa, most being hotel
reservation driven. Consider the following:
Cheap Goa Holidays:
http://www.otbeach.com
Official department of tourism:
http://www.goatourism.org
Official Government site:
http://goagovt.nic.in
Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Panji |
