If you wish to take a pilgrimage, celebrate your marriage, or just take a break and have some fun, then you are welcome to the land of churches and beaches...Goa , one of the youngest states of the largest democracy in the world, India.
Goa is a tiny speck of sun-drenched, palm-fringed, hillock-speckled, lush-green-field-dappled paradise, skirted by white-topped sprays of salty blue waves. With Panjim as its capital, Konkani, Marathi and English as its most spoken languages, Goa is at its best from October to February. In this secular state, the population follows Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Goa boosts of some of the finest churches and temples in the world. Goa also happens to be one of the most prosperous states in the country with excellent banking and financial services and socio-economic indicators.
With all of 3, 702 sq. kms of area, Goa is enough to sweep you of your feet with its spectacular sunrises and sunsets. The wide and serene beaches are ideal for sunbaths and romantic strolls. The churches and the temples are a must visit for the pilgrims. It offers a stretch of 105 kilometers of coast and an unmatched array of 40 beaches to choose from for the tourists. Gasper, Dias, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Condolim, Bogmalo, Colva and Vagator are amongst the more popular beaches in the country. Most of the northern beaches offer adventure gelled with a very active nightlife. The southern beaches are a paradise for the tourists seeking tranquility amidst the silvery sand and the palm grooves.
The beaches are intertwined with several waterways and the two rivers, namely Mandovi and Zuari.
The Goan coastline is heaven on Earth for swimmers, anglers, water sports buffs and sunbathers There’s more to Goa than sun, sand and natural beauty. The allure is quite distinct from the rest of India - it’s not just the familiar remnants of European colonialism or the picture book exoticism that makes it so accessible, it’s the prevalence of a form of social and political progressiveness that westerners feel they can relate to. Goans are friendly and happy-go-lucky. They are fond of the good things in life and are certainly not caught up in today’s rat race.
Panaji : Panaji, the Capital of Goa, on the banks of the river Mandovi, was originally a major port.The Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is one of the oldest buildings (circa 1541) in the city. An evening cruise on the river is a must. There are refreshments and traditional entertainment on board
Old Goa : 10 km east of Panaji, Old Goa was the capital of Goa during Portuguese rule. This has given it a rich architectural legacy of many beautiful churches like the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Se Cathedral and the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
Beaches: North to South
Arambol Beach Situated around 50 km north of Panaji, Arambol a small remote fishing village has one of the most charming beaches of Goa. The place has two beaches, more popular is the main beach (Harmal beach).The second, more picturesque beach lies beyond the rocky headband and can only be reached on foot and is bordered by steep cliffs on both sides.
Dolphin watching , boat trips and paragliding are amongst the fun activities on this beach.
Anjuna Beach The beach is known for its palm trees, soft sands and natural beauty. It has an astonishing lay of rocks, spread across the white sand near the sea. This area was known as the Jewel of Anjuna and called ’Ozran’.
Anjuna is also known for the full-moon parties that are held here for young tourists particularly during Christmas and New year. Campfires burn bright all through the night and the music and merriment carries on till the morning. The exhilaration of Bungee Jumping from an 80-ft tower and water-sports facilities like paragliding and windsurfing enhance the fun at Anjuna
Calangute Beach Here some palm trees provide patchy shades to the visitors. The undercurrent at this beach may be strong and swimming is not recommended.
Baga Beach : The beach drops steeply to the water where fishing canoes make use of the good boat launching conditions and provide rides.
Sinquerim Beach : Here you can rent windsurfers, water-skis and other water toys. The water is very warm and clean. Body surfing is also possible here due to high waves.
Bogmalo Beach : This is also a part of the Bardez district. This beach is perfect for swimming and tanning . Two tiny islands can be seen about 10km out in the sea. Boating and water sports facilities are available here. Trips to the islands are also offered.
Colva Beach : This beach is 6 km west of Margao at Salecete district. It is the most crowded beach in the South of Goa. Here you can get a moped for rent. The water is good for swimming with nominal waves. There are bar shacks and restaurants.
Palolem Beach : It is at Canacona district, 37kms from Margoa. Goa’s southern most beach, nicknamed as ’Paradise Beach’. The beach is a curved stretch of white sand, backed by palm groves and low, green mountains. The water is shallow and warm, with very little surf.
Dive Sites
The sea around Goa is a great place to learn scuba diving. Not only is it safe and shallow, but it is also teeming with marine life.
Grand Island Much of the local diving is conducted around this island. Some of the sites near the island include Suzy’s Wreck, Davy Jones Lockers, Sail Rock, Turbo Tunnel, Surge City, Uma Guma Reef, and Bounty Bay.
Angria Bank A four-hour high-speed boat ride takes you to this world-class dive site 120 miles from Goa. This vast underwater landmass about half the size of the state of Goa, offers an amazing wealth of coral and fish. A ’live-aboard’ scheme is available with the local dive center to make diving at this site an unforgettable experience.
Pigeon Island This rocky outcrop has interesting marine life as well as good visibility.
Churches
Church of Our Lady of Miracles , Mapusa This church is located about 2 Kms east of the main Mapusa bazaar. The church is more commonly known as Milagres church.
Reis Magos Church , Reis Magos This church is located inside the fort. The main festival celebration here is the Feast of Reis Magos or the Feast of the three Kings held on January 6th annually.
Church of Our Lady of the Rock of France , Brittona This church is located at Brittona on the banks of the Mandovi river opposite the capital city of Panaji in Bardez taluka. The church lies on a hillock and is distinguished by the upper section of its tower being octagonal in shape.
Temples
Shree Saptakoteshwar Temple , Narve This small temple is situated at Narve, 37 Kms from Panaji near Bicholim. It is dedicated to Lord Saptakoteshwara, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The deity worshipped is the ’’Lingam’’ and is faceted and known as the ’’Dharalinga’’.
Shree Mahadev Bhumika , Sal This temple is situated at Sal, near Bicholim. It is dedicated to Lord Mahadeva, an incarnation of Lord Shiva.