About Goa

Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.



Panaji (also known as Panjim) is the state capital. Vasco da Gama (Vasco) is the largest city. The historic city of Margao (also called as Madagaon) still exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture. Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century and occupied it soon after. They colonised for about 450 years until it was taken over by India in 1961.


Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists every year. Westerners have been flocking to Goa since it attained independence from the Portuguese. One can find lots and lots of foreigners in the beach resorts, particularly Calangute. Indians from other states also visit Goa in large numbers.


Goa is also known for its temples, churches and world heritage architecture including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. There is a strong Christian influence in Goa and it is reflected in the number of feast and festivals followed religiously. This makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia. Goa is also endowed with rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot. Therefore one can find number of wildlife sanctuaries in the state.


During the Christmas and New Year Eve, tens of thousands of world tourists, both domestic and foreign, descend on Goa. So, one can expect crowds everywhere, particularly along the Baga-Calangute Beach stretch. All the popular bars and restaurants are filled to capacity. Accommodations will be extremely expensive at this time. Well, if you want to avoid crowd and cacophony, choose to come to Goa later. You get twice the pleasure for your money!


Goa, for administrative reasons, is divided into two main parts. North Goa and South Goa. Panaji is the headquarters of the North Goa District and Margao of the South Goa District. Each district is governed by a District Collector, an administrator appointed by the Indian government. Goa has a literacy rate of around 80%.


Flora and Fauna


Goa has a very wide forest cover of 1,424 sq km. Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the rich tropical biodiversity hotspots of the world.


Foxes, wild boars and migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The birds include kingfishers, mynas and parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crabs, lobsters, shrimps, jellyfish, oysters and catfish form the main catch. Goa also has a high snake population. Goa has many famous wildlife sanctuaries, including the renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuar. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located on the island of Chorao.


Climate


Goa, being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, has a warm and humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, seeing day temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity. The monsoon rains arrive by early June and provide a much needed respite from the heat. Most of Goa's annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September.


Goa has a short cool season between mid-December and February. These months are marked by cool nights of around 20 °C (68 °F) and warm days of around 29 °C (84°F) with moderate amounts of humidity.


Cuisine:


Goan cuisine mainly consists of rice with fish curry (Xit Kodi in Konkani) is the staple diet in Goa. Goa is renowned for its rich variety of sea food cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chilli peppers, spices and Tamarind juice/vinegar/Kokam giving the food a unique flavour.


Pork dishes such as Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Catholics. An exotic Goan vegetable stew, known as Khatkhate, is a very popular dish during the celebrations of festivals among Hindus and Christians alike. Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special Goan spices that add to the aroma. A rich egg-based multi-layered sweet dish known as Bebinca is a favourite during Christmas.


The most popular native alcoholic beverage in Goa is Feni. Its like vodka. Cashew Feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut Feni is made from the sap of toddy palms.


Eating and Drinking


No problems at all. Goa is dotted with number of restaurants, eateries, fast food joints both big and small. One can find them almost on every beach side. There are multi-cuisine menu (Continental, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian etc.) in several of them including the ones run by star hotels. If you need to go light, then try the pastry shops.


Alcohol is cheaper all over Goa and is more freely available than most other places in the country, due to the relaxed taxes. Beer is very common and is available in nearly all restaurants and many stores. Good quality wine is not common in India and is generally not as considered good value as beer. Some restaurants especially the more expensive ones serve wine by the bottle or the glass. Wine, however, is also available in selected stores.


How to reach


By Air
Goa's only airport, the Dabolim Airport, is both a military and civilian airport catering to various important cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad etc., International airlines stop enroute to other Indian destinations. In addition, the airport handles a large number of chartered flights. Goa receives International flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Kuwait in the Middle East and from the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia during the tourist season. Dabolim receives flights of Indian carriers such as Air India (Indian Airlines), Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines, Go air, Spice jet, Jet Airways etc., besides charter flights from Thomas Cook (condor) etc.


By Road
Goa has two National Highways passing through it. NH-17 runs along India's west coast and links Goa to Bombay in the north and Mangalore to the south. NH-4A running across the state connects the capital Panjim to Belgaum in east and links Goa to various destinations in the Deccan. There are several buses which ply from Goa to Belgaum, Hubli/Dharwar, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mangalore etc. The NH-17A connects NH-17 to Mormugao Harbour from Cortalim, and the new NH-17B is a four lane highway connecting Mormugao Harbour to NH-17 at another location, Verna, via Dabolim airport.


By Rail
Goa has two rail lines — one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the Konkan Railway. The line run by the South Western Railway was built during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama with Hubli in Karnataka via Margao. The Konkan Railway line, which was built during the 1990s, runs parallel to the coast connecting Mumbai to the Malabar Coast. Several trains travel daily from Mumbai to Goa along the Konkan Railway and most of them take a good 10 to 13 hours. It is advisable for you to check various train options available. Railway timetables are available at important stations and also in leading bookshops. Or you can log on to official website of Indian Railways for information.


Tourist Information


For general information on the state, visit Goan Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) office in Panjim (Patto Tourist Home; Tel. 0832/243-8750 to 8752; http://goatourism.nic.in; Office timings: Mon-Fri 9:30am-1pm and 2-5:45pm).
Branch offices of the GTDC are in Mapusa (Tel. 0832/226-2390) and Margao (Tel. 0832/271-5204).
There's also an tourist information counter at the Konkan Railway Station in Margao (Madgaon) (Tel. 0832/270-2298).


Places of Interest


Goa is world famous for its beaches, its ancient temples and churches, festivals, Goan carnival, wildlife and leisure tourism.


A beach view Mandovi River


Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary


Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Northeastern Goa in an area of 8 sq km. It is a popular destination for both tourists and school children. Known for a wide variety of animal life including: Sambar deer, Indian Bison, Peacocks and many species of snake. There are also Giant Malayam Squirrels.


Bondla provides sanctuary to leopards, bears and cobras. The two elephants at Bondla take turns to give visitors a ride. On their off day, they are bathed and laze around.


Another surprise at Bondla, are the Hindu carvings. These were discovered when the sanctuary gardens were being constructed. Probably they were earlier hidden from the Portuguese invaders.


Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park:
Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is a 240 sq.km protected area located along the eastern border of Goa, in the Western Ghats. Earlier known as Mollem Game Sanctuary, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and renamed as Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary. The area is situated near the town of Molem in Sanguem Taluk, 57 km east of Panaji, the state capital of Goa. National Highway 4A divides it into two parts and the Mormugao - Londa railway line passes through the area.


Places to see near Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary:
Dudhsagar Falls
Dudhsagar Falls (Translation: Ocean of milk) is a tiered waterfall located high up on the Mandovi River, adjoining the Karnaraka border in the southwest part of the Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park, 10 km upstream from Collem village. At 310 m, It is Goa's tallest waterfall. This popular destination may be reached by hiking along the 10 km one lane dirt road or hiring a 4 wheel drive vehicle at Collem. Access is dangerous and restricted during the monsoon season of June and July.


Dudhsagar Falls is obviously one of the most well known falls in the country. The falls occur high up on the Mandovi River's watershed, so during the dry season, the falls aren't all that impressive. However, when the monsoons arrive, this becomes one of the most powerful falls in the country.


Devils Canyon
This is an eerie canyon of water carved crevices downstream from Dudh Sagar Falls, created from solid rock by serpentine underwater currents. It is just off the main trail soon past the Collem entry point.


Tambdi Surla Temple

This small but exquisite 12th century Shiva temple of the Lord Mahadeva is an active place or worship, located 13 km east of Bolcornem village, past the end of a single lane paved road in the northern region of the Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park. The four pillars, embellished with intricate carvings of elephants and chains support a stone ceiling decorated with finely carved lotus flowers.


Tambdi Falls
This waterfall, located about 2 km southwest of Tambdi Surla, near the Karnataka border, is equally spectacular and only slightly less tall than Dudsagar Falls. However, it is rarely visited because of its difficult access by a steep, winding and irregular rocky path. A local guide is required.


Sunset Point
This point provides a breathtaking view of the Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park, revealing a vast expanse of closed canopy treetops. It can be reached by park vehicles, hired at Mollem check-point, driving along a zig-zag road carved from the mountain.


All visitors to the Park must obtain entry permit from the Range Forest Officer, Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, Mollem, Goa Phone: 91-832-2612211.
Accommodations- For bookings at the Forest Rest House in Mollem, contact: Chief Conservator of Forests, Forest Department, Panaji, Goa Phone: 0832-2224747 or 0832-2225926.


Staying & accommodation at Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park


The Dudhsagar Resort has cottages, dormitory and a restaurant at Mollem adjacent to the Sanctuary Headquarters. Phone: 0832-2612319 or 0832-2612238. The Om Shanti Eco-Resort near the Tambdi Surla Temple offers high end foreign tourism experiences including forest trekking, elephant rides and tribal music.


Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary


The Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Canacona taluka (or South Goa district) of Goa, in India. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from October to December. The sanctuary supports diverse life forms. It is noted for its animal and plant biodiversity. The lesser-known animals in the sanctuary include the Flying Squirrel, Slender Loris, Indian Pangolin, Mouse Deer, Four-horned Antelope, Malabar Pit Viper, Hump-Nosed Pit Viper, White-bellied Woodpecker, Malabar Trogon, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Speckled Piculet, Malayan Bittern, Draco or Flying Lizard, Golden-back Gliding Snake and Malabar Tree Toad.


The sanctuary has eight well laid out nature trails traversing it. The length of the nature trails ranges from 500 metres to 5 kilometres. There are six watchtowers in the sanctuary. Also there is one 'tree top' watchtower which is situated about 20 metres high on a tree overlooking a waterhole. Both the Gal and Talpona rivers of Canacona originate from the sanctuary. At the entrance to the sanctuary there is an ecotourism complex which houses the nature interpretation centre, cottages, toilets, library, reception area and rescue centre, canteen and Range Forest Office. The sanctuary has been declared a plastic-free zone by the State Government and violators are prosecuted with a fine.


The sanctuary is open from 0700 till 1730 for visitors. There are tribal (Velip) hamlets in and around the sanctuary. The Velip tribals are very friendly people and one can interact with them during the visit to discover their lifestyle and culture. There is also a rubber plantation within the sanctuary boundary limits where the processing of rubber is demonstrated.


Madei Wildlife Sanctuary & Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary


Madei Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Sattari takula (district) of Goa, in India. The size of this area is about 208 km². This sanctuary covers much of the north-eastern portions of Goa and is connected to the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. Together the two wildlife areas have a total area of 420 km. One can find many animals here including the black panther, the slender loris and giant squirrels.


Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary


The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is situated on the western tip of the island of Chorao, along the Mandovi River, about 9 km from Dona Paula Beach. Spread over 2 sq km, this sanctuary is a mangrove forest. Local and migratory birds are found here all through the year. However, permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden is required for visitors.


Panjim (Panaji) walk tour
Located at the mouth of the Mandovi River, the state capital of Panjim (moved here from Old Goa in 1759) is a breezy, laid-back town that lends itself to easy exploration. The chief attraction is the wonderful colonial Portuguese architecture, particularly in the eastern neighborhoods of Fontainhas and Sao Tome, where the atmospheric cobbled streets are lined with old mansions and churches dating as far back as the mid-1700s. Visit Fontainhas's Chapel of St. Sebastian, where the crucifix from Old Goa's "Palace of the Inquisition" is now kept. The figure of Christ on the crucifix here is unusual, with head upright and eyes wide open, unlike the usual figures that feature lowered head and eyes.


Dominating Panjim's town center is the imposing Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in the Portuguese baroque style in 1541. Nearer the water's edge is the Secretariat; an old palace of Adil Shah of Bijapur, this became the Portuguese viceroy's residence when the colonial administration moved here.


Wandering around Panjim on foot shouldn't take more than a few hours. If you're pushed for time, skip the walk and hop onto an auto-rickshaw or on the back of a bike to Old Goa.


Old Goa walk tour
You can try exploring Old Goa on foot. The once-bustling Goan capital is said to have been the richest and most splendid city in Asia during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The tranquility behind this well-preserved tourist site belies the fact that it was built on plunder and forced conversions and mass destruction of the Hindu temples initiated by the fervent Portuguese invaders.


The entire area can easily be explored on foot because the most interesting buildings are clustered together. To the northwest is the Arch of the Viceroys, built in 1597 in commemoration of the arrival of Vasco da Gama in India. Nearby, the Corinthian-styled Church of St. Cajetan (1651) was built by Italian friars. Under the church is a crypt in which embalmed Portuguese governors were kept before being shipped back to Lisbon. In 1992 three forgotten cadavers were removed. St. Cajetan's is a short walk down the lane from Adil Shah's Gate, a simple lintel supported by two black columns.


Southwest of St. Cajetan's are the splendid St. Catherine's Cathedral (Sé), which took nearly 80 years to build and is said to be larger than any church in Portugal; and the Basilica of Bom Jesus (Cathedal of the Good Jesus). Nearby, is the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (now archaeological museum). Up the hill from the Basilica are the ruins of the Church of St. Augustine; below is the Church of St. Monica Christon.


Ponda walk tour
From Old Goa, it's a short trip to view the popular Hindu temples that lie north of the quiet town of Ponda, on National Highway NH4. Very few Hindu temples dating back earlier than the 19th century still exist. (Portuguese tore them down). Sri Mangeshi Temple is on a path lined with palm trees which leads to a colorful gateway, and then the steep-roofed temple exemplifies a fusion of Hindu and Christian architectural styles, hardly surprising considering that it was constructed by Goan craftsmen weaned on 200 years of Portuguese church-building. A little distance from here is the Sri Mahalsa Temple and Sri Nageshi Temple.


Side Trips from Goa


Om Beach: Often cited as the top beach in India and one of the best in the world, Om Beach lies to the south in Gokarna, an hour across the border into Karnataka.


Devbagh Beach Resort in Karwar, slightly north of Gokarna, makes for a pleasant getaway. You may stay in log cabins on stilts among groves of casuarinas trees and spend your days snorkeling (through General Thimayya National Academy of Adventures; tel. 080/221-0454), visiting outlying islands, beachcombing, or lazing in your hammock.