About Goa
Located on the west coast of India, Goa is the smallest state in India in terms of area and the second smallest in terms of population only after Sikkim. Panjim is the state's capital with Margoa being the largest town.
Goa was annexed as a part of India since 1961 after about 450 years of it's existence as a Portuguese colony. The magnificent scenic beauty of Goa's beaches and the architectural splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa a firm favourite with travellers around the world.
Panaji (Panjim) is the state capital located on the banks of the Mandovi river and Vasco, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda are the other major towns. Goa is serviced by an international/national airport located at Dabolim near Vasco.
Besides the natural beauty, the fabulous beaches and sunshine, travellers to Goa love the laid-back, peaceful, warm and friendly nature of the Goan people.
Tourist Attractions
Temples in Goa: When you think of Goa in India, then images of beaches and sea cross your mind, so it comes as an added surprise to find that Goa in India also has numerous temples doted all around. Once you visit these temples in India's Goa, one is washed with a sense of purity and sanctity.
Churches in Goa: Thanks to the Portuguese invasion, Goa, India, has a number of churches to boast about. Many of these Goan churches are outstanding and exemplary cases of Christian architecture. Most of the church in Goa display a tiered frontispiece and are framed with columns and pilasters. They belong to the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The local population, with their artistically receptive minds, assimilated the symbols of Christian art.
Beaches in Goa: God has been very kind to this Indian town of Goa in terms of beaches. Beaches in Goa rank among the top beaches in the world. With over 40 lovely beaches to its credit, one can just get lost in the mesmerising beauty of these beaches in India's Goa.
Carnival in Goa: Come February and you will find excitement bubbling across Goa…the reason…well, Goa is getting dressed for the carnival. It doesn't take much time for this small Indian state of Goa to get into the carnival mood, basically the party mood.
Getaways in Goa: You will never get tired of the beaches or the temples or the churches in Goa, but just in case, you want to try something different, then there are many getaways in India's Goa.
You will never get tired of the beaches or the temples or the churches at Goa in India, but just in case, you want to try something different, then there are many getaways in Goa, India.
Geographical Details
Neighbouring Cities - Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra towards the North, Belgaum at the East, Karwar district of Karnataka on the South and on the West by the Arabian Sea.
Major Rivers of Goa - Tiracol, Chapora, Mandovi, Zuari, Sal and Talpona.
Main Beaches of Goa - Arambol, Mandrem, Morjim, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Sinquerim are the major beaches on the Northern stretch of Goa while Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim and Palolem are towards the Southern stretch.
Getting Around
By Road - The Goa Transport Corporation, Kadamba, runs long-distance services throughout the state from their main stand at Panjim, Mapusa, Margao and from locations in the adjoining states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Private buses, serving everywhere else, including the coastal resorts, are affordable, frequent, and provide a relaxed mode of commuting.
By Rail - The Konkan Railway makes Goa easily accessible by rail from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mangalore, Ernakulam and Thiruvanantapuram. Goa is also linked to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune via Londa.
By Air - Dabolim Airport, 30-km from the state capital Panaji, has coach services operating to and from the airport. All the major hotels also arrange transport services for the guests and prepaid taxi services are also available. All the major airline services have daily flights to Goa from Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune and twice a week from Chennai and Kochi. The International Service of airlines also connects Goa with Kuwait and Sharjah twice a week.
Local Transport - Taxis - For tourists, white Maruti Van Taxis serve as the main means of travelling between resorts. One will find them lined up outside most charter hotels, where a board invariably lists the destinations in and around the region. The fixed rate fares only apply to peak season, and at other times one should be able to negotiate a hefty reduction from the demanded fares.