Goa Travel Guide
Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda.
Travel Information
Goa
is easily accessible by road, rail and air from most parts of India and
international destinations. The Dabolim Airport (the only airport in Goa – “GOI”)
is an international airport and a military airbase. It is connected to all
Indian cities as well as international destinations like London, Dubai, Moscow,
Doha, Kuala Lumpur among others. The Goa Airport is 30 km from Panjim, the
capital city, and one can hire a prepaid taxi to travel to any part of Goa from
the airport. Falling on the Konkan Railway line, Goa is connected by
direct train route to Mumbai and Mangalore all the way to the south. Apart from
this, plenty of long-distance inter-state buses ply to and from Goa which is
connected through four national highways.
The nearest major entry point to Goa from different parts of the world
is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai (BOM). Mumbai
being the major city is easily accessible to Goa via flights, railways, and
roadways.
The best time to visit Goa is from Mid-November to Mid-February when the weather is ideal for sightseeing and relaxing on the stunning beaches. The temperature during this time ranges around 20 to 30 degrees Celcius. It is also the peak tourist season in Goa. Monsoons from June to September are another great time to visit Goa if you love the beach during rains. Summer is not a good time to visit Goa. With the temperature fluctuating between 25 to 35 degrees Celcius, the weather from March to May is extremely hot and humid.
An Insight into Goa tourism
Goa - Beaches, Sunsets and
Crazy Nights.
Lying on the western coast, Goa is India's smallest state and unlike any other, known for its white-sand beaches, stellar nightlife, eclectic seafood, world-heritage listed architecture. Spread across just 3,702 km, Goa lies in the Konkan region. It is a far cry from the hippie haven or a beach getaway, and one of the only few destinations that is open 24x7. The laid-backness (susegad) of Goa attracts as many international tourists as it does Indians, or even more so.
The Goans
are quite friendly towards tourists and celebrate many festivals throughout the
year, the most famous being the New Year and Goa Carnival. While the seafood is
excellent, Goa has one of the best nightlife in India with trendy bars, beach
shacks, elegant cafes and many clubs and discotheques. Thanks to lower alcohol
prices in the state, Goa is also great for younger tourists with relatively
tighter pockets.
For those of us perpetually confused between North Goa and South Goa, this
might help - the state of Goa is divided into North Goa and South Goa. While
North Goa is the nightlife hub where all the touristy beaches, flea markets,
and beach shacks are located, South Goa is the land of luxurious resorts and
laid-back beach vibes.
Panjim, the capital city located in the centre overlooks the calm Mandovi River
where the famous floating casinos of Goa are docked. The centre is
well-connected with an international airport and roads and trains run from
North to South part of Goa.
With a coastline stretching for over 100 kilometres, Goa has endless beaches.
While Baga and Calangute are more popular among the Indian family crowd, Anjuna
and Arambol draw a lot of foreign tourists. The beaches in South Goa are
relatively lesser explored, but some of them like Agonda and Palolem are more
beautiful.
