goa travel guide 10

Goa tourism

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Goa Goa is India's smallest state by area and

the fourth smallest by population. Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita

two and a half times that of the country as a whole Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is

the largest city. The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act,

1987 makes Konkani in the Devanagri script the sole official language of Goa, but provides that Marathi may also be used "for all or any of the official purposes".

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Goa Tourism The state of Goa, is famous for its beaches and places of worship,

and tourism is its primary industry. Foreign tourists, mostly from Europe, arrive in Goa in winter whilst

the summer and monsoon seasons see a large number of Indian tourists.

Goa handled 7% of all foreign tourist arrivals in the country in 2011. This relatively small state is situated on the western coast of India,

between the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka and is better known to the world as a former Portuguese enclave on Indian soil.

Influenced by over 450 years of Portuguese rule and Latin culture, Goa presents a somewhat different representation of the country to foreign visitors.

Major tourist attractions include: Bom Jesus Basilica, Fort Aguada, a wax museum on Indian culture and a heritage museum. The Churches and Convents of Goa have been declared aWorld Heritage Site by UNESCO.




Goa tourism Development Corporation

Activities of the Department :Policy Formulation.

Development of Infrastructure. Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintainance) Act, 2001 Goa Land (Prohibition of Construction) Act, 1995 Administration of Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act.

It is mandatory for all Hotels, Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Tourist Guides, Tourist Taxi Operators and Dealers of notified articles and other persons engaged in tourist activities to register themselves under the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, Registration is to be annually renewed.

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Beaches

Goa's beaches cover about 125 kilometres (78 mi) of its coastline. These beaches are divided into North and South Goa.

North Goa is more commercial and touristy with an abundance of mostly low and medium budget tourist accommodations; whereas South Goa is where most higher–end hotels and private beaches are located.

A notable exception in South Goa is Palolem Beach which features basic accommodation and is one of the most visited beaches in Goa.

The further north or south you go, the more isolated the beaches get. Some of the more popular beaches are Colva, Calangute, Baga and Anjuna. These beaches are lined with shacks that provide fresh sea food and drinks. Some shacks arrange special events to attract more customers.




Wildlife

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa's rich bio-diversity. Foxes, wild boars and migratory birds are also found in the

forests of Goa. The avifauna includes kingfishers, mynas and parrots.

The famous Dudhsagar Falls, India's fifth tallest at 310 metres, is located inside Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary at the Goa - Karnaraka border.

The renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located on the island of Chorao.

The Endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtle can be found on Morjim Beach in Northern Goa. The turtles are listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Act.

Morjim Beach is also host to a number of migratory birds during late September to early April. A number of international bird watching tours are organised in the area.




MuseumsThe following museums are located in Goa: Goa State Museum set up in 1996 aims at centralising and

preserving antiquities, art objects and objects of cultural importance, depicting the different aspects of the Goan History and Culture.

Naval Aviation Museum near Dabolim. The Aviation museum is one among three of its kind in India.

Goa Science Centre is located on Miramar Beach in Panjim. Opened in December 2001, it houses many wonders of Science and Astronomy.

Archaeological Museum and Portrait Gallery located in Old Goa is run by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Museum of Christian Art has a number of paintings, sculptures and religious silverware dating back to the 16th century.




Panjim (Panaji) in Goa Called Panjim by the Portuguese, Panaji, which means "the land that does not flood" is the

state capital of Goa. It is situated on the southern banks of the Mandovi River. Panaji is built around a church facing a square. The town has some beautiful Portuguese

Baroque style buildings and enchanting old villas. The riverside, speckled with brightly whitewashed houses with wrought iron balconies.

There are some fine government buildings along the riverside boulevard In the 16th century, the edifice was the palace of Adil Shah (the Sultan of Bijapur). The

Portuguese took over the palace and constructed the Viceregal Lodge in 1615. In 1843, the structure became the Secretariat, and today it is the Passport Office.

The Largo Da Igreja Church Square is an example of the awesome Portuguese Baroque style. The Braganza Institute, house, which depicts the 'mythical' representation of the colonisation

of Goa by the Portuguese. Panjim was a minor landing stage and customs house, protected by a hilltop fort. The Archaeological Museum also known as the Christian Art Museum was built in the year

1964 attracting many tourists since then. There are eight galleries in the museum which can be described as eight different sections of the museum. There are several displays here and among them are sixty portraits of governors and viceroys of Goa. There is a wooden statue of St. Peter as well. It also has an exceptional collection of Hindu gods and goddesses and a standing statue of Lord Vishnu along with Goddess Laxmi and Garuda on either side.

Prime ATTRACTIONS of Panjim Ruins Of St. Augustine's Tower,

The Chapel Of Our Lady Of The Mount, Aguada fort, Bondala forest , Sri Mahalakshmi temple, Condolim Beach

Dudhsagar Waterfalls

Dudhsagar Waterfalls- springing from from a lofty height of 600m is located on the Goa-Karnataka border.

The name of this waterfall evolves from the Konkani name for the falls, Dudhsagar meaning 'sea of milk'. This is because froth is formed due to the speedy surge of water from the majestic heights.

Monkeys, birds, bees, butterflies have carved their own niche amidst the flora of the region and the plunge pool abounds in aquatic life.

The Dudhsagar Falls is one of the most interesting falls of India and the largest and highest fall of Goa

The road to this mighty fall is inaccessible during the monsoon season .The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) runs tours to Dudhsagar on Saturday and Sunday from Panaji and Calangute. You could also take a train to Dudhsagar from Madgaon (Margao) and get there in an hour and half. However during summer, when the level of the water is low, you can hire a Jeep and access the foot of the falls from either Molem or Collem.

The Terekhol Fort (Terecol/Tiracol) The tiny enclave of Terakol, the northernmost tip of Goa, is reached via a car

ferry from Querim, 42-km from Panjim. The Terekhol Fort once belonged to a local raja and was taken over by the

Portuguese in 1746. It was used as a base for freedom fighters during the liberation of Goa in 1961.

The Terekhol Fort was a key Portuguese fort for the defense of Goa, on the north side of the estuary of the Teracol River, the northern most boundary of Goa.

Within the fort there is a chapel - St.Anthony's church - which is locked most of the time. The Chapel has a classical late Goan facade and is opened only on special occasions. From the battlements one can look across to Querim Beach.

To cross the Tiracol River takes twenty minutes on an ancient Goan ferry operates every 30 minutes. The Terekhol Fort has now been converted into a Heritage hotel.




Vasco da Gama, Goa

Vasco da Gama, often shortened to Vasco, is a city in the state of Goa Bogmalo Beach is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Vasco. This beach is quite risky as it

has underwater currents. Hollant (Issorcim) and Baina are two smaller beaches around Vasco.

Apart from the nearby beaches, the city of Vasco is bereft of any major tourist attractions, the salient monument being the 400-year old St. Andrew's Church located at the entrance of the city. However the Naval Aviation Museum near the airport is a popular tourist spot and is the only such museum in India. It profiles the evolution and history of Indian naval aviation through aircraft exhibits and rare photographs.

One of Goa's premier musical groups, Diamond Orchestra, hails from Vasco. The town is also home to several English bands from Goa, notably Lynx and Kollectiv Soul.

Vasco is known for the annual Shri Damodar Bhajani Saptah fair held in Shravan month of Hindu lunar calendar preceding the festival of Nag panchami

Vasco da Gama hosted the relics of Saint John Bosco, albeit temporarily, on 21 August 2011, at the St. Andrew's Church, while the relics were on their world tour.

Like all towns and cities in Goa, Vasco celebrates the Shigmo/ xigmo and Carnival annually with a street parade where floats from all over Goa participate.




Margao

Margao is the second largest city by population, and the commercial and cultural capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of South Goa district.

The city has many sights and destinations. These include the 'Closed' Market called, in the Portuguese language, Mercado de Afonso de Albuquerque or in Konkani as "Pimplapedd" or "Pimpalakatta," the municipal building (Câmara), the municipal garden, Anna Fonte (natural springs), Old Market or Mercado Velho, Holy Spirit Church, grand colonial mansions (especially the Seven Gables House near the church), the chapel at Monte Hill, the Hindu crematorium or 'Smashan and the Muslim burial ground or 'Kabrasthan' both situated on Pajifond's Rua das Saudades.

There are a number of churches and temples in Margao, since the population is predominantly Roman Catholic with a significant Hindu and a very small Muslim minority.

The famous churches in Margao are the Holy Spirit Church, the Grace Church, The St Sebastian Church in Aquem (The Old St. Sebastian Chapel, popularly known as the Pandava Copel still stands next to the modern St. Sebastian Church) and the Monte Hill Chapel, the famous temples are the 'Damodar Temple' (Saal), the 'Hari Mandir', the 'Maruti Mandir' at Davorlim the 'Saibaba Temple' at Davorlim, the 'Shiv Temple' (Ling) at Fatorda near Nehru Stadium (which is the original Temple of Damudora). There are 2 mosques in Margao, One in the Malbhat area and one on the Monte hill. Presently, since 2004, there are twenty-four new mosques in Margao. There is also a Jain temple at Pajifond.




Mapusa

Mapusa also spelt at Mapuca, Mhapsa or Mapsa is a town in North Goa Mapusa is close to one of the main centres of Goa's tourism industry. Mapusa's

proximity to many beaches in the north Goa makes it a suitable base during the tourist season (November to April). Because it is a mainly commercial town (for locals) with a large resident population, Mapusa has only a limited number of hotels and accommodation.

Mapusa comes alive on Friday, the traditional market day also known as Mapusa Friday Market. People from surrounding villages and towns come to Mapusa to sell their wares. This fair has a lot of local flavour (unlike some other tourist-oriented fairs or markets) and specialises in agricultural produce, vegetables, locally-grown fruit, spices, clothes and even plants (mainly during the monsoon planting season).

Every Friday, the Mapusa Market bulges at the seams, by sellers with only just enough room for the prospective buyers, the alleys between the regular stalls being occupied with temporary mats and boards. From lottery tickets displayed in great swathes to barber shops, the bazaar caters for almost every requirement imaginable. There is the fish street, dried fish of all possible varieties and whole fresh fish from baby shark and squid to the ubiquitous bangda (mackerel). Fresh fruit and vegetables are gathered together and beautifully displayed, from huge sweet potatoes, and pumpkins and the local shiny red brown Moira bananas to the tiny fresh beans and other pulses.




North Goa

North Goa is one of the two districts that make up the state of Goa.

The district has an area of 1736 km², and is bounded by Sindhudurg andKolhapur districts of Maharashtra state to the north and east respectively, by South Goa District to the south, and by the Arabian Sea to the west.

The administrative headquarters of the district is Panaji, which is also the capital of the state of Goa. The district forms part of a greater region called the Konkan.

The district is divided into four subdivisions - Panaji, Mapusa, Bicholim, and Ponda;




South Goa South Goa is one of two districts that comprises the state

of Goa in West India. It is bounded by the district of North Goa to the north, the Karnataka state to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.

The administrative headquarters of the district is Margao. The district is divided into three subdivisions - Margao, Mormugao (Vasco da Gama), and Quepem; Mormugao, Salcete (Margao), Quepem, Canacona(Chaudi), Sanguem and Dharbandora.

A new district headquarters was recently inaugurated on the outskirts of the city, adjoining the inter-city bus stand. It is and named after Mathany Saldanha, a former minister and social activist.


