About Goa

Goa is a former Portuguese colony and Located on the West Coast of India. With a fusion of Western and Indian culture Goa is today the numero uno destination for tourist. Goa has lovely natural beaches, fields, mountains, rivers, streams, Churches, Temples, Mosques, Discos, Night Clubs etc.. Goa is rich in cultural and historical heritage and visitors are warmly welcomed here. Though Konkani is the state language of Goa English is mostly spoken by almost everyone in the towns and resorts.

 The cost of living in Goa is extremely low and the food here is superb. The best time to visit Goa is between November and April but now you can see the tourists coming here throughout the year especially in rainy season. Goa's 105 km coastline is endowed with lovely beaches some of which such as Vagator, Anjuna, Calangute, Baga and Harmal in the North of Goa and Colva, Betul and Palolem in the South of Goa.

Goa is known for its music crazy people and late night parties. This has been a sort of boon to the tourists who love to go out in the evenings and dance away the night.

Casinos in Goa

The Casinos of Goa show the fun and nightlife in Goa. Goa has some of the best casinos in India. This industry is the latest addition to the lifestyle of Goans. Here casinos are present to endorse the tourism industry. Apart from the various games, the casinos also offer exquisite cocktails, mock tails and hard liquor.

Arambol

50 kms from Panaji city. A fishing village beach. Arambol is an idyllic, rocky bottomed cove. The beach is an uninterrupted and stunning stretch of curving sand. One can discover sulphur pits and freshwater lakes here. Also interesting is the road to Arambol which winds across the plateau and down through cashew trees. It is an isolated stretch of beach coastline and is known for its isolation, rocky and sandy terrain.The village of Arambol is a traditional fishing village. It has a freshwater lake that is just by the shoreline.

Mapusa

Located in the North of Goa this is the place where GREFS is located. It is known Famous for its Friday Bazaar. Mapusa lies 13kms from Panaji, and has an even blend of residential and commercial establishments and gardens. The beaches nearest to this town are the Anjuna and Chapora beaches. It's location as the converging point of all overland routes in Bardez taluka as well as its proximity to the Rio de Mapusa, has enabled it to develop a commercial reputation of sorts.

Colva

The most commercialized and tourist crowded beach of South Goa. 6 kms from Margao city. Mostly crowded on Sundays. Colva Beach is broad and beautiful, and has a stream coursing through it. Its leafy outlying 'Vaddos', or wards are pleasant enough, dotted with colonial style villas and ramshackle fishing huts. The beachfront is a collection of concrete hotels, souvenir stalls and fly blown snack bars strewn around a central roundabout. The beach consists of about 25 kms of the finest powder white sand.

Palolem

About 42 kms from Margao, Palolem beach is an impossibly beautiful palm-fringed cove of white sand. This beach is a natural crescent shaped cove, where the depth of the waters recedes slowly, thus making it very safe for swimming. Embraced by two hillocks on both sides of the beach, makes an interesting sight. On the right side of the beach, one can paddle in a row boat in the backwaters of Palolem River.

Basilica Of Bom Jesus, Old Goa

This is the most revered and famous of all the church in Old Goa. Bom means Good Jesus or Infant Jesus to whom the church is dedicated. It contains the relics of St. Francis Xavier, Patron saint of Goa, Apostle of the Indies and for most Goans Goencho Saib. The three-storey facade facing west that is a combination of Doric, Corinthian and composite style arhitecture. It is built of blach laterite stone and is 78 1/2 feet high and 75 3/5 feet broad.

ShantaDurga Temple, Ponda

Shantadurga Temple is one of the largest and most visited temples in Goa. The temple is named for the goddess of peace. Shahu, a Maratha King built Shantadurga Temple in 1728, and features a large tank set in the hillside, a lamp tower and a pagoda like structure. The main shrine contains an image of Shantadurga flanked on either side by Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. A gilded temple car is located within Shantadurga Temple, which is used for processions. The interior is lit by chandelier and features polished marble floors.

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary

The Cotigao Wild Life Sanctuary in Goa, India, was notified in 1968. This sanctuary has a few tiger within its surroundings, though sighting of animals is slightly difficult due the dense undergrowth in the sanctuary. The sanctuary has a total of four watchtower made for the purpose of watching wildlife from a safe distance