History

Historically, Goa is unique. It remained a tiny pocket ruled by the Portuguese when almost the whole of India was under the British Empire . Of all the Western colonial powers, the Portuguese were the first to arrive in the country and the last to live. Goa was captured by the petty Portuguese nobleman Afonso De Albuquerque in 1510; exactly 12 years after Vasco Da Gama discovered the sea route to India by sailing around Africa . About 450 years later , in 1961, the colonizers were ejected out of Goa by the Indian army in a two-day bloodless operation. Goa remained under the central government's control till 1987,when it was recognized as the 225'th state of the Indian Union .

The Portuguese

In 1498, Vasco Da Gama, a Potuguese sea-captain seeking a sea route to India to break the Arab's Overland monopoly of the spice trade, landed at Calicut on the Malabar coast (in Kerala). He became the first European to do so and open the floodgates of modern imperialism. He returned in 1502to open a small trading station at Cochin .In 1508, Afonso De Albuquerque, a nobleman who had earlier been to India with Vasco Da Gama, Arrived from Portugual to take charge of the Portuguese trading factories at Malabar. A great strategist, he quickly recognized the needto acquire land on the Indian coastline. A Muslim fleet put together by the Calicut ruler to counter the Portuguese threat was stationed at Goa . Timmaya, the admiral of the Vijayanagar fleet who wantedto see Goa free of Muslim rule, informed Albuquerque about it, who rushed to Goa and captured the ships.

Geography

Goa is situated between latitude15 degree 48'00'' N&14 deg 53'54'' N and Longitude74 deg 20'13'' E &73 deg 40''33''E. Politically, its northern boundaries touch the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. To its east and south lie the Belgaum and Uttar Kannada districts of Karnataka. To its west is the Arabian Sea .Goa has three distinct geographical parts. Lining its eastern border are the forested hills of the Western Ghats that separate it from the parched Deccan Plateau of Western Karnataka. These hills block the monsoon winds sweeping in from the sea, thus causing heavy rainfall in the state. All of Goa 's river's originate in these forests. Sonsagar is Goa 's highest peak at 3,827feet in the Sattari sub-division.Goa's western border is defined by the coastal strip, whose beaches are the mainstay of the Goan tourism industry. Most of the population is concentrated here, with its palm groves, rice fields and fishing villages. Recent years have seen runaway development in this area, straining natural resources.Sandwiched between the hills and the coastal strip are plateaus of iron – rich red soil. This “midland” is the core of the state and is known for iron- ore mining and spice and cashew plantations. The soil cover is generally thin here, but low-lying areas are cultivated.The government is encouraging modern industries by setting up industrial estates in this area. The inland plateaus, with their red- colored rocks, sometimes jut out into the sea and form headlands, like at the Vagator and Anjuna beaches.There are no vast plains in Goa . The Western Ghats and the elevated midland plateausGive the entire landscape a hilly appearance. Goa is also free from natural calamities like earthquakes, cyclones, famines or floods.

Weather

In Goa 's balmy tropical weather, temperature doesn't fluctuate much, mostly hovering within a narrow band of 25 C to 32 C year round. This is very Pleasant since the ideal temperature for human body is 28 C with 50 percent humidity.( Contrast this with Delhi where temperature dips to 4 C in winters and crosses 40 C in summers.)A peculiarity of Goan weather is that the heat peaks twice a year- in April-May and October- November –with temperature crossing 30 C in noon . Goa thus has two summers. October and November are also sweaty uncomfortable because of high humidity in the wake of the monsoons. Goa falls in the high –rainfall zone. The torrential monsoon rains, heralded by thunder and lightning, last from June to September. July is the wettest, especially the first half. The rains slow down in August and taper off in September. They are erratic, not continuous-a week of nonstop downpour may be followed by a dry, sunny spell lasting days. Weather –wise, the monsoon months are the coolest and most pleasant. Goa is at its green best with swaying paddy fields and raging

Water falls

In other months, the sea breeze affects daily temperature. Mornings and afternoons are hot butThings cool down as moisture-laden sea wind starts blowing by 12 pm to 1 pm . It peaks around 5 pm and the evenings turn very pleasant.(that's why a beach stroll at sunset is so refreshing.)By around 11 pm , the sea breeze dies down and it turns calm. Around 2 am to 3 am in the morning, the land breeze starts blowing and continues till the afternoon , when the sea wind returns. So the mornings are warm and a tad uncomfortable because of the dry land breeze, while the evenings are cool because of the moist sea breeze. The time between 1 pm to 4 pm is the hottest, when you get sunburnt easily. This is also the time of the daily siesta when Goans shut stop and snooze.Interestingly, just 80 km from Panaji, in Maharashtra , is a hill station called Amboli which records the second highest rainfall in India (after Cherapunji in the north-eastern state of Meghlaya).

Languages

Till over two decades after Goa 's liberation, Marathi- the language of the neighboring“Big Brother” state of Maharashtra -was the official state language for all purposes. It is also commonly spoken in the state. In 1987, how ever, Konkani was made Goa 's official language after a violent agitation by its supporters that paralyzed the whole state.Portuguese –once very popular all over Goa- is fighting a losing battle since liberation. It is now restricted to the rich , aristrocraic families or the elderly generation, especially in Panaji's Latin quarter . Going by the trend, Portuguese is going to be extinct in Goa in another two decades. English and Hindi are widely understood in towns and the tourism beach belt, but less so in the rural areas.

People & lifestyle

According to the 2001 census, Goa 's population is about 13.5 lac(1.35 million).(In addition is the floating population of about 5 to 7 lac which always remains in the state.)This is a mere 0.13 percent of the total Indian population.(In contrast, the state's population at the time of liberation in 1961was only 5.9lacs or 0.59 million.) The population growth of 14.8percent during the decade 1991-2001 is lower than the 16.08percent recorded during 1981-1990. Around 0.2 million out of the total Goan population are immigrants from around India who have settled down in the state.Contrary to the popular impression, Goa is not a Christian-majority state-it is over wheminglyHindu. About 65 percent of the population is Hindu, 30 percent is Christian (Roman Catholic)and 5 percent is Muslim.Hindus are spread across the interior, imland areas and extreme north and south Goa -the area comprising “New Conquests” which the Portuguese assimilated much later. (Ponda with its many temples is called the Hindu heartland.)Christians predominate in the coastal region of central Goa –the belt stretching from Calangute to Margao. (These “old Conquest” areas are the first tobe captured by the Portuguese and bore the brunt of their conversion spree.)All religious communities in Goa show a very high degree of tolerance and respect for each other's beliefs. There has never been a single incident of religious tension or riots.Goa is amongst the country's richest andmost urbanized states-at Rs 32'000 its percapita income is India 's highest(national average : Rs 13,000). You will not come across the kind of destitution and poverty seen elsewhere in the country. Goans are justly proud of the near absence of beggars or shanty towns in their land. The human development index is high, with easy access to health, education, electricity, drinking water and roads.

Tourism

Tourism has been declared as an industry in Goa . The number of tourists (about 1.2 million annually) almost equals the state's population. Goa attracts about 12 prcent of the total foreign tourists arriving in India , while its share of direct charter flights is 75 percent.The department of Tourism plans and provides the basic tourist infrastructure and facilities and promote Goa as a tourist destinstion. It also exercises control over hotels and travel trade activitiesthrough regulatory measures.

Heritage houses

While traveling over Goa 's narrow countryside roads, you will occasionally come across brightly whitewashed mansions that stands out against the dull green landscape. These palatial houses –called “Ghors” in Konkani, “Casa” in Portuguese- are typically Goan, a product of the state's unique Indo-Portuguese heritage. They were built during the last 250 years of Portuguese rule by the native nobility and landed gentry as countryside retreats and status symbols to rival the lifestyle of colonial masters.These mansions were sustained by a feudal system that abruptly ended with Goa 's liberation.The descendants of the original builders now don't have the kind of resources needed to maintain them .Consequently, many of these structures have fallen into disrepair and are slowly disintegrating. Some now welcome tourist for an overnight stay while others offer a conducted tourof the premises. A trip to any of these heritage houses offers a window into the ostentatious lifestyleof upper-crust Goans of the Portuguese era.

Festivals

Except the rainy season, each month in Goa comes loaded with festivals, while Christianfestivals occur on fixed dates, the Hindu ones follow the lunar calendar and fall on different dates each year. Manny Hindu temple festivals entail “zatras” . These are annual processions in which the deity is taken around the temple compound in a palanquin or atop a wooden chariot, followed by hundreds of devotees amidst a din of drums and trumpets.Goan Carnival - The carnival , introduced by the Portuguese, is a famous non-religiousGoan festival of revelery , spread across three days and four nights in Feb/ March.

Goan Cuisine

Hot and spicy, the Goan cuisine is blend of many foreign influences but is best knownFor its heavenly seafood and pork dishes.No trip to Goa is complete until you have experienced the land's delightful cuisine. The Goan cuisine which at one time or another made Goa their home –the pork-eating Portuguese, the pilaf –eating Muslims and the fish curry and rice-eating Konkani fishermen.Traditionally, Goan food is cooked on clay pots and wood fire- in the villages, this is true even today. Fish and coconut are two ingredients which dominate the preparations. Fish curry and rice is Goa 's staple dish, eaten each day by hand in every Goan house.

Planning the Journey in Train

The first thing you have to do is to find out which trains run to your destination . You can buy an all-India train timetable (Rs 30) from Vasco, Madgaon or Thivim railway stations. If you are computer-savvy , then the whole thing becomes a cakewalk. Just visit the Indian Railway's reservation websites : www.indianrail.gov.in www.irctc.co.in These offer real-time information on ticket status, and, almost on any train, fare, train schedules, and, most importantly, a list of trains running between any two ststions in India .The websites refer to all railway stations in codes. For example Madgaon is “MAO” and Trivandrum (Kerala) is “TVC”. (These codes are available on the site. See box for some railway station codes.) Typing MAO and TVC will give you a list of all the trains running between Goa andKerala, with their dates, schedule, fare and whether a berth is available on any given day.You can then head for a ticket reservation center- certainly better than doing all this research at the ticket counter, with an impatient queue behind you!If you know the train number , you can also call up the automated phone enquiry in Goa at 1345Or 2501223 to know accommodation availability. Many travel agents do rail bookings in Goa and can help you plan your journey.

Booking Tickets

At any computerized reservation counter of the Indian Railways, you can book tickets for any train from anywhere to anywhere in India . For example, from the Panaji reservation center, you can book a ticket from Delhi to Agra .You can book your ticket up to 60 days in advance. (Try to reserve your ticket as early as possible.) Reservation for a train at the computerized centers closes four hours before its departuretime. After this, you have to buy tickets at the current counter of the railway station up o one hour before the train departure time. When less than one hour is left for the train to depart, you have to meet the Ticket Collector (TC)at the railway platform to buy a ticket, if any is available.Most trains in India have a full compartment or a cluster of berths reserved for ladies. If youAre a women traveling alone, ask the booking clerk for a berth in the ladies compartment.(Male kids below 12 years can accompany their female relatives.)Enroute, if you so wish , you can ask the train's TTE (Traveling Ticket Examiner who checks you tickets)to upgrade you to a higher class after paying the fare difference provided a seat is vacant in the desired class.

Hotel informations

Goa has a wide range of hotels to suit all budgets, with tariff ranging from Rs.300 to Rs 10,000 a day. Most hotels face the beaches or exit in major towns like Panaji and Margao. In the interior areas away from the coastline, accommodation facilities are few. Almost all the tourists stay on the beach belt.North Goa , especially the overbuilt Calangute and Baga stretch, is known for chartered tourists from abroad. Further up, the beaches of Vagator, Anjuna and Anambol have small family-run hotels preferred by the low budget foreign tourists(called backpackers).Central Goa : Panaji is one of the best places to stay. This beautiful riversideTown is popular with the middle-class Indian , while the affluent class is taken care of by the two five-star hotels nearby. The Portuguese quarter on the eastern end of the town lends a touch of heritage to Panaji, while the sandy Miramar beach, about 3 km away, offers golden sunsets.Panaji has a little of everything that Goa has to offer. Its central location is ideal for exploring all parts of the state. Old Goa -the state's best –known tourist spot-is just 10 kms away. There are many restaurants to serve all kinds of cuisine.South Goa is known for luxury tourism. It is where most of the sprawling 5-star hotels-Hyatt, Radisson,Taj, Leela, Holiday Inn- are concentrated. Colva beach in the far south is frequented by foreign backpackers. The Margao town also has many city hotels

Checkout

The checkout time is mostly 12 noon . However, some hotels have it as early as 8 am to cater to the early morning trains arriving in Goa from Mumbai and Kerala. A few hotels have checkout time of 24 hours – that is , you are given the room on a 24-hour basis from the time you occupied it.

Touts

Taxi and autorickshaw drivers in Goa double up as hotel touts. Just tell them the price range you want and in which area, and you will be promptly taken to the hotel that fits the bill. The disadvantage is that at smaller hotels, the room tariff may be alittle inflated to take care of the drivers commission or, at bigger hotels ,you will not get a discount on the published tariff.

Taxes :There is a 5.5 percent luxury tax on A/C and non A/C hotel rooms.

Sightseeing

Goa is a small state. Almost any place worth seeing can be reached within an hour by taxi, so there is no need for elaborated itineraries. If you have not been to Goa before, the best way to explore the state is to take a conducted GTDC coach tour or hire a taxi (Rs 1,000) for a full day of sightseeing. Alternatively, you can hire a motorcycle, take a Goa map in hand and take off on your own.

One-day Itinerary

Ideally you need three days to explore Goa properly –one each for central, north and southGoa, which has the states most important tourist offerings. Start early in the morning. Spend the first half of the day exploring the churches of Old Goa and the temples of Ponda . If time persists, extended your journey from Ponda to cover the nearby Bondla wildlife sanctuary and see some real Goan jungle.In the second half of the day, explore the capital town of Panaji and the Dona Paula bay. Watch the sunset at Miramar beach. As night falls, take a cruise down the Mandovi river. For dinner, head for the numerous Panaji restaurants to get a taste of Goan cuisine. By this time, you will be pleasantly exhausted and have enough Goan memories to last a long time.For exploring north and south Goa (it is not possible to cover both on the same day), see the detailed sightseeing sections given later in this guidebook.

Forts

Goa 's best preserved forts are all in the north. Fort Aguada is the most famous, near Candolim beach. The new lighthouse nearby is visible from Panaji. Chapora fort is atop a laterite headland, overlooking the Vagator beach. It offers the best view of Goan countryside , especially where the river meet the sea- don't miss it for anything. The movie Dil Chahta Hai was shot here. The Tiracol fort comprises Goa 's northern-most tip. Some of its rooms have been turned into a small resort.South Goa 's best-known fort is atop the Cabo De Rama headland in Canacona taluka.

Beaches

Goa 's 105-km-long coastline has about 25 beaches. Most of these derive their name from the nearest fishing village.Those in the far north(Querim,Morjim and Mandrem)and far south(Agonda and Rajabaga)are unspoilt, almost deserted and bypassed by mass tourism. The most popular ones are Colva in the south, Calangute and Baga in the north, and Miramar near Panaji, which are swarming with tourists year-round. These are the safe bets if you are unsure where to go.Foreigner's prefer the northern beaches of Calangute, Vagator ,Anjuna and Arambolor the southern beaches of Palolem and Agonda.Anjuna beach was once famous for the full-moon rave parties (involving sex and drugs)of the hippie crowd. But these are now on the wane due to police crackdown.The quieter but easily accessible Candolim(12 km from Panaji)and Vagator (18 km from Panaji) beaches are highly recommended if you want to enjoy some picturesque sunsets.Most Goan beaches are lined with “beach shacks”. These temporary, palm –thatched structures with plastic chairs and tables serve Goan and Continental food, and are mostly patronized by low-budget foreign tourists.

Temples

Ponda is the temple town of Goa where about dozen old Hindu temples are clustered together. Every temple has an annual festival called “zatra” in which the deity is taken out in a procession. Goa 's oldest temple (from Kadamba times) is the Shiva temple of Tambdi Surla , hidden inside the jungles of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.

Churches

Just like Ponda is known for temples, Old Goa is known for splendid churches. The most famous of these is the Basilica of Bom Jesus,built in 1605, which houses the “incorrupt” body of St Francis Xavier. Almost every Goan village or town on the coast has a white-washed church.

1. Take a sunset walk on the beach.

2. Explore Fountainhas (Panaji's old Portuguese quarter) on foot

3. See Old Goa's churches and the incorrupt body of St Francis Xavier

4. Expolre the wildlife sanctuaries of Goa

5. Take crocodile safari at Cumbarjua Canal

6. Go kart-racing at Nuvem

7. Explore Ponda's temple& spice plantations

8. Take scuba-diving lessons at Bogmalo

9. Enjoy a sunset cruise on Mandovi river

10. Taste the Goan cuisine and the local firewater called “feni”

11. Checkout Casino Caravela, Asia ,s only floating casino

12. Visit the 309 –mt-high Dudhsagarwater falls

13. Parasailing, jet skis, banana boats –take your pick in watersports

14. See the Ancestral Goa Museum

15. Bargain-hunt at the famous Anjuna Flea market held every Wednesday

16. Visit a Goan fort- Chapora , fort Aguada or Cabo Da Rama

17. Dance the night away at Tito's at Baga

18. Visit Asia 's only Naval Aviation Museum at Bogmalo to see real aircraft

19. Go boating at the Mayem lake

20. See the heritage house of Menezes Braganza at Chandor

21. Go bird –watching. (With over 250 bird species, Goa is hot on the world ornithology circuit.)

22. Rent a motorbike and explore he lushgreen Goan countryside.

23. Take a ferry ride just for fun.

24. Go shopping –buy cashews, kokum juice, a bottle of feni, handicrafts or Azulejos tiles.

Capital                                : Panaji (early “Panjim”)

Commercial Capital             : Margao

Districts                              : Two ( North Goa & South Goa )

Total area                           : 3,702 sq km

Altitude                               : Sea level to 1,022 mts

Climate & clothing                : Tropical year-round

Temparature                        : varies from 25 C to 30 C

Rains                                   : From June to Sept.(3,200 mm total)

Population                            : Around 1.35 million

Literacy rate                         : 83 percent

Population below povertyline  : 4.4 percent

Tourist Season                     : October to June

Peak Season                        : Dec 15 to Jan 10

Off Season                          : July 1 to Sept 30

Unofficial state dish              : Fish curry & Rice

Unofficial state drink             : Feni

Wildlife sanctuaries              : Four

Major Towns                        : Panaji, Margao( Madgaon),Ponda,                                             Old Goa ,Vasco

Most popular beaches           : Calangute, Baga,Colva, Miramar

Main railway stations            : Madgaon, Vasco

Airport                                : Dabolim (near Vasco)

Major faiths                         : Hinduism (65%) , Christianity (30%)                                             Others (5 %)

Famous folk festival             : Shigmostav

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