Goa: a slice of Portuguese in India

Goa, located in the West Coast of India, in a region called Konkan,surrounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, is a famous tourist-spot for its magnificent picture- perfect beauty , serene beaches and ecstatic tourist attractions. Goa is divided into North Goa and South Goa. Panaji is the capital of Goa and the headquarters for North Goa and Margaon is the headquarters for the South Goa. While Vasco Da Gama is the largest city of Goa, there are cities with great historical influence too. As the Portuguese ruled for over 450 years, Goa demonstrates a strong influence of Portuguese culture, especially Margaon,which distinguishes Goa from the other places.

Goa features a tropical monsoon climate. Month of May sets the hottest season in Goa, though the monsoons rains come in by early June.  Winter comes in for a very short span between mid-December and February. Goa captivates so many tourists for the reason that it is like a natural paradise, as the beaches and the crystal clear water of the sea diminishes the humid climate and the summer sun!  Well known for its beaches and eminent architectural temples, Goa is filled with millions of tourists every year, who are also attracted by the grand festivals, carnivals and mouth-watering cuisine consisting of Kokum spice as a distinct feature.

Goa has two World Heritage sites: Bom Jesus Basilica and churches and convents of Old Goa.The other must see places in Goa are the Goa churches, Arvalam waterfall, Fort Aguada, Chapoli Dam and a new wax museum on Indian history and culture, situated  in Old Goa. Then there are temples like ShriBhagvati temple,Mahalaxmi temple andShriChandranath temple, to name a few from a number of temples which have a different architecture because of historical reasons. Not to forget the marvellous beaches like the Candolim beach, Miramar beach, Majorda beach, Moborbeach, Sinquerim beach, Colva beach, Anjuna beach, Varca beach, Palolem beach, Vagator beach. These beaches also offer numerous attractions like flea markets, grand parties and amazing cafés with round the clock service. The water sports are also a popular fascination among the tourists.

Goa is also known for the dance and music culture it holds. From the traditional dance forms like Dekhnni and Fugdi to the most popular Goa Trance, this is known to have its origins in Goa.

Goa has its own International Airport at Dabolimnear Vasco da Gama, catering to both domestic and International air services. Goa flights connect to Doha, Dubai, Sharjah and Kuwait in the Middle East. The domestic flights connect almost all the cities with airport availability throughout the year.