 White sand and blue seas, warmed by the sun; lush
tropical vegetarian; sleepy villages surrounded
by bright paddy field; leisurely lifestyles and
baroque churches- Goa is all this and much more.
Goa became Part the Indian Union only in 1961. Goa
has taken into its fold dynasties and religions.
Goa lies on Arabian sea ensconced on the slopes
of western Ghats- the Sahydari range.Its seven rivers-
Tricol, Chapora. Mandovi, Zuari, Sal, Talpona and
Galibaga- flow from these ranges. They flow west
towards idyllic palm-fringed beaches like Aranbol,
Vegator, Arjuna, Baga, Calangute and Miramar in
the north Colva, Betul and Palolemin the south.
Goa has pleasant climate throughout the year. With
130 Kms of coastline. Goa offers an immense variety
of superb beaches, some totally secluded, others
with many facilities. The palm - fringed Dona Paula,
with its magnificent view of the Marmagao harbour,
and the lovely Miramar closet to Panaji. Across
the Mandovi River are Candolim, the famous Calangute,
followed by Baga, Anjuna, Vagator and , in the extreme
north, the little-known Harmal. Siridao, near the
estuary of the Zuari River, is a shell collector's
dream. Still further south there are Bogmalo, Valsoa
and finally, around eight kilometers (five miles)
from Margao, the glorious stretch of colva, virtually
deserted except for a few resorts and quietest around
Benaulim and the Betul Promontory.
Area: 3,701 sq. Km
Population: 1.3 million
Capital: Panjim (Panaji)
Main Languages: Konkani, Marathi,
Hindi, English and Portuguese
Best time to visit: October to
May
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