Sunrise At Goa!
Welcome to Goa. To a heady mix of East and east. Where diverse cultures meet in splendor & Harmony. Where History & nature speak in equal measure! Where the environment is at one with progress. Goa- The Land of new moon beaches, pounding, pulsating waves, the azure blue Arabian sea & emerald greenery & people with the warmest smiles on the face of India!
Monumental Goa
In terms of pure density, no other state can match the scale & depth of antiquity that Goa Offers. Centuries ago, Old Goa was known as the ‘EL DOURADO’, the city of gold. It was here that the portugues first landed in 1510 under the commander Afonso de Alburquerque forever changing the history of Goa.
As Christianity spread it wings, so did the many churches and spires. The Se Cathedral, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the church of st. Francis of Assisi among several others are all part of the heritage and history of Goa.
The relics of the body of the patron saint of Goa Francis Xavier in the Basilica draws legions of visitors. Old Goa has been infact proclaimed a world heritage site by the UNESCO
GOABOOKERS Recommended
St.Francis of Assisi
St. Cathedral
St. Cathedral Chapel
Cajetan’s Church
Relics of St. Francis Xavier
Ruins of St.Augustine
Temple Lore
Many of the temples of Goa have stood tall, defying the turmoil and vicissitudes of history. Among the oldest in the 12th century is Tambdi Surla temple of Mahadev in the Malem Wildlife Sanctuary in Sanguem.
The Mangueshi temple and the Shantadurga temple in ponda are majestic creations with intricately designed pillars and idols, drawing scores of piligrims from Goa and across the borders, housing as they do the family deities of many with ancestral roots in Goa.
Several temples and shrines dot the countryside, some steeped in history. Ponda, the temple town of Goa and its environs are a piligrimage centre, attracting the devout throughout the year!
GOABOOKERS.COM Recommended-
Shantadurga Temple- Kavalem
Manguesh Temple-Mangueshi
Mahalasa Narayani Temple- Mardol’
Maruti Temple-Mala
Nagesh Temple-Nageushi
Bodgeshwar Temple- Mapusa
Festive Seasons
Feasts and festivals are celebrated throughout the year and are all part of the myriad colors of Goa. From the spring festival of Holi and shigmo with all its hues and shades of Christmas and carnival, the three days of fun and feasting, including the carnival parade, before the austere period of Lent.
But Goa with its innate high spirits and its inclusive and cosmopolitan outlook is an all-season calendar of celebration. And traditional and Village feasts add a distinctive touch to the lovely state of Goa!
GOABOOKERS.COM Recommended-
Spring Festival –Shigmo
Feast of St.John The Baptist- Sao Joao
Ganesh Chaturthi
Christmas in Goa
Festival of colors-Holi
Goa Carnival Parade
Romancing the River
Goa is not beaches alone. Nature has blessed the land with abundant rivers like Mandovi, Sal and the Zuari. And these are not the only waterways for trawlers and iron-ore carriers. River cruises down the Mandovi river especially great for a memorable evening. Watch the crisscrossed silhouette of fishing nets or the waves lapping gently or the skyline of Panjim city as you take the leisurely cruise on the “Santa Monica”, “Shantadurga” or on the “Poseidon” with live music and games to enliven your journey.
Sail down the Zuari or the Sal for a memorable day out.
GOABOOKERS Recommended-
Night river cruise
Casino Cruise
Day River Cruise
Privately Operated Cruise
Noah’s Arc
Intriguing Interiors
Far from the beach belt, the verdant interiors of Goa has much to offer the “Footsoldier tourist’ who prefers long walking tours, as also to bird watchers and nature trail trekkers and campers. Take a step into the unknown and take vivid memories back home!
GOABOOKERS Recommeded-
Hiking & Trekking
Houseboat on the backwaters
Scenic interiors & Nature walks
Bird Watching’
Monsoon Honeymoon
Come the rains and the fields are blinding shades of green. The palm trees sway like dervishes and the hotel rooms are cosy with the rhythmic pitter-patter from the heavens.
The advancing crash of the high, curling waves warns visitors to stay far from their grasp.
Also hotel rooms are snug and cool & indoor games are fun!
Its just the ripe time for a honeymoon monsoon!
Also Checkout!
Patchworks of Paddy fields & Lashing Waves
Carpets of green & Swaying Palm Trees along with Snug hotel rooms
Life In The Wild
Wildlife roams and flits about in the three sanctuaries of Bondla, Molem and Cotigoa, besides the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Charao. Catch the sight of a leopard or a king cobra. Take an elephant ride and watch dears saunter by or an infinite variety of bird life from the Malabar Hornbill to paradise flycatcher.
Goa is indeed a paradise. More so if you catch a sight of the majestic , foaming Dudhsagar Waterfalls named after its milk white texture.
Things to checkout- GOABOOKERS recommended
Paradise flycatcher’
Elephant Ride at Bondla Sanctuary
Malabar Hornbill
Tiger at Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
Deer and Cobra at Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
Melting Pot
A splendid repast awaits you. Goa is not only a melting pot of cultures but also of cuisine. East deliciously mingles with the west in a concoction of piquant flavors that has produced the like of Xacuti, sex-sec, cafreal and a variety of prawn and fish curries with their own regional flavors and influences.
Goan restaurants have become a speciality in their own right—and not just in Goa!
And by the way can you leave Goa without partaking a lot of cashew and coconut feni!!
Things to try- GOABOOKERS Recommmended
Fusion Cuisine
Goan Gourmet Seafood
Goan Dessert-Bebinca
Spicy fried fish
Chicken Xacuti with rice
Spice Gardens
The unique Goan culinary has not been cooked up from the thin air. But from a variety of spices, some indigenous and others brought in through historical spice routes spanning Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Enjoy a trip to the spice gardens and plantations in Goa and encounter firsthand where and how your cardamons, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla come from!
Add zing and zest to your life!
Things to checkout- GOABOOKERS recommended
Sahakari spice farm
Bird watching at tropical spice
Vanilla plants
Elephant showers & Tropical spice plantation
Pascoal Spice Farm
To Market to Market
The Wednesday flea market at Anjuna is now a part of International folklore. From its humble makeshift beginnings as a barter cum market place for the hippies in the early seventies, it is now a thriving and a colorful bazaar attracting sellers and buyers from all over the world.
On sale are jewellery and clothes, footwear and leather goods, fashion accessories, perfumes, lampshades, chess sets and it can go on and on!
The Saturday night bazaar follos in Arpora close by. As colorful and even bigger with a variety of food and drink outlets.
But beware! Bargaining is the name of the game!!
GOABOOKERS recommended-
Friday Market at Mapusa
Ingo’s Saturday Night Bazaar
Flea Market at Anjuna
Baga Shopping stall
More Attractions
And it does’nt gets over here…there is a lot more to see and do. Goa is a chapter without end, an endless page-turner of a book. Picturesque and thrilling!
Other Attractions to checkout-
Rachol Seminary
Harvalem Caves
Light house at Fort Aguada
Teracol Fort
Arvalem Waterfalls
Musuem of Christian Art
Boating At Mayem Lane
Big Foot, Ancestral Goa, Loutolim
Crocodile Sightseeing
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