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Visit Goa

Goa - Located midway down the west coast of India, the erstwhile Portuguese colony of Goa is known for its silvery expanse of sensuous sands and its completely relaxed approach towards life. Full moon night parties, nightclubs, discotheques, pubs, bars and casinos are a big draw for tourists from all over. On the occasions of New Year and Christmas, Goa pulsates with activity. Apart from that, this erstwhile Portuguese colony is also replete with a number of ancient churches, mansions and forts that are reminiscent of the colonial rule.

Goas coastline provides endless sun drenched crescents of sand. It has a range of mountains and is dotted by various rivers. The land away from the coast is rich in minerals and ores and medicinal springs. Whitewashed chapels and churches that dot the landscape are surrounded by sleepy villages and rice fields. The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa a firm favourite with travellers.

Major Travel Attractions in Goa
Beaches & Water Sports : The 125 km long coastline of Goa is dotted with famed beaches like Anjuna, Colva, Baga, Calangute, Bogmalo, Candolim, Dona Paula etc. Apart from feasting your eyes and lazing around the long sandy beaches, you can also indulge in water sports like wind surfing, para sailing, water skiing, scuba diving, dinghy sailing, angling etc.

Churches : Being an erstwhile Portuguese colony, Goa has been gifted with a number of ancient churches, some of which showcase stunning architectural styles. Famous churches of Goa include Basilica of Bom Jesus, the Se Cathedral, Church of St Francis of Assissi, Church of Our Lady of Rosary and the Rachol Seminary.

Fairs & Festivals : Goa celebrates a host of festivals from the very religious to the most popular. Mahashivratri, Shigmo, Kalas Utsav, Ram Navmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepawali and Janmashtami are a few of the religious festivals. A must-attend for tourists is the Goa Carnival which falls during February and continues for five days. The Feast of Three Kings is the other big draw for tourists and holidaymakers.

Temples : A good number of temples in the state of Goa testifies the mutual tolerance and the eclectic mix of cultures that the people here are. Noroa River, the Arvalem Waterfall and the Brahma Camandolu are the chief places where you can soak up spirituality. Some of the popular temples of the state include the Brahma Temple, the Bhagwati Temple, Shri Datta Mandir, Shri Damodar Temple etc.

Air / Rail / Road Links
The Dabolim Airport, which lies at a distance of 29 km from Panaji, offers regular flights run by the domestic airlines along with chartered private airlines operating from UK and Germany. The Konkan Railway makes Goa easily accessible from different parts of the country by trains as well. There are train services from important places like Delhi (1,874 km), Mumbai (490 km) and Bangalore (430 km). The state transport buses of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka are available at the Kadamba Bus Stand of Panaji.