Pearl of the Orien
Goa (Go Goa) is known for its striking landscape, famous beaches in India, astounding monuments and churches and bustling Goa nightlife. Goa is one of the most visited tourist places in India, especially on weekends, as it is not very far from Mumbai and having Panaji as its capital and Vasco da Gama as the largest city.
The Portuguese rule in Goa lasted for as long as 450 years. The history of the Portuguese in Goa was similar to the British in India. It is interesting to know that while the Portuguese ruled Goa, their country itself was ruled by Spain from the late 16th century for a period of 60 years. The period is known as the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis and is known to be a result of the death of a young king Sebastian of Portugal.
Although Goa is prevailing as a legacy of the Portuguese colonial era, in fact, its history dates back to as early as in the antiquity during which facts were mingled with mythology. However, the evident history of Goa is that it was part of the Mauryan Empire (the 3rd century B.C). For the next 700 years, Goa was ruled by the succession of Hindu dynasties such as the Shillaharas, the Kadambas, and the Chalukyans. Until 1312, Goa was controlled by the Muslims, and it began to rise as an important landing place for ships carrying horses to Hampi.
VIA AIR : Dabolim Airport, approximately 26 km away from Panaji (capital city of Goa), is the main domestic as well as international aerodrome. This airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 is the domestic terminal and Terminal 2 is the international terminal. All major domestic carriers including AirAsia India, Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet have regular flights from Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Kolkata, Indore, Chennai and Pune, among others. Serving international destinations such as Muscat, Doha and Copenhagen are the airlines such as Novair, Qatar Airways and Oman Air, to name a few. Travellers can hire taxis from outside the airport to reach anywhere in Goa.
VIA TRAIN : Reaching Goa by train is quite convenient as there are two main railheads serving the state, namely Vasco da Gama and Madgaon. These two railway stations are extremely well linked to other parts of the country via an extensive train network. There are regular trains from Delhi for Madgaon, where Goa Sampark Kranti Express and Trivandrum Express are the most prominent ones. While Madgaon railway station is about 38 km away from Panjim, Vasco da Gama railway is approximately 29 km away. Travellers can avail of taxi services from outside the railway stations.
VIA ROAD : Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and KTC are some of the prime operators providing bus services from nearby cities such as Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. Besides, those driving to Goa from Bangalore and Mumbai can take NH 4 route, which is extremely smooth and well maintained while those coming from Mangalore can steer their wheels through NH 17.
Located at a close proximity of 4 Km from Panjim city, Dona Paula is one of those beaches in Goa that you must pay a visit to.
If you are staying somewhere near Dabolim Airport, make sure you go to Bogmalo beach. The sunset of this beach is something that should not be missed when you are in Goa.
Located 14 Km north of Panaji in the state of Goa, the Candolim Beach is a part of a long extension of beach coastline along the Arabian Sea that begins at Fort Aguada and ends at Chapora Beach.
