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November 2005 As I was wondering where to escape to during this time of the year, I received a call from Catherine, a friend of mine from Kolkata who wanted me to join her on a trip to Goa. Wow!!! I just jumped out of the chair and said yes immediately.  As we were both camping at different locations, we decided to meet up at Mumbai Airport. It was on the morning of 24th October, I took the newly introduced Spice Jet flight from New Delhi and reached Mumbai in the afternoon and was joined by Catherine who was waiting for me since morning. We soon boarded the Jet Airways flight and reached Goa around 15:50hrs the same afternoon. Goa, often called, the "Pearl of the Orient" is located on the beautiful coastal belt known as Konkan region on the western part of India. Goa is a favorite destination for travelers from around the world because of its magnificent scenic beauty, wonderful beaches, and the architectural splendors of its temples, churches and old houses.

Bom Jesus Basilica

Panjim, the state capital is located on the banks of the Mandovi River. Vasco, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda are the other major towns.

After calling up a few hotels from the Lonely Planet pages, we decided to stay at Resorte Marinha Duarado, which was near Baga Beach in northern Goa. It took us nearly 1 ½ hrs. to reach the hotel. 

Goa is famos for beaches the world over. It seems like people here eat, drink and breathe beaches. On most beaches, you will find shacks where beer is sold at cheap prices; you can also eat seafood from the Kiosks, inside of which you can see husbands tossing the pan and the wife taking the orders. 

Anjuna Beach, Baga Beach, Calangute Beach are some of the most beautiful beaches in northern Goa. Anjuna Beach, 8-km west of Mapusa, is one of the most popular beaches in Goa. We were told that the Anjuna Beach is the main venue for the big parties that are held each year during Christmas.

The quiet atmosphere and isolated location and freshwater river has made Baga Beach one of the favorites of beach lovers. 

The Portuguese ruled for nearly 400 years in Goa and other rulers who ruled prior to them have left their influences in the lifestyle of Goa; this can be seen in Goa's varied culture and architecture.
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Baga Beach

Some of the most beautiful churches in India are located here, which are largely a legacy of Portuguese colonization. Basilica Of Bom Jesus, Chapel and Tomb of St. Francis Xavier, Church Of St. Francis Of Assisi, Chapel Of St. Catherine and St. Cajetan Church are located in old Goa. But the most beautiful amongst them is the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Located at old Goa, 10 km east of Panaji, the Bom Jesus Basilica is a World Heritage monument, which is one of Goa’s most famous church and a fine example of Jesuit architecture.  We were surprised when told that this is the only church in Old Goa which is not plastered on the outside, the lime plaster having been stripped off by a zealous Portuguese conservationist in 1950.  Other than beaches and churches you can see the forts that have stood the test of time and have a lot to say about the past. They are Fort Aguada, Cabo da Rama, Chapora and Terekhol.

Goa is well connected by all the major airlines in India. The Goa Airport at Dabolim near the port town of Vasco-da-Gama is owned by the Indian Navy and is around 30kms from the capital city of Panaji. Check www.jetairways.com for detail flight schedule.

Accommodations

From rented houses to 5 star resorts, all options are available in Goa. We stayed at Resorte Marinha Duarado, 1 ½ km from Baga Beach and it was quiet and pleasant place. Some of the five star resorts are: Park Hyatt, Taj exotica and Leela Palace. Inexpensive rooms begin at INR 200 and goes up to INR 10,000 a night depending on the category of hotels you choose to stay in. 

We spent most of our time relaxing and spending time at the beaches, markets and in the restaurants that offer great seafood. 

Your trip to Goa is not complete unless you spend at least a night in the most famous discotheque in Goa, Club Tito’s. Located at Baga, Tito does not need an introduction and it is always chock-full of people. Olli's Pub, located at Anjuna, on the way to Mapusa, is another favorite amongst travelers. 

For a worry free trip to Goa visit www.travelpack.com/goa and contact their office in Goa for a holiday of a lifetime.

We spent a week in this exotic paradise and we look forward to returning here during the Christmas holidays. Hope you be there as well. Good-bye…

The following are Rajeep's previous articles for the magazine:

Think India - Think Holiday At Kerala
Northeastern India -Destination: Shillong
Northeastern India - Destination: Guwahati
Escape To Sundarbans…. Indian Flexabiltiy

Rajdeep Bhattacharjee is a Travel Writer and can be contacted at rajdeep@ecotourism.cc

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