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About Goa
Find out about Goa - What makes is so special and exciting?
Goa is India's most popular tourist and beach destination. It is located in the South - Western part of the country, in the Arabian Sea and along the lap of the forests of Western Ghats. It is bordered by Karnataka in the South and Maharashtra in the North. It is the smallest state in India.
Photo: pankaj
Quick Facts about Goa
Capital City: Panaji (Panjim)
Languages: Konkani (official language), Marathi, Kannada, English
Famous for: Beaches, Parties, Beer, Food, Culture, Churches
Time Zone: Indian Time Zone (IST) - + 5.30 GMT
Weather: Sunny, Humid
Transport: Reachable by Road, Air, Boat. Local Transport include buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws and ferries.
Telephone Codes: Panaji - 832. If you are calling Panaji from outside India you'll have to enter the country code (91) followed by Panaji's STD code and then followed by the phone number
Regions and Cities in Goa
Goa, for administrative reasons, is divided into two main parts - North Goa and South Goa. Panaji is the headquarters of the North Goa District and Margao of the South Goa District. Each district is governed by a District Collector, an administrator appointed by the Indian government. Goa has a literacy rate of around 80%. Read more about Goa's cities
Beaches of Goa - its main attraction
Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists every year. Westerners have been flocking to Goa since it attained independence from the Portuguese. One can find lots and lots of foreigners in the beach resorts, particularly Calangute. Indians from other states also visit Goa in large numbers. Read about Goa's beaches
Churches and Temples
Goa is also known for its temples, churches and world heritage architecture including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. There is a strong Christian influence in Goa and it is reflected in the number of feast and festivals followed religiously. This makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia. Go to Goa Churches or go to Goa temples
Wildlife and Nature
Goa is also endowed with rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot. Therefore one can find number of wildlife sanctuaries in the state. Read more about Goa wildlife travel
Popular destination on New Year's Eve - Party all the time!
During the Christmas and New Year Eve, tens of thousands of world tourists, both domestic and foreign, descend on Goa. So, one can expect crowds everywhere, particularly along the Baga-Calangute Beach stretch.
All the popular bars and restaurants are filled to capacity. Accommodations will be extremely expensive at this time.
If you want to avoid crowd and cacophony, choose to come to Goa later. You get twice the pleasure for your money! (Photo: alereportage)
There's more to Goa than only partying
Goa is very much a cosmopolitan state, tourist-oriented, place of star resorts and boutique guest houses, budget hotels etc. Of course, during New Year's Eve, Goa's beaches and markets are anything but calm.
Europeans come here to sample paradise at bargain prices while people from other outstations crowd the shoreline bars and restaurants. It's all action here.
You will run into endless opportunities for all-night partying and reckless abandon, but Goa's true pleasures are found away from the crowds, on the more remote beaches to the far north and south, and resort beaches of star hotels, or in the charming guesthouses located in the interior.
Many come to visit Goa only for a couple of days but decide to stay longer. Because, as they say, in the local parlance, "Sossegade" i.e., "Take it (life) easy".
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