Stretches of endless silver sand and white surf beaches wetted by the rush of the 'azure' arabian sea, the revelling of late nights over the local feni brew, the tarvernas, white churches and temples resting against plush green padding fields and coconut trees, the nostalgic atmosphere, longer days of sun, sand and sea, in other words -- Welcome to Goa.

But there's so much more than the sun, sand and trance. The allure of Goa is that it remains distinct from the rest of the other Indian states, and is yet small enough to get hold of and explore in a myriad of different ways. Its not just the familiar remnants of European colonialism that make Goa seem so accessible, but rather the prevalence of Christianity and some form of socio-political progressiveness that tourists most notably Westeners, can relate to. Although Hindus outnumber Catholics by 70-30, there are more skirts and pants than saris, and its people display a sense of liberality and civility which you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere in India. Goa is perhaps the only place in India where shorts and tank tops and skimpy outfits are not frowned upon anywhere except at religious locations.

This former Portuguese enclave located on the western coast of India has enjoyed a prominent bookmark in the travellers diary since the early days of the 1960's, when it became a favorite place for 'hippies', thanks to cheap accommodation availability and freely availability of drugs, and the fascination of roaming like Adam and Eve, stark naked on the beach - both of which are banned.

Travellers in Goa feel at home, 'hang out' around, be mellow or tipsy or wear local tribal outfits, but the once upon a time hippies have now been replaced by backpackers, ogled eyed Indian tourists scampering about the place in hope to see naked westerners on the beach, and a large number of foreign charter tourists, perhaps escaping the winter in Europe, on a 2 week holiday jaunt to this beautiful haven.

The palm-lined coastal plains, the wooded uplands and beaches so still and endless, create an illusion of lethargy - laziness or Sosegado, the local term. But in reality, Goans are hardworking, full of song, dance and merriment. Tourism is the main money-spinner and the majority of the population is engaged in related business. On the coast itself, coconut cultivation and fishing (both in-shore, with small boats, canoes and hand-nets, and off shore, with modern trawlers) are still the main sources of income. The discovery of iron in the hills to the east has also generated considerable revenue, and the economy is further fuelled by the stream of remittance cheques sent home by expatriate Goans working in Mumbai, the Gulf states, Europe and the U.S.

Goa's 450 years under Portuguese domination produced a unique, syncretize blend of East and West that is at once exotic and strangely familiar: Christmas and Carnival are celebrated as enthusiastically by the 30-percent Goan Christian population as Diwali and Durga puja are by the Goan Hindus. The state's separate identity is discernible in other ways too, most visibly in its Latinate architecture, but also in a preference for a fish-and meat-rich cuisine. Another marked difference is the prevalence of alcohol. Beer is cheap, and six thousand or more bars around the state are licensed to serve it, along with the more traditional tipples of feni, the local hootch, and toddy, a derivative of palm sap. 

Being the highest literate state in the union territory of India, Goa has come along way now from just being a beach haven. Apart for its distinctiveness, progress in fields of Education, Information Technology and Industry have scaled to new heights and all round development. But still a lot needs to be done as bureaucracy is seen as the major hindrance towards all round development of the state.

The east is the east, the west the west, but the twain do meet in Goa. After all, where in the world would you find Christmas celebrated with as much zest as Diwali, or where fish curry and rice are eaten side-by-side with chouricos (Portuguese for sausages). Imagine yourself strolling amongst women full dressed in their saris wading through one of Goa's numerous beaches, and then having the (mis)fortune of accidentally walking over a not so fully dressed person taking in the rays. Goa is indeed a bridge between the east and west, with Goans (NOT Goanese!) serving their role as bridge keepers or "Culture Brokers" between the two. In order to better appreciate Goa and its unique culture, history and people, we hope that you take some time to browse through the several sections listed below.

Climate: Maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperature of about 15 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is upto 900 mm in the monsoons (June-August). 

Goan cuisine is a blend of different influences the Goans had to endure during the centuries. The staplefood in Goa is fish, both among the Hindus as well as the Catholics. On other fronts however, there is a vast difference in the foods of these two communities, the main reason being that the Christians also eat beef and pork which are taboo in most Hindu households. While Hindu Goan food does not seem to have picked up any Portuguese influence, the Christian food has been influenced not only by the Portuguese, but also by its overseas settlments. However, it has not been a oneway transfer. An example is canjade galinha, which is a type of chicken broth with rice and chicken pieces, and is originally a Goan recipe. Another is arroz doce, which is a Portuguese adaptation of pais or kheer (sweetened rice) found in India. 

The best way to get around Goa is to hire a Motorbike. To ensure that your are not caught by the law and fined heavily, do carry the relevant papers - registration, driving licence, etc. International Driving licence holders will need to get their licence endorsed at the Directorate of Transport. In Panjim, it is located inside the Bus Terminus. If you don't know how to drive, than motorcycle taxis, black and yellow color, is the fun way of moving between towns. 

By Air: Goa's airport is Dabolim. The city is connected with Bombay, Bangalore, Cochin, Delhi, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram and all the major cities of India by Indian Airlines flights and by private airlines. 

By Train: Goa is connected with Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Mysore, Pune, Hyderabad with the new Konkan Railway which has started operations recently. 

By Road: Goa is connected by a somewhat good motorable road with Bombay, Bangalore, Mangalore, Pune. Many private A/C and non A/C luxury and ordinary buses operate from all the above places. The National Highways linking Goa are NH-4A, NH-17 and Nh-17A.

Internal transport

River Cruises: The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) runs a variety of river cruises on the Mandovi -- daytime, sunset and moonlight. There are two types of day cruises -- from the Panjim jetty, down the Mandovi into the Zuari bay and up the Mandovi to Aldona and a mineral water spring. 

Bus Service: Local services are operated by Kadamba Transport Corporation (Govt. of Goa undertaking) and private operators at regular intervals. Luxury coaches, mini buses, tourist taxis and autorickshaws are available on rent and hire. Apart from this, self-driven or chauffeur driven rent-a-car are also available.

By Ferry: Flat-bottomed ferries are the most common mode of transport. Though a little crammed with locals and tourists, these blue-painted hulks help you cross coastal backwaters where bridges have not yet been built. They're cheap and run from the crack of dawn until late in the evening. The most frequented river crossings in Goa are Panjim to Betim, across the Mandovi (every 15min); Old Goa to Divar Island (every 15min); Siolim to Chopdem, across the Chapora River for Arambol and Pernem (every 15min); Querim to Terekol, over the Terekol River (every 30min); and Cavelossim, in the far south of Salcete taluka, to Assolna (every 20-30min).

Tourist Taxi: These are taxis run by private individuals, usuall the white Maruti vans idetified by white-background number plates. 

Yellow-Black cabs: These are cabs identified by Rental meters placed on the drivers side. 

By Motorcycle Taxi: Ideal for a quick jaunt to the beaches or into town from the resorts. Bona fide operators ride black bikes (usually Enfields) with yellow mudguards and white number plates.

Car or Motorcyle Rental:  Cars can be rented, either chaffeur driven of self-driven from:

HERTZ, opposite Don Bosco's high school, Panjim market are. Tel # 224304.
WHEELS RENT-A-CAR, Panjim, Tel # 224304.
SAI SERVICE, Panjim-Mapusa Highway road, next to the New Goverment of Goa, Secretariat, Alto-Porvorim. Tel # 217775.