My Travel

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One can have South Goa and North Goa one day tours at Rs 120 each. Departure 0930 h, Arrival 1800 h. Conducted tour sucks !!. Hire a car or go by bus to Colva beach, Old Goa, Panaji, Calangute beach or to Vagator beach via Mapusa. Enjoy the beauty at your pace. Take your time to explore it in full.

Goa has a number of whitewashed churches, sun-kissed palm-fringed beaches, paddy fields, coconut-palm groves and crumbling forts guarding rocky capes make up the Goan landscapes. Markets are lively, colourful affairs and there are feasts and festivities throughout the year. Panaji is the state capital, while Old Goa has fascinating Cathedrals and churches. Mapusa is the market town (Friday market) near the main beaches - Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute and Candolim. The other popular beaches are Miramar, Dona Paula, Majorda.

The main railway station is at Madgaon. There are Panaji non stop buses from Madgaon Kadamba bus stand (Rs 19, 34 km). Accomodation on Madgaon is cheaper as it is way from the main tourist hotspots of Goa. Kadamba is the name of a popular dynasty which ruled Goa and the nearby areas centuries ago.

Goans are easy going people and majority are Roman Catholics. Late night parties are common sight near the beaches. Motorbikes can be hired for exploring Goa at your will. The best season to visit is from Oct to Feb, while the peak season is from mid Dec to late Jan. Christmas and New year are the main celebrations. Carnival (Mar) and other feasts, mainly St. Francis Xavier's, are having it's own distinction.

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Panaji is located at the mouth of river Mandovi and is a most pleasant state capital. Panaji has narrow streets, lined with tiled and painted buildings, shuttered windows and tiny overhanging balconies. It is a pleasure to walk beside the Mandovi river to state magician's statue, old secretariat, Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, State museum, Archbishop's house, Chief Minister's house.

One can enjoy evening boat cruises from Santa Monica jetty near Mandovi river.

Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception : It is the main church of Panaji and was consecrated in 1541. The church has huge bells, golden painted altar, large seashell for holy water storage and display of Holy Bible to read etc.

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Goa state museum : The displays include Christian art, Hindu and Jain sculpture, bronzes and paintings from all over India. The museum is located near the Kadamba bus stand (Closed on Sat and Sun). The main exhibits include an elaborately carved table used in the Goa inquisition, and an antique pair of huge rotary lottery machine.

The main ancient Hindu temples of Goa are Shantadurga and Mangeushi. Both has whitewashed light stand (Deepmal) in front of the temple. The temples has huge chandeliers, silver covered doors and silver statues of deity.

Secretariat building : Dating from the 16 century, this handsome colonial building on one of Panaji's most traffic prone streets was originally the palace of the Muslim ruler Adil Shah before becoming the viceroy's official residence in 1759.

The bizarre statue of a man apparently about to strangle a woman is of Abbe Faria, a famous Goan hypnotist, and his assistant.

City's closest beach, Miramar is near the Secretariat.

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Fort Aguada : The fort was made in 1622 by the Portuguese at the mouth of the Mandovi river. The lighthouse nearby can be visited from 4 to 5.30 pm (admission Rs 10). The beaches of Candolim and Sinquerim are popular with charter tourists. Sinquerim beach offers a range of water sports Dolphin trip (Rs 750) and parasailing (Rs 700). Further north is Calangute beach.

Calangute beach : This long sandy beach is crowded with sun beds and slowly burning bodies. Further north is Baga beach. Further north is Baga river and can be crossed over a bridge. A footpath over the hills leads to Anjuna beach (3 km).

Anjuna beach : It is famous for it's wednesday flea market, stil under development. Bus stand is nearby. Vagator is further 4 km north by road.

Vagator beach : This small and rocky beach is one of the prettiest beaches in north Goa. It is a hot location for outdoor rave parties. The beach has a dense cover of coconut palms. Vagator is the northern most popular beach dominated by Portuguese fort of Chapora.

Vagator and Anjuna beaches has drug connection and violence has been reported from here.

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Old Goa - The former Portuguese capital of Old Goa has a dozen imposing churches and cathedrals (amongst the largest in Asia) and it is also called Rome of the east. The 16th century Bom Jesus Basilica houses the sacred remains of St Francis Xavier, Patron Saint of Goa, are enshrined in a silver casket, entombed in a marble mausoleum. The feast of St Francis Xavier is celebrated on Dec 3 every year. Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral are world heritage centres by UNESCO. It is 9 km east of Panaji and is connected by buses from Panaji and Madgaon.

Se Cathedral : It is the largest church in Old Goa and it's construction began in 1562 and was completed in 1619. The building's style is Portuguese Gothic with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interior.

The tower houses a famous bell, one of the largest in Goa, often called the Golden bell because of it's rich sound. The main altar is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, and painting on either side of it depict scene from her life and martyrdom.

Kristu Kala Mandir at 17 century Archbishop house exhibits Christian art gallery. Wax Jesus with cross is the main attraction.

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Church of St. Francis Assisi : The church interior contains gilded and carved woodwork, a stunning reredos (ornamented screen behind the altar), old murals depicting scenes from the life from St. Francis and a floor made of carved gravestones - complete with family coats of arms dating back to the early 16 century.

The church was built by eight Franciscan friars who arrived here in 1517 and constructed a small chapel consisting of three altars and a choir. This was later pulled down and the present building was constructed on the same spot in 1661.

A convent behind this church is now the archaeological museum (admission Rs 5, Friday closed, no photography). It houses the portraits of Portuguese viceroys, sculpture fragments from Hindu temple sites, and stone vetal images from the animist cult that flourished in this part of India centuries ago.

St Catherine chapel is nearby.

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Basilica of Bom Jesus : It is famous throughout the Roman Catholic world because it contains the tomb and mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. A former pupil of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, St. Francis Xavier embarked on missionary voyages in 1541.

Apart from the richly gilded altars, the interior of the church is remarkable for it's simplicity. Construction began in 1594 and was completed in 1605. The focus of the church is the three tiered marble tomb of St. Francis, which took 10 years to build and was completed in 1698. The remains of the body are kept in silver casket, which one time was covered in jewels.

The incorrupt body of St. Francis Xavier : Goa's patron saint, died on 3 Dec 1552 after 10 years as tireless missionary. He died on the island of Sancian, off the coast of China. A servant has said to have emptied four sacks of quicklime in to his coffin to consume his flesh in case the order came to return the remains to Goa. Two months later the body was still in perfect condition. In the next year his remains were returned to Goa.

Church accepted the miracle only after a medical examination of the body in 1556 by viceroy's physician to establish that the body had not been embalmed. It was not until 1622 that cannonisation took place, but by then holy-relic hunters had started work on the incorupt body.

In 1614 the right arm was removed and divided between the Jesuits in Japan and Rome, and by 1636 parts of one shoulder blade and all the internal organs had been scattered through Southeast Asia.

By the end of the 17 century the body was in an advanced state of desiccation, and the miracle appeared to be over. The Jesuits decided to enclose the corpse in a glass coffin out of view, and it was not until the mid-19th century that the current cycle of 10 yearly exposition began, the next being in 2014.

An art gallery is in the building which offers a view of St Francis tomb from it's top.

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Church of St Cajetan : Modeled on the original design of St Peter's in Rome, the church was built by Italian friars of the order of Thestines, who were sent by Pope Urban III to preach Christianity in the Kingdom of Golconda. The construction of the church began in 1655. The Gate of Adil Shah's palace is in front of the church. The Viceroy's Arch is near the church and it leads to the Divar island ferry.

Convent of St Monica, Church & Museum of Christian art : This huge three storey laterite building was completed in 1627 has a miraculous weeping cross. The one half of the church is the Museum of Christian art (admission Rs 20) contains statuary, paintings and sculptures transferred here from the Rachol Seminary. Many of the works of Goan Christian art during the Portuguese era were produced by the local Hindu artists.

The road further leads to Church of Our Lady of rosary.

Church of St Augustine (in ruins): The church was constructed in 1602 and was abandoned in 1835 due to the policies of Portuguese government. In 1931, the facade and half the tower also fell down. All that is left is an enormous 46 m tower that served as a belfry and formed part of the facade.

Chapel of St Anthony is on the same road, opposite to Church of St Augustine. It has a nice decorated altar.

Convent and Church of St John is nearby. It has no tourist importance and is normally closed.

For city view climb the 1.7 km route to Church of Our Lady of the Mount.

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Madgaon :The attractions of the city are Church of Holy spirit and covered market.

Colva beach (10 km): It is a long sandy beach, which competes with Calangute in its scenic splendor. Benaulim is nearby popular beach.

Ancestral Goa at Loutolim : The 250 year old grand mansion of Casa Arajao Alvarez (admission Rs 100, Camera Rs 10) is 10 km north east of Madgaon. It exhibits a variety of antiques from the Portuguese era. The re-creation of 18th century Goan village life under the Portuguese a century ago at Ancestral Goa is worth visiting (admission Rs 50). It has 14 m long laterite statue of Sant Mirabhai (India's longest), a Rajput princess and historical figure.

Chandor : The superb 17 century colonial mansion - Braganza house is 15 km from Madgaon at Chandor. It is now divided into east and west wings. The ballrooms have Italian marble tiles, Belgian glass chandeliers and carved rosewood furniture. The most impressive west wing has beautiful furniture and Chinese porcelain. The two large rooms behind the entrance halls contain Dr Menezes Braganza's extensive library.

The east wing has a small family chapel containing a carefully hidden relic of St Francis Xavier - a fingernail. The house has a good collection of antiques, a ballroom with mirrors and Chadeliers, furniture, palanquins etc.

Both houses are open daily and give you a guided tour. Contributions for maintenance are expected (Rs 50 to 100).

The Fernandes house (Sunday closed) east of the church is also worth visiting. The 500 year old house has a secret hideaway with an escape tunnel to the river. Buses operates regularly from Madgaon to Chandor.

Dudhsagar waterfalls (603 m) is another main tourist attraction (60 km, on the Londa railway line). It is the second highest fall in India and is best during the monsoon. Devils canyon nearby is favorite with trekkers.

For updated info, visit www.goa-tourism.com

[dulcebombon]

Hi, is there a web site where I could see some pictures? I have read your posts and I think it is very interesting

Thank u 8)