Goa was discovered by travellers in the late 60s who were relieved to have found somewhere away from the mainstream, where holidaying meant simply hanging out, smoking weed and partying on the beach, particularly at full moon. The state quickly grew a reputation for its hedonism and liberal attitude under a hot sun that sets in splendour every evening over the Arabian Sea. In recent years the authorities have tried to discourage the hippies and budget backpackers, angling rather for clientele with fatter wallets, and Goa is trying to shake off its image as a hippy hangout.
Now with a quick rail link to Mumbai and charter flights from the UK, thousands of tourists flock here each winter to relax and enjoy the Goan cuisine - a blend of exotic Indian spices with the Latin love of meat and fish. Many hotels and resorts have popped up over the last few years to cater for this ever-popular destination, but with more than 25 miles of beautiful sandy beaches there is still plenty of tranquillity to be found.
Goa is of the most sought after travel and tourism destinations in India, Goa is considered to be no less than Paradise. Where else will you find the perfect blend of exotic beaches, lip smacking cuisine, easy going people, rocking parties and ancient religious places! Goa is synonymous with vacations and holidays. This is the only state that guarantees to relax and rejuvenate you and at the same time set your adrenalin rushing with the amazing varieties it has to offer. Our related sections shall give you complete information on travel and tourism in Goa.
Area : The state of Goa covers an area of 3,702 sq. km.
Altitude : From sea-level at the coast to an altitude of 1,022 metres above sea-level at its highest point in the Sahyadri Ghats.
Boundaries : On the Eastern and Southern boundaries lies the state of Karnataka; on the Western side the Arabian Sea and the state of Maharashtra lies on the Northern side.
Highest Mountain : Sonsogad in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats (3,827 feet).
Longest rivers :The Zuari (39 miles), and The Mandovi (38.5 miles)
Highways : Goa is connected by the National Highways - NH4A, NH17 and NH17A to the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Airport : The only airport is the Goa Airport at Dabolim near the town of Vasco-da-Gama and the Mormugao Harbour handles both the domestic and the international flights.
Clothing required : Tropical clothing throughout the year. Light woollens during December and January. Rainwear in the Monsoons.
Tourist Season : October to February is peak season while June to September is off season.
Languages Spoken : English is widely spoken and understood in urban areas and to a lesser extent in the rural areas. Konkani, the official language, is most commonly used in day to day life.
Marathi and Hindi, the national language are also understood by most of the population. Portuguese once very popular all over the state, has rapidly declined since liberation in 1961 and today is used mostly by the elderly generation.
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