Goa:
The most comprehensive beach resort in the
country, Goa is approachable from Bombay by air.
Goa’s coastline provides endless sun drenched
crescents of sand. Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute
and Candolim stretch out in an unbroken palm fringed
line. Other beaches are at Miramar and Colva.
Parasailing, yachting, windsurfing, and deep sea
diving are some of the more popular water sports,
facilities for which are available. In addition,
every sort of accommodation fringes the beaches,
from deluxe resorts to budget lodgings Inland, 451
years of Portuguese rule has imbued Goa’s towns
and villages with a unique culture. Whitewashed
chapels and churches that dot the landscape are
surrounded by sleepy villages and rice fields.
Panjim,
the capital city, and Margao, an important town,
have private houses and government buildings that
date back to Portuguese times. Old Goa, now
deserted, has a collection of Goa’s largest
churches: Se Cathedral with its Iberian exterior,
Bom Jesu which enshrines the mortal remains of St.
Francis Xavier and the starkly beautiful Convent of
Saint Monica are a few of these. Mapusa, a market
town, comes alive every Friday with a quaint
pavement bazar.
Generel
Information
- Access:
Road. 597 km. Motorable, but requires an
overnight stay at Chiplun, tourist facilities
provided. Air: Indian Airlines connecls daily
with Bombay.
- Rail:
Vasco da Gama, 35 km away, is the nearest
railhead.
Hotels
Deluxe
– The Fort Aguada Beach Resort and The Aguada
Heritage,The Taj Holiday Village,The Oberoi Bogmalo
Beach Resort,Majorda Beach Resort,The Leela Beach,
Goa Renaissance Resort, Cidade de ’Goa, Old
Anchor.
Standard – Whispering Palms, Dona Sylvia, Fidalgo,
Baia Do Sol, Mandovi, Dona Paula,Golden Goa, La Paz,
Nova Goa.
Budget – GTDC runs tourist hostels at Panaji,
Calangute, Mavem, Tirekhal Fort, Molem, Mapusa,
Margao and Vasco da Gama.
Altitude
: Sea level to 1022 mts.
Climate (deg C): Summer- Max. 33,
Min. 26; Winter- Max. 31, Min. 20.
Rainfall : June to September (350
cms).
Best Season : October to May (Peak
season December to February).
TRANSPORT
AND COMMUNICATIONS:
-
Air : Goa (Dabolim Airport) is
connected by Indian Airlines and Air India to
Bombay, Bangalore, Cochin, Delhi, Madras and
Ahmedabad.
Fare : Bombay-Goa: Rs.1031/-(Y), Rs.1434/-(J)
Private Airlines such as East West, Goa Way also
operate flights to Goa.
Rail: Vasco-da-Gama and Margoa are connected by
train with Bangalore, Belgaum, Hospet, Hubli and
Hyderabad and via Miraj to Bombay, Delhi and
Agra.
Fare: Bombay to Vasco-da-gama (via Miraj):
Rs.654 (I), Rs.174 (II).
-
Road: Panaji, the capital of Goa, is
connected by road to Bangalore-598 kms,
Belgaum-157 km, Bombay-594 km, Gokarn-154 km,
Hospet-315 km, Hubli-184 km, Karwar-103 km,
Kolhapur-246 km, Malwan-150 km, Mangalore-371
kms, Mysore-696 kms, Pune-458 kms, Ratnagiri-263
kms, Vengurla-73 kms etc.
-
Bus
Service: Kadamba Transport Corporation.
MSRTC and KSRTC operate frequent bus services
between Panaji, Vasco, Margao and to Bangalore,
Belgaum, Gokarn, Hubli, Karwar, Kolhapur,
Malwan, Mangalore, Miraj, Mysore, Pune,
Ratnagiri and Vengurla.
-
Sea
: Ship services between Bombay and Goa
organised by Damania.
- Internal
Distances: Panaji to Baga beach (18
kms), Bondla (55 kms), Calangute (16 kms),
Dabolim Airport (29 kms), Mapusa (13 kms),
Margao (33 kms), Old Goa (10 kms), Terekhol (42
kms), Vagator (22 kms), Vasco-da-gama (30 kms),
Ponda (28 kms).
- Local
Transport: Local buses, auto-rickshaws
and motor-cycles/taxis available.
CONDUCTED
TOUR:
Goa
Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC)
organizes following conducted tours from Tourist
Hostel, Panaji, Tel: 43396/47103.
- North
Goa: Visits Mapusa town, Sri
Saptakoteshwar Temple at Narva, Mayem Lake,
Beaches at Vagator, Anjuna and Calangute and
Aguada Fort.
Departure daily at 0930 to 1800 hours from
Tourist Hostel, Panaji.
Fare: Rs.100-125 Non A/c Luxury, Rs.175/- A/c
Luxury.
- South
Goa: Visits Bom Jesus Basilica and Se
Cathedral (Old Goa) Churches. Sri Mangueshi and
Shantadurga temples, Colva Beach, Margoa Beach,
Bogmala Beach, Dona Paula, Bay and Miramar.
Departure daily at 0915 hours from Tourist
Hostel, Panaji.
Fare: Rs.100-125/- Non A/c Luxury, Rs.175/- A/c
Luxury.
- River
Cruise: Down the Mandovi River on the
`Santa Monica' with live cultural programme.
Departure daily at 1800 & 1915 hours from
steamer jetty, Panaji.
Fare: Rs.100/-.
EXCURSIONS
From
Panaji:
- Dona
Paula Bay (7 kms), Old Goa (10 kms) with its
Basilica of Bom Jesus, Se Cathedral,
Archaeological Museum and other churches,
Mangueshi Temple (22 kms), Shantadura Temple (33
kms), Calangute (16 kms), and Baga Beach (18
kms).
From
Mapusa:
- Beaches
of Calangute-8 kms, Baga-10 kms,
Arambol/Harmal-31 kms, Anjuna-8 kms, Vagator-9
kms & Mandrem-30 kms (both via Pernem).
- Temples
of Shri Dutta & Shri Vithal at Sanguelim (25
kms), Temple of Sapta Koteshwar at Narve (24
kms) and Temple of Kalikadevi at Kansarpal (14
kms).
- Church
of Mae de deus at Saligao (10 kms), Church at
Monte de Guiri (2 kms).
- Mayem
Lake (21 kms), Arvalem Waterfalls (29 kms).
- Terekhol
Fort (30 kms).
From
Margao:
- Beaches
of Colva (6 kms), Benaulim (8 kms), Majorda (8
kms), Varca (10 kms), Cavelossim (15 kms), Mobor
(18 kms), Betul (16 kms), Agonda (40 kms) and
Palolem (47 kms).
- Cabo
de Rama (21 kms).
- Ranchol
Seminary (8 kms).
- Shree
Damodar Temple at Zambaulim (22 kms) and Shree
Shantadurga Temple at Fatorda (18 kms).
- Cotigao
Wild Life Sanctuary (33 kms), Dudhsagar
Waterfalls (59 kms by train)
From
Vasco:
- Margao
Harbour-3 kms, Bogmalo Beach-9 kms, St.Jacinto
Island-7 kms Velsao Beach-10 km, Kesarval
Springs-15 km & Pilar Seminary-19 km.
From
Ponda:
- Bondla
wildlife, Molem wildlife etc
Temple
or Tambdi Surla (70 km) dating back to the
12th century in Sanguem. Mayem Lake (35 km)
from Panaji, a popular picnic. spol. The Molem
Wildlife Sanctuary is en route to Belgaum.
WATER
SPORTS
Such
as windsurfing, Dinghy Sailing, Water-Skiing,
Parasailing etc. are organised by various hotels
& by GTDC, Agua Sports Assn,Goa Yatching Assn
& Dona Paula Sports Club.
INFORMATION
CENTRE:
Government
of India, Tourist Office,
Communidade Bldg., Church-square
Panaji- 403001, Tel : 43412
Tourist
Information centre, Tourist Home
Patto
Panaji,
Tel : 45583, 45715, 44757
WATER
SPORTS FACILITIES AVAILABLE IN GOA
- 1)
Fort Aguada Beach Resort, Sinquerim, Bardez, Goa
403 519, Tel: 87501-9
Sailing (Enterprise class)
Windsurfing
Water-skiing
Parasailing
Motor-boat rides (2, 25, 40 & 90 h.p.)
- 2)
Dominic Watersports, Sinquerim Beach, Bardez,
Goa 403 519
Windsurfing
Water-skiing
Canoeing
Water-scooter rides
- 3)
Paradise Waves, Sinquerim Beach, Bardez, Goa 403
519
Windsurfing
- 4)
Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Lake
Resort,
Mayem Lake, Bicholim, Goa 403 504 (Tel: 6515,
4132)
Pedal-boat rides
Dinghy sailing
- 5)
Aqua Sports, 5th floor, Nizari Bhavan, Menezes
Braganza Rd.,
Panaji, Goa 403 001 (Tel: 6584, 6967)
Motor-boat rides (15, 40 h.p.)
Water-scooter rides
Scuba diving
Snorkelling
Fishing
- 6)
Goa Yachting Association, P.O. Box : 33, Panaji,
Goa 403 001 Tel : 3261-64
Dinghy sailing
Windsurfing
- 7)
Dona Paula Sports Club, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004.
Water-scooter rides
Motor-boat rides
- 8)
Hydro-sports, Hotel Cidade-de-Goa, Vainguinim
Beach, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004 (Tel : 3301-9)
Windsurfing
Dindhy sailing
Water-scooter rides
Water-cycle rides
Motor-boat rides (30, 40, 150 h.p.)
Parasailing
Water-skiing
Toboggan
Ski-biscuit
Ski-bob
Skurfer
Sports-fishing
Snorkelling
Harpoon Fishing
Kayaking
Sailing Yacht (7.4 mts. for coatal cruises)
- 9)
Water-sports Goa, Bogmalo Beach, Bogmalo, Goa
403 806
(Affiliated to ISSA and has qualified
instructors as well as teaching aids and
equipments)
Windsurfing
Body boards
Dindhy sailing
Catamaran rides
Water-scooter rides
Motor-boat rides (40, 80 h.p.)
Water-skiing/Fun skiing
Parascending
Diving/Snorkelling
Scuba diving
Canoeing
Fishing
- 10)
Hotel Oberoi Bogmalo Beach, Bagmalo, Goa 403 806
(Tel : 2191)
Windsurfing
Body boards
Motor-boats rides
Water-scooter rides
Parasailing
Water-skiing
- 11)
Majorda Beach Resort, Majorda, Salcette Goa 403
713 (Tel : 20025)
Water-skiing
Windsurfing
Water-scooter rides
Motor-boat rides
- 12)
Ramada Renaissance, Varca, Salcette Goa. 403 721
(Tel : 23611)
Windsurfing
Water-skiing
Parasailing
Snorkelling
Jet-ski rides
Motor-boat rides
Banana boats
Surf boards
Body boards
- 13)
The Old Anchor, Cavelossim, Salcette Goa 403 731
(Tel : 6345)
Windsurfing
Water-scooter rides
Motor-boat rides
- 14)
The Leela Beach, Mobor, Cavelossim, Salcette,
Goa 403 731 (Tel : 6363)
Winfsurfing
Sailing (Enterprise class)
Dinghy sailing
Boating
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