Goa a-go-go

I bet you have thought at some time or other of flying to Goa. Or maybe you’ve been and you know all about its allure already. If you are looking to book a Goa Holiday then you should definitley have a browse through our Holidays in Goa and Kerala section. Just look at the scene above at Dona Paula Beach in Goa, and you'll understand why Goa is known as the "Pearl of the East". Goa is famous for many things and that is one of its key strengths, variety - including:

Beautiful palm-fringed beaches

Goa has many beautiful beaches, some secluded and isolated, where you can get away from it all and wander where your heart desires. Other Beaches are rave meccas with full moon parties or bars and restaurants brimming with excellent seafood. Whatever your fancy, Goa has the paradise beach for you, it is a world worth discovering. Beautiful, idyllic Goa.
Beach Directory

Goa’s Churches and Temples
The Churches are one of Goa's most important institutions. They are often magnificent , and are largely a legacy of Portuguese colonization which has spanned the last five hundred years.
However, as with the rest of India, the Goan population is predominantly Hindu. Temples in Goa are an important part of the culture. However, the long time spent under Portuguese rule has meant many temples have been destroyed or moved. The majority of Hindu Temples are in Ponda Taluka nowadays

Melody's Blog - Personal Guide to Goa's Churches
Goacentral.com - temples
Goacentral.com - churches

Romantic old ruins
Old Goa is full of monuments, some of which are in very good condition and others are sadly in ruins,although this can add to the romance. You can soak up the atmosphere of Old Goa when it was the "Lisbon of the East".

Some famous monuments and ruins:

Ruins of the Colegio de Populo
Viceroy's Arch
Ruins of the Arsenals
Fort Naroa
Site of The Temple of Saptakoteshwar
Ruins of the Temple of Brahmapur at Ela village, Old Goa.
Archaeological museum and portrait gallery

read more at:
Goacentral.com - monuments

Coconut groves

Many people's first image of Goa are the palm trees, and they do not disappoint

watersports

It's not a myth, Goa really is a paradise for water sports lovers. The long coastal area offers many oppurtunites to itake part in in all sorts of water-sports. The Goan coast has always appealed to beach lovers and sports lovers to try on some new water based excitement. Surf the seas on your boards or paraglide across the skies, the options of sport enjoyment are open ended in Goa.
Click here for watersports and other activity holidays in Goa and the rest of India

Hippies and all-night beach parties

Parties are a part of life in Goa . The Goa Parties can be the most fun filled and addictive things. And there are many people who have come for a short holiday and ended up enjoying the Goa party life for a year or more. The rave parties or the trance parties of Goa are world famous, which are enjoyed by people from all the parts of the world. Tourist come to Goa to be part of these parties which are more than any get together.

Rave (Trance) Parties in Goa

Rave parties in Goa are now a major tourist attraction. Goa rave parties are famous parties throughout the world. The origin of rave parties in Goa can be traced back to the 1960's, which began with an inflow of hippies. Earlier, thousands of foreigners and hippies crowded Goa's beaches in drugged and drunken state, who thronged the beaches and partied the night away.

But, today the nature of these rave parties has changed and has generated a new king of music called Goa Trance, which is played through the nights. "Trance Parties" that spawned the music called Goa-Trance since the mid-nineties, if not earlier, have become a big fashion among young foreign tourists in regions of the North Goa coastal belt. Now elite kids from Mumbai and Delhi or elsewhere are joining the bee-line to these beach events. Goa is an outgrowth of techno that is characterised by multi-layered fused lines and sub-bass rhythms. Rave parties are held every night around the time of New Year and Christmas, and have been under control ever since Goa Tourism decided to promote up market tourism over backpackers in Goa. Rave parties are full of dance, music and fun, and can be engaging pass times for tourists. So if you want some fun and entertainment of your own, get on a bike and ride off into the night in Goa. But, don't forget to stay away from drugs.

Folk music.

Goan folk music has a lively rhythm and the folk-dances a rugged vitality. The musical accompaniment for both folk songs and the folk dances is provided by a diversity of musical instruments – Ghumats, Dhols, Cymbals (Drums), Flutes, Harmonium, Violins and Guitars. The favorite, however, seems to be the Ghumat. No description in writing can ever do full justice to these dynamic folk art forms. Watching a live performance can elicit to a certain degree its emotional content, rhythmic charm, the colorful variety and vitality.

With its 131-km-long coastline, Goa is a destination that rivals any other in the world. Sun, sand and sea being in abundant supply, Goa is a perfect haven for the ones who need and want relaxation. Goa is one of India's special places, a State blessed with great weather, even more fabulous beaches, wonderful friendly people, top cuisine, hill-top forts, little white-washed churches, big Portuguese cathedrals.

The beaches in Goa, are long, and straight, and all fringed with palm trees. Goa has an impressive range of hotels and beach resorts, restaurants and bars, which cater to all from top-notch 5-star luxury, to hippy flop-shops. Local fishermen haul in their nets in the evenings. Aging hippies do their thing. Children swim, paddle, scream and build sand-castles. Happy locals and Indians from the mainland enjoy the beach and sea and everyone feels chilled out and relaxed: what more could you ask for !