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InDIA’s smALLest stAte Is Known FoR Its GoLDen beACHes, bUt GLoRIoUs CoLonIAL bUILDInGs ARe ALso PARt oF Its weALtH
{ rich in culture and budget friendly }
goa, the tiny state on India’s western coast, is graced with more than 96 kilometres of palm-fringed beaches
lapped by the Arabian Sea and is not at all like the rest of India. Goa has a long history, including 400 years of Portuguese rule and in the 1970s; this tropical spot was a magnet for hippies, drawn to the lush and exotic setting. While times have changed, today Goa lures more than two million visitors a year. This exposure to foreigners makes Goans less curious about visitors than other Indians,
the people are friendly but you won’t be accosted too often. Goa is also set apart by the benefits that flow from its wealth, such as free education and an excellent literacy rate.
India’s a
12 mARCH 2012
BEACHES
The beaches are divided into north (action-packed) and south (quieter), with Panaji in the centre. Half an hour north is a cluster of well-known resort beaches: Candolim, Calangute and Saga. Each has its own flavour, although they’re close enough that all can be easily tasted in one afternoon. Calangute acts as a hub, offering essential tourist services such as ATMs, Baga is all about good food and offers a variety of evening entertainment, while Candolim, to the south, offers a more genteel experience. All three cater to your every whim with vendors hawking everything from ice creams and cold drinks to manicures and massages. South of Panaji, peaceful, palm-fringed Benaulim is one of Goa’s lovelier stretches of sand (though it does get crowded on weekends), as is Varca, five kilometres further south.