I haven’t traveled to Orissa yet…if you have been there and would like to share your experience with everyone on this site,  you are most welcome to leave a comment!

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Goa

Beaches | Culture & Sightseeing | Nightlife | Shopping | SPA & Massage | Wildlife & Nature
Diving & Snorkeling | Surfing

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Goa is a state in India near Arbian Sea. It’s on the west coast of India and south of Mumbai. It’s a tropical destination renowned for the beaches, temples and world heritage architecture with Portuguese influence. It’s great place to enjoy the beach and experience the mosaic Indo-Portuguese culture!

There is a long and smooth coastline of 125 km and over 40 beaches in Goa. The famous Beaches in the north are Candolim Beach, Sinquerim Beach, Baga Beach, Bambolim Beach, Arambol Beach and Vagator Beach. In the South there are Benaulim Beach, Palolem Beach, Agonda Beach, Mobor & Cavelossim Beaches.

Palolem Beach is also known as Paradise Beach. It’s a idyllic beach with golden sand, warm turquoise water and bushy palm trees. It’s a fishing beach popular for dolphin cruise and fishing trips. It’s the most famour beach in Goa but can be overcrowded and commercialized. Arambol Beach is known for its rocky and sandy terrain. It’s also the place for wild parties.

Agonda Beach is more serene. Watching the dolphin swimming in the sea is a daily ritual in Agonda. There is also a Turtle Protection Center in Agonda, and If you are around during the hatching season from October to March, don’t miss it. There can be dozens of turtles nesting on the beach, and each can have 100-150 turtle eggs. It’s a wonderful experience watching a tiny turtle hatching, and seeing hundred of baby turtles, just hatched, making their way towards the sea.

Goa is studded with temples, churches and forts, which gives Goa its culture depth and make Goa a superb place for sightseeing.  Read more about Goa at Culture & Sightseeing

The Marine life in the Goa is abundant. The best diving season Goa is from October to May, when water is calm and skies are cloudless. The visibility ranges from five meters to ten meters. There are Spanish and Portuguese shipwrecks in Goa underwater world. Goa is not often associated with surfing. There are waves at Patnem beach and sometimes Palolem Beach, but they are small, mellow, and not very consistent. The surfing seasons are from September to February.

Goa has a fun nightlife, despite being a conservative religious society (Catholic and traditional Hindu). Nightlife in Goa is influenced by Portuguese culture and tradition. The atmosphere is very relaxed.  Goa Trance is a type of electronic music, developed by local music bands. A popular bar & restaurant on the Beach is called Tilos. Lidos and the Beachotheque are popular discos. There are also a few casinos in Goa.  There are rave parties during high season with dance and live band performing, e.g.,  big rave parties at Anjuna and Pernem starting on Christmas afternoon and ended two days later.

Alcohol is notably cheap in Goa due to very low exercise duty on alcohol. There are also a few casinos in Goa. However, the law is strict against drink driving, nudity and drugs.

The popular fairs and festivals of Goa include Feast of Three Kings, Christmas Carnivals, Goa Carnival, and Bonderam Festival.

Read more about Goa Seafood at Seafood

Goa has great shopping. Read more about Goa Seafood at Shopping

Read more about Ayurvedic massage at SPA & Massage

Goa is a biodiversity hotspot with rich flora and fauna. Goa has many famous national parks & Sanctuaries. Read more about Goa at Wildlife & Nature

Did you know Goa was a Portuguese colony since early 16th century till 1962. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years, and it’s one of longest held colonial possessions in the world.

Seasons the monsoon season starts from early June and ends by late September. In winter, there are more overseas tourists, especially Europeans. In summer, there are more Indian tourists.

Beware of overcharging, and be careful with traffic, food safety and hygiene. Besides, It may take you some time to get used to the local food and water, especially if you have a weak stomach. Even for Aisa, a curry lover, some Indian food can be too spicy.

Official Website http://www.goatourism.org/

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel