A 5 minute Goa Travel Guide

Goa Map :

Goa is a tiny Indian state on its western coast and is one of the most popular beach destinations in Asia. Goa has everything that a great, all round vacation calls for – pristine beaches, colonial forts, wildlife sanctuaries, highlands, lush green landscapes, tropical climate and hospitable people. This blog is a brief tour guide enlisting the various aspects of Goa, handy for first time travelers.

Goa – Fast Facts :

Established	30 May 1987
Capital	Panaji
Largest city	Vasco da Gama
Districts	2
Government
• Governor	B. V. Wanchoo
• Chief Minister	Manohar Parrikar (BJP)
• Legislature	Unicameral (40 seats)
• Parliamentary constituency	2
• High Court	Bombay High Court - Panaji, Goa Bench
Area
• Total	3,702 km2 (1,429 sq mi)
Area rank	28th
Population (2011)
• Total	1,457,723
• Rank	25th
• Density	390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
ISO 3166 code	IN-GA
HDI	0.779 (high)
HDI rank	3rd (2005)
Literacy	87% (3rd)
Official languages	Konkani

Major Goa Attractions :

Churches :	Chapel of St. Francis Xavier The Church and Convent of St. Monica Se Cathedral . The Convent and Church Of St. Francis of Assisi The Professed House and The Basilica of Bom Jesus
Beaches :	Anjuna, Vagator, Calangute, Baga, Dona Paula, Varca, Colva, Bogmalo, Cavelossim
Forts :	Aguada, Chapora, Mormugao, Tiracol, Cabo da Rama
Major cities :	Panaji, Vasco da Gama, Mapusa, Margao, Old Goa, Bicholim, Mormugao

Accommodation :

Being such a popular beach destination in Asia and outside, Goa receives A LOT of tourist footfall every year. Fittingly, there is no dearth of accommodation options in Goa, as is evident by the thousands of hotels, resorts, B&B inns and homestays available by the beach and in the city area. There are hotels for every taste, every budget. Topping at INR 38000 ($700), daily hotel tariffs go as low as INR 1000 ($18 Approx.)

Climate and Geography :

Having a tropical geography, Goa is blessed with a moderate climate all through the year. The temperature hovers between 20 °C to 34 °C. Relative humidity stays around 60 %. The months of June –September receive sufficient rainfall and fall in the off-season. This is when tariffs are their lowest. The best time to visit Goa is between the months of November and March.

Most of Goa is part of the Konkan highlands in the Western Ghats. Zuari and Mandovi are the two major rivers, draining 69% of Goa’s total demographic area. Goa has a total coastline of 101 kilometers, most of which is beach area.

Transportation  :

Goa’s Dabolim Airport caters to domestic and international flights and is used by militia and civilians. NH17 and NH4 are the two highways running through Panjim. Taxis, Autorickshaws and Motorcycle taxis can be hired for intra-city travel. Goa’s ferry system is really efficient and carries a lot of people and property every day. The South Western Railway and the Konkan Railways connect Goa to neighboring cities of Mumbai, Kolhapur, Pune and others.