Beaches in Goa

Walking on beautiful sandy beaches, sun rising and setting in the sea, palm trees swaying in the cool air and you amidst all this in the company of sea waves, rocks and fishes. This is not a dream sequence, but your fairy tale dream sequence come true in Goa. "The pearl of the east," Goa is known for its Gothic churches, crumbling forts, palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves, ferry rides, bubbly folk music… Goa is perfect for you if you need some relaxation, rejuvenation and exotic experience in life.

Goa's history stretches back to the 3rd Century BC, when, it formed part of the Mauryan Empire. It was later ruled by the Satyahanas of Kothapur at the beginning of the Christian era, and eventually passed to the Chalukyas of Badami, who controlled from 580-750 AD. Over the next few Centuries it was ruled successively by the Shillaharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyans of Kalyani. Goa fell to the Muslims for the first time in 1312, but the invaders were forced to evacuate it in 1370, by Harihara, whose capital was in present day Hampi. They held Goa for nearly 100 years, and its harbours became important landing places for ships carrying Arabian horses to Hampi. In 1469 Bahmini Sultans of Gulbaga conquered Goa. When this dynasty broke up, the area passed to the Adil Shahas of Bijapur, who made Goa Velha their second capital. The old secretarial building in Panjim, is the former palace of Adil Shah, and it was later taken over by the Portuguese, as their official residence.

Vasco de Gama and his band of adventurers had set out to find a new route to India, and to break the monopoly that the Turks held in the spice trade. They reached India on 18 May1498. Vasco de Gamma's voyage opened the Indian Route, or Cape Route, as it was also known; that is to say regular sailing's of fleets between the West and the East.

The Martha's nearly vanquished the Portuguese in the late 18th Century. Then during the napoleonic wars in Europe, there was a brief occupation by the British, who had by then occupied most of India, Afghanistan, Burma and Ceylon. But it was not until 1961, when India, by then, an independent republic under Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, ejected them. The Portuguese finally disappeared from the subcontinent. But, even after 450 years of colonial rule, Goa has retained a distinctive blend of cultures.

The Goan people and their lifestyle, even today still retain a distinctive Southern European flavor, combined with the unique mix of its own native culture. Modern-day Goa is a conglomerate, of the various civilizations that it came in touch with, and that influenced the culture of Goa.

Some of the popular beaches of Goa are as under:

Anjuna Beach - The delightfully infamous Anjuna beach still carries whispered echoes of the 'hippy' culture of the 1970s. However, most people come here for the same reasons that drew multitudes in the 1970s: dancing, lounging on the beach and swigging chilled beer under beach umbrellas.

The Anjuna beach is rightly referred to as the Freak Capital of the World and happens to be one of the most popular beaches in the Beach capital of India, Goa.

It is around 8 Kms. West of Mapusa, North Goa. The best time to visit is from October till March. During the Christmas and New Year rush, it is famous for its full - moon trance parties!

While in Anjuna, don't miss the famous Wednesday market. It is a fascinating blend of Kashmiri and Tibetan traders, tribals from Gujrat, Karnatka and Andhra Pradesh, and local vendors selling interesting handicrafts from across India.

Baga Beach - It is a part of a 30-km stretch of beach coastline along the west coast of Goa by the Arabian Sea, 10-km west of Mapusa, is basically an extension of Calangute beach. The quiet atmosphere and isolated location of Baga, beside the scenic beauty that surrounds it have contributed to the beach being a favourite among the beach lovers

Crescent-shaped Baga beach, popular for its variety of water sports, including Parasailing, body boarding and surfing, though the waves are not good enough for professional surfers. Baga beach is more popular with western tourists who love to use it as a base for water sports and fishing in the area.

Baga has arguably the best range of restaurants in Goa, from standard beach shacks to swish pizzerias and terrace cafes serving real espresso coffee.

Calangute Beach - Situated south of Panaji, it is Goa's busiest, most commercialized resort. This peaceful fishing village was a favorite hideout of the hippies in the 70s and 80s. Today, Calangute symbolizes Goa's reputation as haven for beach and coastal splendour.

Calangute also makes a perfect beach site if you want to indulge in some water sports activities. Parasailing, water skiing and wind surfing at the Calangute beach starts in the afternoon when the wind is blowing just in the right direction and it goes on till sunset

It is not everyone's favorite. The beach, with steeply shelving sand, is unsafe, and nightlife is insipid, as most bars wind up by 10.00pm.

Dona Paula Beach - It is a small, tranquil beach. This former fishing village is now an idyllic place to unwind and relax. It is where two of Goa's famous rivers meet the Arabian Sea and it gives a fine view of the Marmagoa Harbour.

It has a wide range of facilities for aquatic sports enthusiasts. The town was named after Dona Paula de Menezes, the beautiful daughter of a Portuguese viceroy. Among the many legends that have grown around her, one claims she fell in love with a poor fisherman, and incurred the unrelenting wrath of her father. In despair, she threw herself off a high cliff, and perished in the fury of the waters below. Her irrepressible spirit continues to haunt the visitors even today. It's alleged that on certain full-moon nights, she emerges from the waves, radiant and wearing only a pearl necklace.