It’s no secret that Goa is a favourite beach destination in India. It has a laid-back lifestyle, hippie vibe, glorious scenic beaches, natural tranquillity, beach sports, and awesome parties. It’s a great destination year-round, but visiting Goa during summer is quite a special experience. Here are some reasons to visit Goa this summer.
Make a beeline for one of the beautiful beaches of this tropical paradise, sans crowds! Relax and soak up the Vitamin D on a sun-kissed stretch of sand, or take a contemplative barefoot stroll, perfect therapy for your body, mind and soul. Just don’t forget to pack your sunglasses and sunblock.
Water sports definitely shouldn’t be missed on a trip to Goa: parasailing, water skiing, jet skiing, wind surfing, banana boat ride, scuba diving, dolphin spotting, snorkeling… Get ready for an adrenaline rush!
A trip to Goa is incomplete without trying the delicious local cuisine: pork vindaloo, Goan fish curry, sorpotel, fish recheado, prawn balchao, bebinca, and of course, the local liquor, Goan feni… hungry yet?
There are festivities and celebrations in Goa year-round, but the months of summer (March-May) throb with high spirits and liveliness. The best festivals at this time of year are Shigmo (March), a street festival that portrays Goan life through folk performances, music, dance and parades; Easter (March or April); Grape Escapade (April), a wine festival; the Goan Food and Music Festival (April), which celebrates Goan delicacies and music; the Konkan Fruit Fest (April); India Bike Week (April); and the Goa Heritage Festival (May).
Basilica of Bom Jesus is the most ancient churches in Goa that is mostly visited by the tourists. Constructed late back in 15th century, the church has been crafted with precious stones and surreal works of impressionist painter. It consists of the remains of St. Francis Xavierthat defines the finest Baroque architecture. Snuggled in old Goa, this spiritual place carries a coffin that is in display for tourists. A major crowd comes to visit this glorious church. You must not miss a visit to this grand church.
Goa is all about water and fun for water lovers. Thalassophiles always make an excuse to dive into the water. The hot summer season and beautiful beaches obviously call for some interesting water sports in Goa. We have a list of water activities for all the water lovers that are so much fun to do. Seawater is always an attraction for its lovers. They always get curious when they come near the sea and eagerly want to know about the life of aquatic creatures.
The history of the Mangueshi temple is significant in the context of the Potuguese invasion as this is one of the temples that were destroyed by the invaders in 1567. The Portuguese destroyed this temple when Salcate was added to their territory. This ancient temple was located in the village of Kushastali on the south bank of the river Zuari, the village was later named as Cortalim after the Portuguese conquests.
The Portuguese had destroyed the original temple in order to establish a church at the same ground, however the lingam of Lord Manguesh was immediately transferred to Priol where it is presently located. Kushastali during the Portuguese reign offered to be a terminal in the ferry route across the river Zuari, today also accessible when en route from the airport or from Margao (26 km away) to Panjim.
The majestic cascade of white water, gushing over the steep, nearly vertical face of the mountain from a spectacular height of 1017ft; is both breath taking and awe inspiring, making one aware that there are many forces in nature much more powerful that the human mind and body.
The name ‘Dudhsagar’ literally translates to ‘sea of milk’ which many believe is an allusion to the white spray and foam that the great waterfall creates as it cascades into the waters of the lake. The falls are at their zenith during the monsoon season, although they are a popular attraction all year round.
Anjuna’s weekly Wednesday flea market is as much part of the Goan experience as a day on the beach. More than three decades ago, it was conceived and created by hippies smoking jumbo joints, convening to compare experiences on the heady Indian circuit and selling pairs of Levi jeans or handmade jewellery to help fund the rest of their stay.
Nowadays things are far more mainstream and the merchandise comes from all over India: sculptures and jewellery courtesy of the Tibetan and Kashmiri traders; colourful Gujarati tribal women selling T-shirts; richly colourful saris, bags and bedspreads from Rajasthan; sacks of spices from Kerala; and the hard-to-miss bejewelled tribal girls from Karnataka pleading passers-by to ‘come look in my shop’. Weaving in among this syrupy blend of stalls are the remaining hippies, backpackers, weekenders from Mumbai, and bus- and taxi-loads of package tourists from Russia and Europe.