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 Facts at a Glance
Name: Goa
Population: 1.3 million
Capital: Panaji (pop: 90,000)
Area: 3659 sq km
Main languages: Konkani, Marathi & English Goa enters recorded history as part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BC. It was ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur at the beginning of the Christian era, passed to the Chalukyans of Badami between 580 and 750 AD, and over the next few centuries was ruled successively by the Shilharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyans of Kalyani (dizzy yet?). It fell to the Muslims for the first time in 1312, but they were ousted in 1370 by the Vijayanagar Empire, which used Goanese ports to import Arabian horses to strengthen its cavalry. In 1469, Goa was conquered by the Bahmani Sultans of Gulbarga, and when this dynasty broke up the area passed to the Adil Shahis of Bijapur. Goa Velha became the Adil Shahi's second capital and an important transit point for pious pilgrims bound for Mecca. The Portuguese washed up in Goa in 1510, intent on controlling the spice route from the East and doing a little proselytising on the side. The first Jesuit missionaries, led by St Francis `incorruptible body' Xavier, arrived in 1542. The fiery zeal of the Inquisition soon had them hunting down heretics, banning other faiths and destroying all those idolatrous Hindu temples. The colony eventually became the viceregal seat of the Portuguese Empire of the east, which included various East African port cities, East Timor and Macau. During the last three decades of the 16th century, Old Goa blossomed and came to rival Lisbon in size and splendour. Its heyday was shortlived though, thanks to competition from the British, French and Dutch, and because of Portugal's inability to service its far-flung empire. Goa reached its present size in the 18th century after a series of annexations. The Marathas nearly vanquished the Portuguese in the late 18th century and there was a brief occupation by the British during Europe's Napoleonic Wars, but the Portuguese doggedly hung around like unwanted party guests until they were ejected by the Indians in 1961. Goa rejoined India, first as a union territory and then, in 1987, as the 25th state of the Indian Union.
 Reality Check Panaji Most visitors treat Panaji as little more than a transport hub, but this lovely state capital has retained its Portuguese heritage in a lived-in, knockabout kind of way and exudes an aura more reminiscent of the Mediterranean than of India. If it weren't for the crush at the bus depot, the unmistakable buzz of auto-rickshaws and the fact that the bridge over the Mandovi River has fallen down twice in the last nine years, Panaji could seem like any siesta-ridden provincial town on the Iberian Peninsula. It contains all the quaint Mediterranean iconography - from the cramped cobbled streets, pastel-hued terraces and flower-bedecked balconies to the terracotta-tiled roofs, whitewashed churches and those small bars and cafes that are the social lifeblood of secular Portugal. The old district of Fontainhas is the most atmospheric area to walk around, and includes the Chapel of St Sebastian which contains a striking crucifix that originally stood in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, consecrated in 1541, is Panaji's main place of worship, and it was here that recently arrived sailors from Portugal gave thanks for a safe passage. It's worth taking one of the river cruises along the Mandovi River, but try to persuade your captain not to loiter under the bridge spans in order to admire Indian engineering.
Half a dozen imposing churches and cathedrals and a fragment of a gateway are all that remain of the second capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur and the Portuguese capital that was once said to rival Lisbon in magnificence. Wracked by cholera and malaria epidemics, eroded by monsoon rains and choked by creepers, Old Goa has declined from a vibrant city of over a hundred thousand souls to little more than a handful of potent architectural relics.Old Goa is still the spiritual heart of Christian Goa, and its most famous building is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which contains the tomb and mortal remains of the peripatetic St Francis Xavier, credited with introducing Christianity to much of South-East Asia. Also of interest is the Convent & Church of St Francis of Assisi, which has gilded and carved woodwork, murals depicting scenes from the saint's life, and a floor substantially made of carved gravestones. The largest of the churches is the Portuguese-Gothic Se Cathedral, dating from 1562, which houses the so-called `Golden Bell', whose resonant peal can be heard thrice daily. Other gems include the Church of St Cajetan which was modelled on St Peter's in Rome and the Royal Chapel of St Anthony. Not a single secular building remains standing, so don't say God doesn't work in mysterious ways.
 Royal Chapel of St Anthony, Old Goa (13K)
Anjuna attracts a weird and wonderful collection of overlanders, monks, defiant ex-hippies, gentle lunatics, artists, artisans, seers, searchers, sybarites and itinerant expatriates who normally wouldn't be seen out of the organic confines of their health-food emporia in San Francisco or London. It's famous throughout Goa for its Wednesday flea market, and has retained an undeniable, if somewhat shabby, charm. This is a good place to stick around for a while, make some friends and engage in mellow contemplation while the sun goes down. Full moon, when the infamous parties take place, is a particularly good time to be here if you want to indulge in bacchanalian delights. Only a Brit would think about raving about the main beach, but it's worth the walk to the small, protected sliver of sand at South Anjuna where the area's long-term house-renters tend to gather.
Sunset ritual at Anjuna beach bar (20K)
This is one of the most interesting parts of Goa's coastline, and a good deal more attractive than Anjuna for either a short or a long stay. Much of the inhabited area nestles under a canopy of dense coconut palms, and Chapora village is more reminiscent of a charmingly unruly farmyard than a fishing community doubling as a beach resort. The village is dominated by a rocky hill topped by the remains of a fairly well-preserved Portuguese fort and the estuary of the Chapora River. There are sandy coves, pleasant beaches and rocky cliffs at nearby Vagator. Be prepared for Indian coach tourists coming to ogle sunbathing Westerners, and expect any police you encounter to regard you with some suspicion and shake you down for drugs if you mistakenly tell them you're staying at Chapora. The rocky coves at Vagator beach (13K)
Seemingly not all that long ago, Calangute was the beach all self-respecting hippies headed for, especially around Christmas when psychedelic hell broke loose. If you enjoyed taking part in those mass pujas, with their endless half-baked discussions about `when the revolution comes' and `the vibes, maaan', then this was just the ticket. You could frolic around without a stitch on, be ever so cool and liberated, get totally out of your head on every conceivable variety of ganja from Timor to Tenochtitlan and completely disregard the feelings of the local inhabitants. Naturally, John Lennon or The Who were always about to turn up and give a free concert.
Traditional fishing boat, Baga beach (17K) Calangute's heyday as the Mecca of all expatriate hippies has passed. The local people, who used to rent out rooms in their houses for a pittance, have moved on to more profitable things, and Calangute has undergone a metamorphosis to become the centre of Goa's rapidly expanding package-tourist market. It isn't one of the best Goanese beaches: there are hardly any palms, the sand is contaminated with red soil and the beach drops rapidly into the sea. There is, however, plenty going on, especially if you don't mind playing a minor role in this stage-managed parody of what travelling is meant to be about. Try heading off the beaten track unless you need a bit of R 'n' R to recover from life on the road, or want to mix it with the Simons and Sandras of this world who are visiting India to pep up their winter suntans. ArambolSome years ago, when the screws were tightened at Anjuna in an attempt to control what local people regarded as the more outrageous activities (nudism and drug use) of a certain section of the travelling community, the die-hards cast around for a more `sympathetic' beach. Arambol, north of Chapora, was one of those which they chose. Initially, only those willing to put up with very primitive conditions came here. Things are a little more comfortable these days, but development has, so far, been minimal.The village remains tranquil and friendly - just a few hundred locals, mostly fishing people, and a couple of hundred Western residents in the November to February high season. The coastline lacks the palm-fringed exotic cliches of the southern Goa beaches but it has plenty of character and is pretty in its own kind of way. The main beach has adequate bodysurfing and there are several attractive bays a short walk to the north. A hot spring near the main beach feeds into a freshwater lake, producing a silt that hippies are fond of smearing on their bodies to revitalise the skin.
This impossibly beautiful crescent cove in the far south of Goa is so languid and balmy that even the water has only enough energy to lap half-heartedly onto the beach. There's nothing to do here but soak up the rays, and go for long walks paddling in the shallows, so bring a friend, some factor 15 and a good book. There's only one hotel, but it's possible to rent rooms in villagers' houses by asking politely at the restaurants lining the beach.Bondla Wildlife SanctuaryThis small wildlife sanctuary in the lush foothills of the Western Ghats is a good place to see sambar and wild boar, and a fine place to escape from the beach culture of coastal Goa. It boasts a botanical garden, a fenced deer park and a zoo which is better than most. The sanctuary has accommodation in chalets and dorms, and is located 50km south-east of Panaji. Getting There & Getting Around
Several charter companies fly into Goa's Dabolim Airport direct from the UK and Germany. There are also regular flights between Dabolim Airport and Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Udaipur, Bangalore, Madras, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. The 760km (464mi) Konkan Railway opened in January 1998 linking Mumbai with Goa (10 hours) and south to Mangalore (15 hours), dramatically cutting travel times along the western coast. Private companies still offer the dreaded super deluxe video buses from Panaji and Margao to Mumbai (15 hours), Mysore (16 hours) and Bangalore. A flashy and pricey catamaran service sails daily from October to May between Panaji and Mumbai, taking just seven hours.
Bicycle track behind Anjuna beach (20K) The best way to get around Goa is to hire a motorcycle, though be sure to carry the necessary paperwork (licence, registration & insurance) because checks on foreigners are a lucrative source of baksheesh for the police. If you don't know how to drive, motorcycle taxis are a legitimate and fun way of scooting between towns. If you're a sardine, catch a bus: it's a good way of nattering with local people also masquerading as sardines.
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