Goa, the former Portuguese colony with a dash of
subcontinent spice and a party atmosphere
All-night beach parties, historic sites, picturesque
scenery and luxury hotels with quiet secluded beaches ideal for family
holidays - Goa has it all.
A Goa Travel Guide by :
Ken English
Goa has a certain reputation, which dates back as far as the 1960’s,
where it was regarded as a hippy paradise, a place for dropouts, and
flower power, a not to be missed place for travellers, and probably
regarded as the world centre for dope.
All of this whilst not totally inaccurate might put you off a visit to
Goa, which would be a mistake. Sure Goa can still be the place for all
night parties, and beaches crowded with people selling hash to fund
their alternative lifestyles, but there is much more to Goa than that.
As background, Goa was a Portuguese colony for hundreds of years, and
that length of stay, they were finally kicked out in 1961, leaves an
indelible impression, from Portuguese churches, the fact that 30% of the
population is Catholic. You will find European style villas scattered
around in the rice fields, palm groves, often bearing coats of arms, and
many imposing houses behind walls and locked gates. All of this makes
Goa completely different to anywhere on the Indian Sub Continent.
Although Goa was colonised by the Portuguese over 500 years ago, it has
new colonists, in that literally thousands of tourists visit every
winter, many from Europe, but there is also a new generation of middle
class young Indians from places like Delhi and Mumbai.
There is a definite divide between on one hand the young generation,
bombing around on bikes, going from one beach to another, having a great
and very noisy time, often partying all night. This makes parts of Goa a
nightmare for the middle class tourist who seeks a quiet quality five
star resort, but the great joy of Goa, is that it has the room, the
culture, the scenery to cope with both ends of the spectrum.
So if you are looking for bargain prices, cheap accommodation, crowded
beaches, hawkers, and action of the legal and perhaps slightly illegal
kind, where food and drink are cheap, and the weather is fantastic then
Goa is the place for you.
On the other hand if your pleasure is to found in historic sites, on
deserted beaches, or on the beach of a luxury resort, then go to the
very far north or the deep south, and Goa will be a dream come true for
you.
Be warned however, many have come here for a vacation, and been seduced
– They have never gone home, it’s that kind of paradise!!
About the author
Ken English spends a lot of time staying in tropical destinations, he
loves Goa, check out
Travelling in Goa
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