At a glance Goa is located on the western coast of the Indian Peninsula and separated from Maharashtra by the Terekhol River in the north, Karnataka in the south, the Western Ghats in the east and Arabian Sea in the west. About the city Goa has enjoyed a prominent place in the travellers' lexicon since the heady days of the 1960s, but the (in)famous hippies have now been replaced by backpackers, Indian visitors and package tourists on two-week jaunts from Europe. The locals are relaxed and friendly, and skirts outnumber saris.It's a shame Goa comes burdened with a reputation for louche living, because there's so much more to it than sun, sand and psychedelia. The allure of Goa is that it remains quite distinct from the rest of India and is small enough to be grasped and explored in a way that other Indian states are not. Religious Places Goa has a bit of everything from churches to temples and mosques and gurudwara. The Reis Magos Church built in AD 1555, was once a mission centre of the Franciscan Order of Monks. It's better known as the Church of the three kings. The Church of Mae de Dens or Mother of God. This ones' in Saligao, and stands amongst picturesque surroundings. The statue after whom this church was named once occupied a convent, which no longer exists, and was known for its miraculous powers. This church is a fine instance of Gothic architecture. The Church of St. Anne at Talaulin Iltias, affectionately called Santana by the people, is dedicated to the Mother of Mary. It is situated on the right bank of the Siridao River. While these Catholic institutions have survived the ravages of time, a visit to the ruins of lost churches, of which there are many, would help to discover further the truths of a remarkable period of religious activity on the shores of our country. Church of Immaculate Conception stands bang in the centre of Panjim city. Apart from the church, the largo da Igreja. The Largo da Igreja - (Church Square) is an impressive dazzling white-balustraded stairway The Cathedral in Old Goa is a mighty 16th century monument to the Roman Catholic rule of Goa under the Portuguese. Its huge Golden Bell is amongst the biggest in the world. It has 14 side chapels; the last chapel, in Mauresque style, preserves a cross upon which a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1919. Basilica of Bom Jesus One of the largest churches of Old Goa, it is open 9 am to 12.30 pm and 3 pm to 6.30 pm. It houses a respected relic. The mortal remains of St Francis Xavier who in 1541 was entrusted with the task of spreading Christianity within the Portuguese colonies in the East. The remains are entombed in this basilica. The remains of St Francis are brought out for public display every few years. Tambdi Surla Temple It is the oldest temple in the whole of Goa and is located at a place called Tambi Surla, which is approximately 65 kms from the Panaji. The temple itself was built in Jain style in the twelfth century. Mangueshi temple No visit to Goa is complete without a visit to this famed temple. This is one of the best places to spot Lord Shiva's beard! India's famous singing Mangeshkar sisters come here often. This temple has a large courtyard and the largest ablution tank Goa has seen. What's beautiful here is the seven-storey deepmala that's lit up on Dasheera and Diwali days. Not everyone can enter right up to the lingam here, you need to be of a particular caste. Laxmi Narsihma temple at Velinga is a temple that's not really as yet on the tourist map, but it is beautiful, in the midst of woody settings this is an 18th century temple. Set to the hill side is a beautiful gateway that's fringed with palms, there's also the gaily painted manapam that has stout carved pillars with elephants and tigers riding on it. That's an interesting feature of all temples in Goa, the ceilings of each of these are beautifully coloured and carved. Shree Damodar Temple on the banks of the river Kushavati is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and Christians alike. The waters of the river near the temple precincts are a cure for all ailments. Shree Damodar is known simply as Danubab by the faithful and he is, till today, the patron deity of Margao Safa Masjid at Ponda Yet another relic from the bygone days, the Safa Shahouri Masjid located at Ponda is among the biggest and the oldest mosque in Goa. It is the only remaining one in Ponda Taluka among the 26 mosques that were built by Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur in 1560. Gurudwara at Betim Situated just opposite the fishing village is this lovely gurudwara that has a magnificent view of Panjim across the river. How to reach Road: Goa is also well connected through bus services, there are a lot of AC, sleeper, slumberette Volvo's that travel every night connecting Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pune. Smaller destinations are connected with non-ac buses and non-Volvo buses too. For those who wish to drive, the roads connecting Goa are great drives. Bombay-Goa highway is beautiful and very picturesque; but the road is full of ghats (curves, you drive through some eight hills), so keep your Avomine's handy if you do not take road travel well. Rail: If you prefer the railways, the 760 km Konkan Railway offers a picturesque rail trip that takes you through 90-meter high bridges and a number of tunnels. In Goa the train stops at Pernem (for those along Arambol and the north end of Goa) Thivim (for those staying along the Candolim, Calangute stretch), at Karmali (for those around Panjim) and then Madgaon (for those in the south of Goa). Your journey will take a few hours longer if you are travelling in the monsoons. Air: Goa's international airport is Dabolim, which is 29 km from Panaji near Vasco Da Gama. There are more than 20 flights that come in to Goa on a daily basis. A lot of chartered flights too that land at this airport, but there are some rules and regulations on this one. Getting Around: Travelling in Goa is expensive. If you hire out a taxi -- these are very easily available -- you will end up spending a lot more on travel than on your food and drinks. Hiring out Cars and Bikes is a good option, helmets are a must in Goa. You could take the bus too, but the service is slow and not very clean, so take the bus only between big cities, like Madgaon-Panjim, or Panjim-Mapusa, as on these routes you will get non stop service. The best option to travel around is to hire a pilot; in Goa you get bikes on hire, where you can ride on pillion. Then of course you have the ferry service that connects a few of the towns, it's an good way to save on gas and time when you're on a holiday. Fuel is a wee bit cheaper in Goa than in other states! Distances 550 km from Mumbai Best Seasons The best time to visit Goa is during the cooler months, from November to March. If you arrive in October, right at the start of the tourist season, you'll find the beaches pleasantly empty, but may also find that some of the facilities (such as beach shacks) aren't yet open for business. April and May can be very humid, and swimming becomes less pleasant as the sea gets rougher. Some facilities may also be closed, as most beach shacks pack up after Easter.Goa is probably the only place in India that is tourist friendly right throughout the year; your trip here would thus depend on your agenda. International tourists arrive from October onwards right through April, with Indian tourists are seen from November to December and then March to June. If you wish to enjoy the revelry and festivals then Christmas and New year are when Goa is completely lit up, then there's the carnival in February, Sao Joan festival in mid-June, and then the monsoons -- when Goa is all green and beautiful, you may not get much in terms of food options at this time, but the local joints are great fun too. This is also the time when Goa, everything in Goa is dirt-cheap. You can get a good accommodation for as little as Rs 400 a night. Places in and around Chapora This is a fascinating part of the Goan coastline and more genuinely salubrious than Anjuna. Panaji Most visitors treat Panaji as little more than a transport hub. Braganza House Restored Opulence The best known of Chandor's superb colonial mansions is Braganza House. Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Wetland Wonders Named after the late Dr Salim Moizzudin Abdul Ali, India's best-known ornithologist. Fort Aguada Fort With a View Standing on the headland overlooking the mouth of the Mandovi River. Goa has a bit of everything from beautiful old style homes with beautiful antique furniture, churches, temples, beaches, and historic places to a lot of fun places. Then there's also that lazy laid back lifestyle that is a must to see, plus if you are up to it, Goa has it's fair amount of late night entertainment spots. Catching all of that on one trip is impossible, but try and enjoy as many flavours of Goa as possible. Wildlife Sanctuaries & Adventure Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary Is one the smallest preserves in India, the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is 10 kms northeast of the Usgao Tisk village in north Goa. It houses animals such as the black-faced langurs, Indian bison, jackal and wild boar are commonly found here. Various species of deer can also be spotted. Besides being home to animals, this preserve is also a treat for bird watchers and butterfly spotters. It also has a tiny zoo. You can go for elephant rides in this park. For Adventure Freaks Goa offers various distractions for those who seek. You can go to Betul or Agonda for angling, but if you prefer to be a lounger, go to Betul where divers will bring back clams for you from the sea. All you need is a good camera and some imagination to take your 'clam-hunting' or 'angling at sea' photographs to show back at home. At Anjuna you can bungee jump from a 25-meter crane. You can at least pump all the adrenalin back to your brains for later use. If you feel there are too many people around you, go on one of the crocodile trips or the dolphin-watching trip. You can take a half-day cruise and watch them from the deck or swim with them. Your trip to Goa will not be complete without a hike along nature's own course. There are quite a few trek routes that start from Molem. Enjoy the peace and tranquility as you hum to the bird's tune or admire the greenery. Windsurfing is a unique blend of surfing and sailing, which requires the surfer to adjust his strength and balance to the changing patterns of wind and water try it out at Dona Paula jetty. Most places that offer windsurfing also offer services of water scooter, another fun sport if you do not venture to far into the sea. Water skiing is a new sport that's taking shape in Goa, you can ski anywhere across the northern beach belt in Goa. And for those who want a different high, there's also paragliding that's offered right across all beaches of Goa, the rates vary depending on where you take your trip from, anywhere close to a five star property and you will end up paying at least 200 more. Museums and Memorials Archeological museum at the Convent of St Francis of Assisi This was established in the convent in 1964. What's interesting is the eclectic collection of 60 portraits of Portuguese viceroys and governor's of Goa. What it also now houses is the statue of St Catherine from the Viceroy's arch. What's worth a view here are sati scones, coins and wooden Christian iconography not to forget the stones with Marathi and Persian inscriptions on them. The best parts of the museum are the grey basalt stone statues of Vishnu and a standing Surya both from the Kadamba period. Then there is Goa State Museum was opened in 1973 and has on exhibit a rich collection of arts and artifacts divided into various sections. The museum is open Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. Beaches Warning: please do not try to get into the water on any of these beaches during the monsoons. The waves, soft spots and underwater currents are very unpredictable. Arambol Arambol's best beach is the tiny Paliem beach at the foot of the Waghcolomb hill, about 200 mts from here is a fresh water lake that could meet all your fishing requirements. Arambol itself has a long beach stretch, both rocky and sandy. Its main attractions are the nearby hot water springs, paragliding and relative serenity. Mandrem Beach Head here to stay in one of the stilt homes. It's a great way to see the waves come in. Another beach close by is the Junas beach, access to this however might be difficult as a creek runs close to it, but its great if you do not mind walking through at low tide Vagator beachThis beach is split into two halves, one the north Vagator beach and the other the Ozrant beach, also called as mini-vagator beach. Head here to go to the fresh water spring that's at the foot of the hill 100 metres from the beach. It's also a stones' throw away from Charpora fort. A lot of good Israeli food dots the area here. Anjuna beach One of the better travelled to beaches, this one got famous because of the Wednesday day flea market. The beach itself is beautiful, but can be quite deserted on any other day of the week. Calangute beach Calangute is a vast sandy beach that stretches to Baga on one side and Candolim on the other. The sea can be very rough. This is Goa's most crowded and most commercialised beach. This beach is always completely packed with shacks in the season time and the sands are dotted with loungers full of people tanning themselves brown. Candolim beach A quiet beach to come to watch the sun sink into the water. This is where you will also see River Princess a sinking ship that's been in shallow waters for the last few years. There are many inroads from the main road that lead to the beach, find your own way here. Miramar beach This is Chowpatty of Goa, you have fast food racks right across the main road towards the beach. A lot of locals frequent this beach. During the IFFI (film festival, end Nov) open-air movie screenings are carried out on this beach. Bogmalo beach This is one of Goa's most picturesque beaches, you can see planes take off and land from here, it is bounded by green hills on three sides, and you can see the Grande island a few metres away from you into the sea. It is a small and almost deserted beach though about 8 km south from Vasco Da Gama, and 4 km from Goa's airport. Colva beach This is one of the bigger beaches in South Goa, second to Utorda beach where the famous Zeebop stands. This beach is practically a shopper's paradise; it is South Goa's equivalent to north Goa's Calangute, only a quieter version. Palolem beach The far end of Goa, this is the most peaceful beach Goa has, the waters are not rough at all, and swimming here can be quite relaxing. This beach has quite become a tourists paradise, the food, people, living accommodation that are close to the beach too have been created keeping their clientele in mind. It is sometimes referred to as the Goa's 'Lost Paradise'. Don't forget to walk on this beach at night. Forts Tiracol fort At the extreme north tip of Goa stands Fort Tiracol, this has now become a historic fort hotel, but has retained its old structure and looks, the statue of Jesus in the church square inside the fort is a great one to see. Chapora Fort This one's been made famous by the Hindi blockbuster Dil Chahta Hain. It's a great fort to go too if you do not mind climbing up to the high walls, no cars, bikes go up to the fort. But the view from this fort is simply beautiful, you can see the long stretch of the sea and the entire neckline of Goa's beaches from here Aguada Fort This is one fort that is divided into two halves, there is a lower Aguada and an upper Aguada, both ends about 500 meters apart. The Portuguese built the fort in 1609-1612. It was built to protect the city from potential attacks. A spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that called there. The fort presently houses the Central Jail. Cabo Fort (Raj Bhavan) About 9 km from Panaji, the Cabo Fort lies on the peninsula at Dona Paula, and is now the Governors residence. Years ago this fort used to be a Franciscan Convent, but was later attached to the fort. This is one fort you really can't get into!