MISCELLANEOUS - Goa Travel Guide

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Local Time: GMT + 5 hrs 30 min
Capital: Panjim (Panaji)
Electricity: 220 Volts
Currency: Indian Rupees
1 US Dollar (USD) = approx. 45 Rs (INR)
1 Euro (EUR) = approx 55 Rs (INR)
Driving: Traffic is on the left! Easy for Brits and Aussies! Difficult for me!

Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area.
Goa's sole airport is the Dabolim Airport (Code: GOI) (no, not Dublin.... Da-bo-lim. haha!)
Panaji (also known as Panjim) is the administrative capital of Goa. Goa's legislative capital is Porvorim. Old Goa is very interesting for a day trip to explore historic churches, temples and architecture.

It has a rich Indian & Portuguese heritage, visible in numerous chapels, churches and temples dotted around the area amongst the beautiful landscape. Take a walk around... wander aimlessly... you'll come across some beautiful heritage sights & old buildings!
The north coast of Goa is where it all happens: Aguada, Candolim, Calangute, Baga and Anjuna beach are seamlessly tied together.

Goa also has rich flora & fauna, with lush greenery, fertile fields & tropical forests.
Being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, the region has a warm & humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, with temperatures of over 35 C (90 F) with high humidity. The monsoon rains arrive by early June. Most of Goa's annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September / early October. We travelled in late October/early November and only had 2 rainy days, which was perfect!

- Nudity on beaches and public places is forbidden & punishable by law.
- Do not buy articles made from rare / endangered species which are banned.
- Tourists are advised to observe silence, due respect and proper decorum inside the places of worship & religious monuments. Always remove your shoes at the entrance to the main hall of any holy shrine.

A BIT OF HISTORY...

In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to set foot in India through a sea route, landing in Kozhikode in Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as Old Goa. The Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing complete control of the spice trade from other European powers after traditional land routes to India were closed by the Ottoman Turks.

Later, in 1510, Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings on behalf of a local sovereign, Timayya, leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). The Portuguese intended it to be a colony and a naval base, distinct from the fortified enclaves established elsewhere along India's coasts.

After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to accede to India's request to relinquish their control of its exclave. Arbitration by the World Court and the United Nations General Assembly in the 1950s ruled in favour of self determination. Finally, on Dec. 12th 1961, the Indian army moved in, taking the colony by force.

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