Goa is a package-
tour paradise, squeezed between the seas and the
lush forested hills. It offers glistening sands,
swaying coconut palms, and ultra fresh seafood.
Luxury hotels and budget guesthouses overlook
fisherman mending their nets, and beer comes cheap
and chilled. Discovered by pioneering hippies
looking for peace and love.
Goa’s beaches are now filled with persistent
hawkers during the day and rave parties at night.
For those intent on discovering the real India,
Goa is the best treated as a relaxing break on
the southern trail.
Lavishly gifted by nature, Goa can also boast
of its rich cultural and historical heritage.
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It is hardly surprising that the Portuguese
who came in search of spices in 16th century decided
to put down roots in this tropical paradise.
Goa’s natural boundaries, the
Arabian Sea and the Sahyadri mountains, had sheltered
it from much of India’s inland turmoil, while
its strategic location on the newly discovered trade
route to the East made it even more attractive.
Tucked away snugly between the hills
of the Western Ghats on the East, Arabian Sea to the
West, Maharashtra’s coastline to the North, and
Karnataka’s coastline to the South, this tiny
territory covers 1350sq miles (3500 sq km). It provides
spectacular views with bottle green hills wooded with
jackfruit, mango, and cashew groves, cut across by river
and edged by miles of sun-drenched beaches. Warm, languid
climates, and a gentle unspoilt people, complete this
compelling kaleidoscope.
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