About Goa State And Life In Goa

Geography

The Goa state is a tiny region placed on the west coast of India. The Goa state measures around 1,429 sq. miles (3,702 sq. kms) with a population of around 1.5 million. The Goa state is divided into 2 sections called districts – North Goa and South Goa. Each district is further divided into 6 sub sections called talukas. There are around 380 cities, towns and villages spread in all the 12 talukas.

Climate

The climate is sunny throughout the year with a lot of rainfall during the months of June to August. The temperatures range from 20°C to 34°C during the year with December being the coldest and May being the hottest. Due to proximity to the coastline the humidity hovers around 75%.

Transportation

The Goa state has an airport of its own and another is coming up soon. Goa is well connected by road and railway from every prominent location in India. The seaport allows only cruise ships to dock and is mainly used for commercial cargo. Transport facilities within Goa are adequate with large number of cab taxi and vehicle rental services. A unique feature of Goa which is not seen anywhere else in the world is the two wheeler taxi or bike taxi service.

Goa Is Famous For Much More Than Beaches

As major part of this region faces the Arabian Sea, Goa is famous for its pristine coastline. Yes Goa is famous for its sunny, sandy and beautiful beaches. However there is much more to savor about Goa and one has to be in Goa to relinquish everything here.

History And Culture

The Goa state was a colony of the Portuguese for around 450 years and has been a part of India only since the year 1961. This has made Goa a confluence of Portuguese and Indian culture. Because of this the lifestyle in Goa is completely different compared to the rest of India. Although Konkani is the native language everyone here can communicate in English. Mind sets are liberal and orthodoxy is minimal. These reasons and the highly hospitable nature of the natives make Goa the perfect holiday destination for foreign tourists especially those coming from the western countries.

Hinterland Activities

Goa is famous for its beaches but the villages are intriguing as well and more and more visitors have been enjoying walking tours in recent times. The villages are laced with beautiful rivers and activities like fishing, canoeing, kayaking, etc. are a wonderful get away and makes one relinquish the holidays even more.

In Goa Occupations

In former times the main occupation of Goa state in the villages used to be farming with people along the coastline involved in fishing activities. In recent times both activities are seeing a declining interest from the native population due to the low profit returns compared to other occupations and also because of the requirement of hard manual labor which is quite expensive. The mining activities and the realty boom have also contributed significantly to the lack of interest in these ancestral occupations.

Goa Is Famous For Cashew Products

Besides many other things Goa is famous for the cashew fruit products. The cashew nuts are tasty and highly nutritious. The cashew Feni derived from the cashew fruit juice is a unique alcoholic drink which besides its strong flavor has been used for various medicinal remedies.

Cuisine

The Goa cuisine is extremely good and delicious. There is no dearth of restaurants and you can find one a stone throw away no matter where you are. The choice between veg restaurants and non-veg restaurants is very wide too.

Education

Due to major contributions of the Catholic Church in Goa the education system has always been robust and of the highest quality. The hospital facilities are good with a number of reputed names having their setups here. The natives of Goa state have made a mark in the various professional fields throughout the world.

Churches

The hidden glory of this place lies in its spirituality and any talk about Goa without mention of its glorious churches would be incomplete. Like everywhere else in India there are temples too but nowhere in this country can you find so many churches and of such architectural marvel. The churches in Goa state have to be visited to understand its beauty and history.

Adventure Sports

There are many more things in Goa like the varied adventure sports. This includes water sports, aerial sports and land sports. From sea diving to parasailing, from sailing to bungee jumping, speed boats, hot air balloons you have it all.

Nightlife

The nightlife is exotic in Goa and something that adds a zing to the time spent here. The pubs, clubs and bars are the places to freak out in the late evenings and drown in the ecstasy with the dancing and the spirits flowing till late hours.

In Goa Other Activities

Large numbers of non sporting activities are available for the less adventurous. These include sightseeing tours, boat cruise, river cruise, dolphin trip, horse riding etc.

Shopping

For those who are crazy about shopping there are enough number of shops, stores, malls and supermarkets. The local markets held on specific days of the week at specific places are the spots to be at and delight in the variety of local products.

Rentals

There are numerous stared hotels to stay besides equal numbers of rental houses, apartments, bungalows, villas and hostels. From vehicles to property and even a yacht you can get anything on rent here. Moving around on rental bikes and scooters makes travelling very convenient and easy throughout the Goa state.

List Of Districts And Talukas In Goa

North Goa – Pernem, Bardez, Bicholim, Sattari, Tiswadi

South Goa – Mormugao, Dharbandora, Salcette, Sanguem, Quepem, Canacona

Map Of Goa

Map Of North Goa

Map Of South Goa

List Of Cities, Towns And Villages In Goa

Adcolna * Adnem * Adsulim * Advoi * Adwalpale * Agarvado * Aglote * Agonda * Aldona * Alorna * Ambarim * Ambaulim * Ambedem * Ambeli * Ambelim * Amberem * Amone * Anjadip * Anjuna * Anjunem * Ansolem * Antoriem * Aquem * Arambol * Arossim * Arpora * Assagao * Assodem * Assolda * Assolna * Assonora * Aturli * Avedem * Azossim * Bainguinim * Bali * Bambolim * Bandoli * Bandora * Barcem * Bastora * Bati * Batim * Benaulim * Bendordem * Betalbatim * Betora * Betqui * Bicholim * Birondem * Boma * Bombedem * Borim * Buimpal * Calangute * Calapor * Calata * Calem * Calvim * Camarconda * Camurlim * Cana * Canacona * Canca * Candepar * Candola * Candolim * Cansarvornem * Cansaulim * Capao * Caraim * Carambolim (Karmali) * Caranzol * Carapur * Carmona * Casnem * Cavelossim * Cavorem * Cavorim * Cazur * Chaifi * Chandel * Chandor * Chicalim * Chicolna * Chimbel * Chinchinim * Chopdem * Chorao * Choraundem * Codal * Codar * Codiem * Codli * Codqui * Codvol * Cola * Colem * Colomba * Colva * Colvale * Compordem * Comproi * Conquirem * Conxem * Coranginim * Cordem * Corgao * Corjuem * Corla * Corlim * Cormonem * Cortalim * Costi * Cotarli * Cotigao * Cotombi * Cotorem * Cudcem * Cudnem * Cuelim * Cujira * Cumarconda * Cumbari * Cumbarjua * Cuncoliem * Cuncolim * Cundaim * Curca * Curchirem * Curchorem-Cacora * Curdi * Curpem * Curti * Curtorim * Dabem * Dabolim * Damocem * Darbandora * Dargalim * Davem * Davorlim * Derodem * Deussua * Dicarpale * Dongor * Dongurli * Dramapur * Dudal * Dumacem * Duncolim * Durbhat * Durgawadi * Edorem * Ella * Fatorpa * Gancim * Gandaulim * Gangem * Gaodongrem * Goa Velha * Goalim Moula * Gocoldem * Golauli * Goltim * Gonsua * Gonteli * Govanem * Guirdolim * Guirim * Guleli * Gululem * Ibrampur * Issorcim * Ivrem * Jua * Latambarcem * Loliem * Loutulim * Macasana * Maem * Maina * Majorda * Malar * Maloli * Malpona * Mandrem * Mandur * Mangal * Mapusa * Marcaim * Margao (Madgaon) * Marna * Marra * Maulinguem * Mauzi * Melauli * Mencurem * Merces * Mercurim * Moira * Moissal * Moitem * Molcarnem * Molcopona * Molem * Mopa * Morjim * Morlem * Mormugao (Vasco) * Morpila * Muguli * Mulem * Mulgao * Murda * Nachinola * Nadora * Nagargao * Nagoa * Naguem * Nagvem * Naiquinim * Naneli * Nanorem * Naquerim * Naroa * Navelim * Nerul * Netorli * Neura * Nirancal * Nundem * Nuvem * Odar * Olaulim * Ona * Onda * Orgao * Orlim * Oxel * Ozorim * Padeli * Padi * Pale * Paliem * Panaji (Panjim) * Panelim * Parcem * Paroda * Parra * Patiem * Pendral * Penha-de-Franca * Pernem * Pilerne * Piliem * Piligao * Pirla * Pirna * Pissurlem * Podocem * Poinguinim * Pomburpa * Ponchavadi * Ponda * Ponocem * Ponolem * Ponsuli * Poriem * Poroscodem * Porteem * Potrem * Priol * Punola * Quedem * Quela * Quelaudem * Quelossim * Quepem * Querim * Quisconda * Quitol * Rachol * Raia * Ravona * Reis Magos * Renovadi * Revora * Rivem * Rivona * Rumbrem * Salauli * Saleli * Salem * Saligao * Salvador do Mundo * Sancoale * Sancordem * Sangod * Sangolda * Sanguem * Sanquelim * Santona * Sanvorcem * Sanvordem * Sao Jacinto Island * Sao Jorge Island * Sao Jose de Areal * Sarvona * Sarzora * Satorem * Satrem * Savoi-Verem * Seraulim * Sernabatim * Sigao * Sigonem * Sigonem * Siolim * Siranguli * Sircaim * Siridao * Sirigao * Sirlim * Siroda * Siroli * Sirsodem * Sirvoi * Socorro (Serula) * Sonal * Sonauli * Sonus-Vonvoliem * Sulcorna * Surla * Talaulim * Taleigao * Tamboxem * Telaulim * Thivim * Tiloi * Tiracol * Tivrem * Torxem * Tudou * Tuem * Ucassaim * Uguem * Undorna * Usgao * Ustem * Utorda * Vadi * Vagurbem * Vaguriem * Vainguinim * Valpoi * Vanelim * Vantem * Varca * Varconda * Velguem * Velim * Velinga * Velsao * Verla * Verlem * Verna * Vichundrem * Viliena * Virnora * Volvoi * Xeldem * Xelopo * Xelpem * Xelvona * Zanodem *