India's smallest state, Goa is the world's trance music capital and a party hub. Goa's dizzy reputation dates back to the age of the magic bus and dodgy trip, the 60s, when the first waves of its signature hippies arrived.
To some would-be visitors, that lingering counter-culture association might seem sad. But Goa, which hugs the coast of the Arabian Sea, retains plenty of charm.
The charm is rooted in rich spicy food, paradise beaches and crumbling architecture built by Portuguese invaders, who ruled the "Pearl of the Orient" from 1510 until 1961. Discover the gem's most alluring sights and landmarks.
1. Anjuna beach
One of the liveliest beaches in Goa, Anjuna is a magnet for hippies and new arrivals. For culture vultures, the drawcard is a dazzling 1920s Albuquerque Mansion flanked by octagonal towers. For bargain hunters, on Wednesdays, there is a flea market that offers everything from souvenirs to trance music CDs. For anyone with bags of stamina and a weakness for trance, there are all-night beach parties.
2. Old Goa
Old Goa was almost abandoned in the wake of a string of 17th century disease epidemics. Today, it resembles a ghost town. A cluster of convents and cream-painted churches remains. Pilgrims and curiosity seekers flock to the tomb of St Francis Xavier, the 16th-century missionary, whose remains are enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Up the hill from the Basilica stand the ruins of the once stunning Church of St. Augustine; below is the Church and Convent of Santa Monica and the Chapel of the Weeping Cross, where a miraculous image of the crucified Christ once regularly bled, spoke, and opened its eyes, believers say.
3. Ingo's night bazaar
A Goa institution, Ingo's night bazaar happens in Arpora, a village near north Goa's beach belt. Ingo's dates back to 1999. At first, it was just a regular venue for a party that revolved around the antics of a shower of beer-drinking, guitar-strumming westerners having a laugh. A German called Ingo branched off and launched the Saturday night market with a humming party vibe.
4. Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
At Cotigao in Goa's south, you can climb a forest watchtower and see just about every animal that you can imagine. The roll call includes everything from flying squirrels and mouse deer to pit vipers, heart-spotted woodpeckers, flying lizards and golden-back gliding snakes. You name it, you got it. You might even see a flash of the state bird, the ruby-throated yellow bulbul. No hippie-style stimulants required.
5. Palolem
If you want a taste of pure Goa -- the kind of place it was when only a smattering of flower children had arrived, Palolem is just the ticket: a paradise beach. Set 35 kilometres south of Margao, Goa's busiest town, Palolem is a golden arc of sand fringed by coconut palms and picturesquely "bookended" by rocks jutting into the sea.
If you want a taste of pure Goa -- the kind of place it was when only a smattering of flower children had arrived, Palolem is just the ticket: a paradise beach. Set 35 kilometres south of Margao, Goa's busiest town, Palolem is a golden arc of sand fringed by coconut palms and picturesquely "bookended" by rocks jutting into the sea.
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