India Guide
Goa
If one word encapsulates the essence of GOA, it's the Portuguese sossegado, meaning "laid back". In spite of the increasing chaos of its capital, beach resorts and market towns, life in this former colonial enclave has retained the relaxed feel that has traditionally set it apart from the rest of the country. Its 1.4 million inhabitants are unequivocal about the roots of their distinctiveness; while most of the Subcontinent was colonized by the stiff-upper-lipped British, Goa's European overlords, the Portuguese, were far more inclined to enjoy the good things in life.
Portugal's first toe-hold in Asia, Goa served as the linchpin for a vast trade network for over 450 years. Not until 1961, after exasperated Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave up trying to negotiate with the Portuguese dictator Salazar and sent in the army, was it finally absorbed into India.
Since the 1970s, the state has shaken off its reputation as a drop-out zone, but hundreds of thousands of visitors still flock here each winter, the vast majority to relax on Goa's beautiful beaches. The level of development varies wildly; while some are lined by ritzy Western-style resorts, the most sophisticated structures on others are palm-leaf shacks and old wooden outriggers that are heaved into the sea each afternoon.
Which beach you opt for when you arrive largely depends on what sort of holiday you have in mind. More developed resorts such as Calangute and Baga in the north, and Benaulim in the south, offer more "walk-in" accommodation and tourist facilities than elsewhere. Even if you're looking for a less touristy scene, it can be worth heading for these centres first, as finding places to stay in less commercialised corners is often difficult. Anjuna and Vagator, where accommodation is generally more basic and harder to come by, are the beaches to aim for if you've come to Goa to party. However, the bulk of budget travellers taking time out from tours of India end up in Palolem, in the far south, or Arambol, both beyond the increasingly long reach of the charter buses. Palolem, in particular, has become a major resort in its own right, with thousands of long-stay visitors in peak season.
Highlights
1 Old Goa The belfries and Baroque church facades looming over the trees on the banks of the Mandovi are all that remains of this once splendid colonial city.
2 Ingo's Night Bazaar, Arpora Cooler and less frenetic than the flea market, with better-quality goods on sale and heaps more atmosphere.
3 Flea market, Anjuna Goa's famous tourist bazaar is the place to pick up the latest party gear, shop for souvenirs, and watch the crowds go by.
4 Nine Bar, Vagator The epicentre of hip Goa, where trance music accompanies the sunsets over the beach.
5 Arambol An alternative resort with exquisite beaches and some of Asia's best budget restaurants.
6 Sunset stroll, Palolem Tropical sunsets don't come much more romantic than at this idyllic palm-fringed cove in the hilly deep south.