Description

Goa was referred to as ‘Goparashtra' or a nation of cowherds in the Mahabharata. It is the most popular tourist destination in India, and its location in the tropical zone gives it a warm and sunny climate for most part of the year. Panjim is the state's capital and Vasco-da-Gama its largest city. It has a constant inflow of international tourists who throng its beaches along with domestic tourists. Besides the various beaches and sunshine, Goa has a religious heritage with a host of temples, churches and mosques.

Shopping

A tourist visiting Goa can pick up a lot of souvenirs from local markets, Handicrafts Corporation Emporia or the in-house shops in major hotels. They can be items made of brass, clay or shell, T-shirts, shorts, candles, books, maps or even cashew nuts.
For authentic Goan souvenirs, tourists can visit Velha Goa Galleria for azulejos, or attractive Portuguese-style hand-painted tiles and ceramics. The Friday Market at Mapusa and the Anjuna Wednesday market are must-see on a visitor’s book. Designer wear by celebrated Goan designer Wendell Rodricks is available at his boutique.

Restaurants

There are a great number of restaurants in Goa, catering to a variety of tourists. A few of the cuisines found in restaurants are Indian, Goan, Chinese, English, Italian, Mexican etc. For Indian, Goan and mixed cuisine some suggested restaurants are Fiplees, Primrose, East meets West, Get Down, Tabla, Salt and Pepper etc. For English food, Log Cabin English Pub, The Peacock Restaurant and Pub, Steakhouse, The Chippy and KC’s Bar are a few suggestions. For a memorable experience a tourist can hop on to Noah’s Ark which is a floating restaurant which serves a delicious seven-course meal.

Night Life

Some popular discos and night clubs in Goa are, The Alcove, Temptations, Titos, Ziggy’s, Ozone, Lidos etc. There are casinos too in Goa for those looking for some gambling like, Chances and Las Vegas. There are scores of bars and pubs in Goa and some suggested places are Alex, Tamarind tree, Pete’s bar, 21 coconuts, Zappa Beach Shack, Drop Anchor, and Bob’s Inn etc. Titos is located on the beach and is considered as one of the happening places in Goa. If a visitor is for a rocking discotheque then ‘The Beachotheque' is the place to go.

Activities

A visitor can visit the innumerable temples and churches in Goa. There is a Wild life sanctuary in Old Goa, Dudhsagar waterfalls and Mangueshi and Shantadurga temple.
Water sports, cycling, swimming etc. are a few of the activities to do in Goa. A tourist can also take daytrips to visit plantations and the Bicholim pottery village. A river cruise along the city on the River Mandovi can be a memorable experience.

Communications

The international access code for India is +91. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)11 for Delhi. International calls can be quite expensive and there are often high surcharges on calls made from hotels and so it is cheaper to use a calling card. Making calls within Indian require the usage of codes called STD for long distance internal calls and ISD for the international service. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main cities and resorts.

Contacts

Consulate in US: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 939 7000
Consulate in UK: Indian High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7836 8484
Consulate in Canada: Indian High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 744 3751
Consulate in Australia: Indian High Commission, Canberra, Australia: + 61 (0)2 6273 3999
Consulate in South Africa: Indian High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 5392

US Consulate: United States Embassy, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 2419 8000
UK Consulate: British High Commission, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 2687 2161
Canadian Consulate: Canadian High Commission, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 4178 2000
Australian Consulate: Australian High Commission, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 4139 9900
South African Consulate: South African High Commission, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 2614 9411

Currency

INR

Attractions

There are a lot of Churches Goa like the St.Xavier’s Cathedral which has the preserved body of St.Xavier, St. Catherine’s Cathedral, Church of St. Cajetan, and The Basilica of Bom Jesus. One important market to be visited is the Anjuna Flea Market which is held Wednesday on Anjuna Beach.

Language

Hindi

Language Description

Hindi is the official language of the country and is given the status of National Language. However English is generally used for all official and business purposes. Urdu is the language common used by the Muslim population. Each state speaks a different language and there are 16 recognized languages. There are also hundreds of languages and thousands of dialects spoken by pockets of population throughout the country.

Tipping

Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped, however all other services expect small tips, including porters, guides, hotel staff, and waiters in small establishments. In tourist restaurants or hotels a 10% service charge is often added to bills. Baksheesh is common in India, it is more a bribe than a tip and will ensure better service; it is given before rather than after the service.