This article will describe the sights of South Goa. Many regard this region of India as a place for a great beach holiday. And they are not mistaken. The beaches here are really wonderful. But warm sea and golden sand are in many corners of the globe. But such sights as in Goa, you will not meet anywhere else. Therefore, it would be a great mistake to devote the whole vacation to lying thoughtlessly on the beaches.
If you want to return home with vivid memories, megabytes of colorful photographs and knowledge of what real Goa is, you need to go on fascinating excursions around the state. Which ones? This will tell our article.
Invisible border
Goa is the only state in India where tourists flock to seal and sunbathe. But this is a very interesting place, completely unlike the other regions of the country. The fact is that for a long time the state of Goa belonged to Portugal, so Indian exoticism is generously diluted with the culture of the European Mediterranean. The statues of the Virgin Mary are adjacent to the images of Krishna. Catholic temples coexist peacefully with Hindu ones.
Goa, as a tourist destination, was discovered by hippies in the seventies of the last century. Boys and girls from wealthy families moved here from Western Europe and the United States to start a new life. Many of them have grown old in India. But since the nineties, tour operators have supplanted hippar youth. In the south of the state, luxury hotels with four and five stars began to be built. Hippies (now added to them and rastamans) were driven to the north of Goa. Now the difference between the two parts of the state is even more pronounced than it was once between West and East Germany. The invisible border is the Zuari River.
How are the sights of South Goa different from those located in the north of the state? These are mainly natural beauties. But there is also “real India”, with its mysterious temples and unique color.
How to get there
Of course, the best way to get to know the delights of South Goa is to fly to the state by plane. Direct flights Moscow - Goa (from Sheremetyevo) arrive at Dabolim airport. Fly here non-stop for seven to eight hours. Connecting flights depart for Moscow via Dabolim and other Russian cities. In this case, depending on which airport you have a connection to, you will spend between ten and twenty hours traveling.
So you landed on Goa. Time in this Indian state is two and a half hours ahead of Moscow. Then you get from the airport to the hotel, where you will spend your vacation. This is best done by taxi - since they are inexpensive here. Well, if you are a very budget traveler or prefer to spend extra money on excursions, then hire a rickshaw to bring you with things to the city of Vasco da Gama. From there, buses run to Pananji, the local capital. There, at the station, find the shuttle bus heading to Margao - this is the main city of South Goa. And to get to your resort, again use the services of a rickshaw.
Historic Sightseeing Tours
So, you arrived at the place, bought enough and sunbathed, adapted to the local climate. And now you want to explore South Goa. Excursions to these places can be purchased from many tour operators. Usually a package includes a visit to Old Goa. This city, in addition to its architectural merits, is interesting because during the rule of the Portuguese, it was even the capital of India. The historic center is beautiful and worth exploring. At every step there is, if not a cathedral, then a Catholic church.
The churches of St. Catherine and Francis of Assisi and the Basilica of Bom Jesus are the main things that everyone needs to see. Sometimes tourists are taken to Margao (South Goa). Tours in the unofficial capital of this part of the state include visits to the baroque church of the Holy Spirit and the amazing mango garden that surrounds it. Not far from another temple - the chapel of St. Sebastian - there is an interesting cave of Pandava. Finish visiting Margao visiting the church of Monte. From its height, a stunning panorama of the city opens. Do not miss the tour at the "Floating Palace". This tourist boat carries guests of the state along the rivers and canals of Goa. So you can see different colorful villages, Hindu temples and Catholic churches built on different shores.
Kotigao Nature Reserve
This huge natural park is located in the extreme south of the state. As befits the sights, which is located in such an exotic place, it attracts tourists with the opportunity to admire the amazing beauty of plants and unusual animals. The main feature of the reserve are two observation towers. They are located in such a way that, being on them, you can observe the representatives of the local fauna without interfering with their daily lives. You will be fascinated by the contemplation of the different "floors" of the Indian jungle, where monkeys frolic. In addition, the towers offer beautiful panoramic views of picturesque Indian landscapes. And if you stay in the reserve for the night and climb the towers in the morning, then you will be lucky to catch wild animals behind a water body. It is easy to get here on your own - the reserve is located only twelve kilometers from Palolem Beach.
Mollem National Park
Here you can see a lot more exotic jungle animals than in Kotigao. This park is part of the Bhagwan Mahavir nature reserve and is its central part. All this is a protected area of the Western Ghats mountains. The mollum is located on the border with the state of Karnataka, east of Pananji. Here there are a huge number of snakes, lizards, butterflies, birds and animals. Like in Cotigao, in Mollem there is also a special observation post located on the tower, from where you can watch the life of plants and animals, as well as admire the surrounding landscapes.
You can get here both by road and by rail. But you need special permission to visit Mollem. You can arrange a trip here from any beach that South Goa is rich in. Excursions from there depart every day. And in the national park and reserve special tours are arranged. After all, tourists come here not only to meet with exotic animals, but also to look at the most famous natural attractions in the south of Goa - Dudhsagar Falls and Devil's Canyon. There are abandoned temples here , but they are often located in very remote places.
Waterfall
This natural wonder is considered the largest waterfall in India. Translation of its name into Russian sounds like "milk of the ocean." Dudhsagar Waterfall is a huge multi-level system, amazing with its beauty. There is a beautiful legend about him. Allegedly, the forest princess, bathing in the lake, saw that some person was watching her from the jungle, and poured milk from a magic jug into the waterfall. The liquid turned white. And this place itself recalls the chastity and modesty that a real princess should have.
Indeed, the waterfall is famous for its unusual color and height. All its levels have a length of more than six hundred meters. Water falls from a height of about 300 m. And in the lake near Dudkhsagar you can really swim if you wish. Tourists come here in jeeps and go back along a special hiking trail on foot. It is best to visit this attraction in the fall and winter.
Canyon
The ominous cleft in the rocks attracts many curious guests of Goa. The Devil's Canyon is located at the place where the Kandepar River cut through the mountains. Some say that the water here goes straight into the infernal abyss. No one knows if this is true, but swimming is forbidden, since it is extremely dangerous. Geographers say that the depth of the canyon is about fifty meters, which is also quite a lot. Here, many are photographed, because the lake itself in the crevice is unusually picturesque, as well as the surrounding rocks.
The oldest temple in the state
Most often in South Goa, it is the Catholic churches that look. But there are a lot of interesting Hindu temples here. One of them is located in the Bhagwan Mahavir Nature Reserve. If you walk another 12 kilometers from the Devil's canyon, you can find an old cult object dedicated to the god Shiva - the temple of Mahadeva Tambdi Surla. It is the oldest in the state of Goa. It was created in the thirteenth century, during the Yadav dynasty. It is built of basalt. Due to the fact that it is located in an inaccessible place, the temple was not destroyed and was able to survive both Muslim and Catholic rule. Its main sanctuary was used to worship Liva (genital organ) of Shiva, which symbolized fertility and prosperity.
Beaches
I would also like to mention various picturesque stretches of the coast. Beaches are also sights of South Goa. For example, Aguada is not only a well-groomed bathing place, but also located under the walls of the same old Portuguese fort. Near Pananji there is Miramar beach. It is visited only for stunning landscapes. But swimming is not worth it. A special beach for lovers, covered in romantic legends - Don Paula - is located near the residence of the Governor of Goa. But the best, "classic" coast of the southern part of the state is Majorda. Imagine thirty kilometers of beaches to which groves of fruit trees and palm trees descend. Picturesque villages overlook the shores, between which buses run. Why not paradise?
The most luxurious beach of South Goa is Varca. Only exclusive hotels are built here. The most amazing and unlike others - Mobor. It is a long braid of white sand. There are many islets, dunes and ponds with lilies. And Palolem beach, where tourists have only recently flocked, is known for the fact that dolphins love it very much. Getting here is not easy, but it's worth it. According to Forbes, Palolem is recognized as one of the ten best beaches on the globe.
How to navigate yourself
To visit many sights of South Goa, it is enough to rent not even a motorbike, but a regular bike. Why? The fact is that there is a flat, and at the same time picturesque area. Riding it while pedaling is a pleasure. The price of a bike is from 70 rupees per day, but if you rent it for a week or two, it will be cheaper. Of course, mopeds and scooters are common. Renting such a vehicle will cost two hundred rupees a day. If you are not a fan of outdoor activities, but do not want to overpay taxi drivers, refer to the same rickshaws. They will take about 9 rupees per kilometer. But most often in this way it is better to visit various beaches. And for a taxi you have to pay 17-25 rupees / km. If you want to plunge into the local life, travel by regular buses. The infrastructure in this part of the state is good; transportation travels frequently. Men and women tend to travel in different parts of buses.
Reviews and Tips
Tourists arriving here with airplanes flying Moscow - Goa, first of all, note that the contingent of vacationers in the south of the state is very respectable. These people like not to hang out and lie all day on the beaches, but to visit unusual places. Therefore, excursion groups are easily recruited for trips to the sights of Goa. It is better to choose the time for this, because many reserves have fixed hours of work. Some natural beauties, such as Kotigao, can be reached by bus. But it’s better to go to the Dudhsagar Falls as part of a group, otherwise you can get lost. And the local population in this wilderness does not even understand English.