All of Goa has some sensational experiences and attractions to show you. But in northern Goa you will find the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, and if you decide to visit there (any day but a Thursday) you will be delighted and enchanted by an experience many tourists opt for during their stay.

The sanctuary itself is located in Usgao, and it boasts many different animals worth seeing. It is also not far to the north west of the Mollem National Park, which also provides plenty to enjoy on a day out. It is the earlier and later months of the year that offer the best opportunity to see something new here. For example if you travel to Goa later in the year you should visit between October and December to see the best of the sanctuary. The first three months of the year are equally as good in this respect, so if you want to visit you should plan your holiday accordingly.

You will see many mammals and reptiles during your visit to the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary – some of which you may have seen before. But you will also have the chance to see some more unusual specimens that may be new to you. How about the barking deer for example? Or perhaps the Malabar giant squirrels are worth watching out for? One thing is for certain – you will definitely be educated in ways you never imagined by seeing what goes on in the sanctuary. This is a haven for many animals that may not have had a good life elsewhere.

You can also look forward to experiencing what is essentially an eco-system all of its own in the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary. There are many experiences to be had here, and you will definitely want to add this destination to your list of things to do should you end up going to Goa on a family holiday.

Make no mistake though; you may struggle to cover the whole area in a day. Since it covers around eight square kilometres it will soon become apparent that a two day visit will show you much more than one day ever could.

Many seaside destinations have their preferred beaches, and Goa is no exception to this. If you research what people think of the beaches in Goa, you’ll find one name cropping up over and over again. That name is Vagator Beach.

So what makes Vagator Beach worth visiting?

For starters it is not the kind of area which caters heavily to tourists. You will be well looked after here, for sure, but you shouldn’t expect purpose built shopping centres and other such built up offerings. But that is one of the reasons why Vagator Beach is so popular.

It also has a particular sight that may make you look twice when you head down to the beach. This rocky area has a face waiting to greet you, a face by the water’s edge which seems smiling and peaceful. No one seems to know who carved the face out of the rock which sits there, but it certainly provides a good talking point and many a tourist has taken a photo of it to take back home with them.

While the beach does have rocky areas don’t let this put you off paying a visit. It also has plenty of sandy stretches to lie back and relax on, making it a wonderful beach to visit for a lazy day in Goa. There is also a shack nearby that serves food and drink throughout the day, so when lunch time arrives you won’t have to travel far for a bite to eat. And there is certainly no better place to tuck into your choice of replenishment than on Vagator Beach itself.

You will actually see when you arrive that the beach is split into two main sections. One is bigger than the other and this is why it is now known as Big Vagator Beach and Little Vagator Beach. Common sense will tell you which is which! But they both have something to offer the eager tourist, so be sure you take a closer look at both of them during your holiday in Goa.

As beaches go, Vagator Beach is one of the best ones you could choose.

Every city has stories to tell. Old Goa is no exception – and its stories date back to the 15th century, so there is plenty of insight and information here if you care to explore some more.

The first thing you will notice is the plethora of churches here. They are deemed so important and notable that they led to the city being granted the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1986. The city used to be deemed the capital while the Portuguese were here, but after it was hit by the plague it was finally given up in the mid 1800s.

You can see the Church of St Francis of Assisi, the Church of Our Lady of the Mount and the Church of St Peter as well, not to mention many others. The Viceroy Arch is also well worth seeing, as it is more than four hundred years old. Just imagine the countless people who have passed beneath it since it was built. This memorial to Vasco da Gama, a 15th century Portuguese explorer, harks from a time when Old Goa was far different to how it is today.

Strangely enough though, the name ‘Old Goa’ only dates back to the mid 20th century. It is appropriate enough though, since the area is largely a testament to times that are long since gone. It is a popular place for all the tourists to the area to visit though, so it can get busy during certain times of the year.

Some of the churches are allegedly haunted, but that probably encourages more visitors rather than sending them scurrying in the opposite direction! There doesn’t seem to be a lot of information about them from any source, so you may need to gather up your courage to see whether the rumours are true.

In any event, Old Goa makes an eerie and fascinating way to look back into the past. No visit to Goa should be completed without seeing the many churches and other religious buildings and ruins that make up this part of India. See it for yourself and you’ll be captivated.

Indeed you can, and while India might not be the first country that comes to mind for a beach holiday, Goa has got some impressive beaches ready and waiting for you.

Some would go as far as describing this coastal part of India as ‘paradise’, and they would be right. Goa is stunning and it numbers beaches into double figures. So if you try one and it’s not what you’re after, there is another one not far away that you can visit the following day.

Candolim Beach is great for people who love the sun and can’t get enough of it. There’s not much shade to be had here, so be prepared to get yourself an umbrella when you arrive.

While the sun seekers will be happy with whatever beach they find themselves on in Goa, some are quieter than others. You’ll want miles of sand and plenty of room to play if you’re heading out to Goa with the whole family. But let’s suppose you’re on a romantic break with your partner. You won’t want so many interruptions if that’s the case.

And as such you should make a beeline for Baga Beach. It’s smaller, but it is still perfectly formed and it’s got everything you could want except for the crowds. You’ll still see families and it’s not so quiet that you’ll be the only ones there, but it’s a little more laid back here.

Some beaches have more to cater to tourists than others, and by far the best of the lot in this sense is Calangute Beach. Be prepared for crowds if you go at the height of the season, but if it gets a bit much you can actually stroll down the beach and reach Baga Beach instead. It’s a handy tip you might end up taking advantage of!

So you’re spoilt for choice in Goa when it comes to beaches. There’s something here to appeal to everyone, no matter where you fall on the spectrum. From deserted beaches with little to no facilities to ones which have everything and more besides, a beach holiday in Goa is what you want it to be – and more.

17 June 2007

The Hindu style wedding of Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar in Rajasthan has made it a hot destination for palace weddings for rich Indians and foreigners. But there is another state that is increasingly trying to project itself as an alternative for the rich and glamorous who want to tie the knot.

Goa, in western India, is offering its beaches and landscapes as a place to tie the knot.

Over the last three decades, Goa has been drawing foreign tourists in the thousands from Europe with its beautiful beaches. In the last few years, tourists who want to get married and those looking for cheap and reliable medical treatment have also been attracted to the state. Goa is also a hotbed for glamorous, high profile rich Indians and non-resident Indians to solemnize their marriage.

Goa is a rich mix of Western culture and traditional Hindu values. Portuguese style houses and churches give an extra dimension to this former Portuguese colony, which gained its independence in 1961 -- not to mention the Hindu temples. The natural beauty of its 105-kilometer coastline adds to its glamour.

Many a romantic union's first steps toward the aisle take place with the sun going down on the beach. Many people prefer to take the important step into holy matrimony with the waves of the sea lashing the shore and palm trees swinging in celebration.

And with the rich and famous making a beeline to get married in Goa, it has stirred up business options for a few Goans. Getting married in Goa and making all the arrangements have sent the various players into a spin.

One such glamour couple to solemnize their wedding in Goa in April was Nirvana Chaudhary and Swasti Mittal. Nirvana is the son of business tycoon Binod Chaudhary and the heir to a multimillion-dollar business empire with diverse interests all over the world. Swasti is the daughter of Ashok Mittal -- the first cousin of L. N. Mittal, the richest Indian in the world.

The wedding needs and demands of the people getting married differ. Some prefer the unusual - an element of surprise to the guests and some want to plan it in a unique way.

An Indian Hindu wedding is a three-day affair - the cost of which hovers in the region between 600,000 to 1,000,000 rupees.

A Goan wedding would cost 200,000 to 400,000 rupees, says Stan Matins, a wedding planner from south Goa who has been in the wedding business for the least eight years.

Getting a mahout for the bride and bridegroom to come to the wedding reception hall or take a stroll on the beach after the church ceremony, dropping flower petals from a helicopter and hiring a bullock cart are some of the unusual things wedding planners have made arrangements for.

"I got an elephant for an Indian Hindu style wedding at the Marriott hotel in Goa's state capital Panjim, for a British couple and arranged for a helicopter to drop leaflets for another," recollects Lester Melo a wedding planner from north Goa.

South African Sherwaan Sims and British Elizabeth Bowers got married in a quieter and less expensive way. Sims and Bowers solemnized their wedding in a makeshift church at Palolem beach in south Goa and then took the journey to their hotel by bullock cart. Theirs was a relatively cheap wedding.

But not all weddings are low-key affairs. Most of the weddings are not just confined to the married couple and their small group of friends but to an entourage of their friend's relatives. And with Goa having its share of casinos, the guests have their share of fun off the beach too.

Melo recalls that he booked 230 rooms at the Park Hyatt for an Indian couple who got married and booked the casino for the night as well as a triple-decker cruise Paradise boat for non-gamblers.

The lavish spending on Indian marriages has stirred a few states in their bid to cash-in on the marriage fervor. They are keen to offer a smooth ride for Indians and foreigners to get married.

Goa is increasingly vying with Rajasthan in the marriage market to attract customers.

On offer in Rajasthan are the scores of palaces dotting the state's vast landscape. The publicity that Rajasthan has got for royal weddings, will help them earn more revenue.

Ancient palaces, heritage hotels, colorful traditions and the "shahi" costumes are the main attractions offered by Rajasthan for the tourist wanting to get married. Besides camels, elephants and ethnic jewelries, Rajasthan has other attractions on offer.

"It's a big segment and we are now exploring the idea on a larger scale," says Satyen Nagwekar, marketing manager, Goa Tourism.

"We have been noticing the trend for some time now. There are a number of people from Gujarat and Bengal coming to Goa to get married on the beaches," adds Nagwekar.

Until then the two states will vie with each other and with other smaller players to carve their slice of the wedding tourism pie.

11 June 2007

The Goa Carnival is an integral part of the Portuguese heritage of the state, which was a dominion of Portugal till 1961. The carnival epitomizes the fun-loving culture that is characteristic of Goa. It was introduced by the erstwhile rulers as a rowdy celebration in which flour, eggs, oranges, lemons, mud, sand-filled gloves along with dirty water, various liquids and glue were aimed at passersby.

Used pots, pans, and other kitchen utensils were also thrown out of windows. Perhaps this was done to discard the old and the dirty before the Lenten fast.

Fierce battles were waged in the streets, with plaster-of-Paris eggs, wax lemons, corncobs and beans. Blows were dealt out liberally, with brooms and wooden spoons. It was also an occasion for unchecked eating. People gorged on rich food at lavish feasts, and convents distributed cakes and pastries.

Though celebrated for only three days, the preparations for the festival would take many days, and build up to a frenetic pitch by the eve of the carnival. The carnival in Goa still retains the core of the original. A King of Chaos is elected, called King "Momo". He presides over the three-day festivities, which attract visitors from all over India and abroad.

A Musical Extravaganza

Street Plays, songs, dances, and unrehearsed farces mocking the establishment are performed before an enthusiastic, responsive audience. Floats depicting popular lullabies and nursery rhymes make a whimsical and colorful sight on the streets. In the three days of celebrations, cultural functions and competitions abound, and are judged by specially selected people. King Momo distributes the prizes to the winners.

The contestants wear colorful costumes and elaborate masks. Amidst the outrageous dresses seen on the street are some made of sheer, transparent polythene. In the fun-filled ambience, people smear color on each other, instead of the flour, eggs, fruit and water that used to be used in earlier times.

Everyone's Invited

In Goan villages, however, the festivities have a more indigenous flavor. Though celebrated by the Christian population of Goa, the carnival's only relevance to Christianity is that it is celebrated before Lent. The festival today has no religious undertones and has come to be a cultural highlight of the state, rather than of the religion.

The progressive development in Goa is in danger of derailment with the brakes applied on the controversial Goa Regional Plan 2011, stalling 13 hotel projects, primarily mixed-use developments and luxury retreats, covering approximately 1500 hectares of land located in the southern and northern tip of the picturesque state.

Informed sources revealed that leading international hotel brands are caught in this developmental quagmire. This is another blow to the state which has quite a few hotel projects caught in legalities due to flouting of developmental laws.

The regional plan will see development of Goa's 7.5 crore square metre area, primarily the tourism magnets - the green belts and coastal stretches, including restricted and protected areas, where most of the hotel projects are slated to come up.

Voicing the concerns of the industry, Ralph de Souza, chairman, tourism committee, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and group chairman, de Souza Group, said, "The chamber has taken a stand that development cannot be at the cost of the environment. The regional plan should be a guideline and not a law, and it cannot supersede existing laws laid down for protecting the environment and regulating development."

He expressed concern over the stalled projects, saying that the players involved would be necessarily affected. He pointed out that though the maximum impact would be in the interiors, a trickle down effect would trigger the collapse of tourism in the long term. However, he admitted that "the state needs a plan for its progress and for driving economic growth, while preserving its natural beauty."

The popular tourist destination is facing an infrastructure problem and while it still grapples with unregulated development, lack of enforcement of the existing laws, de Souza says, is by far the biggest problem.

Tourism continues to be a top draw to this state and main contributor to its economy, with Goa attracting nearly 20 lakh domestic tourists and 3.4 lakh foreign tourists in 2005-06. Pankaj Mathur, GM, Cidade De Goa, giving further insight said, "The regional plan has to be balanced and a think tank should be constituted.

We need to draw a line to development, but at the same time we can't turn our back to it. It is with this the state has achieved prosperity, else it would have been a dead destination."