The ancient Hindu land of Goa, of which hardly a fragment survives, was built at the southernmost point of the island. Known as Gove, Govapuri, and Gomant in the Puranas and certain inscriptions, Goa was famous in early Hindu legend and history. The medieval Arabian geographers knew it as Sindabur or Sandabur, and the Portuguese as Velha Goa. Goa's history stretches back to the 3rd century BC, when it was part of the Mauryan empire. Later, at the beginning of the Christian era, it was ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur. Control eventually passed to the Chalukyans of Badami, who ruled from 580 to 750 AD. Goa fell to the Muslims for the first time in 1312, but the invaders were forced out in 1370 by Harihara I of the Vijayanagar empire, whose capital was at Hampi. Over the next 100 years, Goa's harbours were important landing places for ships carrying Arabian horses to the Vijayanagar cavalry at Hampi.


In 1510 the charm and the geographical location of Goa attracted the Portuguese to the land. Their aim was to control the spice route from the east and also carried a mission to spread Christianity. St Francis Xavier with his Jesuit missionaries, arrived in 1542. Portuguese control had expanded beyond Old Goa to include the provinces of Bardez and Salcete, by the middle of the 16th century.


Apart from the Portuguese, the parts of Goa had captivated many from the west - the Turks, the British, the French, the Dutch. The most prosperous times of Goa happened with the eventual ousting of the Turks, who controlled the trade routes across the Indian Ocean, and the resultant fortunes made from the spice trade. The colony became the viceregal seat of the Portuguese empire of the east, including various East African port cities, East Timor and Macau. But rivalry between the British, French and Dutch in the 17th century, combined with Portugal's lack of ability to service its distant empire, led to their decline. The Portuguese were nearly overthrown by the Marathas in the late 18th century. However, the Portuguese clung on till 1961, when they were finally ejected by India. Goa remained a Union territory for 26 years and gained full fledged statehood on August 12th 1987.


Beaches in Goa

• Arambol Beach
  Around 40 km north of Panaji and 18 km north of Chapora. Till recently Arambol was a favorite Goa beach for those maverick tourists for whom a Goa holiday meant non-confirming to any code-of-conduct, and who found even Anjuna too constraining. Paradoxically, but logically it slowly became popular, losing its isolation and attracting some development activities and the traffic of day-trippers.
• Colva Beach
  The Colva Beach is broad and beautiful, and has a stream coursing through it. Colva is the oldest and largest of South Goa's resorts. Its leafy outlying 'Vaddos', or wards are pleasant enough, dotted with colonial style villas and ramshackle fishing huts. The beach front is a collection of concrete hotels, souvenir stalls and fly blown snack bars strewn around a central roundabout.
• Benaulim Beach
  Less than 2 km south of Colva is the even more peaceful and serene beach of Benaulim, well known as the location for Taj Exotica, Goa. The swimming is good and long beach walks, a staple of a Goa holiday are specially enjoyable north to Colva. Walks or rides on the Beach Road through picturesque countryside 4 km to Colva are also equally enjoyable. The otherwise tranquil beach tends to get crowded on weekends when it attracts local picnickers.
• Palolem Beach
  Palolem beach, Goa was discovered by those lost souls searching for an idyllic beach of Goa, unspoiled from the vagaries of the typical whoop-de-do activities of Goa tourism found in the more popular beaches of Goa. What they found was beach utopia; sensual curves of crescent shaped palm fringed golden sands, gently caressed by the waves between two unusual rocky headlands.
• Bogmalo Beach
  Derived from Sanskrit word "Banali" and later corrupted by the Portuguese to Benaulim, the beautiful beach lies in the center of Colva Beach, 7-km west of Margao. Only a decade ago, this fishing and rice-farming village, scattered around the coconut groves and paddy fields had barely made it onto the backpackers map. This beach remains a peaceful and welcoming place to unwind.
• Anjuna Beach
  The beauty of the white waves rushing to embrace the golden sand on the beach can be witnessed in full form at the Goa Anjuna beach. Goa Anjuna beach comes to life with the flea market and the full-moon beach parties that continue through out the night. 18 km north of Panaji, Anjuna beach is the most popular hotspots of Goa and India tourism.
• Vagator Beach
  22 km north of Panaji. Part of the 30 km coastline stretch of Northern Beaches of Goa that covers the most popular hotspots of Goa and India tourism. Just to the north of the party beach of Goa is a fascinating group of small Goa beaches, more salubrious and laid-back than Anjuna. Relatively secluded, these are situated on the crescent shaped Caisua bay, along the Chapora river basin, in the shadow of the ruins of Chapora Fort.

How to Reach

• By Air
  Goa's international airport is Dabolim, at a distance of 29 km from Panaji, on the coast near Vasco Da Gama. Most domestic airlines operate in Goa apart from chartered private airlines operating from UK and Germany. Indian Airlines has direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai daily. Air India also flies to Goa.
• By Rail
  Reaching Goa by train is easy from Mumbai (490 km), Bangalore (430 km), and Delhi (1,874 km). Goa's two main stations are at Margao and Vasco Da Gama.
• By Road
  We can provide you the tourist car or coach for the road transpotation, even from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and also for the in city drives and sightseeing trips.