Location: Capital city
of Goa, located on the west coast of India.
Tourist destinations: The Church Square, The lady of
Immaculate Conception Church, the Adilshah Palace, the state of Abba Faria,
the Goa state museum, Biocholim - Mayem lake, the Menezes Braganza
Institute, the Central Library, the Hindu Mahalaxmi temple, the Jama Masjid
Mosque, the Chapel of St. Sebastian and the Miramar beach.
Best buys: Wooden carvings and furniture, coir mats,
straw hats, artifacts and handicrafts, brassware, trinkets and junk
jewellery, souvenirs, liquor brews like Feni and Urak, dry fruits, leather
and ceramic ware, designer wear and last but not the least freshly baked
breads
Best activities: Water sports like water skiing, wind
surfing, yachting, rafting. Other activities include Football, Golf,
Trekking, Bullfighting and many more such adventure sports.
Major Highlights: Nightlife and Goa Carnival.
Nearby tourist destinations: Dona Paula beach, Anjuna
beach, Old Goa, Vasco Da Gama, Mapusa, Ponda, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary,
Molen and Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary.
Best time to visit: Late September till early March
Panaji, the city
Panaji or Panjim is the Capital city of Goa and is also the headquarters of
the North Goa district. Located on the banks of the river Mandovi, it is a
beautiful and a small city. With an area of 35.99 sq kms, it has a
population of 100,000 (approx.). Panaji has a lot of Portuguese influence on
its culture, food and architecture because of the Portuguese reign.
Portuguese liberated Panaji in the year 1961 and it became the Capital of
Goa in the year 1987. People of Panaji are very easy going and peace loving.
Music and dance is an integral part of their lives. Major languages spoken
here are Konkani, Portuguese, Marathi, Hindi and English.
With beautiful and charming locations Panaji invites tourists from all over
the world to explore its charm. It provides a perfect blend of sun, sand and
fun. Panaji has lots to offer, you name it and you've got it....temples,
forts, beaches ........
Major Tourist Attraction
The Church square: The Church Square is the center of attraction, it
forms the heart of Panaji. It has the church of The Lady of Immaculate
Conception which is absolutely spell bounding and photogenic.
The Archaeological museum: The museum has been maintained by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and it has been functioning since 1964
in the abandoned convent of St. Francis of Assisi. The museum has a good
collection of sculptures, paintings, old coins and other ancient items.
Miramar Beach: Its the nearest beach from Panaji. It is a marsh
beach encircled by Palm trees. This beach also provides the enchanting view
of the Aguada fort lying across the Mandovi river.
Arjuna beach: This beach is famous for its Flea market held every
Wednesday. It also provides a mesmerizing view of nearby Chapora fort and
the Vagator. Anjuna Beach is the favorite of all kinds of tourists.
Biocholim: Biocholim is known for waterfalls and Mayem lake, which
is a popular picnic spot. It has temples like Shri Datta Mandir, Vithal
Mandir, Saptakoteshwar temple and Aravlem caves.
Other hot spots in Panaji are the Mahalaxmi temple, the Jama Masjid Mosque,
the Menezes Braganza Institute, the Chapel of St. Sebastian, the Adilshah's
Palace and many more such exciting places.
How to Reach There
By Air: Panaji is connected with all the major parts of India by
air. Domestic flights from Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, Delhi, Chennai and
Thiruvananthpuram arrive at the Dabolim Airport, 29 km south of Panaji.
Chartered European planes also arrive here.
By Road: Kadamba Bus Terminal, 1-km east of the centre in the
district of Pato, is the nearest bus terminal. Busses are easily available.
By Rail: Panaji can be also reached by rail from Mumbai, Bangalore,
Hyderabad and New Delhi. Vasco Da Gama, is the nearest railway station from
Panaji, which is 30 km away from the capital.
Accommodation
Accommodation is not a big problem in Panaji other than the peak season,
when tariffs are high and places are less.
