If you are visiting Goa, go for the small romantic places. A few miles from the main town of Panaji are the beaches of Colva and Sernabatim. The soft, golden sand invites you to walk bare feet while the sea breeze caresses you. The air gets cooler when it starts drizzling and raindrops make their own little design in the soft sand. Let the magic seep in at the palm fringed Benaulim beach while you enjoy a hot cup of coffee or rich Goan port, relaxing under an umbrella and hearing the beats of the rain. These umbrellas are a part of the restaurants that dot the beaches.

The tempering aroma from these restaurants makes you feel hungry and there is plenty to indulge in. Over the weekends each restaurant has a little carnival of its own with barbecue, bonfire, fire works and lots of sea food and fun besides the Goan dishes and sweets. Goan vindaloo is a must try unless spices are not for you! If you want to experience the real Goan life-style, try the small fishing villages beside the beaches. Most of them have well equipped hotels converted from Old Portuguese villas. If you are in the village by night, take a walk and be surprised by the refreshing aroma of the damp earth and the spectacle of the rain-washed palm trees glittering in the moonlight and shimmering ponds of water where the morning presents a riot of colorful water lilies.

Physical Features

Goa as a region can be divided into four divisions-the Eastern Hill region comprising areas in the Western Ghats like Sattari, Ponda, Canacona, and Sanguem; the Central Valley Lands comprising Pernem, Bicholim, Ponda, Eastern Sanguem, and Quepem; the Flood Plains comprising the coastal plains and rolling uplands; and the Coastal Plains with areas of Tiswadi, Mormugao, Bardez, and Salcete.