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About Goa 
Goa was discovered by travelers in the late 60s who were relieved to have found somewhere away from the mainstream, where holidaying meant simply hanging out, smoking weed and partying on the beach, particularly at full moon.
Goa widely known as the Pearl of the Orient and a Tourist Paradise, is a small beach – front state located on the western coast of India.
Goa is famous internationally for its white beaches, which are among the most popular in India and have now gained international popularity as well.
Goa boasts of a mix of beaches, rivers, mountains, beautiful landscapes and paddy fields, not to forget the Gentle breeze, swaying palm trees, twitter of the birds, the never ending shore line, the beaches with golden sand and the regular lapping of the waves.
The over 100 Kms long coastline is studded with some of the world's loveliest silver sand palm fringed beaches (some that make your feel have been kept aside by nature for your own privacy) – Morjim, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Miramar, Bogmalo, Colva & Palolem.
The stringent Indian beach construction laws have kept this land from becoming a concrete beach - front and is today one of the only beach destinations that still boasts of a Palm fringed skyline along its silvery coast.
Besides the natural beauty the fabulous Goa beach and sunshine, travelers love the laid-back, peaceful, warm and friendly nature of the Goa'n people. After all, more than anywhere else on planet earth, this is a place where people really know how to relax and enjoy every moment life has blessed them with!
Goa's history stretches back to the 3rd Century BC, when, it was a part of the Mauryan Empire, after which it was ruled by several regimes the last being the Portuguese, who have left behind the happy easy attitude that can be seen everywhere you go.
Goa India was ruled by a great number of Indian kingdoms and dynasties from the 4th century onwards. The first kingdom to rule Goa and Konkan were Bhojas, ruled consecutively by Prince Chandraditya, son of Chalukya; King Pulakesin from 566 to 597 A.D; Silahara Dynasty, Kadamba Dynasty, and finally Hoysalas from 1022 to 1342 A.D.
What gives Goa a distinct status among other parts of the country is its unique East-West symbiosis revealed in its colonial heritage, glorious culture and an uneventful past. Goa became a Portuguese colony in 1510 following the urges of trade and demand of spices, cotton and indigo. Goa became an independent union territory of India in 1961 after its liberation from Portuguese imperialism of around 450 hundred years.
From the 14th century onwards, Goa became a great trading center on the west coast, especially in the vast trade of horses imported from the Middle East. In 1503, the Portuguese nobleman Alfonso de Albuquerque and his cousin Francisco de Albuquerque, accompanied with a powerful fleet invaded Goa, abiding by the orders of Kingdom Manuel I. The purpose of invasion was to defend the cargoes of spices, mostly pepper, against Arab Muslim raiders. It was in 1506-08 that an opportunistic pirate, Timoja, persuaded Albuquerque to attack Goa making it the Portugal's first territorial acquisition in Asia. After that Goa was recaptured briefly by the Muslims, succeeded by the final colonial acquisition by Albuquerque in 1510.
The inquisition of Goa in 1540 inverted the previous liberal policy of Albuquerque and imposed restrictions on literature and stringent laws to forbid non-Christians from professions. As a result, there were forced conversions, censorship on literature, and destruction of temples and unjustified eviction of non-Christian priests, holy men, and teachers. For this reason, the non-Christians continuously fled from Goa to other parts of India.
The above scenario hints only the darker side of the annexation. Portuguese also renovated Goa by erecting some of the world’s greatest churches like the church of St. Cajetan and Bom Jesus basilica in Old Goa, which is a pilgrimage site for the Christians all over the world. That is one of the reasons Goa continues to be a fascinating blend of the Latin and the Oriental.
Now with a quick air and rail link to Mumbai and other parts of India and charter flights from Europe and the UK, thousands of tourists flock here each winter to relax and enjoy the Goa’n cuisine - a blend of exotic Indian spices with the Latin love of meat and fish. Many Goa hotels and resorts have popped up over the last few years to cater for this ever-popular destination, and with more than 25 miles of beautiful sandy beaches there is still plenty of tranquility to be found. The level of development varies wildly; while some are lined by ritzy Western-style resorts, the most sophisticated structures on others are palm-leaf shacks and old wooden outriggers that are heaved into the sea each afternoon.
Goa has the distinction of being one of the highest repeat holiday & corporate destinations, for both the domestic and international market alike.
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