Holidays In Goa
Goa, halfway down India’s west coast by the Arabian Sea, is the country’s smallest state and was a Portuguese colony until an invasion by Indian forces expelled the colonial power in 1961.
The Portugese influence goes some way to explaining the alternative atmosphere here compared to much of the rest of India. In colonial times Goa was cut off from British India by a wall of mountains and vast alluvial plains and it relied on trade with the Portuguese Empire. However Goa gained a very Portuguese attitude compared to the British values and ethics in the rest of India and Goa retains a distinctly laid-back feel today.
A few years after the Portugese were expelled and in what was very much a time of transition for Goa, the new state was discovered by hippy travellers desperate to find who somewhere away from the mainstream, where holidaying meant simply hanging out, smoking weed and partying on the beach, particularly at full moon. Goa’s reputation for hedonism quickly grew along with its liberal attitude.
In recent years the authorities have tried to discourage the hippies and budget backpackers, angling rather for clientele with fatter wallets, and Goa is trying to shake off its image as a hippy hangout.
Incorporation into India has led to the construction of a quick rail link to Mumbai and Goa now enjoys charter flights from the UK. Thousands of tourists flock here each winter to relax and enjoy the Goan cuisine – a blend of exotic Indian spices with the Latin love of meat and fish. Many hotels and resorts have popped up over the last few years to cater for this ever-popular destination, but with more than 25 miles of beautiful sandy beaches there is still plenty of tranquillity to be found.
