Goa is the smallest state in terms of area located in the west coastal region of India referred to as ‘Goa Dourada’ in the local dialect, which means ‘Golden Goa’.  Capital of Goa is Panaji.  Portuguese ruled the state from the 16th century for 450 years.  Goa has beautiful beaches, ancient temples and churches, seminaries, caves, forts, waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries and the Western Ghats, which attract tourists from all over the world.  Best time to visit Goa is from October to March.  In the ancient texts Goa is referred to as Prashuramabhoomi as it is believed that Lord Parashurama reclaimed this area from the ocean.  Konkani is the mother tongue of this state.

The state is divided into two districts, North Goa and South Goa.  Panaji is the headquarters of the north and Margao of the south.  Main Rivers of Goa are Mandovi, Sal and Zuari.  Goa shares it’s borders with Karnataka and Maharashtra.

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Goa’s state animal is the Gaur, the state bird is the Ruby Throated Yellow Bulbul (Picture1).

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State tree is the Asan/Crocodile Bark Tree (Picture2).  The highest peak is Sonsogad in Sattari (3,827 feet).

Places of interest in Goa are -
North Goa Beaches
South Goa Beaches
Churches and Seminaries of Goa
Temples of Goa – Mungueshi Temple
Wild Life Sanctuary
Heritage Buildings
Shopping
Waterfalls
Forts
Caves
Ancestral Goa/Big Foot
Rivers, Lakes and Springs

Tags: Baga Beach, Beaches of Goa, Forts of Goa, Goa, Goa Tourism, North Goa, South Goa, Travel

Filed under: Travel