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Goa
Goa is often called the ‘Pearl of the Orient’. It is full of pleasant surprises; charming little villages with colourful churches; succulent rice fields next to Hindu temples; a 100 kilometre long coastline lined with coconut palm trees.
A melting pot of different cultures, Goa is shaped by its Indian and Portuguese heritage. From 1510 until 1961 Goa was under Portuguese rule. This European influence is still evident in many houses and churches built in the typical colonial style. Goa is known for its World Heritage architecture and temples.
Goa is the smallest but richest state in India with 1.3 million inhabitants living on an area of 3’702 km2. It is on the south west coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Why not North Goa or Kerala?
North Goa is more developed and industrialized than South Goa, which is characterised by spectacular landscapes, agriculture, forests and deserted beaches. South Goa – especially the area of Canacona where we are – is very natural boasting numerous unspoilt, long, sandy beaches where you can find absolute tranquillity.
South Goa is a verdant, mountainous, tropical paradise with fruit plantations and untouched forests. The Western Ghats mountain range is classified as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, rich with flora and fauna comparable to the Amazon and Congo basins.
The area around Patnem has plenty of picturesque backwaters like nearby Kerala but the beaches are much cleaner than those in Kerala. Locals in Goa also fully accept that westerners like to sunbathe in very little clothing.
