Attractions in South Goa: nature, temples, excursions

This article will describe the attractions of South Goa. Many regard this region of India as a place for excellent beach recreation. And they are not mistaken. The beaches here are really wonderful. But the warm sea and golden sand is in many parts of the globe. But such sights, as on Goa, you will not find anywhere else. Therefore it would be a big oversight to devote the whole vacation to a thoughtless lying on the beaches.

If you want to return home with vivid memories, megabytes of colorful photos and knowledge of what a real Goa is, you need to go on fascinating excursions around the state. Which ones? Our article will tell about it.

Invisible border

Goa - the only state of India, where tourists are rushing to seal and sunbathe in a seal. But this is a very interesting place, quite unlike other regions of the country. The fact is that for a long time the state of Goa belonged to Portugal, therefore the Indian exotic here is generously diluted by the culture of the European Mediterranean. The statues of the Virgin Mary coexist with the images of Krishna. Catholic churches are getting along peacefully with Hindu temples .

Goa, as a tourist destination, opened the hippies in the seventies of last century. Boys and girls from well-off families moved here from Western Europe and the United States to start a new life. Many of them became old in India. But since the nineties, tour operators have pushed hippy youth. In the south of the state began to build luxury hotels for four and five stars. Hippies (now added to them and rastamans) were pushed to the north of Goa. Now the difference between the two parts of the state is even more pronounced than there was once between West and East Germany. The invisible border is the Zuari River.

What are the attractions of South Goa different from those in the north of the state? This is mainly natural beauty. But there is also "real India", with its mysterious temples and unique color.

How to get there

Of course, the best way to get acquainted with the delights of South Goa is to fly into the state on an airplane. Direct flights Moscow - Goa (from Sheremetyevo) arrive to Dabolim airport. Fly here without a change seven or eight hours. Through Moscow, and other Russian cities, connecting flights are sent to Dabolim. In this case, depending on which airport you have a transplant, you will spend on a journey of ten to twenty hours.

So you landed on Goa. Time in this Indian state is two hours and a half ahead of Moscow time. Then you get from the airport to the hotel where you will spend your vacation. It is best to do it by taxi - they are inexpensive here. Well, if you belong to very budget travelers or prefer to spend extra money on excursions, then hire a rickshaw so that he takes you with things to the city of Vasco da Gama. From there buses already go to Panangi, the local capital. There at the station, find the shuttle-bass going to Margao - this is the main city of South Goa. And to get to your resort, again use the services of rickshaws.

Excursions to historical places

So, you arrived at the site, plenty of paid and sunbathing, adapted to the climate here. And now you want to explore South Goa. Excursions to these places can be purchased from many tour operators. Usually the package includes a visit to Old Goa. This city, apart from its architectural merits, is interesting in that, during the rule of the Portuguese, it was even the capital of India. The historical center is beautiful, it is worth exploring. At every step here, if not a cathedral, then a Catholic temple.

The Church of St. Catherine and Francis of Assisi and the basilica of Bom Jesus - the main thing that you need to see everyone. Sometimes tourists are taken to Margao (South Goa). Excursions around the unofficial capital of this part of the state include a visit to the Baroque church of the Holy Spirit and the amazing mangrove garden that surrounds it. Not far from another church is the chapel of St. Sebastian - there is an interesting cave Pandava. Finish the inspection of Margao by visiting the Monte church. From its height is a stunning panorama of the city. Do not miss the excursion on the "floating palace". This tourist boat carries state guests along the rivers and canals of Goa. So you can consider different picturesque villages, Hindu temples and Catholic churches, built on different shores.

Kotigao Nature Reserve

This huge natural park is in the extreme south of the state. As well as it is necessary sights, which is located in such an exotic place, it beckons tourists with the opportunity to admire the amazing beauty of plants and unusual animals. The main feature of the reserve are two observation towers. They are located in such a way that being on them, you can observe the representatives of the local fauna without interfering with their daily life. You will be fascinated by contemplating the various "floors" of the Indian jungle where monkeys are frolicking. In addition, the towers offer a beautiful panoramic view of the picturesque Indian landscapes. And if you stay in the reserve for the night and climb the towers in the morning, then you'll be lucky to find wild animals for watering. It is easy to get there by yourself - the reserve is located only twelve kilometers from the beach of Palolem.

Mollem National Park

Here you can see a lot more exotic animals of the jungle than in Kotigao. This park is part of the Bhagwan Mahavir Nature Reserve and is its central part. All this is a protected zone of the Western Ghat Mountains. Mollem is located on the border with the state of Karnataka, east of Panaji. Here there are a lot of snakes, lizards, butterflies, birds and animals. As in Cotigao, Mollem also has a special observation post located on its watchtower, from where one can look after the life of plants and animals, as well as admire the surrounding landscapes.

You can get here both on the highway and by rail. But to visit Mollem you need a special permit. A trip here you can organize from any beach, which is rich in South Goa. Excursions from there are sent every day. And on the national park and the reserve special tours are arranged. After all, tourists here go not only to meet with exotic animals, but also to look at the most famous natural attractions in the south of Goa - Dudhsagar waterfall and Devil's canyon. There are abandoned temples here, but they are often in very inaccessible places.

Waterfall

This miracle of nature is considered the largest waterfall in India. Translation of its name into Russian sounds like a "milk ocean". Dudhsagar waterfall is a huge multi-level system, amazing with its beauty. A beautiful legend goes about him. Allegedly, the forest princess, bathing in the lake, saw that a man was following her from the jungle, and poured milk from a magic jug into the waterfall. The liquid has acquired a white color. And this place itself is reminiscent of the chastity and modesty that a real princess should possess.

Indeed, the waterfall is famous for its unusual color, as well as its height. All its levels have a length of more than six hundred meters. The water falls from a height of about 300 m. And in the lake near Dudhsagar you can really swim if you want. Tourists come here on jeeps, and go back on a special hiking trail on foot. It is best to visit this landmark in autumn and winter.

Canyon

An ominous cleft in the rocks attracts many curious visitors to Goa. The Devil Canyon is in a place where the Kandepar River cut through the mountains. Some say that the water goes right into the infernal abyss. Nobody knows if this is true, but it is forbidden to swim there, because it is extremely dangerous. Geographers say that the depth of the canyon is about fifty meters, which is also quite a lot. Here, many are photographed, because the lake in the crevice is unusually picturesque, as well as the surrounding rocks.

The oldest state temple

Most often in Southern Goa it is the Catholic churches that are watching. But there are a lot of interesting Hindu temples. One of them is located in the reserve Bhagwan Mahavir. If from the canyon of the Devil to go along the current Kandepar another twelve kilometers, one can find an ancient cult object dedicated to the god Shiva - the temple of Mahadeva Tambdi Surla. It is the oldest in the state of Goa. It was created in the thirteenth century, during the Yadava dynasty. It is built from basalt. It is due to the fact that it is in a remote place, the temple was not destroyed and was able to survive both Muslim and Catholic dominion. Its main sanctuary was used to worship the lingam (sexual organ) of Shiva, which symbolized fertility and well-being.

Beaches

Separately, I would like to mention various picturesque sections of the coast. Beaches are also the attractions of South Goa. For example, Aguada - not only a well-groomed place for swimming, but also located under the walls of the same name of the ancient Portuguese fort. Near Pananji there is Miramar beach. He is visited only for the sake of stunning scenery. To bathe there is not worth it. A special beach for lovers, covered with romantic legends - Dona Paula - is located near the residence of the governor of Goa. But the best, the "classical" coast of the southern part of the state is Mahjorda. Imagine thirty kilometers of beaches, to which groves of fruit trees and palms descend. To the coast there are picturesque villages, between which buses run. Is not it heaven?

The most luxurious beach in South Goa is Varka. Only exclusive hotels are built here. The most amazing and unlike the others is Mabor. It is a long braid of white sand. There are many islets, dunes and ponds with lilies. And the beach of Palolem, where tourists have just begun to flock, is famous for being very fond of dolphins. It's not easy to get here, but it's worth it. According to the Forbes edition, Palol is recognized as one of the top ten beaches on the globe.

How to navigate on your own

To explore the many attractions of South Goa, it is enough to rent a motorcycle, not even a motorcycle, but a regular bicycle. Why? The fact is that here is a flat, and at the same time picturesque terrain. To go on it, twisting the pedals is a pleasure. The price for a bicycle is from 70 rupees a day, but if you take it for a week or two, it will be cheaper. Of course, mopeds and scooters are common. Rent of such transport will already cost two hundred rupees per day. If you are not a fan of outdoor activities, but do not want to overpay taxi drivers, contact the same rickshaws. They will take about 9 rupees per kilometer. But most often it is better to visit various beaches. And for a taxi you have to pay 17-25 rupees / km. If you want to plunge into the local life, travel by buses. Infrastructure in this part of the state is good, transport travels often. Men and women tend to travel in different parts of buses.

Reviews and tips

Tourists arriving here by planes flying Moscow-Goa, first of all note that the contingent of tourists in the south of the state is very respectable. These people like not to hang out and lie all day on the beaches, and visit unusual places. Therefore, it is easy to get sightseeing groups for trips to the sights of Goa. Time is better to choose for this day, because many reserves have fixed hours of work. Before some of the natural beauties, like, for example, Kotigao, you can go by bus. But to the waterfall Dudhsagar still better to go to the group, otherwise you can get lost. And the local population in this wilderness does not even understand English.