New Year Eve - Goa

Celebrate New Year carnival in true Goa style as the Grand Hotel in Goa is going to throw the grandest of shows. 

The liquor and food will flow unlimited across all sections. For the ones who love grooving to dance music, you can move over to the banquet halls. With New Year round the corner, it only pays to further that thought and party instead to bring in the new year with love and lights.

Known for its epic food fare in their New Year celebration in Goa, Neelam’s -The Grand reads some of the most scrumptious seafood items on the menu offerings and its trance parties of all kinds. This is the place to be in, if one wants to get a good high on music and life in general. The ambience is intoxicating enough to feel any additional need to indulge in hard drinks, but for the happy drinker, shakes and juices with a hint of vodka is suggested and you’re good to go to hoot, eat and surrender.

This New Year don’t just sound half as exciting as your visions of the good time you will have, crave it, behave it, beg, borrow, bite or steal, but go Goa - because The Grand is where they will look best! Be rest assured thereafter because the New Year parties at Neelam’s - The Grand will be happy. Cheers!

Book our tables and say I am going on http://bit.ly/GrandNewYearParty

Time: 8.00 pm Price: Rs 5,999/- per couple

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Heritage Monuments

 Heritage Monuments

Goa was conquered by the Portuguese in 1510 and remained a Portuguese colony until 1961. It was also the Portuguese capital of the Portuguese’s eastern empire and the centre for the catholic missions in Asia. It’s no wonder then that the majority of the monuments reflect this influence on their construction. So if you are in Goa a visit to some of these sites is a worthwhile excursion and in this article we will cover some of what we thinks are the best monuments to visit.

Basilica of Bom Jesus

Yes this basilica located in Old Goa make it onto almost every travel blog you can find and for good reason, it’s in immaculate condition and is the final resting place of the body of St. Francis Xavier, Goa’s patron saint. PS: It’s said his body is as fresh as the day it was buried and if you’re lucky you may even be able to catch a glimpse of it at the public viewing that’s happening this year.

Church of St. Augustine

 Considered to be one of the coolest of the old churches in Old Goa it has found its way onto many a magazine cover. The site houses what remains of a glorious 46m tall laterite tower and some remnants of the old church. The tower itself was supposed to be a bell fry and was one of four that made up the church.

Saint Pauls College

St. Pauls College was founded in 1542 and was the main Jesuit institution in India. It’s located to the south of the St. Cajetan’s church in Old Goa and was renowned for offering free education in various academic disciplines. The college also housed the first printing press in the country and also a hospital.

And in no way is this list complete places like Se cathedra: India’s biggest church, fort Auguda and the Mahadev temple are also places worth visiting. But if you haven’t come to Goa solely for its heritage sites then these should be more than enough to fill your quota of Portuguese Goa. It’s also worth mentioning that all the above mentioned heritage sites are easily accessible and frequent tours and guides are available either through the hotel itself or one of the many local tour agencies.
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Goa’s Best Beaches

Goa is well known for its beaches and for good reason, it has a beach for everyone; from the party centers to the quiet reclusive beaches tucked away in some corner of the tropical paradise. In this article we will have a look at some of the best beaches trying to cover as many of the different types as possible.

Baga & Calangute:

If you are planning to come to Goa you would have definitely heard of the Baga and Calangute beaches. These beaches are probably the most tourist friendly in all of Goa, the beaches are well connected by transport and have lovely restaurants and a wide range of hotels that cater to your every need.

 

 

Palolem Beach:

 Palolem is widely regarded as the hidden jewel of Goa’s beaches. Situated near Cancona in the southern corner of the state, the beach manages to avoid most of the crowds and still has all the amenities you’ll need. The best way to experience the Palolem is to book a shack by the beach, rent a bike and roam the area. Patnem beach situated adjacent to Palolem is mostly hidden from visitors and is also worth visiting.

 

Anjuna Beach:

Anjuna is well known for its flea markets every Wednesday and the party scene almost every night. Curlies at the southern end of the beach is one of the most happening clubs here. The unique vibe at this beach owes its existence to the hippies that called Anjuna home in the sixties.

 

Agonda Beach:

Agonda beach is a beautiful secluded beach that in south Goa. This picturesque beach is prefect to spend a lazy day at. It is also home to a turtle centre established to protect the Oliver Ridley species. It must be said though that this beach is not a place to go swimming as the sea has steep drop offs near the coast and has a rough high tide.

Well this is our round up of what we think are Goa,s best beaches. Do you think we left any out? If so do let us know in the comments.

What to do when you are in Goa !

5 Things to do on your first trip to Goa.

1.  Enjoy the Beaches!

Well lets face it, if you’re in Goa you have probably come here to for the beaches. And even if you’re not, well they can’t really be ignored. The calangute beach in north Goa is the perfect place to start. It is very easily accessible, by public transport or even if you are driving down. There is a whole range of accommodation from shacks by the beach to luxury hotels like the grand goa.

2. Try the food!

Goa is well known for having a unique cuisine. The state being predominantly catholic and also a Portuguese colony is known for its preparations of fish and pork, hence making it a meal-lovers paradise in an otherwise predominantly vegetarian country. Apart from this local sweets like Bibincaand Dodol are also very popular. Due to the large number of international tourists, continental food is never far away with most hotels offering an international cuisine.

3. Visit Churches and Historical Sites!

Before being annexed by the Indian armed forces in 1961, goa was a Portuguese colony for 451 years. Hence it has been endowed with as architecture unique to the state. These beautiful Portuguese styled churches and forts and a sight worth seeing in Goa. Popular tourist attraction are the Basicila of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral de Santa Catharina.

4. Go shopping!

Goa is well known for its flea markets all along the beaches, Calangute itself it a good place to start, with everything from road side stalls to high end boutiques in the vicinity. The Anjuna flea market open every Wednesday is also a good place to shop, here you mostly find beach wear, jewelry and souvenirs, but remember to bargain!

5. Rent a Bike!

The roads in goa are known for being narrow and public transport is not always available. So if you want to explore the beautiful state, the best is on a bike. They are easily available and very cheap to rent, the hotel will usually be able to help you out in that matter.