Anjuna and Baga Beach ,Goa India

        Anjuna Beach and Baga beach is situated at 15 kms distance from Panjim- the capital city of Goa. Both this beaches are the same, but named differently due to villages they face. For Anjuna village the beach is called Anjuna Beach and Baga village the beach is called Baga Beach. 

    The beach life begins in September to May that when the monsoon ends . So if you are a beach bum then you should visit Goa for beaches in those months. Arjuna beach was made popular by the hippie culture which was epic in the early 1970s. Goa was a popular spot to the hippie - culture back then. 

    Apart from the beach which looks stunning, I can say with full confidence as I personally visited this beach in the month of September. The sand , the surf and the cool breeze certainly gives out a Goa Vibe.   There are many sport activities on both these beaches, the usual found in  all the popular beaches of Goa. 

Facing the beach are many hotels shacks and clubs which are open and many have music concerts. Also if you want to relax the are beach beds which can be rented out.

Anjuna is famous for it's nightlife and the famous flea markets which was started by the hippies who sold their belongings like cloths, watches, chains and other items to get some cash when there was a hippie wave back in the 70's and it still continues till today only on Wednesday from 9.am till 7.pm. One can buy various Tibetan Artifacts,  souvenirs, key-chains, bags.  

The best time to visit these two beaches are in September to May. 

While I have spoken of all the good stuff above there are some cons to: the beach being tourist hotpots for domestic as well as foreign tourist remains crowded with over 8000 plus persons with continuous walk in and out . There is also a problem of parking due to the massive crowd. 

All and above it's a must visit place if you travel to Goa. 

River Cruise on the Mandovi River , Panaji Goa - India

Panaji(also called panjim) the capital city of Goa is considered a major tourist spot for local and international tourist. The river mandovi host many casinos boats, but for tourist who want to skip the casino experience but still want to enjoy the mandovi river then many small Cruise boats offer a river cruise which last for an hour per trip. 

The cruise  boat that I took was "MADHEI". The  trip on this boat will cost Rs. 500 per person that will be around 7 US Dollars as entry fee. The Cruise will start at the respective terminals which is along the road which leads from Panaji to Campal. Its easy to locate the Crusie terminals, once you enter the Panjim city or any local can pin-point you in the direction of the Cruise boats.

Once the cruise boat leaves the terminal the  MC(compare) takes over and the various entertainment activity starts. The Cruise I took  had   local folk dance called mando. They also had a dj  playing Hindi songs . People were invited on the stage to dance. 

If your not  into the above mentioned fun stuff then you can hang out on the deck with a beer or a drink from the bar  and soak in the river air along with the view of the banks. Worth mentioning is the new Atal Setul bridge which runs between panjim and porvorim. The cruise took us between the bridge  which made for some amazing photo shots. 

Across the river you will  get to see other smaller tourist boats , casino boats and an ancient church which looks breath taking. 

I would advise you to take this cruise just before sunset, the view is amazing.

Basilica of Bom Jesus , Se Cathedral and Chapel of St. Catherine at Old Goa

 

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is located in Old, Goa India , just a few kilometres  from Panaji, the capital city of Goa. One must note that Old Goa was the capital city of Goa, before it was shifted to Panaji by the Portuguese in 1843.

The Basilica is one of the the three building situated next to each other , the others being the Se Cathedral , and the lesser Known Chapel of St. Catherine .

The Basilica is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier and the mortal remains of the Saint is kept there, every decade the remains are taken out . Pilgrims all over the world visit during that year. The feast is celebrated on the 3rd of December , the birthday of the saint. 

St . Francis Xavier along with his friend St. Ignatius Loyola founded the the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

The exterior of the basilica is a architecture lover's delight. Shaped as a triangle ,  It's made up of pinkish bricks which are unpainted and gives it it unique raw look. 

BOBJESUS   BOBJESUS

 

The Interior main alter is said to be engraved with precious stones and plated with gold( this is to be confirmed).

(The main alter)

One can visit the basilica  on all days .The basilica also houses a museum having old artifacts. Photographs are not allowed inside the museum.

Noteworthy mentions is also the courtyard when in the basilica 

                             (courtyard with amazing structure)

It takes around thirty minutes to explore the basilica along with the museum inside. If you plan to visit goa, then this should be among the top 20 places to visit in goa . Check out my twitter and youtube account for more info on the basilica.

Here are some other interesting places :-

COLVA BEACH