After some good times at the Colva beach in south Goa we decided to try our luck shopping in Goa for some cotton clothing and were directed to the cloth markets in Margao where the cloth traders are all at one place in the city. However upon reaching the location I was disappointed as I could not find any ready cotton wear made in Indian cottons. There were a couple of stores selling cotton cloth priced very highly. However no stores were around with any tasteful cotton wear and whatever we saw was below par.
At this point I called up a local friend in Goa who suggested that I should try my luck at the "Dor Dhaaga" store in Margao city. It wasnt very hard to find as the Dor dhaaga store was located right in the heart of the city near Baskin robbins store, close to the Nanutel hotel and next to clube Harmonia. I quickly googled the location and we drove to the DorDhaaga store and were quite pleased to find what we were looking for
We were five of us and all of us somehow were able to find what we needed. While I chose a nice long cotton dress in blue, my friends were totally excited with the cotton tops in jaipuri cottons as well as some south cottons of Mangalgiri which were on display. Jhanvi almost went crazy with the short tops as she felt they would do good justice on her denims . Sejal was more content with the long kurtis while also helping herself to some stoles. At Dor Dhaaga they have both long as well as short kurtis in indo-western style which is quite refreshing.
For the summers in Goa being quite hot and humid, it was also nice to see strapped dresses on board and I couldn't help pick two for myself while my friends Arpita and Lina picked up one each.
All of us rumbled and spent close to two hours trying and testing the sleeveless tops and Kurtis and eventually each one almost had five to six pcs to take home . I haven't found a store as good as Dor Dhaaga anywhere around Goa and would strongly recommend anyone visting Goa and if you are in Margao do not miss out on dropping by at Dor Dhaaga for some irresistible cotton wear in some lovely prints.
The address of Dor Dhaaga is shop No 4, D'Costa Chambers, Near Baskin Robbins ice cream store, close to Nanutel Margao Goa.
There are no high resolution maps for Goa - for instance, some popular isles are not shown in many maps on Goa.While consistent efforts are being made by the Goan tourism department to be tourism friendly there are still many parts of Goa where there are no sign-boards, so finding your way around can be challenging. So whenever in doubt just asking local people in Goa for directions to a place or for information about a place is the best thing to do as the local Goans are very helpful people.
Don’t expect traffic rule obedience to a tee in Goa. Cattle on the roads or freely criss crossing is common place. Also bikers flouting rules and lights is frequent in Goa. You may also encounter unmarked speed breakers , speed bumps etc on many Goan roads.
Getting through Goa on a motorbike Tourists coming to Goa often prefer to scan the place on their own and therefore hire motorbikes which gives them an independent view on the Goan landscape. You have various kinds of bikes in Goa for tourists to pick up from various points especially from the beach areas. There is the choice of geared and un-geared motorbikes and scooters which can be borrowed on rent. Helmets are compulsory to be used on Goan highways barring the cities and if you want to stay away from the local Goan cops you should also hire a helmet while traveling in Goa. Those planning to stay for long periods can consider buying them too.
Rentals for bikes in Goa are around Rs 300 per day on a Honda Activa scooter or a Suzuki Access two wheeler and can be a little more if one is looking for a geared motorcycle. The fuel should cost you extra and is available at the various petrol pumps in the cities of Goa or along the highway at Verna and Siridao on NH 17.
If you are staying in Goa for a long term you should always consider seeking a good bargain for the rentals of the motorbikes or should in fact buy a new one. Eventually if your stay in Goa is a long one the cost should work out for you. If not, a bargain of Rs 100 a day should be a good deal for you.
Also do ensure that you have all the ownership documents of the bike with you while you travel with the bike as you can be questioned by the traffic cops at various locations in Goa . Also, avoid taking motorbikes with yellow number plates out of the Goa state, as it is a punishable offense.
Hiring a bike with white number plates is ok for local travel in your immediate vicinity wherever you reside in Goa but if you want to travel further afar, then it is always better to rent bikes with yellow number plates as these bikes are authorised to ply as hired bikes. Wearing a crash helmet is compulsory when you go on any major roads, or highways in Goa. If you default, the Goa traffic cops are bound to penalize you. The current penalty as of October 2011 is Rs 100 for not wearing a helmet.
Also if you are a foreigner driving in Goa you will need an International Driving Permit (Convention 1949) and this is the first thing the police in Goa are bound to ask you for, if stopped for a violation. You should also carry your normal driving licence with you.
Traveling inside Goa by bus Traveling in Goa by bus can often be a harrowing experience was the buses in Goa are packed to capacity and can cause much discomfort. However the bus service in Goa is pretty good and there are buses connecting almost anywhere in Goa. The fares range from 5-30 rupees for a travel from 1 – 40 kms travel. The Goa government service of Kadamba transport corporation is pretty efficient and has recently infused its fleet with brand new Volvo buses which make for pleasant traveling.
Discovering Goa by car There are several options available if you want to explore Goa bay car. Available on rent are the likes of Mahindra, Willy’s or the popular Maruti Suzuki Gypsy which is similar to the long wheel base version of the Suzuki Jimmy. Some of these jeeps are open roof or with a soft top. Rentals per day could be around Rs. 1,200 - Rs. 1,500.
There are many car rental companies available in Goa to help you get a good bargain.
To reach Goa the aerial route is through its lone airport at Dabolim. If you travel by train there are plenty of trains along the Konkan railway track that criss cross from North to south India and pass Goa at stations such as Pernem station, Tivim station, Karmali station in the North and Margao station in the south. Margao is the major train station in Goa. Goa is connected by many buses from many cities in India, especially from Mumbai, Bangalore , Pune, Hyderabad, and Mangalore .
Traveling by rail to Goa can be a treat for the nature lover and you can get to watch the dudhsagar waterfalls if you were to travel from Goa to Pune or Delhi
How far is Goa from various places in India
FromBelgaum---------154 km
FromMangalore -------305 km
FromPune ---------------450 km
FromBangalore --------592 km
FromMumbai----------- 593 km
FromMysore ------------643 km
FromHyderabad -------747 km
FromDelhi --------------1912 km
To Goa by plane
The Dabolim airport in Vasco Da Gama is Goa's only airport and is the only source to fly out form Goa.
To Goa By bus
There are several bus routes to Goa from various cities, but majorly the most traffic is from Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. However with increasing demand from south Goa, there has been an increase in buses and trains from Hyderabad andMangalore. Overnight buses from Mumbai to Goa are one alternative to trains and flying. These buses leave Mumbai in the afternoon and reach Goa before dawn..
To Goa By train
The Indian Railways connects Goa with direct train services from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mangalore, in the North and west of India and in the south from Kochi, Thiruvanantapuram, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. The destination station is usually Madgaon( Margao) in South Goa. Travelling to Goa by train can be a pleasurable experience as the route passes through green carpeted areas of Goa and runs through many tunnels. Goa is also connected to Pune via the Belgaum Miraj line A railway station which most tourists tend to miss is the Thivim station in the north of Goa which is served by most trains and is just 25 minutes away from Calangute beach by taxi. For budget travelers to Goa, this is the cheapest option, apart from being quicker and much more comfortable than travelling by road.
Since thse train routes to Goa re very popular they are also heavily booked for most parts of the year. So it is therefore advisable for tourists to make reservations well in advance as the major trains such as Konkan Kanya, Netravati express etc. are usually travelling fully packed.
Also it must be noted that trains from Mumbai and most other places in India have a separate quota of seats reserved for tourists. Such quota tickets must be purchased in person at the rail station by the tourist and this service cannot be availed though a travel agent. Also take note that the quota tickets are only sold at the station of origin and not midway points. However you may board the train anywhere midway.
Train tickets to Goa can also be booked online. However you need an Indian credit card or a valid bank account to do the transaction. It is always advisable to travel to Goa by train in in air conditioned sleeper coaches, which are relatively quieter, and much more comfortable. Each sleeping bunk is provided with two freshly laundered bed sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. You may also have a hand towel on request.
Here are some of the trains to Goa which you may take note of to ensure that your trip to Goa is well planned
Travelling by train to Goa can also be advantageous to make new friends during travel to Goa as you are able to interact with fellow travelers visiting Goa. However be careful not to indulge in very close friendships before you know someone personally and do not accept any eatables from any strangers during travel.
To GoaBy air
Goa’s one airport at Dabolim in Vasco has many flights directly flying in. However most flights arrive from Mumbai or via Mumbai.
Many domestic airlines in India have daily flights to and from Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kozhikode (Calicut).
The domestic Airlines flying into Goa include all such airlines which operate in India and include names such as Kingfisher airlines, spicejet, Jet Airways, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan,Indigo , GoAir, Paramount Airways and MDLR Airways.
National services like Air India has international flights to Kuwait and UAE which operate twice a week. Arabian airlines Air Arabia has discount flights to sharjah while Qatar Airways has flights to Doha, and has many convenient connections to western Europe, Africa and USA
You have chartered flights to Goa coming from United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and Switzerland.
Upon arrival, your preferred choice of local travel should be thepre-paid taxis from Dabolim Airport. You will find a yellow pre-paid taxi booth about 30 metres on the left when you exit the main building. These taxi booths are monitored by the government of Goa for their pre-fixed rates rather than the taxis operating outside the airport which charge arbitrary fees to take you to any point of destination in Goa
However most of the resorts in Goa normally pick up their guests from the airport for free so do ensure that you ask your resort for a free pickup.
To Goa by sea
Goa has been connected by sea off and on. However the endeavors have never sustained and after some years such services have been pulled off. Currently as of October 2011 there is a fresh proposal brewing up min Goa to employ cruise services between Go aand Mumbai which may see the light of the day soon considering that Goa is getting popular in India to a large extent.
Konkani is the state spoken language in Goa and is also the official language of the state.Most native Goans speak Konkani. However English, Hindi, Marathi and Portuguese are also known by many sections of Goan society. Portuguese is still spoken in many Goan homes especially in those places where the elite and former privileged class or the olden generation of Goans reside and among those who studied in the era of pre-1961 Portuguese-ruled Goa.
However, the approach to languages is different for different purposes in Goa. If you are in Goa you have to hear Konkani to know that you are in the state.. However while Konkani is most widely spoken, the bias for reading is towards English and Marathi which are most widely read in Goa. Most of Goa’s newspapers are read in these two languages. There are atleast 4-5 news publications in Goa catering to English readers while a couple of Marathi publications cater to the Marathi readers. There is incidentally just one edition in Konkani called "sunaparant " which caters to the Konkani lovers in Goa
For primary schooling, education had earlier to be imparted in "local regional languages" (i.e. Konkani or Marathi) to be entitled to receive government grants, on the argument that elementary education is best imparted in the "language of the child". However since 2011, with local Goans arguing their case, English has also been granted similar status for primary schooling as is the case with Konkani and Marathi schools At middle and high-school, and college too, education is almost wholly imparted in English.
In Konkani, also there are two distinct versions used in Goa. The Romi Konkani which has the Romi script is largely used by the Catholics in Goa for their prayer services and for general conversation as well. For the Hindus conversation is normally in Devnagari Konkani while their prayers are normally recited in Marathi. The administration language is however uniform and is largely conducted in English, which is also used as the language of publication of the official gazette, and the majorly used tongue in the courts of the state.
Konkani as a language in Goa can be quite a daunting task to learn by itself. It is written in over four to scripts all over India and beyond Goa. While Devnagri is the official script in Goa, Romi Konkani is widely spoken in Goa, Kannada script also exists and is used across Goa in Mangalore, the Malayalam script has popularity in Kerala down south India and there is the Perso Arabic script known to be used by the Miuslim populations along the Indian west coast.
For a large country like India, Goa is a relatively very small state with only two districts which are broadly divided into north Goa and south Goa. These two districts put together are further divided into 11 talukas which may be classified as sub-districts. Geographically tourists can relate to Goa better when informed of the two districts as south and north Goa although it does not mean much in terms of type of geography and landscape etc as both these areas are pretty similar.
While both North Goa and South Goa are similar in many respects, each district has their own "coastal" and "hinterland" areas. Likewise, the major coastal part of both the districts have similar histories, similar people, same language and have undergone Portuguese rule for longer than the hinterland of Goa thus making these places more affluent and Westernized in outlook.
When you talk about Goa's different regions, they are actually its central coastal areas where the beaches of Goa are located, and these areas were under colonial rule for longer periods of time, reflecting more of how the Portuguese held sway in these areas and influenced their will more in these places which also have a relatively larger Catholic population than the interior hinterland areas which are more of the land mining areas or the natural habitats or hilly slopes.
While Goa’s disposition is a western appearance and gives a colourful outlook through its culture, Goa actually has a minority Catholic population which is around 30% while the Hindus with all their caste groups put together form the majority of 60% of the Goan populace.
Also like many may otherwise believe, Goa is actually not an island although there are many parts within Goa which are islands and in the past were cut off from mainland Goa by rivers etc. while some of the inhabitants of such islands still prefer to remain virgin by not connecting to the mainland and using ferries to move across rivers, Goa on a larger basis has connected the many islands through bridges and as such ease d the conveyance of these people.
People in Goa are known to be relaxed and simply put, “succegado” which means easy going ion Portuguese. With better connectivity by Air and rail, and the booming construction sector, Goa ahs seen an influx of migrants from rest of India trying to set their footprints here thereby settling in Goa
What about Goa’s ‘cities’
Goa is not a highly urbanized place like you would see places in other cities of India. Its cities are relatively modest in their outlook and for a tourism infested place, Goa’s cities can be termed as just small regions of affluent cities such as Mumbai or Delhi. Panjim is the capital city which is connected to the major arteries of the north Goan sector leading to many of the tourist hot spots of Goa. The Other major city is in South Goa – Margao which is also known as the commercial hub of Goa – more so due to its former concentration of mining offices in this southern part of Goa. There are also various shopping markets concentrated in Margao such as the cloth shops etc.
The other notable cites are Vasco which is the port town and hosts the major Port – Mormugao Port trust. The Dabolim airport is also at the edge of Vasco city catering to the whole of Goa. The other cities are Mapusa city which is hardly 15 kms from Panjim and Ponda in the South which isa relatively smaller town leading tothe south Goa hinterland areas.
There is not much city life in any of the cites except for Panjim which can claim to have some of it being the capital city and also has some nightlife. The off shore casinos in Goa are hosted in Panjim city limits and are floating off the Mandovi river.
Besides the major cities , Goa also has a number of other smaller, sometimes charming and sometimes crowded towns such as all along the beach belt. You see lot of activity in the beach belt of Calangute, Baga and, Candolim and in the interior southern areas of Chaudi in Canacona, Sanvordem-Quepem, Bicholim, Pernem town, etc. Some of these are towns are gateways to the nearby tourist areas. In addition, Goa has some nearly 350 villages, often scenic and each having a character of its own.
