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The Osborne Resorts
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Affordable yet Cosy & Comfortable Accommodation ... Truly a Home away from Home with a very friendly in house staff to make you feel welcome, secure and at home

Twin Bed Room.
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Take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of any of our two swimming pools, surrounded by a beautiful garden and swaying palms. Relax by the poolside in a comfortable deckdeck-chair and avail of our special poolside service or just take a walk and check out the numerous shops and restaurants located near by on the main road. View More

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Sightseeing in Calangute Beach

Calangute is truly Goa’s most active beach, filled with fun, surf and sand it is the ideal destination for fun-loving tourists. At Calangute it’s easy to find tour and water sports operators, where the more adventurous can adventure sports and water sports like para sailing, wind surfing and water skiing. If you’re not one for the adrenaline rush try the lovely backwater cruises and dolphin cruises. Also, visit nearby beaches like Baga, Candolim and Anjuna, and places of interest like the Aguada Fort, church of St. Alex and St. Anthony Chapel.

All About Goa	Travel in Goa
Tourist Map of Goa	Travel Tips in Goa
CITIES	BEACHES
For administrative purposes, Goa is divided into two districts, North Goa and South Goa with Panjim and Margao as its headquarters. A few cities worth mentioning are listed below: Fort Aguada and Candolim Fort Aguada and Candolim The Portuguese built Fort Aguada in 1612. It has a church a lighthouse and a jail. Sinquerim beach lies below this fort Calangute and Candolim beaches are situated to the north of Fort Aguada. Mapusa Mapusa Mapusa: This small town is the hub of north Goa. It has a number of commercial establishments. Popular for its Friday market, the locals come to trade here weekly. A Dutch Chronicler mentioned this market in 1580 as "Bazaar Grande." Old Goa Old Goa UNESCO has granted this place as World Heritage Status for its grand churches and convents. Some of the old buildings are converted into museums and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Margao Margao This town is the capital of the south province and is densely populated. A few old Hindu temples, churches and picturesque farming villages are definitely worth a visit. Panjim Panjim Located on the banks of the river Mandovi, is the state capital of Goa. Reminisces of the Portuguese architecture can be seen here in the old houses with over hanging balconies, red tiled roofs and numerous small bars and cafes. "Secretariat" the summer palace of the 16th century ruler, Yusuf Adil Shah is situated on the riverside. Nearby is the famed statue of 'Abbe Faria' a priest renowned for his hypnotic powers. 18th June Road is a busy commercial area. Ponda Ponda Some of the famous Hindu temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses are located here. Another interesting site to visit here is the Safa Masjid built in 1650. It is the only shrine out of the two Islamic shrines to survive the excesses of the Portuguese Inquisition. Vasco-Da-Gama Vasco-Da-Gama The only airport in Goa, Dabolim and the Marmagoa harbour are located 4 kms each on either side of Vasco- Da- Gama. It has been the busiest ports on India's West Coast during the Portuguese rule and is still and important shipping center now.	Beaches may be the sole criteria a tourist chooses Goa as his destination. Goa possesses one of the finest stretches of sandy coastline in India. The beaches in Goa lets one enjoy the sun, sea and sand simultaneously. In general, the beaches are clustered into two regions, north and south Goa coastlines with Miramar and Bambolim beaches in the middle. A few of the beaches in north Goa, are listed below: Anjuna Anjuna In the early 60's, the hippies were regulars on Anjuna beach in goa . They traded with the much sought after items of those days like guitars to jeans and thus this beach gained the reputation of a flea market which is held every Wednesday even today. Water sports like parasailing and windsurfing are common here. Calangute Calangute Calangute Beach in Goa is a frequently visited beach. Besides water sports, there are short courses in meditation, yoga and even karaoke that are conducted here. A great number of massage parlors and an active nightlife makes Calangute Beach in Goa a popular one. Benaulim Benaulim Benaulim beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. Dolphin Cruises are the main attractions on this beach. The village around Benaulim beach in Goa is known for its charm as well as for its carved rose wood furniture. Bogmalo Bogmalo Bogmalo beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. This beach is located only 4 kms. from Dabolim airport and 8 kms. from the port city of Vasco-da-Gama. A number of cafes and bars have crept up at Bogmalo beach in goa during the recent past making it livelier. Colva Colva Colva beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. Margao city in south Goa is only 4 kms away from Colva beach in Goa. Though scenic Colva beach is quite crowded. Majorda Majorda Majorda beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. This beach stretches about 5 kms. North of Colva beach. Though smaller in size many new resorts have sprung up at the Majorda beach in Goa. Betul Beach Betul Beach Betul beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. Betul Beach Comparatively a small beach, it is located along the southern end of the Sal river in Goa. Palolem Beach Palolem Beach Palolem beach is situated along the southern part of Goa. This isolated beach is located almost at the southern most tip of Goa's coastline. Palolem Beach in Goa is reportedly one of the most enchanting beaches having the majestic Western Ghats as the backdrop. The locals from around this village mainly work in the Toddy tapping and fishing industry.
CHURCHES	FORTS
Goa has a number of churches. A few are mentioned below: St. Cathedral at Old Goa St. Cathedral at Old Goa St. Cathedral at Old Goa Known as the largest church in Asia. The huge golden bell is the largest in the world. Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Old Goa Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Old Goa Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Old Goa: Adjacent to the Cathedral is this church. Built in the 17th Century, a beautiful octagonal tabernacle ornately decorated has two statues, one of St Francis of Assisi and the other of Jesus on the cross. Vows of poverty, humility and obedience of St. Francis of Assisi are scripted right below these two statues. Chapel and Tomb of St. Francis Xavier Chapel and Tomb of St. Francis Xavier Chapel and Tomb of St. Francis Xavier: The mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier can be seen through a glass case in this chapel.	Following few forts that remain today stand as mute witnesses to the history of the days gone by. Cabo da rama Cabo da rama Located on the southern coast of Goa, Cabo da rama fort has been under the regime of various rulers before the Portuguese took over in 1763 and later under the British rule. The church within the fort still remains but the fort is in ruins. Chapora Chapora A splendid view of nearby beaches Anjuna and Vagator can be seen from here. The Portuguese had secured their rule in Goa but the threat from the Muslim and Maratha rulers persisted. To protect themselves from this risk, the Portuguese built the Chapora fort in 1617. However, unlike the Aguada fort, this fort did not remain unconquered. Terekhol Terekhol Situated on the Terekhol river, this fort over looks the Arabian Sea. Centuries old church of St. Anthony lies in its courtyard. The fort is now converted into a tourist resort wherein all the rooms are sea facing. At night, the roar of the waves that lash on the rocks below can be heard distinctly.
TEMPLES	WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
Temples in Goa are an important part of its socio-cultural life. Due to historical reasons, the architecture varies from the usual Hindu temples. A few worth mentioning are given below: Pandavas Caves Pandavas Caves Cut from the rocks in the caves, Pandavas Caves temple in Goa dates back to 1st Century. AD It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shree Rudreshwar Temple, Aravalem Shree Rudreshwar Temple, Aravalem Shree Rudreshwar Temple, Aravalem: This temple is situated by the scenic waterfalls and is dedicated to Lord Rudreshwar, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is visited by thousands of devotees during the annual Shivratri festival. Shree Damodar Temple, Zambaulim Shree Damodar Temple, Zambaulim Shree Damodar Temple, Zambaulim: This beautiful temple is situated on the banks of the Kushawati river. The deity was originally placed where the church of the Holy Spirit stands today and was moved during the time of the Portuguese Inquisition. The main festival celebrated here is the festival of Shigmo, which is the festival of colour. Shree Chandranath Temple, Paroda Shree Chandranath Temple, Paroda Shree Chandranath Temple, Paroda: Situated on top of a 359m high hill, this temple is devoted to Lord Chandranath or Lord of the Moon- an incarnation of Lord Shiva. This temple is so designed, that the main deity receives moonlight on every full moon. An added attraction is the ancient chariot with its exquisite wooden carvings. Shree Mahalsa Narayani Temple Shree Mahalsa Narayani Temple Shree Mahalsa Narayani Temple: The deity in this temple is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, portrayed in the female form. In front of this temple lies a unique lamp tower which is lit during the annual festival. This unique 12.5 m brass lamp is known to be the largest in Goa. The pillars outside the temple are also exquisitely carved. Shree Mahalakshmi Temple Bandode Shree Mahalakshmi Temple Bandode Shree Mahalakshmi Temple Bandode: This temple is dedicated to "Mahalakshmi", Lord Vishnu's consort. The special feature of this deity is that she wears a "Lingam" a symbol of Lord Shiva on her head. The main hall of the temple contains a gallery of 18 wooden images of Lord Vishnu, one of the rarest collections of its kind in the country. Shree Nagueshi Temple, Bandode Shree Nagueshi Temple, Bandode Shree Nagueshi Temple, Bandode: This west facing temple, has an inscription in Marathi that roughly corresponds to the year 1413. The main hall of this temple has a gallery on either side with images carved in wood depicting scenes from the epic "Ramayana". The inner shrine has the "Lingam" the symbol of Lord Shiva and in the front is an image of "Nandi" the bull, carved in black stone. Shree Gopal Ganapathi, Farmagudi Shree Gopal Ganapathi, Farmagudi Shree Gopal Ganapathi, Farmagudi: This relatively modern temple houses the stone image of Lord Ganapathi, son of Lord Shiva, which was discovered by cowherds. The first building of this temple commemorates the celebration of the Portuguese retreat. Goa's first chief minister built the present temple and consecrated the new metallic alloy idol on April 24, 1966.	Flora and Fauna is well preserved in these sanctuaries. A visit would be definitely worth it. Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Molem Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Molem Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Molem: This is the largest wild life preserve with an area of 240 sq. kms. Rich in wild life, it is also a bird watchers paradise. Important geological and historical features are a part of this sanctuary The 'Devil Canyon' a beautiful geological site and the historical Tambdi Surla temple are nearby. The famous Dudhsagar falls are about an hour's journey from Molem. Tourists can avail of the cottages and dormitories built by the Dept. of Tourism. Bondla Forest Bondla Forest Bondla Forest: Comparatively smaller, this jungle resort is popular among school kids and nature lovers. It has mini zoos, sprawling deer parks in their natural habitat and rose gardens. Up in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Sambas, wild boars can be spotted among other animals. Overnight stay is possible here and this park remains closed on Thursdays. Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary: With an area of 105 sq. kms, this is the second largest wild life sanctuary. Center for Vedic studies and a 16th century temple lie in the vicinity of this sanctuary. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary: Varieties of local as well as migratory birds, flying foxes, jackals and crocodiles can be spotted here. This sanctuary is open throughout the year with the permission of the Chief Wild Life Warden.