Calangute ... 'Queen of the Beaches' - Goa

This is the most happening beach (alongside with Baga, obviously). It's a must visit for the tourists coming to Goa. Most of the people like to stay @ Calangute / Baga in North Goa, which makes both of these areas full of people, hotels, B&B's, restaurants, pubs, spas, shops ... Also, night life is awesome here!

We came to Calangute @ mid-day. There are a lot of options to eat around here... we did took some considerable time to zero down on a restaurant for Lunch. Post that, the rest of the day was dedicated to the beach!

As you approach the beach, the road is filled with a lot of restaurants and shops having all kinds of stuff that will surely keep one busy. If you have right skills, you can get a good bargain here ... ;-)

The Restaurants/Pubs on the way to Beach

Roadside eateries... (don't look for hygiene here)

Coming to the beach, people mostly come here for two reasons:

1. Water Sports: The best place for water sports in Goa. Also, if you are visiting during off-season, the prices are very low (less than 1000 INR for 3-4 sports) ... They have - Paragliding, Speed Boats, Jet Ski, Bumper and Banana rides.
   

   

   Most of the crowd can be seen enjoying the sports...

2. The Shacks: This beach has the most options for shacks. And all of them are free to sit (till you are buying food/drinks from them). Best place to relax, have some beers and enjoy the sunset. Also, do enjoy the local food, it's worth it!
   
   
   

   

   Awesome view of Sunset from our shack

   
   
   

   

   The candle(s) lit by the owners on every table... lovely!

All that definitely makes this beach very crowded (and obviously, as a side effect of that - DIRTY). But as long as you are having fun, these things can be ignored.

There are also many artists seen here, we met a sand artist (from Germany) who had made a beautiful sand castle right in front of the beach entrance!

Also, this is a good place to get yourself inked (temp tattoos, don't rely on the locals for a perm) for a good price.

It was a fun day @ Calangute ... especially the evening at the Shack followed by awesome dinner!

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Bom Jesus Church, Goa - Walking Through History!

This Church is located in Old Goa, Panjim. It's quiet beautiful and well maintained with gardens surrounding from all sides.

A beautiful exterior

The church is called "Bom Jesus" meaning 'good Jesus' or 'infant Jesus' to whom it is dedicated. The facade has letters 'HIS' on it at the top - which are the first three letters of Jesus in Greek.

The Basilica is considered to be the best example of baroque architecture in India, is a UNESCO world heritage site.

'IHS' - first three letters of Jesus in Greek

Timings

The main attraction o this church is undoubtedly - Body of St. Francis Xavier, which is over 400 years old and still in good condition!

The coffin of St Francis Xavier

A little history about St. Francis

• He Died while en route to China on December 2, 1552
• The Body was first taken to Portuguese Malacca and two years later brought back to Goa, India (after two years, body was as fresh as the day it was buried)
• His remains are displayed in a glass container encased in a silver casket in Basilica.
• St Francis's body is exposed for public display every 10 years.

  Next event will be held from 22-November-2014 to 4-January-2015

  Mark your calenders!

The body of St. Francis

Close up...

Some of the interiors of church...

It would be good to get a Guide to get more insights on the history of this Church. There is ample parking space and eateries outside.
You can also visit 'The Church of St Francis of Assisi' and 'Se Cathedral' nearby.

It's a good 1-2 hours visit...

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Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa

This one's located in the heart of Goa - Panjim (and thus it's also called - Panjim Church). It was one of the first churches to be built here (around 1500 BC!).

The Church looks simple, but impressive with beautiful and well maintained structure as well as it's surroundings. It has also been a part of numerous Bollywood movies. 
It's a picturesque location, don't forget your camera (Sadly, photography is not allowed inside the Church).

The Church Square is well maintained with ample greenery.

Front View

From the top, you can get a great view of the lovely Panjim city.

Church Square

Tip 1: Try to visit the church in evening, it get's beautifully lights up making it look more awesome.

Tip 2: Every year on 8th December, the feast of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church is celebrated. During this time, the church is beautifully decorated with lights and also a fair is organized on the square.

It's a worthy 1-2 hour visit.

Cheers!