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A century before the arrival of the Portuguese, Goa was under the rule of the Kadamba kingdom for over 10 centuries. Succesive rules came to power leading to the arrival of the Portuguese led by Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510.
The Portuguese ruled Goa for another 451 years introducing their local culture, religion and language in Goa through their rule. Goa was an important trading post and sea port throughout their rule. In 1961 when India's prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru sent the Indian army to occupy Goa and make it a part of India, after talks with Portugal on a handover failed.
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Beaches and Nightlife |
There are many beautiful beaches in Goa, known as much for their clear water and sand as for the local flavour of life on the beaches ranging from fish cooking stalls to night clubs. The more developed beaches include Calungate and Baga in North Goa and Bernaulim and Colva in South Goa. Less developed and with more basic accomodation include Anjuna and Vagator beaches.
NightLife: Goa is also famous for it's nightlife, which in India has gained legendary status due to the variety of night clubs available and also thanks to the already infectious holiday atmosphere in the state which makes for enjoyable nights out though only at selected night clubs on certajn beaches.
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Old Goa |
This was the capital of Goa during Portuguese rule. Just 10 kms from Panjim, the current capital, Old Goa is now partly in ruins and sights worth seeing here include beautiful catholic cathedrals, churches and convents. Old Goa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
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There is a quite literally every type of hotel you would want in Goa ranging from 5 star boutique and resort type hotels to more basic accommodation. See more on hotels in Goa. |
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| The main airport in Goa is the Dabolim airport. There are several flights a day connecting the major cities in India to Goa, such as Delhi and Mumbai. Direct international flights are fewer and are usually scheduled charters from Europe. One can also get to Goa by train from Mumbai - the journey takes around 12 hours. Travelling by road takes just as long and there are several deluxe overnight buses between Mumbai and Goa.
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