Goa

Goa- the name conjures up images of sun-baked sands, heady feni, and palm fronds waving in a cool sea breeze. All that may sound a wee bit clichéd, but Goa definitely isn’t. One of India’s hottest destinations for well over two decades now, Goa was- and still is- where everybody goes to party. A sunkissed land dotted with coconut trees and rice fields; old Portuguese churches and the prettiest of beaches- where February means Carnival and every day is an occasion for celebration.
Goa’s beaches are where much of the action is; some of the best beaches in India, these are the major reason why Goa attracts so many thousands of tourists- Indian and foreign- every year. The state’s beaches stretch all along the coastline, from the northern border with Maharashtra right down to the south, where peaceful stretches like Palolem are a godsend for anybody looking for an escape from the crowds.
The three main areas where Goa’s best beaches are concentrated include Mapusa, Panaji and Margao. Along most of the major beaches are resorts, hotels, cottages, restaurants and souvenir shops by the dozen, and usually an interesting flea market as well. All of which means that you can get a fairly complete vacation- with accommodation, dining, entertainment and shopping- all on one beach. What more could one ask for?
Best time to visit:-

Goa is a year-round destination, but the best time to go is in winter, between late October and early April. The winter weather is balmy, the days are sunny and the nights cool, especially on the beach. The summers are very hot and humid and it rains heavily from June to August, making it unsafe to swim.
The carnival period in the month of February through to early March is another peak time, attracting a lot of tourists to Goa. It is a great season with parades, pageants and merrymaking late into the night.
Access:-

Goa is well connected to Mumbai and other major cities by air, rail, road and a limited catamaran service, the latter only from Mumbai. Dabolim Airport, 30 km from Panaji, is the only airport in the state, but it’s got plenty of flights coming from the rest of the country.
Goa is also well connected by train, with Margao being the main station for the Konkan Railway plying between Maharashtra and Karnataka. Trains come in from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Trivandrum and other major cities of the country. National Highways link Goa with other cities and there are regular overnight coaches and buses. Driving down from Mumbai is also a good idea, since its useful to have a vehicle in Goa.
The best way to get around Goa is to hire a vehicle, as public transport systems can be a bit unreliable: there are no metered taxis and the bus service is erratic. Riding pillion on motorcycle taxis is extremely popular and inexpensive. You can also rent cars or two-wheelers for the day.
Accommodation:-

Options for accommodation are virtually unlimited in Goa and you can find a room to fit any budget. There are luxury hotels in prime locations near the beach, holiday resorts, tourist bungalows, beach shacks, dormitories and paying guest accommodation with local families. Also available are hostel and dormitory style accommodation that is perfect for students and backpackers on tight budgets. All three areas- Margao, Mapusa and Panaji- have low-priced, state-run GTDC tourist hotels. Most tourists prefer to stay around the beaches in north or south Goa.
Book in advance during peak season, as accommodation can get very scarce at this time.