Where to stay in Goa

Goa is a a verdant piece of land lined up by a stunning beachfront and is situated on the western coast of India bordering the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. A strip of abundant greens, it has emerged as one of India's favourite tourist destinations which sees lakhs of tourists every year, frequenting the place due to its charming beauty , marvellous beaches, majestic gothic architectured Churches , ancient Hindu temples , beautiful festivals full of colour and gaiety including the colour soaked Goan Carnival and a temptuos cuisine which is a perfect blend of Portuguese finesse and Goan masala. Above all, Goa's affable people who are very friendly and typically westernised, make the place all the more desirable.

Goa attracts tourists throughout the year and its major tourism packed season is from September to Mid March during which most of the hotels in Goa run with full capacity. During the off season the hotels in Goa offer various packages to woo tourists to enjoy Goa in the rains as the monsoon season in Goa is an altogether new adventure to explore. In the monsoons, Goa turns beautifully green and a view from the flights landing at Goa's Dabolim airport is a testimony to Goa's beauty in the rains. Goa also has a special festival called " Sao Joao" unique to its Portuguese influence which is celebrated on June 24 every year during which young men frolic in the rain and dive into wells, ponds and lakes throughout the day to celebrate the feast of St John.

It would need you a complete week to discover the real beauty of Goa beyond the beaches which are in itself a legacy of this beautiful place. Beautiful paddy fields all across Goa's highways are a testimony to its green carpet which makes Goa very nature bound.

In Goa it is not very difficult to find accommodation. However firstly you need to make a choice about where to stay in Goa. Goa is broadly divided into north and south Goa. North Goa is a more bustling place with plenty of nightlife and the beaches are very commercialized with plenty of tourism related business on view. Parties and pubs galore in the north which includes the famous beaches of Goa which are the Calangute beach, Baga beach, Anjuna beach, Vagator beach and Morjim beach. These places are packed with tourists owing to their famous address. As such accommodation around these places comes at a premium. Major five star hotels in the north include the taj group of hotels, the Marriot Hotel at Panjim and the well known Cidade de Goa at Dona Paula beach. However there is plenty of accommodation available if one were to look at the rooms, unstarred hotels and serviced apartments.

If you were to look for where to stay in South Goa , it is home to majority of the 5 star hotels in Goa which include the Majorda beach resort, The Park Hyatt Arossim, the Leelas,The Radisson hotel, Hotel Dona Sylvia, The Intercontinental hotel, Taj exotica and the Holiday Inn resort. South goa is home to many famous beaches sucha s the Colva beach, Varca Beach, Benaulim beach, Majorda beach and the Mobor beach. The south of Goa is full of various options of accommodation and if you look out earnestly you could get the type of accommodation that you desire and at your budgets. South Goa is a relatively quieter place compared to the north as it has fewer pubs and it is less commercialized. Besides the tourists are not crowding the beaches as much as it is in the north of Goa. South Goa is an ideal place for serenity and romantic outings.It is a honeymooners paradise in Goa.

For the tourists who wonder where to stay in Goa, there is plenty of variety in accommodation and a range of facilities available in Goa to choose from. So from a number of 5 star hotels, 4star resorts, 3 star luxuries to one star hotels, serviced apartments and guesthouses you are in control; to plan your holiday in advance at cheap costs but with good quality accommodation.

So which is the best place to stay in Goa?
I am enlisting a host of options with the star ratings for you to consider. These are among the best places to stay in Goa and offer a wide range of amenities. Please note that the ratings are subject to change and depend on the up-gradation of some of these starred resorts from time to time. But for a general measure the following should help you . Once you decide on a hotel of your rating Click Here to book the hotel that you wish to stay in Goa on your Goa holiday so that you are assured of good accommodation in Goa and do not get disappointed.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ANY OF THE HOTELS BELOW

	Hotel Name	Rating	Nearest Beach
1	360 degrees beach resort	4 star	Candolim, North Goa
2	Adamo the bellus	3 star	Calangute North
3	Alagoa resorts	2 star	Betalbatim South
4	Aldeia Santa Rita Sinquerim	3 Star	Sinquerim North
5	Alegria the Goan village	3 star	Candolim North
6	Alila Diwa	5 star	Majorda South
7	All seasons beach classic	2 star	Calangute North
8	Alor Grande Holiday resort	3 star	Candolim North
9	Alor Holiday Resort	2 Star	Colva South
10	Amigo plaza hotel	2 Star	Colva South
11	Aryans Hotel	2 Star`	Vagator North
12	A’s Holiday Beach resort	3 Star	Betalbatim South
13	Astoria Hotel Assagao	2 Star	Anjuna North
14	Avantika resort	3 Star	Calangute Beach
15	Baga residency hotel	2 Star	Baga North
16	Baia do Sol Hotel	3 Star	Calangute North
17	Bambolim Beach resort	3 Star	Bambolim North
18	Banyan tree courtyard hotel	1 Star	Candolim North
19	Beira mar Alfran resorts	2 Star	Baga North
20	Beleza by the beach hotel	4 Star	Betalbatim South
21	Best Western Devasthali -Valley of Gods	4 star	Cansaulim south
22	Best western peace valley hotel – Quepem	4 star	Colva South
23	Calangute Grande hotel	3 Star	Calangute North
24	Cambay Beach resort	3 Star	Calangute North
25	Cap’s corner	1 Star	Calangute North
26	Capt Lobo’s beach Hideaway	3 Star	Baga North
27	Casa Britona- Salvador De Mundo	3 Star	Vagator Beach
28	Casa Colvale –Colvale	4 Star	Vagator North
29	Casa de Goa hotel	3 Star	Calangute North
30	Casa palacio Siolim house	3 Star	Anjuna North
31	Casa Paradiso Hotel Panjim	2 Star	Miramar North
32	Casa Severina Hotel calangute	3 star	Calangute North
33	Casablanca Beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
34	Chalston beach resort	2 star	Calangute North
35	Cidade De Goa	5 Star	Dona Paula North
36	Citrus Goa Hotel	4 Star	Calangute North
37	Clarks exotica hotel Aguada	5 star	Sinquerim North
38	Cochichos resort	2 Star	Vagator North
39	Coconut creek resort	3 star	Bogmalo South
40	Coconut Grove Betalbatim	4 Star	Betalbatim South
41	Colonia de Braganza resort	2 Star	Calangute North
42	Colonia Santa Maria Hotel	3 Star	Baga North
43	Cuba Agonda Beach Hotel	2 Star	Agonda South
44	Cuba Beach Bungalow Palolem	1 Star	Palolem South
45	Cuba patnem	2 Star	Palolem South
46	Cuba Premium Bungalow Palolem	2 Star	Palolem South
47	Cuba Retreat mandrem	2 Star	Morjim North
48	Cuba Service apartment	1 Star	Palolem South
49	Dalmia Resorts Mobor	4 Star	Mobor South
50	Delta Residency hotel	2 Star	Calangute North
51	Don Joao Resorts Anjuna	2 Star	Anjuna North
52	Emmanuel Beach resort Clangute	1 Star	Calangute North
53	Dona Sylvia Hotel	4 Star	Mobor South
54	Evershine Guesthouse Anjuna	1 Star	Anjuna North
55	Fidalgo hotel Panjim	4 Star	Miramar North
56	Five Five restaurants and Guest tents	3 Star	Anjuna North
57	Fortune Select regina Hotel	4 Star	Sinquerim North
58	Furtado’s Beach house Hotel Sernabatim	2 Star	Colva South
59	Gabriel’s Guest house candolim	1 Star	Candolim North
60	Ginger Hotel Goa Panjim	3 Star	Miramar North
61	Girasol Beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
62	Heritage village Club Arossim	4 Star	Arossim South
63	Goan clove Hotel	3 Star	Vagator North
64	Goa Marriott	5 Star	Miramar North
65	Holiday Inn Hotel	3 Star	Mobor South
66	Hotel Colva Kinara	4 Star	Colva South
67	Hotel Goan heritage	3 Star	Calangute North
68	Hotel Highland beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
69	Hotel la Mansion Guirim	3 Star	Calangute North
70	Hotel Lua Nova	2 Star	Baga North
71	Hotel Orion Porvorim	4 Star	Calangute North
72	Hotel palacio de Goa Panaji	1 Star	Dona paula North
73	Hotel viva goa International	2 Star	Miramar Northq
74	Hotel Windsor Bay Calangute	3 star	Calangute North
75	Infantaria Comfort Hotel	2 star	Baga North
76	Intercontinental The Lalit Goa resort	5 Star	Mobor North
77	Jackpot Inn	2 Star	Anjuna North
78	Lazy lagoon Sarovar Portico Hotel	4 Star	Baga North
79	Le Seasons beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
80	Lemon Tree Amarante Beach resort	4 Star	Candolim North
81	Leoney Resort	3 Star	Ozrant North
82	Little Italy resort	2 Star	Calangute North
83	Living room	3 Star	Anjuna North
84	Mapple Nirvana Hermitage	4 Star	Anjuna North
85	Marigold Hotel	3 Star	Panjim North
86	Marina Bay beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
87	Marquis Beach Resort	3 Star	Sinquerim North
88	Martins comfort Hotel	2 Star	Betalbatim South
89	Mayfair hotel	3 Star	Betul South
90	Melodious Waves resort	3 Star	Candolim North
91	Montego bay Hotel	2 Star	Morjim North
92	Mykonos blue hotel	3 Star	Baga North
93	Nazri Resort	3 Star	Calangute North
94	Neelams the Glitz hotel	3 Star	Calangute North
95	Neelams the Grand	4 Star	Calangute North
96	Nitya Resort	3 Star	Calangute North
97	Nizmar resort	3 Star	Calangute North
98	Oceans palms Goa hotel	4 Star	Calangute North
99	Omega Beach resort	3 Star	Vagator North
100	Ondas do Mar beach resort	2 Star	Calangute North
101	Osborne Holiday resort	2 Star	Calangute North
102	Ozran heights hotel	3 Star	Vagator North
103	Palm resort	2 Star	Arambol North
104	Palmarinha resort	3 Star	Calangute North
105	Palolem beach resort	2 Star	Palolem South
106	Panjim Inn	3 Star	Panjim North
107	Paradise Inn	2 Star	Panim North
108	Park Avenue resort	2 Star	Baga North
109	Park Hyatt resort and Spa	5 star	Arossim South
110	Pearls Oceanique resort	3 star	Colva South
111	Per Avel Holiday Home	2 Star	Sinquerim North
112	Phoenix park Inn Hotel	3 Star	Candolim
113	Proud Mary House boat	2 Star	Rivers
114	Radisson Blu resort cavelossim	5 Star	Cavelossim
115	Ramada Caravela beach resort	5 Star	Varca South
116	Renzo’s Inn	3 Star	Calangute North
117	Resorte De Coracao	3 Star	Calangute North
118	Resort laGoa Azul	3 Star	Baga North
119	Resort Primo Bom terra Verde	3 star	Baga North
120	Resort Rio	5 Star	Baga north
121	Resort Terra Paraiso	3 Star	Calangute North
122	Resort village Royale	2 Star	Calangute North
123	Resorte marinha Dourada	3 Star	Arpora North
124	Riviera de Goa Hotel	4 Star	Baga North
125	Ronil beach resort	3 Star	Baga North
126	Royal Orchid Beach resort	4 Star	Utorda South
127	Royal park beach resort	4 Star	Calangute North
128	San Joao holiday homes	2 Star	Benaulim South
129	Sandalwood hotel and retreat	4 Star	Vainguinim North
130	Santana beach resort	3 Star	Candolim North
131	Santiago	3 Star	Calangute North
132	Santiago residence	1 Star	Baga North
133	Seaview resort	3 star	Canacona South
134	Shruti beach resort	1 Star	Baga North
135	Siesta de Goa resort	2 Star	Varca South
136	Silk Cotton resort	2 Star	Bogmalo South
137	Silken Sands	2 Star	Benaulim South
138	Smiley Holidays serviced apartments	3 Star	Calangute North
139	Sonesta Inns	3 Star	Candolim North
140	Soul Vacation resort Colva	3 Star	Colva South
141	Star of the Sea resort	2 Star	Benaulim South
142	Summer guest house	1 Star	Calangute North
143	Summerville beach resort	2 Star	Candolim North
144	Sun City resort	4 Star	Baga north
145	Sun Village hotel Baga	3 Star	Baga North
146	Sunshine Park resort	2 star	Candoliom North
147	Surya Sangolda Apartment	4 Star	Sangolda North
148	Taj exotica Goa	5 Star	Benaulim South
149	Tangerine Boutique resort	3 Star	Calangute North
150	The Baga Marina beach resort	3 Star	Baga North
151	The Camelot resort Baga	3 Star	Baga north
152	The Crown Goa hotel	4 Star	Panjim North
153	The Fern gardenia Hotel	3 Star	Canacona South
154	The Kenilworth Beach resort	5 Star	Utorda South
155	The Leela Kempinski goa Hotel	5 Star	Mobor South
156	The O resort and spa	4 Star	Candolim North
157	The Sol Hotel	3 Star	Nerul North
158	The village Square hotel	4 Star	Anjuna North
159	Ticlo resort	2 Star	Calangute North
160	Vainguinim valley resort	5 Star	Dona Paula North
161	Valentine’s retreat	2 Star	Candolim North
162	Varca palms beach resort	3 Star	Varca South
163	Victor exotica beach resort	3 Star	Sinquerim North
164	Vila Goesa on the beach resort	3 star	Baga North
165	Vilagio Inn	4 Star	Betalbatim South
166	Vista do Rio resort	3 Star	Porvorim North
167	Vivanta By Taj – Fort Aguada	5 Star	Sinquerim North
168	Vivanta By Taj – Holiday village	5 Star	Sinquerim North
169	Vivanta By Taj – Panjim Hotel	5 Star	Panjim North
170	Vivenda Calangute Hotel	3 Star	Calangute North
171	Whispering palms beach resort	4 Star	Candolim North
172	Wildernest nature resort	3 Star	Chorla ghats North
173	Zeib executive homes	2 Star	Calangute North

Click Here to book any of the above hotels

Hotel At Goa

When you plan a holiday to Goa one of the foremost questions coming to your mind is where to stay in Goa. This question has an avalanche of answers as Goa is flooded with all types of accommodation ranging from the cottage huts to the swanky five star suites and you could take a call on what you would like to book in order to make your holiday to Goa a memorable one.

When you think of a hotel at Goa normally the tendency is to think of a beach side hotel as Goa's image is obviously wedded to the beach and a beach location hotel in Goa has everything that you would want to have. A great view, proximity to the beach thereby allowing you extended time in sunset hours and the advantage of avoiding transport to reach back to your hotel . However a hotel by the beach in Goa can be an expensive affair as most of the hotels dotting the beach are five star or the 3 star category which come at premium tariffs if you were to look for such accommodation in Goa.

However a little distance away form the beach within an area of about a kilometer, you could still find the right type of hotel at Goa which you may have been seeking. Apart from the many hotels which are pretty affordable in the interiors of Goa, you can also find many serviced apartments in Goa, cottage rooms, rent back rooms and other such cheaper forms of accommodation in Goa which could leave you much contented saving your money and allowing you to spend that money on various other indulgences in Goa.

A hotel at Goa's fringe cities also provide good accommodation were you to explore that possibility. The cities of Margao, Panjim Mapusa and Vasco provide decent accommodation at many good hotels of Goa scattered all over the city. transport in the form of rent-a-bike and tourist taxi is always available form these locations to help you reach to any part of Goa within a short time.

Goa is a bird watchers paradise

Goa is no wonder a popular destination for tourists from all over the world thanks to its enchanting beauty, cloudless blue skies and the sandy beaches dotted with towering palm trees which make the sunsets a gorgeous site to contain. In the warmth of the Arabian sea, Goa boasts more than just being an idyllic coastal destination and has more to it than any other state of India can put on offer. Its unique blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures certainly gives it the special Mediterranean touch.

Goa may only be around 210 odd kms in length and over 135 kms in its breadth, but it appears that this expanse is wide enough for the state of Goa to be a paradise for avid bird watchers.While the natural beauty of Goa is fully blooming all over the state, there are many excellent habitats for the proliferation of wildlife such as wide river estuaries, scrubby covered hilly sides and green coated fields, mangrove lined rivers, marshy lands, rich forest cover and a bird frequented historical lake in North Goa at Carambolim

For avid birdwatchers amongst tourists who flock to Goa the trip to Carambolim is seldom missed and Goa's other major birdy sites are often explored to take a good stock of the species of birds on view. You would surely find many species of birds which are common in the peninsular regions and specially in southern India. However a large selection of winterborne paleartic species and many other Asian bird species can be seen plying their trade in the Goan skies. If you blend this bird watching experience with the traditional Goan hospitality and the succeggaad( easy-going) lifestyle of Goa, you will realise that this birding trip was more than worth the while. Also if you have a partner who is not so much of a birdie, he or she will feel at home thanks to the local culture of Goa and the tropical setting of the place which makes it truly exciting to relax and unwind.

A good birding trip to Goa often begins at the boundary wall of the hotel you may be staying as the tall Goan trees often house a variety of bird species cooing in the morning to provide you the welcome alarm bells. A not so surprise pack of birds are the Blyth's Reed Warblers and striking Black-rumped Flamebacks which are pretty common in Goa and you can be certain to see both these birds .Among the other species, Goa has numerous other attractive birds such as bee-eaters and the littel blue kingfishers which are both common favourites here and are as much spotted, as is the Indian Roller. You could also turn lucky if you come across one of Goa’s real avian specialities, the Indian Pitta, a lovely bird seen very often in Goa

Among the other species you cannot miss out on the larks, the pipits and chats or the shorebirds and ducks. As night dawns in Goa you would look for night-birds such as the Ceylon Frogmouth, Brown Fish-owls and Oriental Scops.

Goa's internal inland reserve areas also harbour three different species of the hornbill including the beautiful sight of the majestic Great Hornbill, as well as the commonly seen Grey Junglefowls, plenty of woodpeckers, like the striking White-bellied and even the highly vociferous Heart-spotted, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Orange-headed Thrush and Goa’s well loved state bird, the stunning Flame-throated Bulbul. Red Spurfowl is a popular Goan species that you would normally see around the city of Panjim in North Goa.

Near the beaches of North Goa at Morjim and such other places you would not fail to spot the gulls and terns. In fact over six different species of Gulls can be seen here including the stunning Great black headed gulls and many species of tern which include Lesser and Great crested terns. Also seen are the Brahminy Starlings and the Barred Buttonquail and the mouth of the Chapora river in north Goa often holds a large congregation of shorebirds which could even include a rare Crab-plover.
If you indulge in a boat trip in the backwaters of Goa in one of Goa's famous rivers you could be lucky to run in the common Goan subspecies of the collared Kingfisher as also the Wooly-necked stork and the suitably named Mugger Crocodile.

In Goa the Raptors are in good number with the Black and Brahminy Kites flying commonly and you could also sight plenty of the spectacular White-bellied Sea-eagle. The eagle recovers around a mark. Goa could also show you a few reliable places to spot the Black, Rufous-bellied and Crested Hawk-eagles.

Goa is indeed a wonderful place to adventure for the love of birdwatching and the cameras can come in handy should you need a few pics to decorate your albums or pin up on your facebook pages.

Find Good Hotels In Goa

Whether you are on a honeymoon to Goa or on a holiday to Goa, looking for a venue for a party or a wedding in Goa or just trying to eject a couple of days from a busy schedule, choosing the right hotel in Goa is one of the most important decisions in ensuring that you have an enjoyable time without bothering about whether the decision was a right one or not.

While Good hotels in Goa may be abounding, it can often be quite difficult to choose between the fine line of quality and price.Quite often while a hotel may be quite desirable as most hotels in Goa are, its tariffs or prices may not sound so affordable. Also you are not sure what is on offer in some cases.

So what should you look for while selecting a hotel in Goa and where should you go to try and find that perfect accommodation in Goa, whatever your needs?

While it may sound common sense, people often do not make a conscious list of what one is looking for when seeking accommodation in a tourist location like Goa. One of the better ways therefore to determine which hotel in Goa is right for you is to consider what you may be actually looking for, and to correlate your requirements against the star ratings assigned to those Goa hotels by tourist associations and tourist advisors.

The star system ranking is normally ranked on a 0-5 scale in the ascending order. This scale depends on the existence of amenities, facilities and luxuries within the hotel. Often a higher number would mean an expensive rate of the room which can help you decide where your money goes and towards what. Naturally if you can locate a higher star rating at a lower price, you can be well informed that the particular hotel in Goa is more likely to provide you a better value for money and a good level of service can be expected

The other popular way of choosing a good hotel in Goa is by relying on the popularity of the hotel simply by word of mouth. Questions to ask yourself here would be “what do my friends think about various hotels in Goa? Has anyone I know had a particularly pleasant, good(or bad) experience of hotels in Goa around the area that I am looking for? These can be good pointers to provide you with subtle information so that you get good value for money out of your hotel stay in Goa, and it also contributes to the extent that you are not disappointed with your choice midway through your stay.

Also, you are pretty assured that the advice of the friends and people you know, aren't coated with commercially bent interests, and so if someone among your known people tells you that they had a good experience in Goa in a particular hotel, they are more likely telling you honestly than if you hear it from the hotelier himself.

Another good place to check for hotel accommodation is Goa is at the “Goa Living styles (GLS)” where you are more likely to get the accommodation that you desire. You can book your stay in advance and  proceed to enjoy your holiday in Goa on the scheduled date without the hassles of personally sifting through various hotels in Goa as GLS does it for you so that you can have a great, low cost way of ensuring you find a hotel in Goa that meets your requirements, and provides you with an enjoyable trip to help you relax and unwind in this sun kissed state of India. To enquire with “Goa Living Styles” click here.

Selecting a good hotel in Goa is not a difficult process, but you should know where to seek value for money and you could end up with the right Goa hotel for you. Locating a good hotel in Goa is mainly down to realizing what you are actually looking for, and a great part of it also comes down to understanding what's available in Goa and at what price. However, with practical expectations and an experience of where to find good hotel rooms in Goa at an affordable prices, you should be able to find a way around this traditional process, and succeed in having a great time in Goa, the primary reason for which you went there in the first place.

Goa’s healthy foods

Goa abounds in beauty and serenity. It also abounds in a rich cuisine most of which has been inherited from inputs of Portuguese cuisine including the ingredients that go into Goan cooking. When it comes to eating healthy foods, Goans often take a back seat in preference of bad eating habits and underscore on their dietary requirements thereby compromising on nutritional values required for a healthy growth.

In Goa, we have various natural foods which are rich in their nutritional value. Vegetables in Goa which are grown in the villages and across the highways of Goa are rich sources of vitamins, iron and magnesium. Vegetables such as tambdi bhaji, ghosale, padval etc are a must in the Goan diet for healthy foods.The Hindu community of Goa prepares a pulse-vegetable curry known as “khatkhattem” which is very healthy as it contains rich proteins, calcium and ragi. The popular “Bhakri” is also composed of Ragi.

Fish is a natural staple food for many Goans and is also gifted with proteins and calcium. The Kokum juice has been traditionally used in Goan cooking and is now consumed as a health drink or simply eaten as a fruit in Goa. Kokum is known to reduce levels of cholesterol and also assists digestion. In the summers season, Goa’s tender coconut juice and soft pulp of the coconut fruit has a cooling effect while providing rich potassium content. Red rice or “ukdde tandul” especially the traditional Goan rice such as ‘azgo” has more fibre and B complex vitamins and can be regularly consumed as “kanji”

Gopan papayas have also content of vitamin A and fibre while bananas promote adding of weight and have resistant starch in them. Watermelon which is a favorite among Goans is very refreshing and full of water. Mangoes lend the high dietary fibre and contain beta carotene. Often a mango a day can be quite satisfying for the necessary health.

Goan cucumbers are rich in water soluble vitamins and can easily substitute a salad when eaten with salt. They are also excellent for diabetes patients with heart problems and also good against obesity.

Breakfast options in Goa include ‘koiloyos” which are made from Goan rice and can be very rich, healthy and filling. For bread, it is better to opt for whole wheat bread or better “chapatis” made out of wheat which are also very good.

How to get a driving licence for Goans in UK

For Goans having migrated to United Kingdom or any other European country,either through the Portuguese passport or otherwise, it can be quite a task to make a driving licence / license which is required to drive in UK or in rest of Europe. Besides being challenged for high level of English language which is required in the theory process in UK, the practical lessons themselves have been quite difficult for many Goans to pass through.

However a driving licence in the United kingdom is known to open doors of opportunities for anybody living there and Goans are therefore keen to have a driving licence to improve their status as well as avail of the benefits. Mere travel inside the United Kingdom is expensive and the ability to drive your own vehicle is therefore a huge advantage.

The cost of a driving licence for the United Kingdom can increase with every test failure and the cost for many Goans seeking a driving licence, has easily run into thousands of pounds without success. However more than the cost of the driving licence for UK, Goans are more troubled by the process to be followed which involves elaborate tests which often discourage candidates from applying for a driving licence.

However now there is good news for Goans who have their Indian licence in Goa, to get a driving licence for the United Kingdom. Goans can now get their driving licence in United Kingdom without the hassles of theory tests and undergoing practical licence tests.

However it is strongly recommended that even though one may acquire a driving licence by virtue of the Indian Licence, it is important that proper training for UK standards be compulsorily taken by prospective Goans who seek to have such a licence as conditions in India and UK are completely different. Also standards of safety and discipline in driving for the United Kingdom are very important to be acquired, to be conversant with prevailing UK laws. Failure to be compliant with UK standards could put the drivers as well as pedestrians to dangerous risks associated with unqualified driving.

It is therefore important to know that this help is being given under the express hope that even though knowledge of English may be poor, one has to be conversant with the UK driving licence requirements, and learn the same although the driving test may not be undertaken in UK. Learning and mastering the English language is also important for Goans if there is any genuine concern to survive in the United Kingdom.

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Is your Portuguese passport taking longer than it should have? Here’s help!

It is natural anxiety that many Goans feel for the delay in receiving their Portuguese passport. With the Consulate at Goa moving at snails pace, it appears to be a deliberate method of dragging on with a process which actually should not have taken days, or maximum a month to complete.

However we have Goans trying their luck at the Portuguese passport for years and some for even a decade without success. Some Goans  have all the necessary documents but nothing moves in any direction for them to see their European dream.

It is rightly believed that things are far different in Portugal compared to Goa. In Goa you seem to have separate rules for the speed of the process than the rules applied in Portugal. In Portugal the Assento do Nascimento which is the certificate of Birth can be obtained in 2 days . The Bilhete or the Cartao do Cidadao takes another day and the Portuguese passport would consume a fourth day to a maximum. In Goa such speed of processing at the consulate is something unheard of. So in Portugal all in all you would be able to finish your process in about 4 days from start to finish and be the jolly good Portuguese in no time.

However the consulate in Goa functions in a manner which is exactly the opposite. They probably believe that 4 days in Portugal means they have to actually make it 4 years in Goa. This is unfair and unacceptable some would scream. Problem is there is no redressal mechanism for Goans living in Goa to take Portugal or anybody to task for the delay and hence the irregularity flourishes it seems. No amount of arguments with consulate staff can help to speed up the process. It can only raise eyebrows at what they would perceive as your lack of patience. They would give you a look like as if you are asking for Indian TATKAL methods when actually you have been made to dance to their tune for many odd years.

It is also a known fact that Portugal honestly is not amused to give passports to Goans faster. That is precisely the bottomline. Surely they have their reasons with England breathing down their neck at the helpless influx of “Goan Portuguese” happily invading Britain with impunity. The Problem that Britain and some other countries have about Goans with Portuguese passport is that many of the lot are not qualified but have the right to work in that country by virtue of the Portuguese passport and the benefits accrued to the European community hence. Britain does not enjoy the extension of that kind of hospitality to people who have difficulty with English. Already, they have made visas for Indians lacking proficiency in English to be a dear affair. Naturally all the pressure on Portugal obviously motivates  it to delay the inevitable.

But  in Portugal they have little choice but to grant you the passport in a fixed time period. They cannot make you stay for days or months to give a citizenship card ( bilhete or cidadao) They owe it to you as a citizen to grant it in a reasonable period of time which is possibly a week. So common sense would tell you that you should go to Portugal after preparing your papers in Goa and apply for the Portuguese nationality directly in Portugal. The cost of travel to and fro would be around 30,000 which for many Goans would be worth the trouble. Accommodation would probably cost you less than 15,000 for 10 odd days. But all these costs are the least of your worries.

The problem is the consulate at Goa does not grant visa to Goans at the drop of a hat. If they have wind of the fact that you are visiting Portugal for the Portuguese passport the denial of the visa is almost certain.Funny one would say. But it is only if you have the cartao do cidadao or the Bilhete, the consulate grants you the visa , not otherwise. So you are back to square one.

Your only hope therefore rests with something called a schengen visa which is a visa given by a group of 15 European nations which includes Portugal. Which means that on a schengen visa one can travel to any of the 15 countries including Portugal.The purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business. The Schengen visa is governed by the Schengen rules and regulations and one needs to apply for the schengen visa from any one of the schengen nations which are as below

• Austria
• Germany
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Iceland
• Italy
• Luxemburg
• Norway
• Portugal
• Spain
• Sweden
• The Netherlands

So if you get your schengen visa and you got your papers ready, you could soon be on the fast track to your dream  of the happy Goan with the Portuguese passport. Good Luck!

Goa tourism to get a boost from GTDC

The mood to give tourism in Goa a good boost seems to have found new favour with the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) deciding to unveil a slew of proposals in that direction. Among the proposals, are plans to develop the various tourist properties of GTDC on the public private partnership mode and also to purchase a luxury cruise vessel to promote a new facet of tourism - "cruise tourism" in Goa. Also on the cards is the introduction of an air-conditioned hop-on-hop-off bus service in a hot tourism sector of north Goa.

The GTDC has therefore decided to appoint a reputed consultant for aiding the body in providing the necessary project development advisory services for the maintenance and development of various properties of the GTDC on the PPP model. The idea is to create the best possible alternatives at various GTDC properties for promotion of tourism and to enable world class infrastructure aimed at promoting hinterland tourism, educational tourism, adventure sports, floating marinas etc in a bid to generate additional revenue for the GTDC and also to re-invent idle assets into revenue generating assets.

GTDC has currently over 35 landed properties all over the state in both coastal and hinterland areas which have a great potential for development and revenue generation through proper utilisation. The total investment in various PPP projects is roughly estimated to be in the region of 450 to 500 crores.

The tenders for the appointment of consultants are expected to be floated in the near future so that the contemplated projects are made operational within a span of one year.

How to choose a good wedding mc in Goa

Weddings are great and extravagant affairs in modern Goa and more often than not, running into many lakhs of rupees when it comes to the cost of getting married. However despite the cost, most wedding couples in Goa do not bat an eyelid to ensure that the list of things on their wedding shopping list is premium and is meticulously chosen to ensure that their wedding turns out to be a great event to remember.

Goa's popular wedding MC - Pio Kevin

However, more often than not, wedding couples often forget or rather neglect to give much attention to the wedding mc for their wedding and in fact engage someone who may be their acquaintance or a friend of a dear friend or sometimes a complete novice trying to "also dabble" in some pastime compering.......all at your wedding!The result of this can be quite disastrous and wedding couples in Goa have realised it only too late to help themselves to any change in their choice of the wedding mc. And since you marry only once in most cases, the chance of better planning "next time" does not exist and all that you can do is rue your decision or regret for not paying attention to this most important aspect of your wedding.

Says well known Goan compere Pio Kevin  " the cost of engaging a good master of ceremonies for a Goan wedding may be less than 2 percent of the total cost of the wedding but while it may be such a low cost head, the wedding mc in Goa is the centre of the wedding reception and is primarily instrumental in setting the right mood, enthusing the guests , infusing the optimum energy and consciously influencing the direction of which way the  wedding reception is headed". In short a wedding emcee is a celebration manager cum host and is the man responsible for setting the colour and the tone of your wedding. Would you still settle for someone average?  

However some wedding couples are hardly conscious of  the importance of a good wedding emcee and are subsequently left disappointed after the wedding, to no avail.  While good food, a great venue and a lively band may be the automatic first choices of a to-be-married couple planning their wedding in Goa  the choice of a good emcee should also be clearly on their radar if they are intending to make their reception an event to cherish. So how do you go about choosing a good mc for your wedding in Goa?

With demand comes supply and the wedding emcees in Goa have therefore grown in number over the years. It is therefore an unenviable task for a wedding couple to make the right choice given the number of wedding comperes available in Goa. Talking to the emcee over the phone before booking him should be the first step says Pio Kevin adding that this could provide the couple the basic and most clear indicator of the personality of the emcee through his speech. A casual meeting with the prospective emcee is also not a bad idea although this might be a bit difficult since many of the good emcees may not spare the time to schedule a meeting before being booked. However if you do have such a meeting you could get a better idea of the stature of your wedding emcee and could subtly generate information about his past exploits in this field. A small chat can do wonders and give you a small insight into the personality of your wedding mc and his scheme of doing things.However if your emcee is genuinely busy to schedule a pre-booking meet don't hold it against him. Its a busy world, remember?

You could still pour over the internet to add to your investigation and if your wedding mc has a website,all the better. A website would also mean that your wedding mc takes his job seriously and is not a part timer. The very fact that he chooses to have his own website tells you that he is keen for his prospective clients to know and understand him. That in itself could be a statement of confidence and you should check his website before you dial his number to make the advance payment and secure your booking.

When you indeed pay the booking amount don't forget to fix a post-booking meeting with your wedding compere to help him plan the wedding day in a much better way. It is always better to have all the information about the couple a bit in advance to the wedding day says Pio Kevin while revealing that  understanding the aspirations of the bridal couple is the key to hosting a good wedding celebration.

So if you are planning your wedding celebration in Goa, it is not too difficult to choose a good MC if you apply basic principles. A litlle research here and there can work wonders and you can rest in peace as the  right master of ceremonies will take control of your big day. Here's wishing all you prospective couples the very best in your search for the right master of ceremony for your wedding in Goa.

Pio Kevin - Goa's Ace Master of Ceremonies

When you touch the topic about the best "Master of Ceremonies" on the Goan wedding scene, one name that cannot escape you is that of Pio Kevin. An eloquent speaker, Pio Kevin has been playing the envious role of the Goan wedding emcee, hosting hundreds of weddings in Goa every year for close to 17 years, long after his first wedding in the mid nineties. In his own words, compering is an inborn passion which comes naturally to him. A Mechanical Engineer by profession, he has worked as a Purchase Engineering professional in various corporates and says that the professional experience supplements his skills in wedding management.

Guiding entertainment to where it belongs

Having begun his wedding stint with an unexpected call to emcee a wedding of his colleague at IFB washing machines way back in the April of 1996,  Pio Kevin recalls that it was a moment that changed his whole perspective on how good writing and powerful speech are so much in consonance with each other. While in college, he was the front runner at the youth festivals to bag the first prizes for literary skills ,be it composing instant poetry or writing essays or simply coining some wisecracks. His speaking skills were also harnessed at group discussions and elocution competitions at many early stages of his life. It was therefore only a matter of time  for him to demonstrate his eloquence at a professional level.  So when opportunity to emcee at a wedding came knocking, Pio Kevin Barretto says he took it with both hands.

"The rest wasn't history" says Pio to scratch at the 'oft too repeated' cliche. One has to work honestly and intently to be successful as a compere in Goa he avers.Nobody takes you just for the sake of it. You don't want to be the run of the mill type of a host. Its about creating an identity for yourself.  Pio says that he cherishes the days in the nineties and the early part of the century when Goa had a slew of dance and festive events happening throughout the year where comperes in Goa had many more avenues to demonstrate their penchant for spontaneity and effectively regale the crowds.With time not set at a premium in those days one could take the festivities closer to dawn leaving the compere a lot of scope to showcase his abilities. He says he can never forget those wonderful funfilled days of non-stop entertainment and has reveled in some great nostalgia filled moments with many fellow comperes, having had the privilege of compering for hundreds of dances and events all over Goa over those years. However things have changed in Goa since those days and with the sound decibels being "not so welcome'  after 10 pm , most of these dance events have seen their last days often abruptly closing down a long thriving traditional dance event either due to sound restrictions or due to lack of participation in a busy modern Goa.

Today, Pio Kevin has a very busy calendar mostly with Goan weddings throughout the year. Not only does he find himself busy with Goan weddings but he is a regular at many foreign weddings in Goa which are hosted mostly on the Goan beach fronts. His humour with a range of audiences and expertise at handling different cultures at weddings in Goa  have made him an automatic choice with many wedding planners in Goa. What sets him apart is the fact that he writes most of his witty one liners and coins many of his phrases in a bid to deliver some hilariously picturesque speech.Spontaneity is a big help he avers. Pio also ensures that every wedding is treated differently and that the wedding couple have a  distinct chord and connection with the humour which he says should be relevant to their part of the story. Wit and humour being his forte, he says the basic love of both writing and speaking simply ensures that the wedding at hand is a fun experience.

But speaking is not everything says Pio. An emcee is the manager at a wedding and is engaged for the  task  because most often than not, the wedding couple believes that he can do the job better than anyone else to ensure that the wedding is a smooth affair. According to him, being punctual is imperative while it is also important to ensure that the various events take place in harmony to set timelines. So smooth co-ordination with  various wedding vendors such as the wedding band, photographers, the videographers, decorators ,the attendants  and most importantly the caterers is intrinsic to  good wedding management, according to his time tested view.

The ability of a wedding emcee to adjust, reset, reorganise, rearrange and be amenable to different situations that may arise during a wedding reception without pressing the panic button is the key to being a good master of ceremonies at a wedding , he asserts. It is desirable that a wedding mc in goa knows how to manage different moods and expectations from various guests some of whom may have emotional cords attached to their aspirations and a wedding emcee should ensure that he handles wedding guests sensitively and endeavours to make everyone feel comfortable to the best of his ability. According to him, a master of ceremonies is expected to make the family and guests happy and content, while ensuring that he sticks to the schedule as best as he can.

In order to ensure that the whole event is a well organised and well ironed affair , Pio ensures that he meets almost every wedding couple before the wedding reception day unless it is impossible due to time constraints. The closer the meeting to the wedding day the better it is he says, explaining that he can get to know much more about the reception , the guests and the speakers at the wedding if it is in close proximity to the meeting. Filling up a  meticulously structured information sheet, helps him to get the maximum details about the  wedding couple, the reception on hand, the scheduled timelines, the profile of the guests and much more which ensures that he has enough of fuel to lend the right spirits for a fun filled celebration.

So if you are indeed getting married and looking for a top master of ceremonies from Goa or a "been there done that" kind of a wedding emcee( wedding MC) who believes in good management of your wedding in Goa or a well seasoned, well groomed, well humoured and well spoken master of ceremonies, your able choice could not be argued at all. Look no further for it is indeed  Pio Kevin. Engage him for your wedding in Goa and let the butterflies sit on the flowers rather than have them fluttering in your belly.

The Goan Christmas beckons Goa

Its the all too familiar sight in Goa at this time of the year. The streets packed to capacity. Traffic snarls all over the city. The town painted red with with the memorabilia of Christmas. Santa Claus waving from the glimmer of paint from glass fronted shops, Christmas carols renting the air and absolutely no place to park your two wheeler, while your four wheeler has no ambitions to make to the city for a long time to come.

From music shops to food outlets, to cloth shops to gift shops and groceries to designers, from stationers to hair stylists and beauticians  to cold storages and sweet marts, there is a buzz of big time business in Goa for all merchants at this time of the year. With barely 2 days for the Christmas cheer to ring in, there is therefore the last minute scramble to fill up the missing ingredients to ensure that this years Christmas is not compromised for anything.

The prices of eggs normally soar in Goa at this time with a commanding premium. Eggs are major ingredients in many of the Christmas sweets and the Goan Bebinca which is a class favourite among Goans calls for a lot of the egg. Broken eggs or damaged shell eggs do not remain on the shelf and are quickly whipped off by Bebinca makers. These eggs are cheaper compared to normal eggs.

The prices of all essential commodities also become steep as demand rises for various food items. Cashew nuts which is also another major ingredient for many Goan Christmas sweets such as cakes and marzipan, is also in great demand. Demand for Christmas decor always satisfies the passion of most Goans and you will find the streets filled with Christmas decor of all types most of which is imported from China and has a lot of takers here. The Goan  Christmas "star" has innovated over the years and the various styles are on display. However nothing can obviously beat the home-made bamboo star which many Goans fondly fabricate till date and the same brings nostalgia to the Goan Christmas.

Goans are also passionate about their clothing and the women always prefer to ring in Christmas while flaunting the crispness of a new dress. Tailors and designers have their hands full all over Goa and you can forget about ordering for a new dress a good 15 days before Christmas and are likely to be turned down. The town is also packed with a host of mens suit shops and from ready-mades to made to order, there is one for everyone.

The cribs at home are being given their finishing touches and the Christmas tree is moving out from the gloom of its storage in the attic to the comfort of the living room with buntings all over. Kids are now expecting good ole Santa to provide them with the gifts that they have been awaiting the whole year .

The curtains are being ironed, and there is a coat of paint given to the peeling walls. The Christmas dance is on the mind and the midnight mass would be the best way to ring in the Christmas cheer for all Goans.

Goa is therefore getting ready for the Christmas flavour, heralding the birth of Christ our saviour and King.

Goa's Christian sects upset with Panjim mayors comments

The pleas of various Christian sects seeking space for burial grounds in the city of Panjim which was rejected by the Corporation of the city of Panjim (CCP) last Friday, with its mayor Carolina Po telling the media that the feeling among the corporators was that the people who have converted to other sects should ask those people who led them to convert, to provide burial grounds, came in for scathing criticism from leaders of various Christian sects across Goa.

Some Christian sects such as the Syrian and Methodist Christian sects had reportedly applied  for burial grounds from the CCP which was rejected by the Panjim corporators under the fear that these sects have their numbers scattered all over Goa and granting them a burial ground would therefore result in all their dead being brought from all over Goa, to Panjim to be buried. This was in pursuance of the CCP's resolve under a resolution passed by the CCP last year banning burial of persons not living in the jurisdiction of Panjim city. The cemeteries in the city of Panjim are being run by the Municipal body.

However various leaders of different Christian sects from Goa took strong exception to the Mayors comments and termed it undemocratic and a violation of human rights. At a meeting held by the various Christian sects in Margao, the members and pastors of such sects lamented the lack of democracy in the comments and urged people in public positions not to make such strong statements which could lead to a flare-up.

The pastors belonging to New life fellowship church of Panjim, Margao and Vasco, Parakletos Church, Margao, Corner stone church Margao, Mount Zion Church, Good News Church, River of Life Church Panjim, Good Hope Church and Methodist Church were present at the meeting.

A pastor of a River of Life Church Panjim criticised the comments of the mayor saying that there is no question of anybody converting them and that they have chosen to be members of a certain sect out of their own free will and asked the government to look after the interest of all citizens irrespective of their religious backgrounds.

Another pastor pointed out that it is the constitutional right of every citizen to be buried after death and said that burial cannot be denied on any grounds leave alone the religious ground

Goa's football lover, Noel Lima Leitao passes away

Well known football commentator from Goa, Noel Lima Leitao passed away after reportedly suffering a massive heart attack in his hotel bathroom in Kolkata. He was 51 . Noel was in Kolkata to commentate on the 114th IFA shield matches and had last commentated on the final match at the salt lake stadium in Kolkata. His death has left a large void in the Goan football scenario in the state and has left his friends and Goans at large in a deep sense of anguish.

As per reports appearing in various newspapers, Noel was believed to have suffered a massive heart attack and was found dead in his hotel bathroom on Sunday afternoon after the hotel staff failed to elicit his response either through phone calls or knocks on his door, thereby breaking open the door to find him dead.

A director on the board of Vasco SC, Noel was known to be a jovial figure amongst the football fraternity in Goa and was a known voice on football commentary over various sports television channels.The entire football community in Goa was left numb with his death and visitors poured in at his Vasco residence to offer their condolences. People from all walks of life including politicians, friends, family members and the football community were spotted at the residence of the football loving former treasurer of the Goa football association.

Noel is survived by his wife Nayan tara , four daughters and a Son. Goa has suddenly lost one of its most lovable ambassadors of the game but can take heart form the fact that Noel passed away in the midst of his passion of commentating for the game he loved the most and is so close to the heart of Goans, which is football.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Senior Citizens of Goa to benefit from state policy soon

Come the next couple of days and the state of Goa could have its policy for the senior citizens in place, something  which was formed under the Maintenance and Welfare of parents and senior citizens act 2007, after it is duly notified and published in the official gazette. The policy is likely to come into force from October 1 2009, to coincide with the International day for Senior citizens.

It may be recalled that the state government of Goa has announce this policy for senior citizens welfare last year on 1st of October and it is exactly after one year the government has decided to implement the same. the file pertaining to the policy has reportedly been cleared by the finance and the law departments and has been reverted to the social welfare department.

Under the policy, parents are eligible to claim maintenance allowance from their children and the policy also envisages the setting up of maintenance tribunals and appellate tribunals. Pressure has been mounting on the government over the delay in implementing the policy with various NGOs urging for its early enforcement. It is reported that senior citizens in the state face a lot of hardships from their children especially in matters related to property in Goa . Under the policy, the elderly shall be empowered to claim the property back from their children if the same is given on the basis of looking after their needs and amenities.

There is also a demand to set up and maintain homes for senior citizens in Goa to take care of them in their old age and provide the necessary medical care and recreation facilities. There are suggestions also made to the government of Goa to apprise and inform the police and the judiciary on protection of life and property of the elderly under the provisions of the act.

Goa will thus join states such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Tripura in enforcing such a policy aimed at the protection of the interests of the senior citizens of the state.

Goa does a first. Approves a sports policy for itself

In a bid to encourage sports activities in the state of Goa, the state cabinet gave its nod for a special policy for sports for the state which is probably the first such policy endorsed by any state in the Indian union. The policy which will give a boost to sports and other physical activities in the state, is expected to be implemented soon, after due notification.

The policy which was first prepared as a draft plan in the year 1998, took more than a decade for the current "Goa sports policy" to become a reality.According to the policy, physical education and sports is expected to be an optional academic subject beginning from the next academic year.

The policy aims to ensure that studies would not be a bottleneck for sporting successes and students would no longer be hesitant to take part in state or national duty as their absence from the class would be duly considered as "on duty" and therefore backed up by arrangements for conduct of special and supplementary examinations for those students.

A new "sports merit marks" will be awarded to sportspersons of Goa who have excelled at the state, national and the international level,which would be a maximum 3 % aggregate. Also 3 percent seats at all educational institutions in the state, excluding professional colleges are being considered for exclusive reservation for such sportspersons.

Reservations for jobs is also an integral part of the policy and 3% jobs are expected to be reserved at government, semi-government, autonomous and corporate bodies which enjoy government funding. The sports policy is expected to burden the exchequer to the tune of 110 crores every year.

The government of Goa aims to create an awareness and a sports culture from the primary and pre-primary school level and broadening the scope of physical education and sports activities through schools, village panchayats, sports clubs etc for the development of a healthy and competitive personality and achieving excellence at all levels of academic interests

Goa CRZ violations : Coastal Panchayats to file affidavits

The division bench of the Bombay high court at Goa, while hearing a suo moto petition  with regard to the illegal construction in the CRZ areas of Goa, has asked the coastal village panchayats to file affidavits by providing the details of the type of constructions, the survey numbers and what use these structures are being put to.

During the hearing of the petition, amicus curiae Norma Alvares brought it to the notice of the High Court that most of the panchayats in Goa may have issued demolition orders to illegal structures violating CRZ, but none have actually carried out any demolitions. She also pointed out that some of the panchayats are still at the stage of issuing show cause notices.

The court has sought the affidavits to be filed by October 5th 2009, stating therein the total number of structures in the 200 metres zone as per the survey maps. The court has also asked to state the number of structures found to be existing as on February 19 1991. The matter is expected to come up for hearing on October 13 2009. The bench also asked the state advocate general Adv Subodh kantak to give information about the number of appeals pending before the panchayat director regarding the illegal structures violating the CRZ.

Some of the village panchayats informed that they have filed their affidavits while others said that while the affidavits were ready, they were not yet filed. Ms Alvares submitted a chart which specified the details of the affidavits filed by the panchayats in various villages of Goa.

As per the details, Calangute and Canacona were on top of the charts aggregating 684 structures in Calangute and over 616 structures in Canacona. However, strangely, Calangute panchayat has issued notices only to around 90 such structures while Canacona has issued notices to only around 48 structures.

Comparatively, Anjuna panchayat has issued notices to over 227 structures out of a total of 427 such constructions in the No development Zone (NDZ). Mandrem Panchayat in the north and Agonda in the south of Goa have issued notices to 61 and 30 structures respectively.

Goa : Bollywood's beach-eyed baby

For Bollywood, Goa has been a favourite destination to camp for shooting since the sixties when Bollywood producers and directors seem to have woken up to a landslide beauty next door to Mumbai. The trend therefore began in the sixties with the legendary Manoj Kumar  shooting "Ghum Naam"  and since then there has been little looking back for the bollywood film industry which has found Goa to be the ideal foil to most of their plots

Goans will not forget the presence of their Goan beaches in the unforgettable romantic tragedy titled " Ek Duuje Ke Liye" which starred Kamal Hassan and Rati Agnihotri in the lead pair, with the beach of Dona Paula as their favourite haunt and the stories of that beach being woven around the storyline of that movie. Of course, in recent times there have been blockbusters such as "Dil Chahta Hai" and "Josh" to name a few.

Over the times, it has not only been Bollywood, but also the south Indian film industry which has caught the fascination for Goa and other vernacular film industries have taken good notice of the Goan touch and beauty to ensure that their shooting schedule has Goa as their favourite stopover. Besides, Hollywood has also shown keen interest in the state of Goa for shooting their movies. Therefore Goa now sees itself as a hotspot fro all film shootings, serials, documentaries , video clips for advertisements, calendar shoots, portfolio shoots, Photography clinics etc.

Earlier, Goa had no special body to grant licences for film shoots. However after Goa began hosting the "international film festival of India" since 2004, the ESG or the Entertainment Society of Goa took birth and it is now the body to grant the permission for any shooting to be done in Goa.

How to undertake film shooting in Goa

To carry out film shooting in Goa, Line producers who are the initiators of the shoot should contact the ESG and give details of their schedule with dates and the locations of the film shooting in Goa. Thereafter, depending in the type of location chosen, the ESG contacts the departments concerned surrounding that particular location. For instance, if the location is a beach, the tourism department is contacted. The concerned department gets back to the ESG and upon the compilation of all the necessary permissions and grants, the ESG prepares one main slip which okays the shooting. The entire procedure takes a period of about 10 days.

The ESG also states its clauses and conditions of the shooting in Goa and these are mentioned in the permission slip given to the line producers. The major conditions being that there should be no hindrance to the flow of traffic or human activity at the places of shooting, no shooting to be undertaken inside an archaeological structure, no nudity and no garbage to be left behind. Generally most beaches in the Vasco-da-Gama area of Goa are banned due to the naval presence in the area. The ESG is expected to enforce these conditions strictly and any contraventions by the shooting team are to be penalised.

Film shootings in Goa are therefore more organised now than before and the government of Goa works together with the ESG in a co-ordinated pattern ensuring that the filmmakers find the experience of obtaining permissions and shooting in Goa to be a very pleasant one. Goa naturally has an interest in film shootings as it only helps to showcase Goa to the rest of the world as a tourist destination thereby increasing its market potential and as a result adding to the revenues of the state.