Goa Culture

For the Portuguese, she was Golden Goa, the epicenter of the Portuguese empire in Asia. The Portuguese were great church builders; their desire to spread their faith was an important motivation. Little wonder then that modern day Goa culture is a quaint blend of the old and the new, of Portuguese and Indian elements. It is also a land of great variety - with variety of cultures, temples, churches, mosques. In Goa culture has a deep religious ambience which contrasts sharply with the highly hedonistic spirit prevalent on her beaches. Hindu temples are as much a part of Goa as are Christian monuments. Large hotels and resorts co-exist with small hotels and paying guest accommodations; fancy restaurants with casual cafes.

The people of Goa are very friendly and tremendously happy-go-lucky. They are fond of the good things in life and are certainly not caught up in the rat race. Siesta (nap/rest) is an important part of life in Goa with shops downing their shutters from one to four retiring the most Goans for the afternoon. Though the people of Goa are of different faiths and from different cultural backgrounds, they have come together to create the easygoing Goa culture with its emphasis on good living.

Food in Goa is a very serious matter and capitalizes on the range of food products available here. Goa culture boasts of many different cuisines - the Konkan, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. The fruits of the sea are used lavishly in Goan’s food; different types of fish, prawns, mussels, oysters, crabs and many more.

Festival time in Goa leaves you with your senses reeling - in more ways than you can imagine for the Goans celebrate any occasion with great passion. They actually have a festival that celebrates the very idea of fun and fiesta! Nightlife in Goa is exciting and there are many ways to liven up the evening. Goans enjoy going out and it is not unusual to find families out for a night of cheerfulness. In certain areas, almost every third house has a bar-cum-restaurant.

Weather in Goa is quite pleasant. The tiny Indian state of Goa enjoys a tropical climate, with its warm sunny weather playing a huge part in the regions' successful tourist industry. Thanks to its location next to the Arabian Sea, Goa sees warm and temperate coastal weather year-round, ideal for enjoying the beaches and seas, with little variation in temperatures. The monsoon season brings a dramatic change in conditions, however, and runs for four months of the year. The period between November to March is the best time to visit Goa, with temperatures averaging between 21-31°C, and the days filled with blue skies and plenty of sunshine. April and May, the two months leading up to the monsoon, are very humid and cloudy, with soaring temperatures sometimes reaching above 35°C. The monsoon season starts in June and runs through to September, bringing much needed relief from the high temperatures. On an average Goa receives 250-300cm of seasonal rainfall. As soon as the rains stop, the clear skies return and the weather becomes pleasantly warm and sunny again.

About Goa