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| state: Goa |
location: North Goa, 400 km south
of Mumbai |
| info date: Jan 2002 |
size: town; Pop:93,000 (1998) |
| season: Oct - Mar |
transport: bus, air, train (approx
11km away) |
| hotels: a fair number |
good for: everyone |
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| Panaji (formerly Panjim) is
Goa's largest town and the state's administrative capital,
and sits between the mouths of the Mandovi and Zuvari rivers
at the point they flow into the Arabian Sea at Fort Aguada.
Much of the town has a quaint mediterranean feel to it, with
architecture heavily influenced by the former Portuguese colonial
rulers. The narrow streets off the main road beside the Mandovi
river, Avenida Dom J Castro, are filled with houses with peeling,
weathered paint and rusting iron balconies, and there are
many stylish old churches and government buildings throughout
town, including the secretariat building, formerly a palace.
There probably aren't too many compelling reasons to make
a special trip, but if you're here to get your bearings on
arriving in Goa, getting money from one of the ATMs or just
shopping at the municipal market off Brazil road, it's probably
worth taking a wander just to soak up the atmosphere. |
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guest house
/ hotel: |
Most of the hotels in Panaji centre around
the area slightly to the west of the Municipal gardens, close
to the police HQ. Thoroughly recommended (although the last
time we stayed there was 1996) is the Venite,
on 31st January St, San Tome, close to the GPO and St Thomas
chapel. It's a small and extremely atmospheric guesthouse with
two large, simple rooms with bare wooden floorboards and high
ceilings, one with doors that open out onto a small balcony
over the street. Pure romance. |
restaurant
/ dhaba: |
The Venite (see
above) also has a restaurant that sells great seafood and Goan
dishes, including one of the better steaks I've had in Goa.
The place is small and cosy, seating only about 30 people, with
some of the tables set on small balconies overlooking the street. |
local interest: |
Interesting colonial era buildings, markets. |
| transport: |
Panaji is the main point for getting in,
out and around Goa by bus. From the main bus stand you can get
buses to almost anywhere in the state, plus overnight buses
to Bombay leave from here. |
| related: |
On this site: Goa
photo gallery External site: John
the Map has produced an outstanding set of maps on Goa,
including a detailed map of the state and a selection of individual
maps for the most popular destinations showing hotels, restaurants
and places of interest. |
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