© Lonely Planet Publications 80 www.lonelyplanet.com CENTRAL GOA 81 Central Goa Castle Rock Belgaum (155km) Dharwar (146km); To Londa (111km); To Londa Junction; Central Goa Falls s 4A
t Dudhsagar a G h n t e r We s K A R N A T A K A K A R N A T A K A Molem Colem
Travellers often make a beeline for the beaches of north or south Goa, but some of the Train Station National Park highlights of the state are in central Goa. By exploring this region, you will easily find the Molem Tambdi Surla 010 km 010 0 miles 6 pulse of Goa. Mahadeva Temple Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary Surla CENTRAL GOA
Bhagwan Mahavir
Wildlife Sanctuary ay
ilw a
Panaji (Panjim) is Goa’s most interesting town (calling it a city would be something of Sigao al R al
SATARI
ntr an overstatement) and, with its Portuguese Old Quarter (also called the Latin Quarter), a e
SANGUEM
C h
repository of historical and architectural splendour. It is a melting pot of old and new, and a 4A out Sancordem S
meeting point for culture and commerce – alleyways wind their way between whitewashed Cotorem CENTRAL GOACENTRAL
churches and boutiques selling international brand-name products. The state capital is 4A idyllically located on the Mandovi River, and cruises (despite their noise and nonsense) Valpoi offer an opportunity to see Panaji from another perspective. This understated town is one Darbandora Sanvordem Pascoal Sanvordem Train Station Spice Farm Bondla Wildlife of Goa’s highlights. Sanctuary QUEPEM Usgao Tisk
About 9km to the east of Panaji is Old Goa, one of the finest attractions in the state, and Usgao Onda Bamboi
the reason that Goa was known in the 17th century as the Rome of the East. Here, laterite See Ponda & Around Map (p111)
churches and cathedrals (including the basilica containing the almost 500-year-old body Betora Shiroda Kandepar Sahakari Spice Farm
of St Francis Xavier) are all that remain of the former Portuguese capital. Old Goa is now a Temple Shantadurga
River Ponda Unesco World Heritage site that travellers and pilgrims are enamoured with. Masjid Safa Shahouri Savoi Verem PONDA Sanquelim The temples and spice gardens around Ponda make an interesting day trip from Panaji. Durbhat BICHOLIM i Two of Goa’s wildlife sanctuaries are also in this part of the state. Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary ndov SALCETE Banasterim Ma Margao Temple Ramnath Farmagudi Temple
Manguesh
is well set up for wildlife-spotting, while a 4WD trip through Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife 17
Railway
an
k
n Margao Sanctuary will take you to Dudhsagar, Goa’s highest waterfall. o K Train Station Verna Naroa 17 Train Station MORMUGAO Karmali Old Goa (Old Goa) Piedade Pilar Train Station Cortalim Seminary Divar Island Dr Salim Ali
HIGHLIGHTS Church of
Bird Sanctuary St Lawrence Island 4A Chorao Agassaim
St Anne
r Church of Old Goa ve i Church of Stay in a colonial heritage hotel and eat out R St Andrew TISWADI Dabolim
Panaji Goa Velha
in the Old Quarter in Panaji ( p82 ), Goa’s most (Panjim) Train Station
Ribandar y apusa
a
elegant city M
B 17A
Bambolim )
Ponda Dr Salim Ali ji