Various Beaches in Margo Colva, Goa'
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Various Beaches In Margo by newsdesk Colva, Goa's pulsating beach, the tranquil Benaulim and the exclusive Majorda are all within easy reach of Margao. Colva (6 km from Margao) has a throbbing nightlife and a somewhat downmarket ambience by day. Colva is highly commercialised with resort complexes, large holiday crowds, trinket stalls, discos - the works! A few hundreds of metres walk along the beach in either direction takes visitors to the quieter spots that offer greater privacy. If one can get away from the main beach, the jam-packed market area, Colva is a great place to shack up. Colva beach In peak season, Colva is crowded with busloads of visitors, rows and rows of souvenir and food stalls, snack bars and shacks. As dusk settles over the sand dunes, Colva comes to life with techno, Indian raga and the odd rave party. There are good accommodation options and restaurants, the waterfront is clean and the waters safe for swimming. If Colva is too crowded for your taste, head for Benaulim, right in the centre of Colva, 7 km to the west of Margao. Benaulim's beauty belies its hallowed beginnings as the spot where the sage Parashurama, an incarnation of Vishnu, shot an arrow to make the waters recede. Benaulim remained a sleepy hamlet for centuries. Today it is a popular tourist hotspot with a crop of luxury resorts, time-share apartments, guesthouses and moderately priced hotels. Dozens of restaurants and beach shacks dot the seafront, serving authentic Goan seafood besides a variety of other cuisine. Despite its popularity, Benaulim still has an air of tranquillity: the beachfront is beautiful, with silver sands, shady palm trees and safe waters. Further south is a seemingly never-ending stretch around the up market resorts at Varca, Cavelossim and Mobor, with pristine sands, wide beach and shallow sea. Varca is a quiet fishing village 2 km south of Benaulim, with unblemished scenery, thatched-roof huts and fishing boats moored on the beach. It is possible to rent rooms from local families in Varca, but facilities tend to be extremely basic. A couple of plush resorts are the other accommodation options in Varca. Cavelossim, 11 km south of Colva, is a somnolent coastal village with a pretty church square and wide paddy fields that lead to the Cavelossim-Assolna ferry on the River Sal. Mobor, the spot where Colva ends and the River Assolna meets the sea, is the site of an exclusive luxury resort. The beach at Mobor lies in a sheltered cove overlooked by cliffs on one side - it makes for a picture perfect setting. Majorda, 2 km north of Colva, is a pretty beach that is dominated by a luxury resort, hotels, restaurants, shops, boutiques and the best European bakeries in Goa. Dona Paula beach and the Cabo Rama fort are 7 km north of Margao. Palolem and Agonda, 37 km to the south and Bogmalo to the north of Margao, are beautiful beaches that you can reach by road or a cruise boat. Lutolim, 10 km northeast of Margao, is a splendid area with elegant colonial bungalows reminiscent of Goa's Portuguese heritage. Tucked away behind green woods are some beautiful colonial mansions that you may be able to see if you arrange the visit in advance through the Margao Tourist Office. The most famous of these is the 18th century Miranda House, near the square and the Salvador Costa House towards the west. Ancestral Goa, a whimsical model village near the square has an exhibition of Goan village life. Chandor, a peaceful village 13 km east of Margao, is another village known for its colonial villas. The Pereira-Braganza/Menezes-Braganza house, the best of these mansions, was the 16th century residence of Portuguese aristocracy. The villa is embellished with antiques, rare Chinese porcelain, furniture and a precious religious relic - the diamond-encrusted toenail of St Francis Xavier, Goa's patron saint. It is best to arrange your visit with the Margao Tourist Office. From Margao you can reach Chandor by taxi, hired vehicle, bus or by train, alighting at Chandragoa station, 1 km northwest. Various Beaches In Margo by newsdesk.