tourism and travel guide

The Ultimate Goa Travel Guide

Goa is a beautiful state in India that is not only popular among domestic tourists but also foreign travelers. Goa has one of world’s best coastlines, sun-kissed beaches, tranquil surroundings, age-old temples and old-world churches. By every standard, Goa is one of the greatest tropical destinations in the world. If you are planning to visit the place and want to maximize your time in exploring the captivating spirit of Goa, it is important that you are well informed and prepared before and after you land in Goa. It becomes essential for tourists who are planning to visit the state for the first time to look for informative Goa travel guide before they set to visit this land of festivals and carnivals.

The tiny state of Goa, located half way down the Indian western coast, has long been popular for its mesmerizing natural beauty- golden sandy beaches, coconut groves, vibrant green paddy fields, dense forests, crystal clear waters and smiling people. Dive within the inner redeems of the place and you will find an interesting mingling of east meets west. The 450 years of Portuguese rule may have ended years or centuries back but it is still evident in beautiful mix of religion, cuisine and architecture – baroque churches and grand mansions that form the dotted line of the whole landscape. The Goa travel guide will be incomplete without mentioning the climate of Goa that features moderate temperature, exhibiting minimal variations throughout the year round during all the seasons. Weather in Goa, India is really pleasant that will encourage tourists to spend their holidays without much worry. You can visit Goa any time but ideally the trip should be planned keeping in mind the peak of monsoons i.e. from mid July to late September or peak winters i.e. from November end to February when Goa Carnival Festival begins.

The most popular celebrations in Goa that feature in Goa tourism are Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi, New Year’s eve, the Shigmo festival and the Carnival. Since the 1960s, the celebrations of the Shigmo and carnival have mostly shifted to the urban centers. But in recent times, these festivals are seen more as a means of attracting tourists and thus, celebrated with great pomp and show. Celebrations for all festivals usually last for a few days and include parties and balls with participation of people from all age groups irrespective of their caste, color, creed and religion. Apart from spectacular beaches, Goa offers flurry of activities for tourists namely:

Water sport activities, Dolphins and crocodiles spotting, Bird watching, Lakes and waterfall, Parties and active nightlife, Visiting nature resorts, Hiking and trekking, Temples, churches and forts visits The active night life of Goa features on the top-priority list in the Goa travel guide. As the sun goes down, the bright and vibrant Goa nightlife heats up to its best to welcome tourists and travelers from around the world. You can choose to sit alone while listening to the sounds of live performances by rock bands, musical nights and entertainment sessions, or just dance the night away at one of the hottest night clubs in different cities of Goa. It’s no doubt you will have time of your life, regardless of the kind of pleasure and entertainment to choose to indulge your free spirit in. So, live your life to the fullest while you are holidaying in Goa with friends, family and peers.

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Italy Travel Guide

Italy can be ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, so there is an abundance of information available for anyone who wants to travel to Italy. Italy travel guides can be broadly classified into two categories–the first category includes those guides which contain all the relevant information about various tourist spots in the country, and the second category includes those travel guides which give information about a particular region or city.

A number of tour and travel operators, private publishers, and hotel and resort owners often bring out such travel guides. But it is always best to refer to the official web site and publications of the tourism board of Italy, as they provide authentic information.

In some of the private travel guides, there might be deliberate attempt to promote certain hotels, restaurants, resorts, shops, etc. This could actually mislead a tourist, especially one who is traveling to the country for the first time.

Italy seems to have endless number of tourist spots. Visiting all of them may not be possible for a tourist, even during the course of a long vacation. So it is always better to go through a good travel guide related to Italy, select the places you want to visit and get your reservations well in advance. Most of the Italy travel guides also provide information about hotels in various regions, along with a list of their rentals.

Several online travel guides provide free information about Italy’s popular places. However, it is always better to verify the information provided by non-governmental web sites. This could be done by using online travel and tourism guides provided by the Italian government and several city administrations. While traveling within Italy, a travel guide with maps of various Italian cities could always be a prized possession.

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Kerala – A Travel Guide

State – Kerala

Location – On the southwest coast of India, with Karnataka as the border to the north

Best Time to visit Kerala – November and March, also during August and September

How to Reach Kerala -

By Air – Calicut Airport, Kerala-Trivandrum International Airport and Kochi (Ernakulum) International Airport. – Flights Jet Airways, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, Sahara, Kingfisher, Go Air, Paramount Airways, Indigo Airlines and Spice Jet.

By Train - Well connected to important Indian cities and there are direct trains from Madras, Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore and Mumbai.

By Road – Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are connected directly to Kerala by road while the National Highways connect the state to other major cities.

Kerala Holidays

Spanning an area of 38,863 sq. km, the state of Kerala was created in 1956 with Tiruvananthapuram as the capital. Of prime importance as a spice trade center, the state is also popular for the various tiny towns spread across it. Kerala is popular among tourists for its Ayurvedic treatments and backwaters. With the highest literacy rate in the country at 94.59 percent, a 2005 survey also suggests it to also be the least corrupt state. The surrounding natural beauty including the tropical greenery makes it among one of the most visited states as a tourist destination in India. It has to its name the honor of featuring in the list of ‘ten paradises in the world’.

Things to see and do in Kerala:

Among the many states in India, Kerala is best known for its rich flora and fauna. With rivers and lakes, the backwaters, hills and mountains Kerala is a very exciting place to visit. What’s even more enthusing is the fact that the climate and weather in Kerala is pleasant even though it is located in the southernmost part of the country. The state is famously called ‘God’s own country’, a look at the scenic beauty it has to offer and domestic tourists will be seen nodding their heads in agreement.

Discover the famous attractions of Kerala:

Beaches – Kerala is abundant in beaches and the most popular ones to visit are Kovalam situated on the Arabian Sea, around 13km from Tiruvanathapuram, Cherai which is located approximately 25km from High Court Junction and is an integral piece of the Vypin islands, Bekal which is a town along the eastern shore of the state and Varkala which is famous for being the only location in the south of Kerala to boast of cliffs along the Arabian Sea. Other well-known beaches are Kappad and Muzhappilangad.

Heritage Sites – The Padmanabhapuram Palace and Mattancherry Palace feature among the visited sites by tourists. While the former is about 50km from Tiruvananthapuram, the latter is located in Kochi. The Padmanabhapuram Palace was structured in 1601 AD with a magnificent palace complex in the interiors of an ancient granite fortress approximately 4km in length. As for the Mattancherry Palace, it was developed by the Portuguese and has a medieval charm about it.

Backwaters – With each having its own speciality, the backwaters at Alappuzha, Kollam, Veli Aakulam, Kozhikode and Kumarakom are among the most visited ones.

With wildlife worth flaunting, no holiday in the state of Kerala would be complete without a visit to the various national parks and sanctuaries. The famous ones are the one at Periyar, Eravikulam National Park and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary.

Staying Option at Kerala – Cocobay, Lakshmi Hotel & Resort, Coconut Creek, Tea Bungalow, Malabar House, Chiramel Residency etc.

Eating Options -pancakes, steamed rice cakes, mussels, ishtew, appam, olathan erachi, kallu, patta charayam.

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