Lonely Planet Goa and Mumbai

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A cow shares the beach near the flea market at Anjuna

Colourful and colliding, spiritual and soothing, crammed with deserted beaches, yogic bliss and heady nightlife. Goa is many things to many people, but everyone agrees: there s nowhere on earth quite like it.

More than just a gateway to Goa, Mumbai is a place that takes eating, drinking and making merry seriously. Luxuriate at a grand hotel, explore glorious Gothic architecture, munch on street eats galore and party hard in this sizzling-hot city beside the sea.

Goas greatest drawcard is without doubt its legendary beaches. Strung in a shimmering gold strand from the tip to the toe of the state, they cater to every possible tropical whim: choose from happy, hippy Arambol or bolder, brasher Baga; from the lively sands of Palolem, or lovely, laid-back Mandrem; from expansive groomed sands of fancy five-stars or from hidden crescent coves, where the only footprints will be sea eagles and your own.

For those keener to top up their Zen than their tan, Goas crop of spiritual activities grows more bountiful each year: silent Vipassana retreats, sunrise tai chi sessions, reiki healing courses and just about every other form of spiritual exploration are readily available statewide. By far the most popular of myriad regimes on offer is ayurveda, the ancient science of plant-based medicine; second only to ayurveda comes yoga, whose dozen-or-more varieties make it easy to find the pose and poise that suit you best.

Throughout every waking hour, the scents and flavours of Goas cuisine will rarely elude you. Prepare to be enchanted by many Portuguese-influenced dishes, from a bhaji-pau (bread roll dipped in curry) at breakfast time to a lip-smacking vindahlo, with its infusions of wine vinegar and garlic. South Indian treats abound in breakfast joints and streetside carts: fill up on dosas (paper-thin lentil-flour pancakes), idlis (spongy, round, fermented rice cakes), and vadas (doughnut-shaped, deep-fried savouries made from lentil flour), before enjoying the traditional lunchtime repast of zingy fish-curry-rice, all washed down with a cold Kingfisher beer.

Though Goa now receives some two million annual visitors, its longest-staying callers came a-knocking in 1510, when Portuguese conquerors arrived, lured by the promise of lucrative spice routes, not relinquishing their hold on Goa until 1961. Their indelible mark is still evident in the states baroque architecture, crumbling forts, colourful Catholic ceremonies, mournful fado music and culinary quirkiness. Combine this heritage with a modern Hindu majority, migrant workers from as far afield as Nepal and Kashmir, and a whole calendar full of happy, heady festivals, and you have the ingredients that make Goa one truly mesmerising melting pot.

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Luscious pomegranates for sale, Crawford Market, Mumbai

Mumbai (), gazing over Mumbais harbour, for that most Raj-era of city retreats.

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus; ), Mumbai

Panaji (Panjim)

If only all Indias state capitals were as languid as this. Slung along the banks of the broad Mandovi River, Panaji () is an easy, breezy city with the delightful old Portuguese districts of Fontainhas and Sao Tom just ripe for a lazy afternoon of wandering. Sip firewater feni (liquor distilled from coconut milk or cashews) with locals in a hole-in-the-wall bar, clamber up to the wedding-cake-white Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception or poke about in boutiques and book shops, and youll find youre not missing the beach one bit.

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Spice Farms

It might be more than a touch touristy, but touring one of Pondas spice farms () remains a worthwhile way to spend a Goan day. Try the Tropical Spice Farm for an illuminating look into how the spices in your curry are produced, along with a buffet lunch served up on a banana leaf, an array of sweet-scented gifts and an optional close encounter with the resident elephant. Alternatively, seek out the hidden Savoi Plantation, lower-key and pachyderm free, for a mellower, organic introduction to the fragrant world of spice production.

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Sahakari Spice Farm ()

To Market

Whether youre in the market for some serious souvenirs or simply looking for an injection of local life, Goas manifold markets wont fail to please. Head to Mapusa for its mammoth Friday market day () with its compelling mix of migrant workers, backpackers, package tourists and ancient hippies in residence.

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Local woman, Mapusa market

Mellow Mandrem

Downward-dog the days away in lovely, laid-back Mandrem () to get a fix of the backpacker action.

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Ashiyana Retreat Centre (), Mandrem

Historic Goa

Millennia of visitors, invaders and assorted outside influences make Goa a fascinating place to soak up some history. Motorbike out to melancholy, crumbling Portuguese forts, glimpse the marvellous mansions of Chandor (), once widely known as the Rome of the East. Alternatively, rest up in one of the numerous boutique hotels, housed in exquisitely renovated mansions, that are scattered along the length of the state.