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Capital city of the Indian state of Goa
Photo: Koshy Koshy from Faridabad, Haryana, India, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Panaji, also spelt Panjim, is the capital city of the tiny state of Goa in India. It has its own charm, a river flowing along one side of the city, some areas which are low-rise and red-roofed, and even a Latin Quarter at the eastern end of town. Increasingly, it is shaping itself as a centre where cultures (many from around the globe, and from diverse areas of India too) meet and creativity flourishes.
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Hindu and Jain sculptures, including bronzes, from the 4th to the 8th centuries. The Christian Art Gallery shows different sculptures from the Portuguese period. Also on display a printing press that was brought to Goa by the Portuguese in 1556 AD.
At a scenic location along Miramar Beach, this is a great place for kids. There's also a movie theatre showing 3D science-related films..
Run by Ajit Sukhija in a building that once was the People's High School at Panjim's Latin quarter of Fontainhas.
opposite the Municipal Garden
opposite the Goa Urban Cooperative Bank
Casino Caravela, on board a yacht, offers a combination of sightseeing and gaming - American Roulette, Black Jack, Rummy, Stud Poker, Baccarat, Pontoon and Flash. ₹2000 (For entry and buffet.) Includes ₹1000 casino chips that cannot be cashed in.
Watch the latest Bollywood flicks at the INOX theatre at Panaji.
Go for a short boat ride on one of the many "Cruise" boats, that sail up and down the river, with loud music, and frantically dancing revellers. Beside the Captain of Ports jetty on the Mandovi river at Panaji. The Santa Monica and Goa Boat Cruise is the oldest and best known of the lot, though the others are as good. Cruises start from around Sunset. There is also a floating restaurant, on the same pier.
Relax under a palm tree on Miramar beach, feel the sea breeze in your hair and watch the surf on the waves. Watch the many iron ore barges cruise lazily down the river towards the Arabian sea, in a typical "Socegad" Goan manner.
On the western tip of the island of Chorao, along River Mandovi and can be easily accessed from Panaji. Take a bus, or drive down the causeway along the river Mandovi towards Old Goa. A little after the turn at Ribandar, take a ferry across the river to reach the Bird Sanctuary. The best time to spot birds is between October and March, when many species of migratory birds visit the sanctuary from as far as Siberia. Don't forget to bring along some mosquito repellent, as the marshy land and mangrove forests have a lot of mosquitoes
Serves excellent vindaloo, sausages and Goan fish curry and rice.
Serves excellent vegetarian snacks. Piping hot, Bhaaji pao (Curried vegetables with local Goan Bread), Crisp Hot Kandea Bojjea (batter fried Onions), Mirchi Bojjea (Batter fried Green Peppers that are not half as hot as you would have imagined) over a hot cup of tea shouldn't be missed.
6 restaurants serving different types of food (veg, non-veg, Goan, etc.) Prices are high by local standards, but inexpensive for foreigners. Food is of excellent quality and there is something to be found for everyone! Aloo-stuffed paratha recommended at the Legacy of Bombay restaurant.
Recommended for the Goan specialty of tongue roast.
Serve authentic Vindaloo, Sorpatel, Cafreal and Goan Sea food dishes.
Excellent snacks and sweets. Busy in the evening when they have hot samosas (₹5/- each!) and other snacks. Also have great packaged snacks like chevda and banana chips to take home.
A Ferradura
Portuguese Goan cuisine. If you are in need of some good western food, this is an excellent choice. Recommended!
Serves good Goan vegetarian dishes. Famous for their vegetarian Thaali (a stainless steel tray with rice, puris, various types of daals and vegetables served in small steel bowls)
A clean, simple cafe serving South Indian food, Indian snacks and thalis. Prices are excellent and the food is very tasty. Veg thali highly recommended (₹25/-).
Tucked away in a small side street, Viva Panjim offers a variety of traditional Goan dishes at astonishingly good prices. The proprietor, Linda, makes the rounds to chat and make sure people are happy. The food is delicious, and authentic (read spicy).
The other landmark is the general post office, 20 meters down to the bridge. The ground floor is a bar with Kala OK. The restaurant is at the 1st floor.The menu is GOA flavor and also Indian and Chinese food. Fish, pork is with highest cooking quality. sitting on the baloney, watching the river and surrounding is all local Panaji people.
Muglai and Punjabi food.
The speciality of this restaurant is Italian Pizzas and Pasta, which you have to try. The ‘Spicy Bella Pizza’ shown at the right is unarguably the best Italian pizza you can get around Panaji. It will keep you wanting for more. The other Italian pizzas are a bit plain, and go for those only if you have an appetite for Italian pizzas specifically. If you love Domino’s and US pizzas, it is likely that you won’t like the usual Italian ones. The menu hosts an exotic list of pasta dishes. Since every pasta dish is totally different, we can’t comment much on their taste in general. The quantity is good enough for 2 people though. And with every pasta or pizza, you get about 4 different spices and pepper sauce. The drinks menu lists about 6-7 mocktails, but if you let them know that you’re all in for mocktails, you will be presented with the bartender’s special menu with super exotic ones and all kinds of combinations such as kiwi juice with blue crush, pineapple juice with coconut cream and so on. We tried some cool ones. In the adjoining photo, the leftmost one is “Mickey donald”, with a dominant pineapple taste and a hint of strawberry and cream. Perfect for pineapple lovers. The one in the middle is ‘Pink Blossom’ from the regular menu. It has a combination of pineapple, orange and litchi. The one that took the longest to make is the one at the right, called ‘Spring Cooler’. It is a unique blend of juices, cream, and crush. Overall, we can say that Spicy Bella has the most exotic list of mocktails on the menu.
Budget hotel with spacious rooms and modern facilities. Value for money.
A small Heritage Hotel with a couples-only policy. Suites are extremely spacious and some even have balconies. Jack, the manager, was really friendly and helpful. Free Wifi and Free Goan Breakfast.
One of the better heritage hotels in Panaji, available only on advance booking.
This is a small guest house so best to book ahead. Extending your stay here is nearly impossible as they will book your room out from under you. It is clean. No Wi-Fi; water is hot.
Broadway Book Centre boasts of the "largest bookshop in Goa" (approx and also some good prices.
Religious books.
Local hand-painted ceramics.
The gallery is in a 250-year-old Indo-Portuguese house. You will find traditional hand painted azulejos
Great women's clothing and jewellery.
Focus on newspapers and magazines coming in from the rest of the country and abroad.
Has a wide variety of books.
By train
The nearest railway station is Karmali (IR station code: KRMI), about 10 km to the east, but many express trains do not halt there.
By bus
Panaji is connected with the state of Karnataka to the south and Maharashtra to the north by winding highways.
By car
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Vasco da Gama · International · GOI
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