Goa has always been one of the most beautiful honeymoon destinations in the whole of India, being blessed with miles scenic beaches with swaying coconut palms, old colonial Heritage Portuguese buildings, delicious and a easy going, laid back populace.

A short flight away from most major cities in India including Mumbai, New Delhi/Gurgaon, Kolkata, Hyderabad or Bangalore, Goa is a popular destination for honeymoon couples looking for a memorable romantic honeymoon experience.

After checking in to their Honeymoon Suite, the first thing that honeymoon couples usually do is head to the beach. There is nothing more romantic than walking hand-in-hand across miles and miles of scenic beach. And Goa does have a wide variety of beaches to offer. From the busy beaches in the north to the untouched beaches in the south, honeymoon couples are spoilt for choice. While the waves crash in the background, the honeymoon couple seems completely oblivious to the beauty outside, so taken in are they by the beauty of their partner walking hand-in-hand beside them. And after a while of walking on the beach, the honeymoon couple sit down, close to each other, and admire the expanse of seemingly endless blue ocean.

However, Goa is not just about the beaches. 400 years of Portuguese rule has left an indelible mark on the architecture of Goa and nowhere is this more evident than in the capital city of Panjim or Panaji. After building up a glorious capital city in Old Goa, the Portuguese were forced to flee to Panaji or Panjim to escape the water contamination in Old Goa. The upper class Portuguese set up residence in and around the Neighbourhood of Fontainhas and then set about building up Panjim as a worthy successor to Old Goa. While certain buildings and statues had pure prestige value, other buildings like the high court and the administrative offices also served a bureaucratic purpose. Today, honeymoon couples can marvel at the Portuguese architectural heritage as they walk past magnificent buildings built in the Portuguese era such as the first Medicine University or the old City Library. Many honeymoon couples also like to walk hand-in-hand along the Mandovi pier as they watch the twinkling lights of the luxury yachts and casino ships moored in the river.

Quietly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Panjim or Panaji, the capital city of Goa, is the neighbourhood of Fontainhas, home to my Mitaroy Goa Hotel – India’s only Couples Hotel!. The neighbourhood of Fontainhas (which means “little fountain” in Portuguese) is home to the last surviving Portuguese families of Goa. In 1984, Fontainhas was declared a UNESCO Heritage Zone & most of the buildings and churches here date back to the mid 19th century.Fontainhas has a number ofdesigner boutiques where you can shop for Portuguese crockery, glassware, art and clothing. With its narrow winding streets, quaint bye lanes, old heritage houses and distinct Portuguese flair, Fontainhas evokes a nostalgia and longing for the romance of an era gone by.

As the sun sets on Goa, it is time for honemoon couples to get dressed and step out for a cocktail under the starlit sky followed by a romantic dinner at one of the many restaurants in Goa. While Candolim and Calangute and Anjuna have a few decent restaurants, both honeymoon couples and locals agree that Panjim has the best restaurants that Goa has to offer. From Punjabi cuisine to local Goan delicacies, Panjim offers it all. Fontainhas has a wide range of local restaurants and bars where honeymoon couples can sample traditional delicacies in a quiet, romantic setting.

And after a quiet romantic dinner and a glass of local Goan wine, it is time for honeymoon couples to return to their Honeymoon Suite and make love till the wee hours of the morning…

Stay Romantic!

Mihir

Would you like to spend your Honeymoon in Goa?

Book your Romantic Honeymoon Package now!

I just read on the Internet that Jade Jagger, daughter of Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger, is planning to get married in Goa.

After Mick Jagger’s designer daughter Jade put up her villa in Ibiza up for sale, she has now decided to live between Goa and London, where she also has a penthouse. 

I remember my Dad telling me about how Mick Jagger loved to fly down to Goa in his private jet, stay for a week or two in Goa and then fly back. Now it seems that his daughter seems to have taken after her father and his love for this romantic destination in the south west of India. Not only did Jade buy a house in Goa, but she also opened a jewellery design shop here as well. 

After her boyfriend DJ Adrian Fillary popped the question last month, it was clear that Goa would be the chosen destination for the wedding. Among the high profile guests to Goa are designer Calvin Klein and Kate Moss.

All of us at the Mitaroy Goa Hotel wish Jade Jagger and her hubby to be Adrian Fillary all the best and a long and happy married life.

Stay Romantic!

Mihir

Are you planning to get married in Goa or come for your Honeymoon in Goa? What better place to stay than at India’s only Couples Hotel! ?

Make a Reservation today!

That is why I came up with a special 4 day 3 night Goa Honeymoon Package:

The Goans are so well known for their fun loving nature that one would think that Goan’s certainly didn’t need a special day to party. And yet the Goan Carnival does not take place on just one day but is instead spread out over 3 days of dancing, feasting and enjoyment.

Whilst relatively unknown in the rest of India, the Carnival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and energy in the state of Goa. Known throughout Goa as ‘Entruz’ (from the Portuguese word Entrudo which means Carnival), the largest celebration of the Goan Carnival takes place in the city of Panaji, a short walk from my Mitaroy Goa Hotel.

Introduced originally by the Portuguese who ruled over Goa for over four centuries, the Goan Carnival is celebrated for three days and indeed 3 whole nights, with the legendary King Momo coming alive in a riot of music and colour. During these 3 days, there are massive parades are organized throughout Goa with bands, dances and floats out all night on the streets, and grand balls held in the evenings.

Like most Goan festivals, the Goan Carnival has its origins in the Catholic Church. The period of Lent in the Liturgical calendar was marked by fasting and prayer. During Lent, no parties or other celebrations were allowed to be held, and people refrained from eating rich foods, especially meat. This period was meant as a time of recollection and inner reflection and any form of pleasure was abstained from. However, this posed a very practical problem for the townsfolk. Since food in the olden days wouldn’t keep for so long, all the food and drink had to be disposed of. Forced to consume large amounts of fatty food and drink before the beginning of Lent led to a large party involving the entire community, thus leading to the origin of the Carnival (which roughly translates into Carne or “meat away”)

During the Goan Carnival, the Goan capital Panjim has the best parades in the whole of Goa and is colourfully decorated with streamers and paper ribbons of bright colours. The festival officially begins with an order by the legendary King Momo (or King of Chaos) who orders his subjects to party! The person is chosen to be ‘King Momo’ leads the grand parade through Panaji, waving to the numerous ‘subjects’ who gather along the way of the parade. 

In the morning, the streets of Panjim or Panaji are filled with Goans singing, eating, drinking, street plays and Carnival parades.  Unfortunately, the olden days custom of throwing flour, fruit, water and eggs has been replaced by smearing colour. I can only imagine the kind of delicious mess throwing eggs and flour would have caused! As dusk settles, there is more music and dancing until the week hours of the night. Revellers are supposed to greet each other with a full-throated ‘Viva Carnaval’.

One of the most important traditions of the Goan Carnival is the ceremony where the best float is given an award, handed over by ‘King Momo’ personally. 

When doing research for this article, I read on the net that the Carnival in Goa in the early days consisted of the white Portuguese masters and their black slaves mimicking each other while the local Goans watched in awe. The Portuguese masters masqueraded as black slaves while their African slaves used liberal amounts of flour on their faces to mimick their white masters. The slaves wore high battens and walked on stilts, just like the local Goans do today. 

That is why I came up with a special 4 day 3 night Romantic Valentine’s Day Package:

Then you are certainly won’t be alone. For some reason, Goa seems to be the No. 1 destination for Couples, both Indians and Western tourists, this Valentine’s Day.

Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day seems to have an image that is as cliched as can be. Celebrated across the world as a day of love and romance, Valentine’s Day offers Couples the perfect chance to reaffirm their true love for each other. Unfortunately, this chance to tell your partner or wife or husband how much you love him or her seems to be overshadowed by the crass commerce that is generated on this day. From red heart-shaped balloons to cuddly teddy bears, from card shops overflowing with heart shaped cards to splashes of pink across the city, it seems to be that Valentine’s Day is all about shopping. But contrary to public opinion, the concept of Valentine’s Day had very different beginnings. 

While doing research on the net for this article, I read that legend has it that in 269 AD, a Roman priest named St.Valentine was martyred for refusing to give up his religion. Before he died, St Valentine left a note for the jailor’s daughter, who had become his friend during his time in prison, signed “From Your Valentine”. Since he died on February 14th, Pope Gelasius declared the 14th of February to be Valentine’s day to honour St.Valentine. The romantic connotations to the festival seem to have developed over the centuries, with the image of the angel Cupid and his bow and arrow, overshadowing the original legend of St. Valentine. 

What few foreigners and Indians know is that India has been a land of love for many years before Valentine’s Day began to be celebrated in the west. Although the concept of Kama Sutra is a popular one in the west, few people know that  India has its own version of Cupid. Kamdev or Kama Deva is the Hindu God of Love. Indeed, I had never heard of Kamadeva before I did research for this article. Depicted with a flowery bow in ancient Hindu myths and mythology, he strikes lovers with his love arrows and thus ensures undying love for generations to come. However, like Kama Sutra, it seems that this mythical figure has been forgotten by Indians themselves, who prefer to look towards the west for romantic inspiration. 

In India, most Indian couples celebrate Valentine’s day like their counterparts in the west by exchanging gifts, chocolates and Valentine’s Day cards. Indian metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore are full of roses, cupids, cuddly teddy bears and heart-shaped balloons as shops try to drown out each other in a sea of red and pink. But it seems that this fixation on gifts and Valentine’s Day has spread to smaller cities and it is not surprising to see cities such as Mysore, Pune or other tier 2 cities dowsed in bright pink. Watching a movie on Valentine’s Day seems to be a popular pass time and it is not uncommon to find long lines stretching in front of multiplexes in the metros. Apart from the movies, many couples also make reservations for romantic dinners in some of the city’s finest restaurants or plan romantic holidays to nearby cities for the Valentine’s Day weekend.

Among Indian cities, Goa seems to be the most popular choice for Couples looking for a quick romantic getaway. Goan hotels, restaurants and beaches become choc-a-bloc as Couples from neighbouring states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka headed to Goa via road while couples from cities further away such as Delhi or Kolkata fly down on one of the many low cost airlines. Couples from across India  appreciate the laid back, romantic atmosphere that Goa has to offer during the festival of love. Besides, Goa has been thankfully spared from the protests from conservative Hindu groups against Valentine’s Day, that mar the celebration in the rest of the country. Couples are free to hold hands, hug and openly display their love for each other without having to watch their backs for the so called moral-police.

The Goans themselves celebrate Valentine’s Day with an zest and enthusiasm that is typical of their passionate nature as they express their undying love for one another.

The morning dailies in Goa such as the Times of India, Herald or Navhind Times are usually splashed with messages from love struck couples to one another. Like the shops, the newspapers to wear a bright pink look with a number of advertisements looking to capitalise on the Valentine spirit. Love-struck Couples can be seen at many of Goa’s popular beaches walking aimlessly hand-in-hand, just happy to spend time with each other. In the evenings and indeed throughout the day, the local Goan restaurants are filled with couples gazing deeply into each others eyes (as if they were eye specialists! – as a friend once quipped), completely oblivious of everyone and everything around them – the waiters, the menu or the food on the table getting cold.  

Over the years, Goa too has become more and more commercialised, with gift shops, card shops and restaurants doing the best business in the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Large red hearts and big, cuddly teddy bears greet you at the entrances to most shops and restaurants. Not just shops, even bakeries, music stores, coffee shops, theatres, jewellery, watch shops and malls gleefully sport the Valentine look with lip-smacking offers (pun intended!) in an attempt to entice couples to show their undying love for each other in material terms.

All in all, it looks like this year’s Valentine’s Day in Goa is going to be a hectic one for both shops and couples alike. Happy Valentine’s Day!

How do you plan to spend Valentine’s Day ? Let me know in the comments…

Stay Romantic!

Mihir

What better way to celebrate this festival of love than by staying at my Mitaroy Goa Hotel – India’s only Couples Hotel!  

Book your Romantic Valentine’s Day Package today! 

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My mother Dr Laura Nayak blogs from Goa:

In the past 27 years I have always spent Christmas in Bangalore with family and friends apart from once or twice in Delhi or Mumbai. But this time, with our son’s Hotel in Goa, my husband and I decided to experience Christmas in Goa like true Goans.

We reached here on18th December to a really chilly morning (most unlike our earlier Goan experiences where the weather was hot and sunny) On the 19th of December, Goa celebrated 50 years of Goan Liberation. We spent the day reading the whole story of Goan Liberation in different papers and then watching all the schools in the neighbourhood take out parades with drums and slogans in different directions. The Government of Goa also organised several programmes, among them the honouring of the famous architect Charles Correa – the world renowned son of the soil whose fame has spread far beyond the shores of his native state of Goa. Following which, there were several musical events and speeches.

Slowly the city of Panjim is getting dressed up for Christmas – the old heritage houses and hotels are painstakingly decorated with stars, Christmas trees and colourful lanterns. Lots of Santas and people singing carols in the church square.

When I was young, we youngsters used to go carol singing in Delhi from one Christian/Catholic house to another and to the Embassies as well. We were always offered plum cake, “kuswar” (a traditional Goan/Mangalorean sweet), sweet wine and given money which went for a charitable cause – Our reward was a lovely picnic after New Year.

In Goa, they have a different tradition. People of all ages dressed in Santa caps and stoles and carrying colourful lanterns walk the streets singing christmas carols to spread Christmas Cheer in the neighbourhood of Fontainhas, for both Christians and Non Christians alike. They warmly welcomed me to the group and I must say I really enjoyed reliving my childhood experience.

Most Christian households in Goa are busy making “kuswar” (with some just buying from the nearest bakery) and cakes, putting up the crib and Christmas trees. Apart from the regular stores selling Christmas decorations, several makesift ones have come up across the neighbourhood of Fontainhas. Stars of different sizes and colours have come up. And of course everyone is making the rich plum cake and different wines to share with friends and family. One old neighbour even asked me whether I’ve got my new dress ready!!!

Tomorrow we get ready for the open – air midnight mass, in front of the Church singing lots of christmas carols (the choirs have been practising seriously for the past few days) and after greeting each other come home for cake and wine.

Then to get up on Christmas Day and enjoy the festive feeling, exchange sweets with neighbours and friends and settle down to a hearty Christmas lunch.

Merry Christmas to All!