Dona Paula Beach with Stunning Portuguese Promenade
This incredible beach is just located around 7 km from the capital city Panjim. The Dona Paula Fort is known as a great symbol of eternal love and romance. Dona Paula has one of the stunning monuments and a happening beach that became famous among the tourists. The beautiful gateway has been given this name because it is made up of carvings of a man and woman on top of the rock.
Guess you are halfway hooked to know the back story behind the monument and the parched image of the man and the woman. The forbidden love afire of Dona Paula with a low caste man is famous and associated with the monument. Multiple people talk about this affaire and each one have a different story to tell. However, there are only two such stories that come close to being the truth about the Dona Paula Beach.
History of Dona Paula Beach
Before you set your foot into this famous monument, you must know the beach and this entire surrounding is named after Dona Paula de Menezes. She was the daughter of Viceroy who jumped off the cliff over a love issue with a fisherman called Gasper Dias. She was not permitted to marry the fisherman as he was from a lower caste. Even the beach of Dona Paula Beach is called the Lovers paradise.
It is considered one of the most romantic and attractive beaches in Goa and the story behind it make it even more interesting. The story of Dona Paula Beach as per many historians and recorded details explain that Dona Paula’s soul is entombed in the Cabo Chapel situated in Raj Bhawan and it is believed that a glimpse of Dona Paula still emerges in the moonlit waves. Spooky! Isn’t?
Because of the beauty of this beach, it has been featured in many movies, it’s popularity has earned a great spot in the tourism list and you will often find tourists making plans about visiting the beach while their Goa tour.
Things to do in Dona Paula Beach
Apart from being a symbol of love, Dona Paula Beach also offers some brilliant water sports. You will love to experience activities like swimming, parasailing, windsurfing, ski-bob, kayaking, sports fishing, toboggan, ski-biscuit, snorkeling, yachting, and many other things to try. For people who would like to experience the rush of water, they can try water scooters and motorbikes.
Since the beach is a complete place to have a joyful time, you will also be able to experience shopping along with the beachside buying items like straw hats, spices, lace handkerchiefs, and many other items. To make sure you are at complete bliss, you can also get two different kinds of native liquor specialties, called the feni and port wine. People drawn towards art can find Indian handicrafts, jewelry, and the last stop will be the Indian Art Emporium.
Sightseeing
Reis Magos Church: For people who are into spirituality will love to visit this famous church located at a distance of around 10 km (6.2 miles). This church is dedicated to three men who brought the baby Jesus gifts of Myrrh, Gold, and Frankincense.
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary: Another place to be at is the Bird sanctuary located just around 9 km (5.2 miles) distance from the location. It is originally located on the western tip of Choro Island. You will be able to spot various birds species in the sanctuary.
National Oceanography Institute: The institute was dedicated to the local Goan marine life and was opened in the year 1960. This is another reason why travelers are attracted to this beach from around the world. Biology Museum and Taxonomy Reference Centre are maintained well and still holds an ancient charm.
Ruins of the Cabo de Rama Fort: The Cabo Fort is widely visited by the tourists, not just because the ruins remind them of the beautiful fort from 1540 but also because it has a 180-year-old cemetery with tomb Dona Paula.
Fairs and Festival of Dona Paula Beach
The festivals mostly occur during the winter months also known as the peak season. The month of November in Dona Paula is filled with colorful water sports that tourists love to play and enjoy their visit to the beach. The important highlight of the scooter is water scooter, surfing competition, and cycle races. Apart from these exciting festivals, you will also find the people of Dona Paula Beach celebrating Janamashtami and Feast of St. Lawrence with passion.
How to reach Dona Paula Beach?
By Air - The nearby airport is the Goa International Airport at Dabolim and it is around 29 km (18 miles) away from Panaji and 36 km (22 miles) from Anjuna.
By Rail - Goa is connected with Mumbai, Mangalore, Bangalore, Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram by train. The closest railway station is at Karmali, which is 15 km (9.3 miles) from the beach.
By Road - The Dona Paula Beach is well connected by road to other major cities. Around 7 km (4.3 miles) from Panjim, regular buses and taxis are available. The Kadamba Transport Corporation (Government of Goa Undertaking), and Maharashtra and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations have available buses from and to Goa.
Local Transport – The easiest mode to travel will be taking buses, motorcycles, auto-rickshaw, and taxis. Another way is to connect the break journey with a ferry or a jetty ride. The traveling is summarized because many available buses operate in every fifteen minutes to Dona Paula from Panjim and Kadambi bus stand.
Reference Times and Fares form Airport or Rail Station:
Car Route- 46 minutes
Estimated- INR 750-900
Via NG366
Bus Route - 2 hours 37 minutes
Estimated- INR 100-250
56962 - Vasco Da Gama - Kulem Passenger > Cansaulim > Panaji KTC Bus Stand > Dona Paula
Towncar- 35 minutes
Estimated- INR 1,800-2,600
The travel fare may vary based on season and weather condition at the time of visit.