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Dona Paula
Introduction
One of Goa's best loved beaches, Dona Paula is associated with a legend that adds a special touch to its ambience. The region was named after Dona Paula De Menzes, the daughter of a viceroy of colonial India. Madly in love with a local fisherman Gaspar Dias, Dona jumped off a cliff when her family refused her permission to marry her lover. It is said that the spirit of Dona Paula De Menzes haunts the region even today, emerging out of the waves of the sea during moonlit nights.
Location:
Dona Paula is located 7 kilometers west of Goa's capital Panajim (Panaji), on the southern fringes of the province. Situated near the Mormugao Harbor, the beach at Dona Paula is near the headlands that divide the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries.
Reaching There:
By Air: The nearest airport is at Dabolim, which is 29 km away from Panaji and 36 km from Anjuna.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to the region is the one at Karmali. Goa is well-connected by train to a number of important cities of the region like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore, and Thiruvananthapuram.
By Road: Dona Paula is well-connected to a number of important Indian cities by road. Regular bus and taxi services are available to all the regions of the state as well for internal travel.
Besides these, ferries and boats are also regularly used for traveling to Dona Paula.
Attractions of the Dona Paula Beach:
Dona Paula is known for the amazing varieties of water sports that are offered there. These include sports like:
- Water-Scooter
- Cycle
- Motorboat Rides
- Windsurfing
- Parasailing
- Water-Skiing
- Toboggan Ski-Biscuit
- Skibob
- Sports Fishing
- Snorkeling
- Harpoon Fishing
- Kayaking
- Yachting
For the not-so-adventurous tourists, Dona Paula has other entertainment ideas as well. These include a visit to the National Oceanography Institute, a virtual storehouse of knowledge of the different branches of coastal as well as marine oceanography. Marine Biology Museum and Taxonomy Reference Center, located within the premises of the institute is another must-see of Dona Paula.
Dona Paula does not disappoint the lovers of history as well. The Cabo Raj Niwas which is the governor's house houses the remains of Dona Paula de Menzes in the Cabo Chapel.
Other attractions at the Dona Paula Beach include the Reis Magos Church and the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.
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