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The Far South District Of Canacona
Ceded to the Portuguese by the Raja of Sund in the treaty of 1791, Goa's
far south - Canacona district - was among the last parts of the territory
to be absorbed into the Novas Conquistas, and has retained a distinctly
Hindu feel.
The area also boasts some of the state's most outstanding scenery. Set
against a backdrop of the Jungle covered Sahyadri Hills (an extension of
the Western Ghat Range), a string of pearl white coves and sweeping
beaches scoop its indented coastline. Enfolded by laterite headlands and
colossal piles of back boulders.
PRIME ATTRACTION
So far, tourism has made little impression on this beautiful
landscape. With the exception of the village of Palolem, whose near
perfect beach attracts a steady flow of day trippers and longer staying
travellers during high season, the coastal settlements remain rooted in a
traditional fishing and Todi-tapping economy.
CITIES
Chaudi: Chaudi, 33-km south of
Margao, is
Canacona district's charmless headquarters. Packed around a noisy junction
on the main Panjim-Mangalore
highway, it is primarily a transport hub, of interest to visitors only
because of its proximity to
Palolem,
2-km west. Buses to and from
Panjim,
Margao, and
Karwar in Karnataka Taluka trundle in and out of a scruffy square on the
main street, from where taxis and auto rickshaws ferry passengers to the
villages scattered across the surroundings fields. The area's only
pharmacy stand just off the crossroads, handy if one is staying in
Palolem.
Agonda: Agonda, 10-km north of Chaudi, can only be reached along
the sinuous coast road connecting Cabo De Rama with NH-14 at Chaudi. No
signposts mark the turning and few of the tourists that whizz past en
route to Palolem pull off here, but the beach, fringed along its entire
length by Todi trees, is superb. Its remote location is not the only
reason this 3-km spread of white sand has been bypassed by the bulldozers.
Villagers here are opposed to any kind of tourist development. At present,
there are only two places to stay over here, both situated at the far end
of the beach.
HOW
TO GET THERE Rail: For the last year or two, it has been possible
to reach Canacona by direct "Superfast" Express trains from
Mumbai ,
Panjim and
Mangalore
.
Road: The regions main transport artery is the NH-17, which crawls
across the Sahyadri and Karmali Ghats towards
Karnataka via
the district headquarters, Chaudi. Bus services between here and Margao
are quite frequent.
PLACES TO STAYThe best places to near Canacona include Palolem and Agonda. One can easily find quite resonable accommodations at guesthouses near Palolem beach site, while other can check in the resorts of Agonda.
NEARBY CITIESMargao:
33-km
Vasco-da-Gama:
63-km
Panjim: 64-km
