Dona Paula Beach - Goa - दोना पॉला बाच

Co-ordinates 15.453701, 73.801346 State Goa Nearby Stations Karmali Nearby Places Panaji, Madgoan Wikipedia Link Other Langauge Names

More Images

This place is called the Lovers Paradise, named after Dona Paula de Menezes. Water sport facilities are the key attraction of this beach. It offers an opportunity to the tourists to have a sunbath and buy cheap seaside goods from local vendors. Festivals of Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s Birthday) and the Feast of St. Lawrence are particular to the Dona Paula Beach. In addition, the beach also has a colorful water sports festival in November. It is named after Dona Paula de Menzes, daughter of a viceroy (in colonial India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias.

The Dona Paula Beach is named after Dona Paula de Menezes, the daughter of a viceroy (in colonial India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias. Dona Paula Beach is also referred to as "Lovers' Paradise."

The Dona Paula Beach has been an attraction for tourists due to a myth attached to the place. According to this myth, Dona Paula is entombed in the Cabo Chapel of the Raj Bhawan and is supposed to be seen emerging from the moonlit waves wearing only a pearl necklace. Several tourists as well as locals guided by this myth visit the beach for a glimpse of Dona Paula. This beach has also been the location for many Indian movies, the most famous being Ek Duje Ke Liye. Given this dual attraction, Dona Paula Beach is a popular tourist spot.

9 km from Panaji, it is an idyllic picturesque spot, commanding a fine view of the Zuari river and Mormugao Harbour. Water scootering facilities are available here. It is near the rocky point between the Mandovi and the Zuari is Dona Paula, a secluded bay with a fine view of the Marmagao harbour. It is a small palm fringed beach with casuarina groves and is very peacefull. It is named after a Viceroy's daughter who reportedly jumped from the cliffs when refused permission to marry a fisherman.

Named after Dona Paula de Menezes, this place is called the Lovers Paradise due to a myth which has been attached to this place. Dona Paula takes its name from a viceroy's daughter who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman. Dona Paula divides the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries and provides pleasant views of Marmagao, the port city of Goa. Due to its proximity to the capital Panaji, Dona Paula is a popular stop for the sight seeing tours. This has lead to mushrooming of hotels in and around Dona Paula.

There are boating facilities for those who dare to venture in the waters. The official residence of the Governor of Goa, Known as Cabo Raj Bhavan is situated on the westernmost tip of Dona Paula. Along the road leading to this place lies the ruins of the small military cemetery the British built at their brief occupation of the Cabo, to deter the French from invading Goa.

With the romance and myth attached to it-haunted by Dona Paula de Menezes-tourists throng the Dona Paula Beach not only in search of the deceased beloved, but also to indulge in water sports on the clear waters. The Dona Paula Beach offers an opportunity to the tourists to have a sunbath and buy cheap seaside goods from local vendors.

Water sport facilities are the key attraction of this beach. The Dona Paula Sports Club offers water-scooter, cycle, and motorboat rides. Other water sports include windsurfing, parasailing, water-skiing, toboggan ski-biscuit, skibob, sports fishing, snorkeling, harpoon fishing, kayaking, and yachting.

National Oceanography Institute

Set up in the 1960's, the National Oceanography Institute delves not only upon marine biology, but incorporates almost all the major branches of coastal and marine oceanography. The major attraction of the institute is its Marine Biology Museum and Taxonomy Reference Center.

Cabo Raj Niwas

The Cabo Raj Niwas (the Governor's House) is half a kilometer away from the National Oceanography Institute. It houses the tomb of Dona Paula de Menezes in the Cabo Chapel. The Raj Bhawan offers an excellent view of the nearby coastline and the Aguada Fort.

Vicinity

There are several places of tourist interest situated near the Dona Paula Beach. These include the Reis Magos Church and the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Approximately 10 km from the beach is one of the oldest churches built in Goa, the Reis Magos Church. It is dedicated to the three Magi (the wise men of the East)-Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar who, according to a legend, were guided by a star to Bethlehem to greet the newborn Jesus. This church was once the residence of all dignitaries and a mission center of the Franciscan order.

The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is situated on the western tip of the island of Choro, along the Mandovi River, about 9 km from Dona Paula Beach. Spread over 2 sq km, this sanctuary is a mangrove forest. Local and migratory birds are found here all through the year. However, permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden is required for visitors.

Fairs And Festivals

The festivals of Janmashtami and the Feast of St. Lawrence are particular to the Dona Paula Beach. In addition, the beach also has a colorful water sports festival in November. The highlights of this festival are the water scooter and cycle races and surfing competitions.

Shopping

There are several shops along the beachside, which sell variety of goods ranging from eatables to clothes. Fishermen-turned-local vendors also sell straw hats, lace handkerchiefs, and spices in these shops. Feni and port wine-the two Goan liquor specialties-are a must buy and local liquor is easily available. Indian handicrafts and jewellery are available at the Indian Arts Emporium in Dona Paula.

Other Facilities

The Goa tourism department organizes river cruises, including sunset, sundown, and full-moon cruise. Most of these cruises include sightseeing and offer the option of onboard meals. Ferry and bus services are available from the Dona Paula Beach to the Mandovi River from where these cruises take off.

Security Precautions

Swimming is dangerous at most of the beaches because of the strong undercurrents. Consulting the lifeguards is a must before venturing out into the waters.

Do's And Don'ts

Drug trafficking is against the Indian law. Anyone found in breach of the law could be awarded a lifetime imprisonment.
Nudity is against the local norms and traditions. Indulging or encouraging nudity on the beaches would be a nuisance and a source of embarrassment for the local inhabitants.

The climate is equable and moist throughout the year. While it is pleasant and temperate from October to May, June to September are the rainy months. Temperature variations throughout the year are mild. May is the warmest month with a temperature of around 30°C and January is coolest with a mean daily temperature of 25°C. Due to its proximity of the sea, the territory is generally humid and even during the summer months humidity is generally above 60 percent.

Located 9 km south west of Goa's capital, Panaji., Dona Paula Beach is nestled on the southern side of the rocky hammer-shaped headlands that divide the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries. Providing a good view of the Mormugao harbour, this beach is fringed by palm trees and casuarina groves. The proximity of the beach to the capital city makes it a popular tourist sight.

How To Reach

By Air

The nearest airport is at Dabolim, which is 29 km away from Panaji and 36 km from Anjuna.

By Rail

Goa is connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore, and Thiruvananthapuram by train. The nearest railway station is at Karmali, which is 15 km from the beach.

By Road

The Dona Paula Beach is well connected by road. Seven kilometers from the capital city, regular bus and taxi services are easily available. The Kadamba Transport Corporation (Government of Goa Undertaking), and Maharashtra and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations operate buses from and to Goa.

Local Transport

Bus, taxi, auto-rickshaw, and motorcycle services are the available means of local conveyance in the area. A bus or motorcycle-taxi from Panjim or the ferry service from Mormugao can be availed of to reach the beach. In fact, buses to Dona Paula leave every fifteen minutes from Panjim's Kadamba stand.An interesting mode of conveyance in Goa is the motorcycle taxi. Unique to this state, these "taxis" carry only one passenger. However motorcycles can also be hired for personal use, on the basis of financial guarantee.

Accommodation

There are a host of hotels, guesthouses, and beachside huts available at the beach that cater to the budgets of different tourists.

This is an idyllic spot to relax and sunbathe. Water scootering facilities available. On the northern banks of the River Zuari, a little away to tie south east of Cabo, lies a large escarpment with a bay and two small beaches which in the old days was part of Oddavel. The Dona Paula bay is at the place where two of Goa's famous rivers meet the Arabian sea.
Two other beaches are also within the proximity of the Dona Paula Beach. These are the Miramir beach, which lies 4 km north of Dona Paula, and the Vainguinim Beach, which is situated 1 km west.