Madurai to Goa

About the city:Beautiful palm fringed beaches, Portuguese architecture, a happening nightlife and peace and tranquility- that’s Goa for you. One of India’s most popular holiday destinations, Goa has something for everyone.

Airports and Railways: The Dabolim Airport lies 29 kilometers away from the state capital of Panaji. The airport is well connected by regular flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi. The two main railway stations in Goa are the Madhgaon Junction (39 kilometres from Panjim), Vasco- Da- Gama Railway Station (28 kilometres from Panjim) and Dabolim Railway station (25 kilometres from Panjim). All these stations are well connected by trains from the rest of the country.
There are various public as well as private bus operators in Goa that provide inter-state and intra-state connections. KSRTC, MSRTC and KTC are some of the government transport corporations that operate from Panaji, Madgaon and Vasco Da Gama. There are also many private bus operators such as Neeta Tour and Travels, Paulo Travels and Naik Tours and Travels that operate bus services to and from cities like Mumbai and Pune.

Hotels and Restaurants: Some of Goa’s finest hotels include Estrela Do Mar Beach Resort, Deltin Suites, Neelam’s The Grand and Resort De Alturas. All these hotels provide comfortable accommodations along with scenic views.Goa is a food lovers’ paradise and is particularly famed for its fresh and delicious seafood. Some of Goa’s most popular restaurants include Mum’s Kitchen, Fiesta, Britto’s and Alfama to name a few. Some of the dishes you must try in Goa include Pork Vindaloo, Crab Xacuti, Kingfish Curry, Goan Prawn Curry and Bebinca.

Markets: Goa has many interesting options for shopping and some of Goa’s popular shopping haunts include Mapusa Market (for spices, fruits and homemade pickles), Anjuna Flea Market (for clothes, footwear, beachwear and local handicrafts), Arpora Saturday Night Bazaar (for spices, carpets and embroidered textiles) and Calangute Market Square (for sarongs, trinkets, metal, leather and clay items).

City Transportation: Taxis are a great way of getting around the city. You can either hire a cab in advance, or book one directly from the airport, or railway station. Another popular way of getting around Goa is by hiring bikes, scooters, or cars. Vehicles for hire are easily available all through Goa and all you need is an ID proof to hire one.

Must-See Places: Some of the places you must visit on your Goa trip are Baga Beach, Anjuna Beach, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Fort Aguada and Chapora Fort.

Climate of Goa: Mid-November to Mid-February are the winter months in Goa and is the most pleasant time to visit. March to May are the hotter months and not many tourists visit during this time. June to October are predominately the monsoon months.

Synonymous with the highly respectable Meenakshi Temple, Madurai is primarily a pilgrimage destination. With temples in every nook and corner, itÔÇÖs often called as Temple Town of state Tamil Nadu. However, religion is not just the predominant character of the city. Madurai city is also a flourishing cultural centre, with home to many museums and a respected university. The popular Float Festival is celebrated here as does the not so popular Bull Run, Jallikattu. A beautiful contrast of colours and traditions, Madurai city will surely leave you amaze.

Meenakshi Temple is undoubtedly a must-see when in Madurai. Other temples in Madurai that again are worth a visit are Alagar Temple, Koodal Alagar Temple, Pazhamudhir Solai and Thiruparankundram. Then, Naickar Mahal, one of the major archaeological sites, is simply an amazing place to be at, with now only a small section of the original structure remaining. For researchers and history enthusiasts, there is Gandhi Museum. Then there is Vandiyur Mariamman Tepakkulam, a temple standing in the middle of man-made pond, where the popular float festival celebrated, is truly worth-seeing.

Madurai is hot and dusty during summers. Other than that, it can be visited at any time of the year. Madurai is well-connected by air with other prime cities of India. The airport of Madurai is about 10 kilometres from the city. There are regular flights to Madurai from major cities like Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and others. You can do your Madurai flight bookings with makemytrip.com to avail some exciting deals and offers.