Going to Goa: Winter Sun holiday

With palm fringed beaches, turquoise seas and delightful, friendly locals, Goa is one of India's most irresistible destinations. Goa was known for being part of the hippy trail during the 60s and 70s, but long before hippies started travelling overland to Goa, the locale had attracted foreign visitors in droves. Ever since the Portuguese established a spice route colony there in the 1500s, Goa's deserted beaches, lush green jungles, dramatic cliff-sides, and low prices have been an irresistible lure.

Goa is India's smallest state, situated on the west coast of the mighty sub-continent, lapping the shores of the Arabian Sea and bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south. As well as its world renowned beaches, Goa is also famed for its temples and world heritage architecture, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. The state is also rich in flora and fauna, and was compared to the Amazon and the Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity by National Geographic Magazine.

Winter is an ideal time to head to Goa, as it's then that temperatures are at their most comfortable; and of course it's also nice to escape the grey skies of the UK from October to February. The added bonus of visiting at this time of year is that there is a high frequency of Hindi festivals and celebrations; in January you can experience the colourful Shantadurga Prasann, in February, the three day celebration of Shri Mangesh, and in March there's Shigmo.

A Goa beach holiday is also an excellent value destination where you'll be able to enjoy high standards of service, cuisine and accommodation as well as all sorts of massages and treatments such as mud baths, facials and reiki at prices much lower than what you would pay in the UK. There are also many retreats in Goa offering relaxing activities and cultural classes in painting, photography and yoga.

As one of India's most desirable tropical paradises, it's no surprise that Goa ranks highly as an excellent winter sun holiday destination for British visitors, offering a cultural adventure as well as high class holiday.