Goa can be reached by its lone airport (Dabolim), by train, and by the many buses connecting the state with cities in India (primarily Mumbai, Mangalore and Bangalore). If you are travelling from Mumbai or Pune, car travel would provide you a journey through breathtaking scenery of the Konkan area. Travel from Mangalore to Goa is through Konkan Rail, allowing you to see its breathtaking scenery, including the Doodh Sagar waterfalls.
Goa's state language is Konkani. Most Goans speak Konkani, English, Hindi, and Marathi. Portuguese is also known by a small segment, especially the elite and earlier privileged class or the older generation which studied in pre-1961 Portuguese-ruled Goa.
Goa has a number of museums, including the Goa State Museum and architect Gerard da Cunha's relatively new architectural museum Houses of Goa. The Xavier Centre of Historical Research, at Porvorim, has a Gallery on Christian Art named the Xavier Xandev Museum art.
Most beaches have shacks that serve surprisingly delicious meals, specially sea-food and they'll usually consult you to see how you like your food. Don't miss the shack eating experience. You'll want to go back and do it again. Most fancy hotels and restaurants serve terrible foods, it is best to eat at local places, ask a taxi driver where these would be and don't let him take you to any fancy restaurants as they receive commission.
Goa has many prominent local festivals Chavoth, Diwali, Christmas, Easter, Shigmo, Padvo and such are just some of the Festivals that represent some of the local religions in Goa. The Goan Carnival is also known to attract very large numbers of people. Hindu people in the Goan area are known to enjoy Natak, Bhajan, and Kirtan and many famous Indian Classical singers come from Goa. Other than music and dance, theatre is another outlet for cultural Goans. Along with Natak, Tiatr and Zagor are the chief forms of traditional performing arts in Goa. Much of the theatre performances in Goa are stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. But they also delve into modern social subjects which are narrated with song and dance.
Goa really has a lot of places to stay at, except during the last week of the year, between Christmas and New Year, when the place is usually completely packed. Try to avoid that overhyped week and you will get a better Goa tour package without the added pressures.