Largest Church In Asia, 2 Independence Days & More; 8 Interesting Facts About Goa

Credits: Unsplash

Goa observes 2 independence days: Aug 15 & Dec 19 which marks Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961, 14 years after India gained independence.

Credits: Unsplash

1. 2 Independence Days

It's home to India's smallest wildlife sanctuary, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, which covers just 1.8 square kilometers.

Credits: Unsplash

2. Smallest Sanctuary

Goa is the only state in India where gambling is legal, with several floating casinos on the Mandovi River.

Credits: Unsplash

3. Legal Gambling

Despite being India's smallest state by area, Goa attracts nearly 15% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India.

Credits: Unsplash

4. Goa Tourism

Goa is home to the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, which hosts India's only known population of the black panther.

Credits: Unsplash

5. Black Panther

Goa was the first place in India where printing presses were introduced, with the first book printed in 1556.

Credits: Unsplash

6. Printing Press

The state has a unique time-honoured tradition called "Siesta" where shops and businesses close for a few hours in the afternoon.

Credits: Unsplash

7. Siesta Time

The state is known for its distinctive music genre called Goan trance, which originated in the 1990s.

Credits: Unsplash

8. Goan Trance Music

Have you ever been to Goa?

Credits: Unsplash