The Dona Paula Beach

The Dona Paula Beach is close to the rocky point which lies between the Zuari and the Mandovi. For solitude seekers, the beach offers an ideal spot to sunbathe and relax. With its scenic natural beauty, Dona Paula beach makes a famous tourist attraction in this beach paradise. It has also been the popular shooting locations of several Indian movies. Apart from these, the beach is known to have a mysterious past which attracts a lot of travelers to the beach. As per locals, the spirit of Dona Paula de Menzes haunts this beach.

Dona Paula de Menzes was the daughter of a viceroy during the colonial era in India. The Dona Paula beach is named after her. It is said that Dona threw herself off the cliff when she was refused consent to marry Gasper Dias, a local fisherman. Most locals say that she is seen rising from the waves on the moon lit night.

Many travelers are attracted by Dona’s story and come here to feel the romantic mysticism associated with this place. Also popular as the Lovers Paradise due to the story connected to this place, Dona Paula beach also offers a lot of water sports. The wide variety of the water sports that the Dona Paula Beach has to provide makes it an interesting beach to enjoy a lot of fun activities. One can enjoy a lot of activities, starting from surfing, diving, sailing, skiing etc right here at Dona Paula Beach. There are a lot of other options in the form of light swimming, floating, and sun bathing on its shores.

Another prominent tourist attraction close to the beach is the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. It’s a small sanctuary which serves home to many different species of exotic flora and fauna. The Cabo Raj Bhavan or the official residence of Governor of Goa is located on the westernmost tip of the Dona Paula beach. Along the main road which leads to the beach there lie several ruins of small military cemetery which were built by the Britishers.

The Dona Paula separates the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries and offers pleasing views of the port city of Goa, Marmagao. Dona Paula enjoys close proximity to the capital city of Panaji which makes it a famous stop for sight seeing tours. All of which led to the development of hotels close to Dona Paula. Hotel Goa offers several accommodations in and around the beach to ensure comfort and convenience during the tour.

Dona Paula Beach houses several small shacks. The street markets out here sell out a wide variety of Indian stuff, including souvenirs, handicrafts and a lot more. You may even purchase best fitting beachwear at bargain price.