Goa

Goa has a reputation. Psychedelic trance, spiked lassis, rave revelries, flowing alcohol, heady hedonism. It's the black sheep of India, alluring and more seductive than any Khajuraho mural. But Goa is also unbelievably quaint - all fading villas and gabled roofs and a surfeit of green. Goa constantly surprises, being brazen and demure at the same time. Eventually, it makes you fall in love with its idiosyncrasies.

Divided between North and South, North Goa is the party hub. The popular beaches of North Goa swarm with tourists and vendors. The vendors offer massages, henna tattoos, cocktails, even deck chairs. Do sprawl here, drink Kings beer (or fresh juice), watch the effervescent sea, let the sea breeze ruffle your hair and give yourself up to the happy haze.

Enjoy people watching? Topless men, some only in their Y-fronts, paunches protruding, splash in the sea here. Konkan women in sarees hassle girls and foreign tourists for a foot massage but stay clear of bachelor boys. Ladies from Andhra Pradesh try to sell colourful scarves. Waiters follow beach bums around, persuading them to read their menu cards. Had enough? Just claim your own spot and jump into the water.

And the partying. Shake a leg at legendary nightspots such as Tito's and Mambo's, complete with state of the art lights and music systems, the crowds swaying with abandon. Or sit sipping a drink at a pub with live music, dim lights, thatch and bamboo decor, and happy people in various stages of inebriation.

But Goa is also breathtaking. It glimmers dark green. Palm fronds flank the roads, trees filigree the sunlight throwing patterns on the tarmac and paddy fields are guarded by umbrellas of coconut trees.

Goa is gentle. It has the laidback attitude of a small town merged with a global approach. So while there are funky restaurants in Goa with heavenly seafood, there are also locals who also shyly ask you 'which country' you are from. And they always smile at you.

The real beauty of Goa is in its interiors, and the best way to explore it is to hire a scooter and set off. The undulating roads are bordered by swaying grass; on the way there are little villages, friendly locals and hole-in-the-wall bars.

South Goa is where all the resorts are and it's a curious place. Even more verdant than the North, it is less crowded, more rural outside its plush resorts. Small villages and lakes burst out of the thick greenery. There are shops few and far in between, but they cater to expatriates, to people used to an urban lifestyle, selling cheeses, spreads and tetra-pack juices. ATMs pepper the area but it still has a rustic, small town air with women sitting by the roads, selling fish. But the beaches are breathtaking. The sea is light blue here, glittering, shimmering, inviting.

You can choose your Goa. It will delight you, charm you, keep you entertained. You will be floored, returning again, and again.