Panaji is Goa's compact capital, on the south bank of the Mandovi river where it meets the Arabian Sea, and it is a quieter, tidier place than most Indian state capitals. Portugal ruled Goa for more than four hundred years until India took it in December 1961, and the old colonial feel survives in the red-roofed houses, the balconies with carved wood and the Latin names on shop signs. The best-known district is Fontainhas, a small quarter of narrow lanes and painted villas in yellow, blue and green, where Portuguese-style bakeries sell sweet bebinca and the church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception looks down on a zigzag white staircase.
A short way east, at Old Goa, the former capital was abandoned after epidemics and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with huge churches and convents. The Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the body of Saint Francis Xavier, which is brought out for viewing every decade or so. Goan food is a mix of Portuguese and Konkan flavours, with fish curry and rice, spicy xacuti, pork vindaloo, which came from the Portuguese dish vinha d'alhos, and fresh seafood grilled with chilli. Feni, a spirit distilled from cashew fruit or coconut sap, is the local drink.
Panaji is the finish of the Konkan coast road, which follows the Arabian Sea down from Maharashtra, with a succession of ferries, bridges, headlands and beaches under coconut palms. The riding is rewarding but unpredictable, with a good surface on the main highway, patches of potholes and sudden speed breakers on others, and lots of cows, dogs, scooters and buses. Keep to the left, ride in daylight if possible, and expect the unexpected. The monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain and landslides on the hill sections, and the best season is November to February.
Fuel is easy in a city of sixty-five thousand, with stations on all the main roads and across the bridges to Porvorim. Cafés serve strong coffee and fresh bread, and the riverside promenade is a pleasant place to stop in the evening, with a breeze off the water and the casino boats lit up. Look for a hotel with a safe place for the bike, and be careful with scooters, which are easy to rent but need a valid licence.