Dona Paula Beach, Panaji, Goa.

Dona Paula Beach, Panaji, Goa.

Dona Paula Beach is nestled towards the rocky outcrop of the hammer-shaped headland which divides the Zuari and Mandovi Estuaries.

The cityscape overlooks the vast Arabian Sea blessed with calm shores. It is this mix of luxurious amenities and wide open spaces of Dona Paula Beach that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Dona Paula Beach is 7 km from Panaji. The beach is named after Dona Paula de Menzes, daughter of a viceroy (in colonial India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias. The myth says that Dona Paula is entombed in the Cabo Chapel of the Raj Bhawan and is supposed to be seen emerging from the moonlit waves wearing only a pearl necklace. With the romance and myth attached to it — haunted by Dona Paula de Menzes — tourists throng the Dona Paula Beach not only in search of the deceased beloved, but also to indulge in water sports on the clear waters.

The Dona Paula Beach offers an opportunity to the tourists to have a sunbath and buy cheap seaside goods from local vendors.

This beach has also been the location for many Indian movies, the most famous being Ek Duje Ke Liye. Given this dual attraction, Dona Paula Beach has become a popular tourist spot.