Goa is incredible India in miniature. Not just because it is the country’s smallest state but also because it spent almost half a millennium ruled by the Portuguese, resulting in a spectacular fusion of Western influences and local traditions. It is here that you find kaleidoscopic culture, architecture and food combining to produce a rich, sensual experience. Add to this a sensational string of stunning beaches, and you have a perfectly formed paradise for pleasure seeking Yonderers. All the more inviting, after a fascinating but perhaps a little frenetic tour elsewhere in India.