Located in the South-West of India, Goa has gained popularity and outstands as one of the preferred destinations amongst tourists that visit amazing India. True that its breath-taking beaches have made this small state famous across the world, but there is actually much more beyond its beaches: take note of these 5 must-see places in Goa:

• Markets

The markets are the best reflection of Indian culture. You can find anything from antiques to jewellery, and from Tibetan handicraft to beachwear. The most famous ones are the Wednesday market at Anjuna and the Friday Market at Mapusa.

Why do we keep hearing that India will change us forever over and over? It is indeed a place where nobody is left indifferent; these are the reasons why a trip to this country will be a life-changing experience.

1. Every day will be a challenge: India will remind you daily that you are in a totally different country where everything is possible and nothing should be taken for granted. It will challenge you in many ways and you should find your way around.

2. Sensory stimuli: your senses will be overloaded in many ways, probably it will be quite intense during the first days, but you will end up appreciating these sensations as a native quality of India.

3. Its smells: some of them appealing, like food and species, and some of them almost impossible to bear.

4. No truce with contrasts: you will see beggars in one corner and luxurious temples on the next. Silence and noise, light and darkness, death and life.

You do not need to have visited beautiful India to know that cows are sacred animals for the Hindu community, who worship and decorate them at special events. Furthermore, in most states of India, cow slaughtering is illegal and the consumption of their meat is largely forbidden in the country. These laws, on the other hand, are criticised by Muslim Indians who argue beef is a lot cheaper than chicken or fish in the country.

Surprisingly there is a kind of hysteria in some parts of India where they think bovine animals are under threat even though the Government census shows that the cow population has grown 6.75% between 2007 and 2012 while at the same time India continues to be the largest exporter of beef in the world of which 80% is buffalo. In addition, India has 30% of the world´s cattle consisting of 26 breeds of cows, which wander through the country´s busiest cities unmindfully.

Indian food is well known for its colourful appearance and its spicy taste. This food, which ranges from vegetarian to meat products such us chicken, lamb or pork offers a rich combination of tastes that will seem everything except boring. The variation of spices Indians use have many medicinal properties and health benefits. Here are the most common ones:

Coriander

India is one of the main producers in the world of this herb, which in this country is called Dhania. The benefits of coriander are numerous and help in the treatment of: skin inflammation, high cholesterol levels, diarrhoea, mouth ulcers, anaemia,indigestion, menstrual disorders, irritable bowel syndrome and diabetes.

Chillies

Most Indian food is highly spicy. Even though few of us can handle food that spicy(it requires some training) you should at least make an attempt with mild dishes. After all, chillies are well known for battling against colds and obesity, preventing strokes, and even killing some cancer cells. It also produces serotonin, which makes us happier!

Ginger

Being very aromatic and spicy it gives the Indian dishes a special taste. It has been proved to be as well very powerful against digestive problems and a great remedy for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.