MARGAO
World famous beach played host to thousands of visitors as domestic tourists and locals thronged the iconic beach on Sunday to enjoy the beauty as well as to beat the sultry heat before the monsoon sets in the State by next week.
While the entrance to the beach was packed with visitors, the parking lot was saturated with vehicles, with many local visitors returning back before heading to the neighbouring beach belt.
Men and women and the young and old were seen in the choppy waters, to beat the sultry heat, keeping the life guards on their toes to ensure the visitors obey the instructions and confine themselves to the bathing zones.
“These are the last few days of tourism before curtains come down on this season,” a local tourism stakeholder remarked while attributing the heavy rush of tourists to Colva on Sunday.
Water sports operators cashed in on the rush of visitors as the tourists were seen taking a joy jet ski or parachute ride.
And, the migrant hawkers made hay of the rush of visitors as they canvassed with the tourists for sale of goods. Despite the fact that hawking on the beach is banned by the Tourism department, migrant hawkers invade Colva beach in droves throughout the tourist season, as if they enjoy patronage.
As curtains are set to come down on the tourism season, the stray cattle and dogs came back to haunt the visitors as well as the agencies. Despite the government unveiling a helpline, the strays haven’t yet been impounded from the Colva beach.
