Ponda

Ponda itself is an uninteresting town, but it has a number of temples in the hills that surround it that shouldn't be missed. The area came under Portuguese control relatively late, in 1764, about 250 years after the Portuguese conquered Goa—which explains why the temples were not destroyed. One of the chief attractions here is the Manguesh temple in Priol, 7 km (4 mi) before you reach Ponda. With its domes and other eccentric, un-Hindu architectural features, the temple has evidence of Islamic and Christian influences. Other temples in the vicinity include the always-crowded Shantadurga temple with its distinctive tower, the Mahalsa temple with its gargantuan (41-foot-high) oil lamp, and the Lakshmi Narasimha and Naguesh temples with their lovely temple tanks (large pools accessed with steps, where the faithful bathe).