Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna owing to its location on the Western Ghats range which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot. Baga, Anjuna, Calangute, Vagator, and Palolem are some popular Goa beaches. Se Cathedral, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Aguada Fort, Chapora Fort, and Dudhsagar Falls are the other popular Goa tourist places.
Goa being in the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea has a hot and humid climate for most of the year. Tourism is Goa’s primary industry it handles 12% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons winter and summer. In the wintertime, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the climate. In the summertime (which in Goa is the rainy season), tourists from across India come to spend the holidays.
Baga Beach
Baga beach is one of Goa’s most popular beaches. It is between the Baga River in the north and Calangute beach in the south. The Baga-Calangute-Candolim stretch is one of the longest sandy shores in Goa and attracts thousands of tourists in peak season.
If you are looking for a beach where you can relax and bask some sun, listening to the waves, Baga Beach is one of the best beaches in Goa for family and friends day out. Baga Beach is the most famous beach of Goa, known for its stunning nightlife, beach parties, and mouth-watering seafood delicacies. For people who enjoy crowd, drinking, and dancing to pulsating music, all against an impressive backdrop, Baga Beach is the perfect place to be.
Candolim Beach
Candolim Beach is soft and sandy, decked out with sun loungers and parasols to offer some shade in the heat of the Goan sunshine. The beach is relatively busy, with both locals and tourists making the most of this attractive coastal setting, although it’s an incredibly long stretch of coastline that journeys north to Calangute and Baga and south to Sinquerim. Beyond the beach, Candolim is also home to Aguada Fort, discovered at the southern end of the resort, providing a window into Goa’s bygone eras.
Candolim Beach offers a peaceful environment but it also indulges tourists with many beach and water sport activities like snorkeling, fishing, and diving. Moreover, there are many shaft bars that offer the local taste of Goa. Tourists can stop at a small taverna (bar) for a drink of feni – a locally brewed drink made from cashew or coconut.
Calangute Beach
Popular as the “Queen of Beaches”, the Calangute Beach of Goa is among the top ten bathing beaches in the world. Being one of the busiest and most commercial beaches of Goa, it is swarming with eating joints, shacks, and clubs serving cocktails, beer, and seafood. Calangute Beach is also known for its water sports activities like parasailing, water surfing, banana ride, and jet-skiing. While the days here are filled with beach fun, nights call for upbeat parties and letting your hair down. Calangute is also popular for staying in Goa as it keeps you well-connected to the other beaches in the north such as Baga, Anjuna, Candolim, Aguada, and many more.
Undoubtedly, Calangute is a perfect place for adventure and water sports like kayaking, sailing, wind-surfing, water snorkeling, water-skiing, fishing, etc. These are the main activities that seek the attention of globetrotters. Parasailing on Calangute Beach offers an unbelievable experience as you soar up high in the air and undergo the wind on your face, that exhilaration truly kicks in. It’s an interesting sport activity that becomes unforgettable for the one who experiences it.
Sinquerim Beach
Sinquerim is located on the north side of Baga beach and has beautiful, wide stretches of endless sand. Sinquerim Beach happens to be the most famous tourist beach in North Goa. Here, one can enjoy world class adventure sports activities like parasailing and scuba diving. And not to forget, it is here that the now famous Sunburn festival is held each year during the month of December. Right adjacent to the beach is Fort Aguada, which is another major attraction especially after the release of Bollywood movie Dil Chahta Hai, a scene of which was shot here.
Sinquerim is popular among tourists flocking to this beach from all over the world. The beach is close to some of the best nightclubs in Goa. One of the key attractions of Sinquerim Beach is the popular Sunburn Festival held each year in December. Another key attraction is the Aguada Fort, just next to the beach. Sinquerim is home to many restaurants and shacks that serve fresh seafood and cocktails to pamper your taste buds.
Morjim Beach
Referred to as the Turtle Beach, Morjim Beach is nestled amidst verdant locales. Serene and secluded, this beach is for people who look for peace and quiet with their loved ones. It is one of the best beaches in Goa for some serene atmosphere. Morjim Beach is one of the unexplored beaches in Goa that you must visit.
Morjim Beach, also known as ‘Little Russia,’ is one of the popular but less crowded beaches in North Goa. The crowd that you see around here is mostly Russian and hence the name. This beautiful beach strip begins where River Chapora meets the Arabian Sea.
Morjim Beach is famous for its Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Spend time here enjoying these beautiful creatures. Giving food to them and disturbing them is not allowed. Tourists often click photos with these turtles. It’s a peaceful beach and not the activity. Tourists like to spend lazy evenings and afternoons in the beachside shacks and sunbeds. Local drink Feni and fresh coconut water are sought after in this place.
Arossim Beach
Like all other beaches in South Goa, Arossim Beach also has beautiful white sand and green palm trees. It is located right next to Cuelim and Cansaulim Beach and is not very popular with the tourists. It is a perfect escape from the overcrowded cities and the daily hustle and bustle of life. You can spend your holidays lying on the beach, swimming or simply basking in the suntan.
Arossim’s beautiful beach presents a long and wide stretch of golden sand, lapped at by clear blue water and backed by a dense forest of palms. Another of the beach’s highlights is its culinary offerings, with superb beach shacks such as ‘Zeebop’, located just to the south of the beach, serving up delicious and fresh seafood to hungry beachgoers.
Ashwem Beach
Ashwem beach, also known as Ashvem beach is one of the best kept secrets of North Goa. Located to the north of the capital city of Panaji, this beach offers delightful ocean vistas fringed by the green fronds of the sway coconut palms that pepper the shore. The reason for its popularity is its extensive stretches of white sand and exotic palm trees that grow along the fringes of this beach. It is also home to the sprawling cashew plantation and people are also attracted to this area due to the thriving fishing and sea-food culture prevalent here.
Despite being one of the more popular beaches in Goa, it is still possible to find secluded spots and ultimate peace in this place. You can relax on the beach while watching the waters of the Arabian Sea, or you can check out one of the many cafes that line the beach. The restaurants on the beach serve fresh seafood and local delicacies using the best ingredients and authentic recipes. Another attractive feature about the beach is that it is very clean and maintained well by the local authorities as well as the tourists who visit the place. When you are in Ashwem Beach, make sure you also catch the breathtaking sunset.
Patnem Beach
Patnem Beach is one of the quietest and most secluded beaches of South Goa. Located in the town of Canacona, this beach is a little slice of Paradise. The beach is known for its peacefulness and beauty as well as the succulent seafood that is available in the area.
Patnem beach is an appealing alternative to south Goa’s popular Palolem beach for those who don’t want to be right in the middle of the action but still want some entertainment. It’s lined with beach shacks and huts, yet there’s plenty of space for everyone.
The beach is popular for its comfortable shacks, luxurious resorts, warm climate, cleanliness which is indeed a rarity in other Goa beaches and is just so ideal to lounge on a cozy sunbed. If you are looking for a laidback beach holiday destination with just beach, beer and sun, Patnem is the place to go!
Next to the beach and beer, yoga is the second biggest reason that makes Patnem Beach one of the favorite hotspots amongst travellers. From basic yoga workshops to intensive yoga training classes, Patnem has it all.
Anjuna Beach
Popularly known as the freak capital of the world, Anjuna is just the right place for lazing holidaymakers. Besides the calm waters of the Arabian Sea lapping softly on the Indian shore, Anjuna comes live with its ever-famous full-moon parties and the Wednesday flea market to take one on to a trance trip. Anjuna is a small village in north Goa, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It lies 18 km away from Panaji (the old name for Panjim), the capital of Goa.
Anjuna beach provides you with some of the stunning scenery and photographic view during sunrise and sunset. The combination of the white sand and the scintillating blue sea create an unbeatable view. Also, you might not want to miss the principal attraction of the beach, the flea market. It captivates a large number of tourists to crowd this place every Wednesday. You’ll get an excellent deal if you’re an expert in bargaining.
every Wednesday, at around 11 a.m., Anjuna breaks into a riot of colors. Lines of vehicles full of tourists start virtually raising clouds of dust in this area. Whatever one needs, from a used paperback to a haircut, one would find it here. The flea market is a heaven for hardcore shoppers and good bargainers, to bid on wonderful blends of Tibetan, Kashmiri and Gujarati trinkets and handicrafts, European snacks, cassettes of a noisy brand of music called ‘Goa Trance’, artificial ornaments carvings and T-shirts. An elephant ride and a photograph with a fake sadhu or a fake snake charmer can also be found here.
Butterfly Beach
You can bag the best time of your vacation at Butterfly Beach which is north of Palolem Beach in Southern Goa. Enjoy your solitude, away from the rest of the world, and also experience the wonderful aquatic life out in the open front of the beach. Butterfly Beach is surrounded by a lot of rocks. Butterfly beach can easily be described as a piece of heaven on earth. It is one of the most photogenic beach paradises in the world. The Butterfly Beach was named by earlier tourists who used to visit the place and saw millions of butterflies flying on the blossoms on the hillside.
The main attraction of the beach is its famous Dolphin Play and the mesmerizing sunset. The sea urchins, sea cucumbers, footprints of crabs, and goldfishes are equally eye-catching. The Canoe rides along the tiny water streams on the island provide a thrilling ride. But you can also see an amazing view of one of the most beautiful sunset view, you could have ever seen in your life.
Butterfly beach is also popularly known as Honeymoon Beach as a lot of honeymooners and couples come here for a secluded vacation. You can spend your day with your partner by enjoying a picnic with wine. You can also wait for the low tide period to witness wandering Sea urchins, redfish, goldfish, and sea cucumbers here. This is a unique sight that you will not get to explore anywhere else in the entire Goa. Moreover, on one side, million butterflies dance and harbour over this beach, and on the other, you get to catch a glimpse of dolphins in the middle of the sea.
