Best Time to Visit Goa: A Month-by-Month Guide

Mid-November to February is Goa's season proper: dry, warm and lively, with the beach shacks and parties open. This is when the state is at its most reliable for beach weather and its fullest range of things to do.

The peak around Christmas and New Year is the busiest and priciest window of the year, so book far ahead if travelling then — accommodation and rates tighten hard around the holidays.

March to May is hot and quieter as the season winds down. Fewer travellers means a calmer version of the beaches and towns, but expect the heat to be more of a factor than in the winter months.

The monsoon from June to September turns Goa lush and cheap — the landscape greens up and rates drop — but many shacks and beach huts close for the season and the sea turns rough, which rules out swimming and most watersports. It suits travellers after a quieter, greener Goa and lower prices rather than beach days.

• November to February: dry, warm — peak season, shacks and parties open
• March to May: hot, quieter — season winding down
• June to September: monsoon — rough weather, many shacks closed

The Goa Carnival fills Panjim with colour and parades in February, before Lent, and falls within the dry season, making it easy to combine with a beach stay. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) brings the film world to Goa each November, right at the start of the peak season.