Goa Tours & Experiences

Things to do in Goa

Goa's coast divides into three areas, each with its own page: the crowded northern beaches of North Goa, the quieter coast of South Goa, and Panjim, the capital, with Old Goa a short drive away. The forested Western Ghats run along the eastern border.

Water sports at Baga and Calangute

Parasailing, jet skis and banana-boat rides are the staples off Baga and Calangute. Goa's water-sports policy lets only operators registered with the Department of Tourism take customers, keeps rides to daylight hours and stops them in the monsoon and in unsafe weather. Our Goa water sports session lasts an hour or two, mixes two or three rides and goes through an operator whose boats and safety habits we have checked.

Diving off Grande Island

Dive boats head for Grande Island, where Incredible India lists sites such as Suzy's Wreck and Coral Garden and gives visibility of two to eight metres in the season. On our Goa scuba diving day, beginners can try an introductory dive without any certificate, one-to-one with an instructor, while certified divers can log a dive; it runs from about October to May.

A sunset cruise on the Mandovi

Evening boats sail the Mandovi past Panjim as the light goes. Our Goa sunset cruise keeps you on deck through the sunset for an hour to ninety minutes, with the ticket and the drive to and from the jetty included.

Old Goa's churches and a spice farm

Old Goa's World Heritage churches are still in use, and St Francis Xavier's tomb is in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Spice farms inland walk visitors round their plantations and, Incredible India notes, often finish with a meal. Day three of the Goa Beach Escape includes both: a guided half-day around Old Goa and Panjim, then a plantation stop on the way south.

Beach days on the north coast

From Calangute to Vagator the north is Goa at its busiest, with shacks on the sand, Anjuna's Wednesday flea market and Saturday night markets. Our Goa north beaches tour links two or three of these beaches with a car, driver and guide, either in one day or across a longer stay.

Forest, wildlife and waterfalls

Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, also called Mollem National Park, covers about 240 sq km of Western Ghats forest, where a jeep and a guide can take you looking for gaur, deer and, with luck, a leopard. Treks to Dudhsagar, a four-tiered waterfall that GTDC puts at 1,017 ft, are booked online through GTDC and the Goa Forest Development Corporation, with a trained nature guide for every group of ten.

Yoga on the southern beaches

Palolem, Agonda and Patnem in the far south are Goa's yoga coast. Our Goa yoga retreat times its classes for sunrise or sunset, and you can stay for anything between a few days and roughly a fortnight.

Choosing between our tours and experiences

Choose a tour to have the whole trip arranged, an experience to add one activity to a stay. The Goa Beach Escape gives five days to both coasts, with hotels, breakfast and a car and driver; the Goa honeymoon is paced around the beach, with excursions by private guide and vehicle and the hotel booked separately; the north beaches tour keeps a car, driver and guide with you in the north. Each of the four experiences can be booked on its own. The Goa tour packages page compares all three.

When to go for these

From October to March, GTDC reports clear skies and a sea in its normal state, with the crowds peaking from December to New Year. Our water-sports, cruise and yoga pages find mid-November to February the most reliable months, and diving runs from about October to May. April and May are hot. The June-to-September monsoon accounts for about nine-tenths of the year's rain; water sports stop and swimming is advised against, while inland Incredible India lists rafting on the Mhadei from June to October. Our best time to visit Goa guide goes through the year month by month.

Planning tips

Bathe only in the stretch marked by red-and-yellow flags, where lifeguards watch, keep out of the sea from sunset to 7 am and leave alcohol off the beach: all three are Department of Tourism rules. Agree any taxi fare before setting off, dress modestly for churches and temples, and book December flights early. For airports, transport and the rest, see our Goa travel guide.