Goa beyond the beach shacks: which coast suits you
Destinations · · 2 min read
Goa is three places pretending to be one. Choosing the wrong one is the most common mistake visitors make.
North: busy and cheap
Baga, Calangute and Anjuna are where the markets, beach clubs and crowds are. Good for a first trip if you want company and easy food. Assagao and Siolim, just inland, are quieter and have the better restaurants.
South: quiet and slower
Palolem, Agonda and Patnem have calmer water and earlier nights. Prices are higher, transport is thinner, and the point is that nothing much happens.
Inland: the part people miss
Old Goa's churches - the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Sé Cathedral - are a morning well spent. The spice plantations near Ponda are touristy but genuinely interesting. Dudhsagar Falls is spectacular just after the monsoon and requires a jeep booking.
When
November to February is dry, busy and expensive, peaking over Christmas. March and April are hot but quiet. The monsoon, June to September, is green, cheap and closed in parts: many shacks pack up entirely.
Getting around
A scooter is the default and the reason for most holiday injuries; wear a helmet and check the brakes. Taxis are plentiful and expensive by Indian standards. Distances between north and south are longer than the map suggests - about two hours - so pick one base.
How long
Five nights: three on your chosen coast, one for Old Goa and the spice country, one spare for the beach you liked best.