I love Goa: it has some of the best beaches in India, it has definitely the best food in India, and it is one of the places in India where I can go sunbathing in a bikini (but girls, seriously: going topless is not ok. You’re in India. Read this if you’re going to Goa).
Working Hard in Agonda, Goa
Yes, there are a lot of bad things you can say about Goa these days but it’s still one of the best places in India for a beach holiday. Here is a short, completely opinionated and not very objective guide to some of the beaches in Goa.
If you’re looking for…
… a long stretch of sand with some relative peace and quiet:
One of the best beaches in South Goa is Agonda, possibly the quietest of the beaches in Goa. Although it is growing and getting busier, there is little here in terms of a party scene. Much of the accommodation is in bamboo huts but there are a few nice guesthouses along the beach too. I could spend weeks here reading books and staring at the sea.
In North Goa Asvem is one of my favourite beaches with its long stretch of sand and lack of big hotels, and nearby Mandrem gets lots of votes from many travellers.
… parties and nightlife:
Goa’s party scene is not what it used to be (and this might be a good thing) but if you are looking for some nightlife, try Anjuna, Vagator or for a more alternative nightlife scene, Arambol. There are also the discos and the clubs and the hotel bars around Calangute and Baga, but if you wanted to be in a place that could be in Teneriffe, wouldn’t it be better to go to Teneriffe?
Agonda Beach Getting Ready for Sunset
… lots of things to do while on holiday:
The crescent-shaped Palolem is one of the prettiest beaches in Goa but has also become one of the busiest. You won’t get bored in Palolem: there are yoga classes, ayurvedic treatments, beauty parlours, meditation courses, boat trips to see dolphins and all sorts of things to do. The shallow water and the lack of waves make Palolem good for swimming and popular with families. Palolem is also at least partly open during monsoon.
Palolem has lots of accommodation from basic huts on the beach to five-star and everything in between, and there is some great food here, especially in that Italian pizzeria – I can’t remember its name but you’ll recognize it because it’s always full and the owners speak Italian. Palolem has also spread over to the next beach, Patnem.
The downside is, it is sometimes difficult to find an empty spot of sand between all the bamboo huts, hotels and guesthouses, shops, stalls, restaurants, salesmen and –women, sunbathers and men with video cameras for filming bikini-clad Western girls.
… an easy package holiday with the family and want to be surrounded by lots of other people from your own country:
Calangute and Baga in North Goa are package holiday resorts full of big hotels, shops and restaurants catering for Scandinavian, German and British holidaymakers, with beaches covered in deckchairs and with so many salespeople on the beach that you can forget about reading that book in peace. I first went to Calangute in 1999 and even then I felt it was a little bit too much like Gran Canaria; and it hasn’t become any quieter since. But if you’re flying in from Scandinavia to escape the cold and dark winter for a two-week cheap beach holiday, you’ll love it. Families seem to like this part of Goa, too.
In South Goa, Colva is another package holiday centre and has a long, busy beach. It is also popular with Indian tourists and daytrippers.
… luxury:
Goa has several luxury hotels and resorts. The Leela, the Taj and many other four- and five-star hotel chains have hotels in Goa. Many are located in South Goa’s Varca and Cavelossim area, and some have private beaches away from the crowds.
Hari Om and thanks for posting!