South Goa
Almost-deserted Galgibag is known locally as Turtle Beach as it's one of the last preserves of Goa’s endangered olive ridley sea turtle. It's a beautiful…
Must-see attractions in Goa
South Goa
Approached through pleasant, leafy Majorda village, Majorda Beach is a smarter, more organised option than neighbouring Utorda, with half a dozen Russian…
Panaji
This pillar at the centre of the Municipal Gardens was once topped by a bust of Vasco da Gama, the first Portuguese voyager to set foot in Goa in 1498,…
North Goa
The most northerly and largest beach is a beautiful stretch of sand, which fills up for a few hours each afternoon when domestic coach tours unload their…
South Goa
Bogmalo's curving, palm-fringed beach is less than 500m long, from the Bogmalo Beach Resort to the creek at the northwestern end. It doesn't have seasonal…
South Goa
The Naval Aviation Museum, at the naval base on the road above Bogmalo Beach, makes an interesting diversion if you’re interested in ships and planes. The…
Panaji
The road to Miramar from Panaji runs through the Campal district. Just before you reach the Kala Academy are the strollable riverside Campal Gardens, also…
North Goa
A short way to the east of the bastion is the pretty Church of St Lawrence, which also occupies a magnificent viewpoint. The church was built in 1643 to…
South Goa
Ancestral Goa is a high kitsch park with a series of sculptures depicting traditional Goan lifestyle. Follow the numbered trail to the mysterious ‘Big…
Church of Our Lady of Compassion
Divar Island
This hilltop church (also called Our Lady of Piety) combines an impressive facade with an engagingly simple interior. The ceiling is picked out in plain…
North Goa
With shacks occupying the sands, Goa trance heavy on the sound systems, and cows thronging among the people, there’s a distinctly laid-back vibe here,…
Panaji & Central Goa
This small butterfly sanctuary, 5km north of Ponda, is home to more than 100 species of free-flying butterflies (it’s not enclosed) in a small patch of…
Calangute & Baga
This quirky attraction features a wax museum with reasonably accurate figures of Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities, action heroes and sports stars…
Kristu Kala Mandir Art Gallery
Old Goa
This gallery, sandwiched between the Church of St Francis of Assisi and Sé Cathedral, is located in what used to be the archbishop’s house, and contains a…
South Goa
Colva's 18th-century village church is home to the replica Menino Jesus, the purportedly miracle-working statue of baby Jesus, which is brought out for…
South Goa
Polem is Goa’s southernmost beach, set around a small bay on the seafront of the village of Polem. There's some very low-key accommodation and a shack…
Panaji & Central Goa
This well-touristed farm, just 2km from Ponda near the village of Curti, also has elephant rides and elephant bathing in the small river, but these…
Panaji
Panaji’s central square is the leafy Municipal Gardens, also called Church Square (Largo da Igreja). The Ashokan Pillar is at the gardens’ centre.
Goa Science Centre & Planetarium
Panaji
Kids and families will enjoy the Goa Science Centre & Planetarium in Miramar, with an outdoor park, hands-on interactive displays, 3D movies and a…
North Goa
Outside the Fort Aguada bastions, the new lighthouse, built in 1976, can usually be visited; climb to the top for good views along the coast.
South Goa
Quiet little Rajbag is dominated by the Lalit Golf & Spa Resort, but it's worth a wander over from Patnem Beach to the north.
Panaji & Central Goa
About 7km east of Ponda, Pascoal offers bamboo river-rafting and cultural shows, along with farm tours and lunch.
Margao
At the southern end of the Municipal Gardens, this grand building houses the Municipal Library.
North Goa
Accessed by a steep footpath, this beach is less busy than Vagator's main beach.
Panaji & Central Goa
On the westernmost point of the peninsula stands an old fortress, Cabo Raj Bhavan, nowadays the official residence of the governor of Goa. Plans to build…
North Goa
Just 2km from the ferry point in Naroa, the Shri Saptakoteshwara Temple is tiny, tucked away in a narrow emerald-green valley and undisturbed by anything…
Old Goa
Perhaps the best way to arrive in Old Goa is the same way that visitors did in the city’s heyday. Approaching along the wide Mandovi River, new arrivals…
Ruins of the Church of St Augustine
Old Goa
Standing on Holy Hill (Monte Santo) is perhaps the most mournful memorial to Old Goa’s fallen might. All that’s left today of the Church of St Augustine…
North Goa
On Corjuem Island around 2km northeast of Aldona, now linked by modern road bridges, you’ll find the remains of Goa's only still-intact inland fort, the…
North Goa
In the centre of town, the small, pastel-coloured Maruti temple was built in the 1840s at a site where the monkey god Hanuman was covertly worshipped…
North Goa
Below the fort is Fort Aguada jail, once Goa’s largest prison. It closed in 2015, with inmates moved to a new jail in Colvale, and there are now proposals…
Church of Our Lady of Miracles
North Goa
Founded in 1594 and rebuilt several times since, the Church of Our Lady of Miracles (also known as St Jerome’s), around 600m east of the Municipal Gardens…
Margao
The most famous of the traditional old Portuguese mansions in Largo de Igreja is the grand 1790 Sat Burnzam Ghor. Originally, as its name suggests, there…
Panaji & Central Goa
About 3km south of Goa Velha, at the south end of the small village of Agassim, is the Church of St Lawrence, a plain and battered-looking building that…
Panaji
This modern, technicolor temple is not particularly imposing, but it’s worth a look inside as it was the first Hindu shrine established in the city during…
Old Goa
Next to the Convent of St Cajetan, this freestanding basalt doorway, atop five steps, is the only remains of the grand palace of Goa’s 16th-century Muslim…
Panaji & Central Goa
The Safa Shahouri Masjid, Goa’s oldest remaining mosque, is on Ponda’s northern outskirts. Built by Bijapuri ruler Ali Adil Shah in 1560, it was…
North Goa
Near the beach, the Casa dos Monteiros is an example of the peak of Candolim’s architectural splendour. Built by Goa’s most powerful family, the Monteiros…
Panaji & Central Goa
Aside from the beautiful views afforded from the roof terrace of Pilar Seminary, a few kilometres north of Goa Velha and 12km southeast of Panaji, it is…
Calangute & Baga
Casa dos Proença is a grand mansion built in the early 18th century by Calangute’s then-wealthiest family. You’ll notice the grand, tower-shaped veranda,…
