Chilling and Tanning at Top 5 Famous Beaches in Goa

Couple at a Beach in Goa    Photo: Ian D

Beautiful beaches in Goa come under top ten tourist attractions in India. Exploring the top 5 famous beaches in Goa may not have the ideal options for solitude. The erstwhile Portuguese settlement of India has been a major crowd puller for decades! The top beaches have taken most of the pressure of pleasure, so balance your tour with the relatively quieter shores. Check out the most famous Anjuna beach for its weekly flea market and the psychedelic trance rhythming with the heady murmur of breaking waves. Once a hippy hotspot, and always a hippy hotspot, the beach is the place to be for high times.

The Sad Queen

Another famous sea shore of Goa is the Calangute Beach, known as the Queen of Goan Seafronts. However, as it is, people take a lot of undue advantage of the Queen’s natural hospitality, and keep polluting the place with impunity. It does have some good eateries serving traditional Goan cuisine and beverages. It also has swarms of unruly travelers, hubbubs of chaos, and traffic jams just to reach to the beach! Be careful about personal security from thugs offering open drinks (badly drugged) or luring you to an erotic disco. This beach is quite a hub for nightclubs; so, that can be a good reason to hike upto Calangute in the evening.

Some Solitude

It also has options for watersports fun, and is a great place to chill out tanning (if you can neglect the voyeuristic annoyance, that is). Sun tan lounges are actually found at the Baga beach, which blends with Calangute. Book a shackle at Agonda beach if you really want some solitude. The isolated, lengthy beach houses a few souvenir stalls and good restaurants. The beaches shape Goa as a tourism destination, and they are distinct from other Indian seafronts. The Benaulim beach of South Goa is one of the best kept secrets of the place. It is laidback and pristine and most of the art galleries are in this area. It is indeed a beautiful seafront for Dolphin watching and watersports. It is adjacent to Colva, which is more popular among traditional Indian tourists than for foreigners.

Pristine Serenity

Lastly, the Arambol beach can be the perfect place to chill out in quaint Goan coolness. Located at the Northern coastline of Goa, the Arambol is the destination for travelers who book a long-term visit to absorb Goa. The alternative therapy resorts of yoga, tai chi, reiki, and meditation extend their ambience of tranquility in this pure hippy beach, at the most wonderful sense. The dolphins find this seafront peaceful and welcoming, and you can make friends with them in a sea trip. It has a relaxed nightlife with live music sessions. Close by is the deserted Tiracol fort, a place where the sea greets your thoughts with perfect solitude. 

Churches and Temple

Besides the seashore, the place has several other attractions. The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (established 1541), the Church of St Catejan (established 1700), the Church of st. Francis of Assissi (1661), the Se Cathedral (1619), and the Born Jesus Basillica (1605) hold vintage majestic silence. The Lord Shiva temple at Mangeshi (Shri Mangesh Shantadurgai Prasanna Temple), the butterfly conservatory, the museums, and the art galleries are also peaceful places to visit.

Beautiful in all Seasons

The tourist town welcomes visitors around the year. However, the December-January season is the hyped on-season. Indeed, many yearly festivals take place around this time and it can be difficult to find a room without advance booking. The best time to visit Goa is in the February – March season as the crowds begin to thin and the weather is cool. Many tourists choose to make the trip during the beautiful Goa monsoon from June to September. Do not forget the raincoat!