Sightseeing in Goa

Beaches:

North Goa:

• Anjuna (Albuquerque Mansion, Saturday night bazaars in nearby village Arpora)

• Vagator (Chapora Fort, Fishing jetty)

• Baga (Family Beach)

• Calangute (Queen of all beaches, the place we are gonna stay)

• Candolim + Sinquerim (Fort Aguada - Dil chahta hai location, White sands beach)

• Arambol (rocky and sandy beach)

• Morjim and Asvem (quieter beaches in extreme north Goa's Pernem taluka)

• Mandrem Beach (-do-)

Central Goa:

• Dona Paula Beach (fine view of the Zuari river and Mormugao Harbour.)

• Miramar (Scenic)

• Baina (Matter!)

South Goa:

• Palolem (Scenic, white sands facing a blue bay between two headlands, little wooded islands on the northern headland look interesting)

• Colva and Benaulim (Scenic)

Water Sports + Adventure:

• Sailing, Para sailing, Windsurfing, Wind skiing (speed boats), Water Scooters (Candolim + Calangute + Baga Beach)

• River Cruise (from Panjim jetty)

  • Down the Mandovi into the Zuari bay

  • Up the Mandovi to Aldona

• Scuba Diving (season: mid October to mid May)

  • Barracuda Diving, Panaji

  • Dive Goa, PanajiTel: 09325030109

  • Goa Aquatics, Candolim, Tel: 09822685025

  • Goa Diving, Vasco Da Gama, Tel: 2555117

Places to see:

• Mormugao Harbour

• Panjim

• Mapusa (Weekly fair on Friday)

• Margoa (Old mansions + modern buildings)

• Ponda (Temples)

• Vasco da Gama (beautiful and extensive avenues)

• Pilar (panorama of the country side around and a fine view of Mormugao Harbour & Zuari river)

Churches:

• Basilica de Born Jesus (contains the mortal remains of Saini Francis Xavier)

• Se Cathedral

• Our Lady of Rosary on Monte Santo, Old Goa (Oldest church)

• Church of St Cajetan

• Augustine Church of Our Lady of Grace (Largest church)

• The Church of St. Anne at Talaulim. Ilhas

Temples:

• Mangueshi Temple

• Shantadura Temple

Museums:

• Archaeological Museum: Old Goa, 9 km from Panaji

• Naval Air Museum (behind Dabolim Airport)

• Museum of Goa Daman & Diu

Waterfalls:

• Dudhsagar Waterfalls (near from Collem railway station)

Sanctuaries:

• Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

• Bhagvan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Mollem

• Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary (Deer park, botanical garden)

• Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary (multi-storeyed forests with tall trees and rare plants, where hardly any light reaches the ground)

Ancestral Goa:

• Art Gallery & Handicraft Center

• Mirabai Sculpture

• Big Foot Dance Floor

• Casa da Dona Maria

• Anand Lotlikar's Ghor

• Legend of Big Foot

• The Farmer's House

• Cross, Spring & Rakandar

• The Fisherman's House

• Escola da Musica

• Bhati - the feni distillery

• Tinto - the village market

• Taverna - the country liquor shop

• Goan Artisans

• Bird Habitat

• Spice Yard & Rubber Plantation

Heritage Houses:

• Salvador Costa mansion, Loutolim, a South Goa (large and beautiful houses)

• Solar dos Colacos mansion, Ribandar, midway between Old Goa and Panjim (spectacular view of islands and the historical churches of Old Goa)

• Pinto de Rosario mansion, Porvorim, half-way between Panjim and Mapusa (artifacts)

• Mascarenhas mansion, Anjuna (monumental, classic balconies)

• Voddlem Ghor, Chandor

• Vivian Coutinho mansion, Fatorda (green gardens, red masonry seats)

• Colaco mansion (faces waterfront)

• Palacio do Deao, banks of kushawati river (blending elements of Hindu and Portuguese architecture)

Food:

Local Cuisines:

• Vindaloo

• Prawn balchao (portuguese flavor)

• Kingfish in Garlic (portuguese flavor)

• Xacuti (pronounced Cha'cuti)

Restaurants:

• Brito's, Baga - Known for its Mix meat platter, this place serves continental cuisines, The deserts offered are to die for.

• Montego Bay Goa (Morjim)- full fledged restaurant serving Continental, Indian, Seafood and the local Goan Cuisine

• Cavala, Baga - Beautiful authentic Goan food in a charming setting. Also great entertainment is often featured!

• Bella Ciao The Italian Restaurant at La Calypso Hotels, Saunta Vaddo, Calangute Baga road, Baga, Goa - 403516 - Phone: 0832 2275821 Italian

• O'Coqueiro

• Mirabai Goan Village, off Baga Road, Calangute. Phone: 98 22176808- The best! Authentic Goan food, excellent sea food, charming knowledgeable owner

• Souza Lobo - Calangute (Its on the beach, you won't miss it)- King Fish and Seafood are excellent

• After Seven Restaurant, Calangute (on the border of Candolim-Calangute). Telephone 91-832-227957. easily the best restaurant in Goa.

• Hotel Mandovi

• Casa Andre's, Calangute

• Martin's Corner, Betalbatim

• Casa Portuguese, Baga

• J & A's, Arpora

• Mooncrest on the Waves, Calangute

• Mooncrest on the road to Baga beach

• Tibetan Kitchen, Calangute - sizzling garlic prawn platter to die for.

• La Resturaunt- Baga Road - French cuisine at its best

• Stone House, Candolim - garden bar and rest - great cooking lovely atmosphere

• Caji's Place, Colva- known for its fresh and spectacular Prawn Curry.

• Dominos Pizza, Margao 0832-2713888, 2713660-61 Shop No.11-12, Durga Apartments,Louis Miranda Road , Near Saaj Hotel , Margao - 403601

• Tato's in Margao and Panjim for good Pau Bhaji.

• Bob's Inn on the main road from Calangute to Candolim.

• Posh, at Nerul, near the post-office, opening in November 2007 for breakfast and lunch, a sister concern of After Seven Restaurant, Calangute

• Caji's Place, Colva

Budget Restaurants:

• Aflatoon 'Hotel', near the masjid alongside Alankar cinema in Mapusa. Be prepared to share tables with the scruffiest of characters and dig into tasty mutton biryani (Rs 40), beef biryani (Rs 20), soft parathas (Rs 5), seekh kababs (Rs 10) and the rest...This is Muslim-style food.

• Goan-Nonveg fast-food joints (they run out of adapted handcarts) at Santa Cruz (near the church) and Miramar (adjoining Clube Gaspar Dias). Meat-based sandwiches for Rs 10, tasty and easy-to-carry. Real home-style food at down-to-earth prices. No wonder one outlet at Miramar sells 800 bread a day! You can also get similarly delicious Goan cooking at the roadside in Agaciam (just before the bridge) or sausages ('choris-pao') at the Agaciam market.

• Ajanta, near the Old Panjim Bus Stand, just before you new bridge over the Pato creek. Typical Pernem-style Goan food. Simple, tasty fish-curry-rice. Spicy too. Riceplates are Rs 20-25. The special dishes (chicken, occasionally crab) are fiery hot and spicy.

• Alisha, opposite the new Goa legislative assembly. Both these above come from the cuisine of Hindu Goa (there are some variants among this too, depending on region, class and caste).

• Sarovar. What can you get for Rs 25? Two parathas, butter-milk, three curries, curd, rice, a sweetdish, pickle... Naturally crowded in the afternoons. Even more naturally, the waiters can be quite friendly since at this value-for-money it hardly hurts to give a five rupee tip (great by local standards) each time!

• Generally, almost every Udupi or 'Kamat' restaurant in the state. This cuisine finds its origin outside Goa's borders, along the south Karnataka coast. But, what the heck, the food maintains its standards and taste, that even some among the local Christian population (who's diet is or has been actually non-vegetarian) have developed a taste for this. Standard meals average Rs 20-30.

• The lone 'shack' (at the time of writing, 2003) on Siridao beach. This fishing village is tucked away off the Panjim-Margao highway, just before the Agaciam-Cortalim bridge. Fish dishes, it's speciality naturally.

• Hotel Mangalore, by the roadside about a kilometre away from Canacona's main tiny town, Chaudi. Don't get misled by the term 'hotel', this is a roadside eatery. It's close to Char Rasta, literally, Four Roads, the point where they meet. Not to be confused with another restaurant of the same name, that lies closer to the petrol pump. The 2002-end prices were pegged at 'deluxe fish c. rice' (the 'c' is for curry) at Rs 80, a semi-deluxe version for half that price, and a 'local' equivalent for one-fourth. Obviously chicken is its specialty.

• Check the fish preparations of the restaurant that's under the bridge at the Cortalim end. Traditional Catholic Goan style, good value for money.

• Cafe Prakash, a tiny hole-in-the-wall in Panjim. Near the Azad Maidan close to the ferry jetty. Nothing exceptional here, except that some of us local journalists consider it to be the "unofficial" press club of Goa each evening (lots of gossip!) and you could dwadle over a cup of tea (Rs 3) for three hours. No questions asked!

Drink + Nightlife:

Pubs and Bars:

1. The Alcove

   1. Over Looking Ozran Vagator Beach (Open Till Midnight, Also good place to eat)

2. Temptations

   1. Red Cab Inn, Below Starco's Crossroads, Vagator Beach (Open Till Midnight)

3. Tito's

   1. Baga Beach (Open Till 10.00 pm)

4. Zanzibar

   1. beach shack on Baga (Early till midnight)

5. Ziggy's

   1. Colva Beach (Open Till 10.00 pm)

6. Johnny Cool's

   1. Colva Beach (Open Till 10.00 pm)

7. Men Mar

   1. On the Vasco Road

   2. Serves: Snacks, Beers & Lasis (Open Till 10.30 pm)

8. Lido's

   1. At Dona Paula Beach (Open Till 10.30 pm)

9. The Beachotheque

   1. (Need to enquire about the place)

10. Shores Bar

    1. Anjuna Beach (Open Till 11PM)

11. Montego Bay Goa

    1. Beach shack on Morjim Beach, Ph: +91 98221 50847[7] (Open till midnight)

12. Club Cubana

    1. Arpora Hill, Playboy mansion at the hilltop overlooking Anjuna (Stags not allowed)

Clubs:

• 9-Bar - Fantastic location nestled on the cliffs of Vagator beach. Things get going from around 6pm and close about 10pm. This is the place to go to find out about whats hot after 10pm.

• Prim Rose - This is a small bar and restaurant in Little Vagator. Once the road to Vagator is taken (the first right from Anjuna) you are on the way to this psychedelic haven (ask the locals to take the crucial left from the main road). The place consists of a closed wall wherein the two story restaurant is located. To the other side of the road a few snooker tables are placed within a closed area. The roof of the ground floor is adorned with weird psychedelic graffiti in pretty abstract colours. The upper story houses a huge plasma TV and some more snooker tables. Life starts here after 10 in the evening when a huge section of Goa's foreign trippers and junkies get here to have a good time. Good food and wine is served (albeit a bit costly according to Indian standards, but considering the absolutely great music they play and the ambiance, it's worth it).

• There are many outdoor raves/doofs/parties during the peak season ie December - March

• Club Tito's, Sauntavaddo, Baga.

• Cafe Mambo's, Sauntavaddo, Baga.

• Club Cubana, Arpora Hill, Arpora.

• Pharo's Den (disco, pub, lounge bar). Offers hip hop, club house, retro, Latino, Bollywood. It advertises: "Chill out with cocktails. Sizzle with hookahs. Delicious tandoris. Egyptian theme." Club rules apply, rights of admission reserved. Add: Marquis VAddo, Opp Casa Sea Shell Rest, Candolim Road, Bardez Goa. Ph 9822 121268, 9371 194565 or 9890 305376.

• Paradiso at Anjuna. Calls itself the "cliffhanger nightclub". Offers "the largest sculpted bar in India, all new lighting that changes with the mood, a 'white look', different generes of music, world-famous DJs (and) a new act every week". Strictly couples. Cover-charge for men. Free entry and free unlimited drinks for women. Ph 9326 100013.

• Club Blue, La Calypso, Suntavaddo, Baga.

• Party Zone, Holiday Inn REsort, Mobor, Cavelossim.

• On the Rocks, Villa Sol, Dona Paula.

• Red, Kennilworth Beach Resort, Utorda.

• Aqua, Leela Goa, Mobor, Cavelossim.

• Ozone, Goa Mariott Resort, Miramar.

• Ice Cube, Model's Meridien, Miramar-Dona Paula Road.

• Club Margarita, Goldfield Apartments, Colva.

Shopping:

• Handicrafts

  • Aparant outlets, located at... (timing 9:30 or 10AM to 6 or 7PM)

    • Vasco da Gama (on Swatantra Path, at the Vasco Residency)

    • GTDC-run "residency" hotels in Margao, Mapusa, Calangute

    • Bicholim Pottery Production Centre at the Industrial Estate

    • Loutolim's Big Foot

• Clothes

  • • Sangolda, on road to Calangute

    • Casa Goa, Baga

    • Camelot, Ribandar, Panaji-Old Goa road

    • Just Casuals, Navelcar Trade Centre, Panjim. Tel 2226666

Bird Watching In Goa Goa sightseeing Goa Night Life & Party Places Heritage Of Goa Food and Restaurants