With golden-sand coastal hot-spots, long palm trees touching the sky, and relaxed and beautiful serenity view, Goa is an incredible tourist place in India. Goa is a state of sun-soaked western region which out beats all the urban destination with its calm and magnificent sight. It has also served as an attraction for beach enthusiasts and party lovers. The cooling beach shores, wildlife sanctuaries, historical churches, temples, mosques, luxurious hotels, and local Portuguese-Goan cuisines make it most visited places for vacationer. The temperature in the state remains tourist-friendly throughout the year and the picturesque beauty can be captured in all the seasons.
You can leisurely spend your time in Goa on the beaches and adore the beautiful sunrise and sunset, admire the rushing waves striking the rocks, take ferry rides and explore hidden places, involve in adventure sporting activities, shop for authentic Goan matter, relish the authentic Goan delicacies, enjoy the stunning nightlife, meet amazingly friendly and hospitable people.
The beauty and serenity of Goa will rejuvenate you and your travel group, while giving you chance to enjoy plenty of other things events and activities give you plenty of things do to during your free time.
Popular coastal hot spots, like Colva Beach and Palolem Beach, draw tourists to Goa from around the world. But beaches are just the beginning of what makes Goa one of the most beloved places to visit in India. The destination also has unique Portuguese-influenced cuisine, historical churches and temples, vibrant wildlife, and fascinating spice farms. No matter how long you spend in Goa, you’ll wish you had a few extra days to explore.
1. Popular Beaches
Beaches play a starring role among all the attractions in Goa, nearly every tourist who visits the area spends a day at Palolem Beach. A beautiful crescent-shaped stretch of white sand that overlooks the Arabian Sea in south Goa. While simply hanging out and soaking up the scenery is a perfect way to enjoy this beautiful area, Palolem Beach also offers an array of activities to fill your time. Another most visited beach is Colva Beach, especially among Indian tourists. It has swaying palms and a broad stretch of bronze sand, where you’ll occasionally see herds of cows sunbathing next to tourists. You can rent Jet Skis, hop on a thrilling banana boat ride, and get a bird’s-eye view of the beach on a parasailing adventure.
You can explore all the coastal beaches in your trip with Self rental Cars.
2. Spice Farms
South India has been known for its abundance of spices, like black pepper, cardamom, and cloves, for centuries. Tourists can see what the local spice scene is all about by touring Spice Farm in Goa. Tours of the farm, often led by its owner, will give you an in-depth understanding of these flavor-charged crops and a chance to see some of the other products, like betelnut, coffee beans, pineapple, and banana, grown on the premises.
3. Portuguese-Goa Restaurants
Goa is a great place for foodies for all across the world, with the delightful Portuguese to traditional Goan cuisines. With fiery flavors, fresh-caught seafood, and with addition of coconut in the dishes.
Some dishes to try during your visit to Goa: Vindaloo, Recheado Fish fry, Chicken Xacuti, King Pawns Fry, and various other sea/fresh water fishes to try.
4. Basilica de Bom Jesus
You haven’t visit Goa if you haven’t been to the famous Basilica de Bom Jesus. This Old Goa attraction dates back to the late 16th century and contains the remains of the St. Francis Xavier. The “Apostle of the Indies” co-founded the Society of Jesus religious order with friend St. Ignatius Loyola and spearheaded an extensive mission in India. The basilica has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.
Every year, the Feast of St. Francis Xavier draws a lot of tourist and locals to this church in late November and early December. It kicks off with a nine-day novena and open-air masses before concluding with the major holiday on Dec.
5. Dudhsagar Falls
Beyond the wonderful beach attraction Goa, it is also a state to home of breath-taking Dudhsagar Falls, a spectacular four-tiered waterfall that towers some 310 meters above the earth. It’s one of India’s tallest waterfalls and a perpetually popular attraction for day trips around Goa and Karnataka.
6. Anjuna Market
You must be quite intimidated by the shell jewellery, the Goa T-shirt, the hats and the beautiful dream catchers from Goa. This handmade items are a good memory to take along with you after your trip to Goa. Among all the coastal markets for such items, Anjuna is the top among all with street side vendors selling one in unique products. The flea market is a swirling array of colorful wares, salespeople driving hard bargains, big bags of fresh spices, and street food galore.
7. Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
In the capital city of Goa- Panjim is one of the Goa’s historic churches: The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The pristine white church, which was build back in 17th century, stands atop a zigzagging staircase similar to the tiers of a wedding cake. It’s perfectly symmetrical Portuguese Baroque architecture is a sight to behold. At night, twinkle lights make the church look like something out of a fairy tale.
8. Mahadev Temple
Mahadev temple has been a structure that has been there from 12th Century. Located just 12 kilometres north of Molem, Mahadev Temple helped it survive centuries of conquests by the Portuguese and Muslim colonialists. Legend has it that the black basalt temple, which was built to honour Lord Shiva, has a resident king cobra. Step inside to see the detailed work of artisan carvers, including the lotus flower on the ceiling.
9. Aguada Fort
Fort Aguada is a well-preserved seventeenth-century Portuguese fort, along with a lighthouse, standing in Goa, India, on Sinquerim Beach, overlooking the Arabian Sea. Built in 1612, this massive fort offers refreshing views of the Arabian Sea. Fort Aguada stands as one of the iconic forts in Goa with ancient four-story Portuguese lighthouse and prison cells situated within the complex.
10. Cabo de Rama Fort, North Goa
This decrypted structure with towers and rustic cannons was steeped in legends and folklore claimed by the Portuguese monarchs. It was a well-equipped fort with 21 guns and several military barracks and a chapel but, when the Portuguese left India, the place was abandoned and, later used as the government prison. Now, the fort is housed for popular tourist place in South Goa.
11. Mangeshi Temple
One of the largest and Oldest temples in Goa. The magnificent Mangueshi Temple, dedicated to the god Mangesh, a reincarnation of Shiva. It’s almost 500-year-old structure and is home to several ancient artifacts. This temple is one of the largest and most frequently visited temples located in Ponda, Goa. The water tank, assembly hall, lamp tower, chandeliers among many other relics make this temple not only a place of religion and worship but also an amazing point of history and archeology.
You can explore this well-known spots in Goa with ease with Self-Driven Cars. Hire one today or book for your next trip in Goa.