Places to visit inGoa

From the beaches of Baga and Palolem to the UNESCO-listed churches of Old Goa, these are the places to visit in Goa. This guide to Goa attractions covers timings, entry fees and the best time to go.

Goa lies on India's west coast between Maharashtra and Karnataka, with the Arabian Sea on one side and the forested Western Ghats on the other. A Portuguese colony for about 450 years until 1961, it has a culture distinct from the rest of India: whitewashed churches and Portuguese-style houses sit alongside Hindu temples, and Konkani cuisine mixes coconut, kokum and vinegar-based dishes. The coastline is the main draw.

North Goa's Calangute, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator are busy with water sports, shacks and nightlife, while South Goa's Palolem, Agonda and Colva are generally calmer. Inland, Old Goa preserves the former colonial capital, where the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Panaji's Fontainhas quarter keeps its Portuguese-era streetscape.

Forts such as Aguada and Chapora guard the river mouths, the Ponda area is known for temples such as Shri Mangueshi, and Dudhsagar Falls plunges down the Ghats inside Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. The dry season from November to February brings the most pleasant weather; the monsoon (roughly June to September) is lush but closes many beach shacks and forest routes.

Goa is served by Dabolim and Mopa (Manohar International) airports and by the Konkan Railway, with Madgaon and Thivim as key stations.