Top 10 Places in North Goa : Go GOA, Keep it Simple

Here are Top 10 Places in North Goa you need to check out!

Previous blog~ Mumbai to Goa coastal adventurous journey

#1 Fort Tiracol

Tiracol is the northernmost part of Goa. It is the Tiracol river that in fact geographically separates Goa from Maharashtra state. What makes this place interesting is Fort Tiracol, a Portuguese era fort (now a luxury hotel). 

Fort Tiracol is open to the public every day from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Walking along it’s courtyard and the 17th century church gives one a sense of history, a silent testimony to the hard won freedom that Goa enjoys today. From the ramparts (Tavern restaurant) you can glimpse the confluence of the river and vast sea.  

Getting here :

From Goa - there is ferry service from Querim to Tiracol (across the Tiracol river). 

From Shiroda/ Redi (Maharashtra side) you can use buses or auto service to Tiracol. 

Querim jetty- from where ferries leave for Fort Tiracol

#2 Arambol, Mandrem beach

Once an infamous nudist hippie hideout, Arambol has come a long way. It is still popular with foreign tourists. 10 mins from the beach, is a freshwater lake that merges with the sea.

With a wide range of backpackers hostels, cafes, restaurants and street shopping Arambol is engaging. 

If you need a workout- try a short trek (approx. 30 min), up to the top of Arambol mountain for some great views of the sea. Or A nice long beach walk from Arambol to Mandrem, and if you are lucky, you might even spot some dolphins.

Spend a day or two here to make the most of both beaches. (Days : 2)

#3 Ashvem, Morjim beach

This stretch is also great for beach walks. I loved it every bit. Very touristy you can find loungers and beach umbrellas set up by the beachside shacks to attract tourists. 

What I really liked is the flat surface and calm, gentle waves that makes it a nice place for swimming and some beach fun.

I stayed at Morjim and found that just as good. Morjim also has an Olive Ridley Turtle hatching site at Temb vaddo.

Somewhere down the road, I spotted a great local goan restaurant and found the ‘Rechado’ (tangy masala stuffed mackerel) to our liking.

Spend a day or two here to make the most of both beaches. (Days : 2)

#4 Ozran (little Vagator), Vagator

The ride from Morjim to Vagator is scenic; as you cross over the Chopdem bridge, pass by Siolim and the beautiful Our Lady of Miracles church. Somewhere down the road, the sight of quiet lanes flanked by grand Portuguese houses took my breath away.

Where to party in Goa?

Vagator, Ozran until Anjuna is at the heart of Goa’s Party zone. Full moon parties and beach parties that go on until the wee hours of the morning.

The most famous places to party are HillTop, Shiva Valley, Curlies, 9 Bar, The Chronicle and more.

I checked in at Footloose Hostel, which is conveniently located from some happening Trance parties of Goa. After settling in, I spent the rest of the day just lazing around, reading a book and listening to music.

The next day, I set out for a morning beach walk; down the small cliff behind Larive beach resort and spotted a beach party spot that happens every Friday after sunset  (Entry: Free) The music is usually Psytrance, and people party hard from 9 pm onwards.

I then walked ahead upto Shiva’s face and had a quiet breakfast at one of the shacks and then walked down a bit further exploring the rocky patch. 

Three cheers to free drinks!

Along with another girl I met at the hostel, we were lucky to find a ladies night event at The Chronicle that offered free drinks (from 5.30- 10 pm). The Chronicle is located on Small Ozran beach road, Vagator. How long you wish to stay in this area is completely subjective, depending on the parties that are happening around and what you would like to do.

I found the Partyhunt app quite useful to locate many events like these in Goa .

Fort Chapora!

Owes its  limelight to the movie Dil Chahta Hai that showed a few scenes of this fort. Personally I felt it’s just over-hyped, there isn’t much of the fort left except the outer walls. What makes this place interesting is the view of the beach below at sunset.

Spend two or three days here. (Days : 3)

#5 Arpora

A few years back the Saturday Night market at Arpora was a class apart. The stalls then sold nice stuff like leather boots and jackets etc. It had an international feel to it, the ambience was so lively that people came all the way from South Goa to spend time here. 

In recent years, it has changed so much. The stalls now have stuff that you can find just about anywhere and I’d never want to buy. 

But what makes The Saturday Night market worth visiting are the gigs that keep your feet tapping, the vibe is lively, and the variety of food options at the stalls that make it an interesting place to well- Spend a Saturday night!

#6 Anjuna

Anjuna was at the helm of the hippie culture during the 70’s, and has mellowed a great deal since then. Nowadays people come here to experience the hustle bustle of Anjuna Wednesday flea market. There are makeshift stalls that sell an assortment of handicraft, junk jewelry, casual trendy garments and footwear. I did see a few stalls that had some unique garments and faux leather garments, which I thought was quite interesting.

Then you have Curlies. It has a delightful chilled out vibe with hookahs, booze and great food.

The music is sometimes great and sometimes not so. On the beach across Curlies are a few seafood stalls set up at night. There are many other classy beach pubs with similar ambience and great music. It’s good to explore a few around this place. A night out can cost you anywhere in the range of 1000 rs per person for food and drinks..

Anjuna, Calangute to Baga has a medley of reasonably priced backpackers hostels, besides, the usual hotels and resorts in every price range. We checked in at The HQ Anjuna and first got a decent  breakfast to start the day. The hostel also sells beers, liquor and their food menu is reasonably priced.

Spend two days here (incl Mapusa) (Days : 2)

#7 Mapusa

Set aside Fridays for the weekly Mapusa market. It’s vibrant, bustling and more real than the touristy Anjuna flea market. You can get everything that a goan household should have- dry fish, spices, goan chorizo (sausages), jaggery, cashew nuts, fruits, vegetables and all other knick knacks.  I find the bakery section just too appealing

Most shops however bring down their shutters for an afternoon siesta. 

Mapusa is the place from where you can get direct buses to Panjim. There are also many bus operators that cater to long distance buses to Mumbai, Mangalore etc.

#8 Baga, Calangute

The ‘most crowded’ beach section; it’s a sea of people out here! If you hate crowded beaches, you might as well avoid this one. As I mentioned earlier, if you’re on a budget it’s easy to find reasonably priced backpacker hostels and affordable stay options around here.

Some of my favorite haunts are Church of St. Alex Shopping for jewelry at the Tibetan market, A leisurely beach walk from Calangute to Baga and lastly candlelight dinner and the beach sit-outs.

After sunset, Baga beach is aglow in it’s romantic best.

Spend at least 1 day (Days : 1 )

#9 Candolim, Reis Magos

Walking down the streets of Candolim after sunset gives one a sense of being lost in another world altogether. Most tourists are dressed up for the night out on this stretch, which is dotted with stylish pubs, restaurants and cafes, many of which have live bands playing. The food and drinks on the menu are appealing but also on the higher side.

The next day for lunch, we had what I think was our best find- an inexpensive restaurant in a bylane of Candolim that serves tasty authentic goan food; just what we were looking for (sadly I don’t remember the  name).

goan cuisine 'sorpotel' and fish thali 

We then rode on our scooty to Reis Magos (Three wise kings) church at Queg de Velim, Verem. This church built in 1955 by Franciscan Friars is one of the earliest churches built in Goa, and is indeed elegant and grand both from outside as well as the interiors.

The Reis Magos fort is located just beside the church. The fort overlooks atop the cliffs, and formed the 2nd line of defense of the Mandovi river after Fort Aguada.

And later Coco beach to spend the evening until sunset.

Spend 3 day (incl Fort Aguada) (Days : 3 )

#10 Fort Aguada

The last place on the list is Fort Aguada!

From the Sinquerim Beach, Fort Aguada is an hour's walk across breath-taking views of the Mandovi River and the Arabian Sea. It is an extension of the larger upper Aguada fort although not directly connected. This upper section has a lighthouse & views.

The lighthouse was built in 1864 and is 43 ft (13m) tall. It used to emit light from an oil lamp once every 7 minutes. Later, it was changed to emit light every 30 seconds before being abandoned in 1976. The gigantic bell of this lighthouse now adorns the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church at Panjim.

The fort was built on the mouth of the River Mandovi by the Portuguese in the 17th century (between 1609 to 1612) to guard against the Dutch & the Marathas. The huge walls and the still robust construction is a testimony to the brilliant architecture of those times. The fort served as a reference point for vessels coming from Europe.

The lower fort consists of a bastion and a section of fortified wall on both sides. The walls are 16 ft. (5 m) tall and 4 ft. (1.3 m) thick and it has a wide dry moat running around it. Not surprisingly, this fort was never captured during the 450 years long Portuguese rule. It also happens to be the Jail.

After visiting the fort, do step down to the Sinquerim beach at sunset.

sunset on Sinquerim beach

Top 15 attractions from Panjim : easy sequence 👈

Friends, I do hope you enjoyed reading this blog, as much as I did writing it... Your comments will appreciated.

FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

When is the best time to be in Goa?

Sept to Feb is a really good time to be in Goa, when the climate is milder than the summer months from March to May. Beware though - the Christmas New Year season is usually over-hyped, overbooked, and expensive. June till Aug-Sept are heavy monsoons, which is the off-season and hotels give out huge discounts. 

How to reach Goa?

Goa is well-connected by air, rail to all major cities of India, and especially from Mumbai.

If you are the adventurous type; do try out the less-traveled coastal road trip from Mumbai to Goa (15 days). 

What is the best way to get around Goa?

Bikes for sure! If you know how to ride a two-wheeler, then renting a bike in Goa is easy. Bike rentals typically start at Rs. 200 - 300 per day. Do keep your basic documents handy.

Where can I stay in Goa?

Goa is a backpackers haven and it is just as easy to find a wide range of hostels, if you are on a shoestring budget. One of the top tourist destinations, you have a wide selection of hotels from mid-range to luxury.