Best Things To Do in North Goa

Are the ocean waves beckoning you for a much-needed break? In this article, we share the best way to take a breather in the beautiful white-sand beaches of North Goa and avoid crowded places.

No matter how hard we try to find places in India for a beach getaway, no other can come close to Goa. Known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and relaxed atmosphere, Goa offers a unique blend of natural beauty and modern entertainment.

North Goa offers a vastly different experience from the South of Goa. North has white-sand, pristine beaches and the best restaurants and cafes in all of Goa. Having stayed in both the North and the South, I’d recommend North Goa for a more fun experience.

Our goal at Wander Smartly is to make your travels smarter and help you have the best experience on your trips. From my own experience of visiting North Goa multiple times, I share all the inside details so you can have the best experience, be it your first visit to Goa or the fifth.

Best Time to Travel

There is hardly any off-season time in Goa anymore. Undoubtedly, November to February remains the best time to visit as the weather in Goa is most pleasant then, but you can enjoy a relaxed vacation by the beach any time of the year in Goa. Days are hot but evenings are yet pleasant during the summer months. A visit to Goa during the monsoon season is also a great experience with cool winds and lush greenery lending a completely different vibe.

How to Reach

When only Dabolim Airport in the South was operational earlier, reaching North Goa would take hours. Now, with an airport opening in North Goa, travelling to Goa has now become more convenient than ever. Take a flight to Manohar International Airport (GOX) located at Mopa, North Goa.

Where to Stay

North Goa does not have a lot of options when it comes to hotels in particular. If you are looking for a lavish stay, then W Goa is the best place to stay in all of North Goa. W Goa is a luxurious beachfront resort located in the picturesque village of Vagator, Goa. Known for its contemporary design, vibrant atmosphere, and stunning views of the Arabian Sea, it will offer you a unique and upscale experience. The pool at the resort is quite a highlight, with its panoramic ocean views. This is, without a doubt, the ultimate stay experience in North Goa.

There are few other hotels in North Goa in Ashwem and Mandrem, however the rooms are not great, they do not provide much value for money and the crowds give out a ‘hippie’ vibe. If staying at W Goa doesn’t suit your budget, I’d recommend staying in a villa instead. North Goa has witnessed the mushrooming of many unique villas in recent times that are beautifully made and are perfect to stay when travelling in groups. They are typically not beach-facing and do not provide room service, but are super comfortable and provide you with great value for your money.

You can search for these villas on Airbnb. Siolim in North Goa has many such great villas for stay. I’ve done a couple of trips to North Goa and stayed in an Airbnb and although I’m used to the comfort of a hotel, I didn’t mind the experience at all.

Another option is to stay at Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa or Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa – both located in Candolim which is Central Goa and doesn’t really classify as North Goa. The rates are better than W Goa but the location isn’t as favourable. You would need to spend an hour’s time at least to reach the beaches in North Goa.

I wouldn’t really recommend going south of Siolim for your stay in North Goa, and definitely not Baga Beach. The beauty of North Goa is in Arambol, Ashwem, Mandrem and Morjim where you will find white-sand beaches and a tranquil atmosphere, away from the crowds that typically hang out at the over-hyped Baga and Anjuna Beaches.

Things to Do in North Goa

Beaches & Shacks

The best beaches in Goa are in the North. The beaches here have white sand and the color of the water is a pristine blue. They are clean and not crowded, even during the peak season.

The perfect vacation in Goa is all about relaxing by the beach. Ashwem, Morjim, Arambol and Mandrem are the best beaches to visit. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast and if it’s not too hot outside, go straight to any these beaches for the ultimate relaxation experience.

Sit in a shack and unwind by the ocean. Shacks in North Goa have a variety of offerings. Even the very rustic ones will provide you with a plastic chair to sit on, access to the beach, a mean sheesha and chilled drinks and some basic food to munch on. You will find masseurs and masseuses strolling by on the beach and you can negotiate a good rate for a massage by the ocean. You can also enjoy a variety of water sports if you’re into the adventurous stuff. Not too shabby at all!

There are finer shacks that provide lounge chairs and much better ambience and food options. They are more luxurious, like beach facing lounges. You can easily spend hours at a stretch relaxing at Sinq or S2 in Morjim– two of my favorite refined shacks in North Goa, offering the complete ‘shack experience’ with sheesha, massages, drinks and picturesque views of the white-sand beaches. Do visit either or both these places when you’re in North Goa!

If you haven’t checked out Chapora Fort yet, you can definitely make a visit. Also known as the “Dil Chahta Hai” fort, it is a historic landmark located in the village of Chapora near Vagator Beach in North Goa (right next to W Goa). Perched atop a hill overlooking the Arabian Sea, the fort offers panoramic views of the surrounding coastline.

Cafes and Restaurants

Watch the sunset by the beach and head back to the hotel/villa. In the evenings, treat yourself to a fine meal at any one of our suggested restaurants. North Goa has some amazing places to eat, offering delectable world cuisines. Here are some great options for you to choose from, curated from my own experience of visiting these places many times now.

Baba Au Rhoom 2.0, Badem – you must make a visit here on any given day of your stay in Goa for a wonderful breakfast/lunch. It opened its doors to visitors only in 2022, and is quite literally a better version of the original Baba Au Rhoom (which still exists), with more options for food and drinks and a better vibe and ambience (it has a pool, too!). I love the vibrant colors used to do up the place. The food here is delicious, to say the least.

Slow Tide, Anjuna – this was a gem of a find. Open only since late 2022 and located right by the ocean, it offers an amazing ambience of majestic views of the sea combined with the cool ocean breeze. You can even stop by here on a hot summer day and take a seat upstairs without feeling the heat. The hospitality is top-notch and the menu has interesting food options. I loved their in-house bar crackers made from sago. This place is a must-visit on your next trip to Goa.

Bomras, Anjuna – If you’re looking to have a Burmese meal, then Bomras in Anjuna is a great place to visit. The ambience is calm and sophisticated and the food is full of flavor. I loved their Bomras Tomato Salad in particular.

Jamun, Assagao – This is a great option if you’re looking to have Indian food. It has a lovely, tranquil ambience in its old, Portugese Villa setting. I loved the view sitting outside on a moonlit summer evening, with the purple color emphasizing the brand name of Jamun (Indian Blackberry/Purple Plum).

Gunpowder, Assagao – If you relish South-Indian Cuisine then this place is a must-visit for you. The food here is smashing and that’s why this place is always sold out. Make a reservation in advance or you’re unlikely to get a table on spot. Their mushroom black pepper stir-fry hits the ball straight out of the park. The seafood here is delicious too.

Olive, Vagator – Go here for watching the sunset, if not a proper meal. Located right up the cliff on Vagator, Olive has a lovely ambience and soothing live music.

Nightclubs

If you’re looking to go clubbing, Hammerz is the best place in North Goa for all party lovers. A luxury nightclub located in Baga, it has a great vibe, amazing music and spacious dance floor. Even if you’re not an ardent ‘party-person’, do pay a visit once and I promise you’ll have a good time boogying!

Places to Avoid

There is a plethora of information online that screams certain places as must-visit. Having been there and being disappointed, I would recommend you to avoid these places so as to not ruin your vacation in North Goa.

Eva Café, Anjuna – I fell prey to all the blogs talking so highly about this place. This isn’t that bad a place, and the food here is quite delicious, but the experience was beyond painful. We reached there for breakfast and were asked to wait 30 minutes to get a table. After the passing of 30 long minutes, we were made to wait another 30 minutes till we were actually seated. Our order took an hour to be served, and our breakfast plans soon turned into lunch.

We were made to remove our shoes before we could enter and sitting here was quite uncomfortable. The view here is publicized to be great, but there are other places right down the street which offer much better seating and views. Skip this place completely and save yourself the trouble.

Baga Beach – This is the most crowded and commercialized beach in North Goa, made popular as it is closer when coming from the Dabolim Airport which used to be the only airport operational in Goa till December 2022. Do not visit Baga Beach, and head over to the pristine white-sand beaches further up north as mentioned earlier in this article for a better beach experience in North Goa.

Flea Markets/Night Markets – Complete no, no. These places offer low quality items (junk) up for sale which aren’t even unique, to be honest. These markets are a colossal waste of time. Shopping online on Amazon is a better use of both your money and time.

Casinos – Goa is famous for its wide range of casinos but in reality, it was quite an underwhelming experience. If you’re not into casino games, save your time and money and skip the experience.

Goa has a wonderful vibe and even if you’ve been here multiple times like I have, you’ll always have a lovely time if you select the right places to stay and visit. If you’ve been longing to catch a short break by the ocean, then an extended weekend in North Goa is all you need to soothe your senses.

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