Best Places to Visit in Goa during Summer

Best known for its white sand beaches, active nightlife and various historical places, the smallest state of the country is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and has visitors from all over the world. Because of the favourable and clear weather during summers, tourists especially visit the various beaches and other popular places in large numbers. This article gives a brief introduction to some of the popular places one can visit in Goa, especially during the summers.

Baga beach:

Located along the Baga creek (a small estuary in northern Goa) and nestled between the Calangute beach and the Anjuna beach, the Baga beach is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the state. Best known for the range of water sports and other adventure activities that the beach provides, it has visitors all round the year. The summers are a suitable time to visit this place, owing to the pleasant weather. It is located along the northern stretch of beaches starting from Sinquerim. The beach is also quite favoured for fishing, and has rows of shacks and colourful fishing boats all along. It also has a nearby indoor snow park, and a Tibetan market as well.

Anjuna Beach:

Located at a distance of about 18 kms from Panaji, Anjuna is a small coastal village in north Goa. Lying in the vast stretch of beaches along the western coastline, the Anjuna beach is quite a popular place to visit among tourists. Each year, a large number of tourists from different parts of the country and the world visit the Anjuna beach to enjoy the calm and pleasant weather. The various adventure activities and the active nightlife that the beach offers add to the reasons behind the huge popularity of this beach. It also has one of the most popular night clubs in Goa. The beach stretches over almost 2 kms and other nearby tourist attractions include the Shri Ram temple, Koteswara temple, St. Anthony’s church, Fort Aguada and so on.

Fort Aguada:

An ancient Portuguese hill fort built in the early 17^th century and located along the Sinquerim beach in the northern part of the state, Fort Aguada is best known for its historical significance. Also known for the vivid Portuguese influence on the architecture, the Aguada fort lies on the beach south of Candolim and on the shore of the river Mandovi.  A freshwater spring inside the fort was the main source of water supply in ancient times, and it is the reason behind the fort being named ‘Aguada’ (Aguada means watery in Portuguese). The fort has a lighthouse built in the 19^th century and located between Mormugao peninsula and the Calangute beach, which happens to be one amongst the oldest of its kind in Asia. 

Dudhsagar Falls:

A four- tier waterfall situated on the Mandovi river, the Dudhsagar Falls (literally meaning the ‘Sea of milk’) is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the state. With a staggering height of about 320 metres and an average width of 30 metres, the Dudhsagar Falls is one among the tallest waterfalls in the country. Lying at a distance of about 60 kms from the state capital, it is located inside the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park in the Western Ghats. Mostly surrounded by deciduous forests, the region is also known for its rich diversity of flora and fauna and is an absolute delight for nature lovers. The region has also emerged as a popular trekking destination, and visited by trekkers and hikers in large numbers.

Divar Island:

The island of Divar in the northern part of the state is a small riverine island on the Mandovi river, and one among the six major islands between the Mandovi and Zuari rivers in Goa (the two most prominent rivers in the state). The island lies at a distance of about 10 kms from the state capital, and is another popular tourist attraction in the state.Spread over an area of about 6 square kms, the island has its own charm and appeal. It is connected to Ribander on the south- west and Old Goa to the south- east and to Naroa to the north. The island predominantly has three small villages, namely Piedade, Malar and Naroa. The region is also bestowed with a rich variety of rare and exotic flora and fauna, and is no less than a paradise for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. Another special feature of the island is that one gets to closely experience the rural life in Goa, along with the culture and tradition.