- Morjim Beach
- Ashvem Beach
- Baga Beach
- Candolim Beach
- Sinquerim Beach
- Mandrem Beach
- Anjuna Beach
- Arambol Beach
- Calangute Beach
- Vagator Beach
I have been coming to Goa since the early 90s and a lot has changed in Goa since. Back then my list of the 10 best beaches in North Goa would have been far different than the one today. From being among a handful of Indian tourists on the beach, today we see only a handful of western tourists on Goan beaches. Besides the change in tourism demographics there has been a lot of infrastructure development in Goa especially since the year 2000. This has also impacted my choices for the 10 best beaches of North Goa. Earlier the northern most beaches were only accessible via ferry so few would venture beyond Vagator. Today with the bridge across Siolim, now in operation for over 10 years make the northern most beaches among the most popular beaches of North Goa.
My list below is based on cleanliness, quality of sand, ease of swimming, ease of getting to, facilities available, eating & drinking options, general popularity and how crowded these are. Here are my picks for the 10 best beaches to visit in North Goa. I hope this list helps you choose the ideal beach for you. And if you are looking for a villa to spend a few days then do consider Little Siolim for your stay.
1. Morjim Beach – No#1 among the 10 best beaches of North Goa
Ever since the opening of bridge across Siolim in early 2000s, Morjim has established itself on the tourist map of Goa. Morjim is also the nesting grounds for the famous Olive Riddley Turtles. There are 2 sides of Morjim, one right by the Chopra river delta, a stunning sight where the river meets the ocean. The other side is further up north where the waters are calmer. This beach was first made popular by the Russians who made it their home in Goa once the bridge connecting Siolim to Morjim opened. Over the past decade there has been a decline of Russians living here who have moved further up north towards Arambol. It was the Russians who were instrumental in the development of Morjim as they created many trendy small hotels, hostels, bars and restaurants in the area which attracted other tourists to this beach.
The beach here is wide and long, the waters are shallow, even in low tide so it’s great for swimming with plenty of space on the beach. This also makes it a family and kid friendly beach. There are many restaurants and bars to choose from as well. What’s also nice about this beach is that its not over developed with shops like Baga or Calangute beach. Morjim is an easy pick as the number 1 beach of North Goa.
2. Ashvem Beach
I actually prefer Ashvem beach to Morjim but given that it’s further north and rockier than Morjim, it loses out on location and quality of beach. If you stay within the sandy area between the rocks it’s actually a better beach than Morjim. Here too you will find many trendy restaurants, café’s, bars and hotels.
Some of the best restaurants of North Goa are located here such as La Plage, a French restaurant on the beach which was one of the first and easily the most popular restaurants in Ashvem. Park near the temple and explore the beach from here. There are many beach shacks here with sun beds to relax on. The fine textured sand is grey in colour but clean. Like Morjim here too the beach is shallow and great to swim even in low tide. Ashvem is also an ideal beach for family with kids. And as its not as crowded as Morjim its great for watching spectacular sunsets with that someone special.
3. Baga Beach
Baga is my number 3 choice among the best beaches of North Goa but mainly due to its popularity and the quality of the beach itself. Back in the 90s and even earlier, Baga was considered a hippie beach like Anjuna & Vagator and was a favourite among European tourists. But today the beach is no where close to its former glory. Excessive development of beach shacks, shops, hotels, restaurants and bars have made this once idyllic fishing village into a crowded little town. Besides changing the landscape of Baga village more visitors have also translated into more pollution. The sand here is golden brown and fine in texture so I would rate the quality of the beach as one of the best in Goa. This beach is not as shallow as Morjim or Ashvem so be careful when you venture out too deep.
At the North end of Baga is where the river Sol meets the Arabian Sea at the Baga creek and this is a nicer part of the beach though a bit rocky. The South side of Baga meets Calangute beach, another popular and overcrowded beach of North Goa. Baga has among the most options for restaurants with a plethora of bars, shops and hotels to choose from as well. Go with the Flow and Fiesta are great eating options here.
The famous Tito’s nightclub is located at Baga as well. Brittos beach restaurant, another institution of Baga and a just a shack when I first dined here back in the early 90s has also survived the test of time. At Baga you can also find many options for water sports such as Para-sailing, Banana Boat rides and Jet Skis. You can also easily find a boat tour here for a dolphin cruises or sunset trips. Besides being a crowded beach, Baga is actually a great beach to visit, so if you don’t mind crowds or rather want to make new friends then Baga is the beach for you.
4. Candolim Beach
Further South from Baga and another extremely popular beach of North Goa is Candolim beach. This beach developed through the thousands of European charter tourists so is better planned than Baga and Calangute which were more popular among the independent travellers. The beach here is lined with beach shacks and restaurants. In comparison to restaurants and shacks located on the beach, options in Candolim are trendier and offer better food than those at Baga or Calangute beach. The water here gets deep pretty fast so be careful when you swim here. The sand is of a similar quality of Baga and Candolim beach is considered among the cleaner beaches on this stretch of beach. The famous calamari restaurant at the beach and Bomra’s for Burmese cuisine on the main street are both definitely worth a visit when in Candolim. Shopping here is worth checking out too.
5. Sinquerim Beach
Located at the South end of the Sinquerim – Baga stretch and is the first tourist beach of North Goa. This is also the beach where the famous Taj Hotel Fort Aguada is located. The hotel was named after the 16th century Potuguese Fort, “Fort Aguada” which can still be seen today. Visitors can experience spectacular views from this fort that extends out into the Arabian Sea. Sinquerim is the most up-market area till Baga further up North. Therefore, this area is not as crowded as Calangute, Baga or even Candolim. Even the development here is spread out. The beach here is also golden brown in colour with fine sand texture just like the other beaches on this stretch. The beach is wide and allows for plenty of space for visitors to enjoy.
6. Arambol Beach
The Northern most tourist beach of Goa is Arambol Beach. This area is mostly inhabited by foreigners living in Goa and has fast developed into the Yoga Center of North Goa. While the area is trendy, this beach has more development than beaches between Morjim and Mandrem. Arambol attracts a more Bohemian type of travellers as it offers a more laid-back vibe. There’s always something happening here such as Drum Circle on the beach, a beach side flea market, live performers practicing their skills, yogis in jaw dropping postures and more. This beach also hosts the Tribal Dance Festival and the Indian Juggling Convention.
The sand here is a lighter colour as compared to Ashvem and Morjim but with its gradual slope is as safe to swim in. The beach here is sandy but slightly rocky as well. There are plenty of small eateries and live music venues near the beach to enjoy. Arambol is also home to the famous Banyan Tree under which the Beetles had meditated back in the 60s. The tree bears the inscription, “Give if you can, take if you have to” encouraging people to donate to the poor.
7. Mandrem Beach
Mandrem beach is located further North of Morjim and Ashvem and just South of Arambol beach. The beach here is divided by a small river let that flows into the Arabian Sea. This make the beach unique as there’s the sea, then the beach, then the river let and then the beach again. This beach is among the least crowded beaches of North Goa and has fewer options of beach shacks, restaurants and shops as compared with the other beaches of North Goa. Here you can also find more intimate hotels, resorts and yoga centres as well.
The distance of this beach from the tourist hubs of Baga & Anjuna make it less visited and therefore more difficult to get to but besides that Mandrem is a great beach to explore. The shacks and restaurants here are more organic and earthy as compared to the ones further South which while being trendier feel more city like. The water here is shallow and great for swimming. The river let is also great for young kids and toddlers to safely splash about in. Mandrem is what Baga was like 30-40 years ago. At Mandrem beach one feels closer to nature. This is also a great beach to talk a walk with the one you love as you contemplate life together
8. Calangute Beach
Calangute Beach is one of the largest and most popular beaches of North Goa. But that also means its one of the most crowded beaches of North Goa as well. The beach is sandy with golden brown sand however the slope into the water can get steep. Visitors are advised to swim with care. The beach is lines with beach shacks, umbrellas and beach beds. Here you will find the greatest number of options for beach shacks, bars & restaurants.
There are many water sports options available here as well that include Para-sailing, Jet Skiing, Banana Boat Rides and other boat trips. Due to the popularity and overcrowding this beach is not as clean as the slightly lesser popular ones or even as compared to Baga or Candolim. The area is more like a town than a village with a bus terminal that connects with Panjim and other parts of Goa. The shopping here is low to mid-range in terms of price and quality. However Calangute does have some of the best restaurants in North Goa including Pousada By The Beach and A Reverie.
9. Anjuna Beach
The famous Anjuna beach while being an extremely famous area of North Goa finds itself on no 6 among the top 10 beaches of North Goa. The area is best known as the erstwhile back-packers and hippie area hosting many of the famous rave parties back in the day. The world famous Anjuna Flea market has been happening here every Wednesday during season time since 1975. Back then people would come here to barter their things with one another. Today it boasts of hundreds if not thousands of small stalls. The beach here is rocky at one end and the sand a darker brown in colour. This is a smaller beach as compared to the ones between Sinquerim and Baga or even between Morjim – Arambol further North.
In the evenings one can find performers practicing their fire dancing or spinning their pois. Curlies at the South end of the beach and Shorebar further up north are the famous shacks on this beach. Back in the day Shorebar would host a weekly party at the end of the Wednesday Flea Market attracting hundreds of people. If not for the eclectic scene here, Anjuna beach would be further down this list of best North Goan beaches as it does not have much more to offer. This beach is not ideal for families with small kids. There are some nice options for restaurants in the area including Artjuna and Baba Au Rhum worth visiting.
10. Vagator Beach
Vagator Beach just North of and like Anjuna Beach was made famous by the hippies who visited Goa between the 60s and the 90s. Hilltop at Vagator beach is one of the most popular party venues in North Goa and is known for its 3-day parties over New Years Eve. Besides Hilltop, Nine Bar and Primrose were the popular hippie party venues. Vagator cliff was also the site where Europeans parked their RVs when they drove all the way from their countries to India.
Vagator is divided into 2 beaches, Vagator and Little Vagator. The beach itself is rocky with dark colour sand and therefore not as attractive as some of the other beaches of North Goa. The main attraction of the beach is a Shiva face carved by an Italian sculpture during the Hippie era. Just like Anjuna, this beach too is not ideal for families with small kids or toddlers. The area around the beach has many options for bars and restaurants including Sakana for Japanese cuisine and Soro, a local watering hole.
