Things To Do in North Goa

Often called Panjim, this is Goa’s capital. Not that you’d know it, though – it’s got the look and feel of a sleepy Mediterranean town. Make the 25-minute drive from Arpora and you’ll stumble upon leafy avenues, pastel-washed buildings, and a jumble of tile-roofed houses. Make sure you check out the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, in Largo da Igreja square – it’s one of the oldest churches in Goa.

Take a sunset cruise down the Mandovi River and you can take in Goa’s lush banks and crocodile-infested mangroves. Boats set sail from Mandovi Bridge, about an hour’s drive from Baga, most nights between 6pm and 7pm. They usually include on board Goan dancing, music and folk songs, and some serve you dinner while you sail.

Make a saving at Anjuna Market – North Goa’s one-stop-shop for pretty much everything you can imagine. Thousands descend on the village, about a 15-minute drive from Arpora, every Wednesday for the famous beachfront hippy market. It started up in the Sixties and it’s still going strong. In the shade of palms, you’ll find everything from jewelled bangles and colourful shoes to sari fabrics and Aztec canvas prints.

The forests and waterways of Goa are teeming with out-of-the-ordinary birdlife, including eagles, kites, buzzards, kestrels and ospreys. Chorao Island, an hour from Baga, is probably your best bet for taking it all in. This place is home to the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. The wetlands at Carambolim and Shiroda are good, too. Morjim Beach, meanwhile, is great for spotting seabirds.

Once upon a time, this city, about a 25-minute drive from Candolim, was the Portuguese capital of Goa. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with convents and cathedrals. Its centrepiece is the Basilica de Bom Jesus, which was built in 1594. It houses the remains of Goa’s patron saint, Francis Xavier. Locals claim he had miraculous healing powers.

Miramar’s arc of golden sand is a half-an-hour drive from Arpora, just outside Goa’s capital. It’s fringed by leaning palms and looks out at the point where the bright blue Arabian Sea meets the winding River Mandovi. If you crane your neck, you’ll be able to see the Portuguese fortress – Fort Aguada – just across the river.

This sweep of white sand is around a 10-minute drive from Baga and, by day, it’s one of the most peaceful in Goa. It’s a slightly different story when the sun goes down, though. This is full moon party central, and revellers flock here to dance to trance music and wave glow sticks until the early hours.

Internal flights place India’s big three – Delhi, Jaipur and Agra – within your reach. In Delhi, tick off sights like the Ghandi memorial. It’s in a really scenic spot, in a park overlooking the Yamuna River. In Jaipur, meanwhile, point your camera at the honeycomb-like Palace of Winds. And in Agra, you’ll come face to face with India’s star attraction – the Taj Mahal.

In the spring, carnival comes to Goa in order to welcome in the new season. For three days before Lent, floats fill the streets, locals dance in traditional costume, and feasts are held for all the family. Panaji is the best place to visit if you want to be in the heart of it all.

On the 3rd of December all eyes fall on Old Goa, as Catholic pilgrims from around the globe descend to pay homage to Francis Xavier, Goa’s patron saint. Francis was a Jesuit priest sent to the region by the Portuguese king. A man on a mission, he converted nearly 30,000 people. Legend has it when his remains were enshrined in Old Goa in 1553 – a full year after his death – his body showed absolutely no signs of decay.

This is unlike any of the temples you’ll find in Ponda. It’s hidden away in a remote forest, and, with its 13th-century birthdate, is Goa’s oldest Hindu temple. Like Stonehenge, the origins of the temple are a mystery. It’s built from black basalt, which isn’t that unusual, until you consider the fact it’s nowhere to be found in Goa.

Rich, lavish and flamboyant to the extreme – that pretty much sums up Braganza House, Goa’s grandest colonial mansion. It’s only a 20-minute drive from Candolim, and showcases rosewood 4-poster beds, exquisite Chinese porcelain and fancy gilded mirrors. Most impressive, though, are the ballroom’s extravagant chandeliers, and the library’s 5,000 leather-bound books.

Ponda, about an hour’s drive from Baga, is known for its temples, many of which are tucked away in forests. They’re a mix of Hindu and Muslim styles, with a dash of Baroque – so don’t be surprised to see prayer halls decked out with European chandeliers. Must-sees include the Shantadurga Temple in Quela, with its pagoda-like roof, and the Safa Shahouri Masjid, Goa’s oldest remaining mosque.

The beach of Calangute, right next to Candolim, is known locally as the ‘Queen of Beaches’. Since the Sixties, its sheer size and white sands have attracted everyone from flower-power hippies to bucket and spade-laden families. Today, it’s one of the busiest beaches in Goa, with watersports, seafood restaurants and beach shacks lining its edges.