Day 1:
Arrival and vehicle arrangement (for whole trip)
Goa is a state with laid-back ambiance. Proceedings from arrival till checking-in to your hotel will eat up some time (around 2 – 3 hours).
The first and most important thing to do first up – Rent a self-driven car or any two wheeler as per your convenience. Every hotel owners have a good network of people who provides vehicles to their customers on demand.
You can find some dealers at Panaji bus stand as well. If possible can make an arrangement en route.
Price for 4-wheeler: Rs. 1200 – 1500 per day
Price for 2-wheeler: Rs. 500 – 700 per day
Beaches, Sunset and Setting the Mood!
03:00 PM – 08:00 PM
First spot ideally would be Morjim beach which takes around 30 – 40 min of drive through scenic villages of the district from Baga / Calangute.
Morjim beach though attracting a considerable crowd is still less crowded compared to other beaches in North Goa.
Reserve a shack to keep the belongings and relax for a while under the shade. A bath in the enticing sea is an enjoyable experience on this beach as the height of the waves along with the cleanliness of the beach makes it an amazing experience.
Get a bottle of beer – King’s beer, a Goan special, is recommended – with some food – Goan sea food is a must for meat lovers. Relax and spend a quality evening with your peeps!
Price range: Rs 2000 – 2500 for two people (food + alcohol)
Rs. 1400 – 1900 for two people (only food)
A walk on bare feet along the entire stretch of Morjim is one of the highlights of the beach. Blissful caress of wet sand, cool sea breeze and people around make you get immersed in the moment and put your worries to rest.
Stay here till twilight as Morjim is known for some amazing sunset views.
If want to watch sunset from a different location, head towards Ashvem beach (3kms north of Morjim beach) which is as serene as you will come across.
Known for being one of the most peaceful beaches in Goa primarily because of fewer shacks than other beaches, one can have alone time on this beach without much disturbance here.
This beach is a good alternative to Morjim and offers spectacular sunset view.
After Ashvem, return to the hotel and give your body some rest. You need some energy to explore and enjoy the night life and culture of Goa.
Lights, Music, People and Party!
09:00 PM – 01:00 AM
Last stop for the day is Calangute beach for night life. The beach is the queen of the beaches with variety of options to choose for dining in. The shacks are opened till 2-3 am on Calangute beach. Safety is not at all an issue in this part of the state.
Price range: Rs 1500 – 1800 for two people (food + alcohol)
Rs. 800 – 1000 for two people (only food)
The atmosphere is always electrifying and energetic. The sounds of the waves along with the lighting put on the beach and party songs played by the DJs will make you stay here and relish your time till you finally call it a day.
Also read: Best area to book your hotel in North Goa
Day 2 :
Fort, Luncheon and Sunset
12:00 PM – 07:00 PM
Today we will try to utilize most of the daylight with some sightseeing. Set your alarms accordingly because rousing from sleep won’t be easy.
Put Chapora Fort on your GPS and hit the road. It will take 30 mins from Baga/Calangute to reach the fort.
The Chapora fort is ancient fort which overlooks the Chapora River on one side and sea towards the other side. It offers exhilarating views from the top and is an experience in itself.
This fort attracts a large number of Bollywood fans. At this very location couple of scenes from 2001 hit film, Dil Chahta Hai, were shot (only place to find Dil Chahta Hai Soda on sale!)
Tour of the fort is exhausting, after quenching your thirst at the stalls in the parking area, head towards Curlies in Anjuna beach, a half-an-hour drive from the fort.
Curlies is one of the most famous shacks in North Goa. Get a table in the open space on top floor and order your food and drinks. Carry your swim costumes. The sea water is tempting enough for a dip. (Part of the sea has a small patch of rocks which can be avoided).
Stay here to watch the spellbinding sunset.
After sunset you get a variety of sea food to gorge on. All you have to do is to choose from their stock and the local chefs will prepare the way you want to it in authentic Goan style.
Price range: Rs 1200 – 1500 for two people (food + alcohol)
Rs. 700 – 900 for two people (only food)
Post sunset, get back to hotel or some rest. The night is gonna be long and exciting!
Exotic Culture and Shopping.
09:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Put on your party shoes and take a ride to Saturday Night Market in Arpora which is an open air market and takes place only on Saturdays.
A 10-min drive from Baga/Calangute.
The market consists of shops mostly owned by European traders and offers various goods and has live DJs, various musical performances and cocktails as well.
This market showcases the distinctive feature of Goa and is a must visit. Shopaholics can spent hours here.
Don’t forget to carry some cash here. Cards are not accepted at many shops.
Next stop is Baga beach. The beach is famous for dinner, drinks and dance.
A 10-min drive from Arpora.
It has series of shacks which are illuminated during night and the lights along with the music being played by DJs provides an experience like no other in Goa.
Take a table on the beach and close to the shack itself for the dinner. Further the table more difficult it becomes to draw the attention of the waiter.
The candlelight in the middle of the table makes it all the more beautiful (romantic for couples).
Price range: Rs 2000 – 2500 for two people (food + alcohol)
Rs.1000 – 1200 for two people (only food)
Gobble up as much as you can and hit the dance floor.
The night is not over yet!
For Party-goers!
12:00 AM – 02:00 AM
If interested to party harder and experience nightlife like nothing before, head to Tito’s Lane, just 100 meters away from Baga beach.
It is a lane which is packed with bars, pubs and nightclubs and is the major party centre in Goa.
Most pubs have free entry for couples and stag entry is unreasonably high.
The pubs are opened till late in the night and the place seems like another universe altogether. Even if you are not interested in partying and indulging in all sorts of things that are going around, just take a walk and experience what the night life in Goa is all about.
Later return to the hotel and call it a day.
Also read: South Goa Itineraries
Day 3 :
Water Sport and Old Goa
11:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Today head to the final place in North Goa, Candolim Beach, for some water sports – parasailing, paragliding, and banana rides etc.
The water sports begin after 11 AM and the people can opt for the packages as per their preference. Generally, they charge around 900 for 3 sports and 1500 for 5. The rates are negotiable depending on the size of the group.
It takes an hour and a half to wrap all the activities.
As the tiredness sets in, barge into any shacks (all shacks are good here) and gorge on some beach food.
Price range: Rs 1000 – 1200 for two people (food + alcohol)
Rs. 600 – 800 for two people (only food)
That’s all for North Goa!
Next heading down south and reach Reis Magos Fort. With the GPS, getting here becomes easy. It will take close to 45 mins from North Goa.
Reis Magos Fort is one of the oldest forts in Goa and has a lot of historical importance associated with it. This fort is associated with Goa’s struggle of freedom and provides a lot of insight. The fort offers amazing views of the sea as well and this is one place that should not be missed. It also has a souvenir and book shop.
The fort remains open for public till 05:30 PM.
Now it’s time for Old Goa (20 min from the fort).
Old Goa is famous for its colonial era churches – Basilica of Bom Jesus & Church of St Francis of Assisi. These churches are oldest in the mini state and are part of UNESCO world heritage sites.
The churches remain open till 06:30 PM.
The tour of the Capital city:
07:00 PM – 08:00 PM
Last but not the least, head towards the capital city of Panaji. A 20-minute drive from Old Goa.
The city is known for its casinos and churches along with its local market.
The market can be explored on foot and has multiple options for all shopping lovers. People can explore the casinos as well and try their luck if interested. After exploring the city, head towards the famous Navtara restaurant, situated in the market area for some amazing vegetarian south Indian food.
Price range: Rs. 600 – 700 for two.
Travel Advice:
If you have to catch your flight or train departing late at night, then book a cab and head towards Vasco da Gama for airport and station.
Other option would be to reserve a room in Vasco da Gama, take rest, board your flight or train the next day and say goodbye to the amazing times spent in Goa!!
