A beautiful beach in South Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Wonker
In terms of beauty and serenity, most of the times, the beaches in South Goa emerge as a far cry from the ones in North Goa. The reason is pretty simple. By and large, the tourist crowds are thicker in North Goa as most visitors identify Goa with North Goa. While North Goa has seen its share of development, the commercialisation here has worked in a different way. For instance, quite a few tracts of South Goan beaches are part of 5 Star beach resort properties.
Here is a look at 5 lovely beaches in South Goa:
Agonda
Agonda Beach, South Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Aleksandr Zykov
This is a prominent name in the South Goa tourism scene. Dotted with casuarinas and palms and guarded by a huge hill at the Southern end, Agonda Beach is an oasis of serenity. This 3 km stretch of paradise is largely free of restaurants, souvenir stalls, and big tourist crowds. You need to carry your own stuff here. Swimming is not recommended but the mesmerising beauty and tranquility more than compensates for that. The Cabo de Rama Fort is also nearby.
Bogmalo Beach
A beautiful sunset at Bogmalo Beach, South Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Dinesh Bareja
This one is somewhat of an elitist beach – if one may say so! With a humongous 5 Star hotel sitting at its edge, the beach largely draws guests from the hotel. Bogmalo is hardly 5 km away from the Dabolim Airport. If you are in the mood for some adventure, try out the water skiing and windsurfing facilities offered here. By way of accommodation, there are a handful of other options besides the 5 star hotel.
Colva Beach
The busy Colva Beach at Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Klaus Nahr
The name, Colva is inescapable when the topic is South Goa tourism. It is probably the most developed of all the beaches in South Goa, complete with artefact stalls, refreshment centres, guest houses, discos, tourist cottages, and air conditioned resort complexes. Most of these establishments are situated on the road between the beach and ‘The Church of Our Lady of Mercy’, which in its turn is a famous nearby attraction.
Benaulim
The serene Benaulim Beach, Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Andrea
This beach is hardly a couple of kms away from the Colva beach. However, both these beaches are as alike as chalk and cheese. While Colva is crowded and full of life, Benaulim offers a very serene experience during weekdays. However, crowds do come here when it’s evening and on weekends. Some of the best of rosewood furniture and other local handicrafts are made here. The Benaulim area also has a mythological connection as it is said to be the spot where an arrow shot by Lord Parasurama (Ref: Hindu Epic Ramayana) landed.
Majorda
Majorda Beach, Goa, India – Photo Courtesy: Meet the Potatoes
There may not be much to write home about Majorda beach in terms of Goa tourism. However, this beach and the surrounding area is still worth a visit. The Majorda Beach is quite small and is located about 5 km north of the Colva and to the South of Bogmalo. The best of Goan toddy was discovered in Majorda. Some of the most celebrated bakeries are to be found at Majorda. In fact, this is the first place where the locals learnt to bake European breads.
Chandralekha is a Travel enthusiast, currently working with ixigo.com, an online India Travel Guide helps you to plan your trip to India. Apart from this she also writes to guide train travelers on irctc railway reservation , pnr status & all the Indian railways related stuff.
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