Goa Travel Guide: Old Goa Churches, Beaches, Festivals, Ferries and Flights
Goa is a state on India's west coast, with the Arabian Sea on the west and the Sahyadri mountains on the east, according to the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), the state tourism corporation. GTDC's fact sheet says the land rises from sea level to 1,022 metres and that several rivers cross the state. The capital, Panaji (also written Panjim), stands at the mouth of the Mandovi river.
The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site names what draws visitors: beaches such as Baga, Calangute, Palolem and Agonda, festivals such as Carnival and Shigmo, Portuguese architecture, Goan food and the state's wildlife sanctuaries. The Churches and Convents of Goa, at Old Goa, are a World Heritage Site. Flights land at Goa International Airport, Dabolim (GOI), and at Manohar International Airport (GOX) at Mopa, and the India travel guide covers the rest of the country.
What to see and do in Goa
The churches and convents of Old Goa
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the Churches and Convents of Goa as a World Heritage Site in 1986. UNESCO's listing places them in the former capital of the Portuguese Indies, about 10 km east of Panaji. It says these monuments influenced architecture, sculpture and painting in the 16th to 18th centuries, in the countries of Asia where Catholic missions were established.
UNESCO names the Chapel of St Catherine, the Church and Convent of St Francis of Assisi, the Church of Our Lady of Rosary, the Sé Cathedral, the Church of St Augustine, the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the Chapel of St Cajetan. Of the Church of St Augustine, it says one-third of the bell tower is standing. The Ministry of Tourism also lists the Archaeological Museum at Old Goa among the sights there.
UNESCO's listing says that at the Church of Bom Jesus, Goa conserves Saint Francis-Xavier's tomb, and the Ministry of Tourism calls the church India's first minor basilica, with Pope Pius XII making it a basilica in 1946. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) describes the Basilica as made of black granite, with a facade decorated with Ionic, Doric and Corinthian pilasters.
UNESCO says the ASI manages the property, with the Sé Old Goa panchayat taking part, and calls the churches living monuments where ceremonial functions, prayers, weddings and funerals are held. Check visiting times with the ASI or at the churches before you plan a day around them.
Panaji, its old quarters and forts
In and around the capital, the Ministry of Tourism names the old quarters of Fontainhas and São Tomé, the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on Largo da Igreja, Miramar beach and Dona Paula. Its account has Reis Magos fort built in 1551 and Fort Aguada in 1612, the Portuguese arriving in 1510, and Goa under Portuguese rule for nearly 450 years.
Beaches and towns in north and south Goa
Baga and Calangute beaches, Candolim (which stretches toward Fort Aguada), Anjuna, Vagator and Chapora Fort are the places in north Goa that the Ministry of Tourism names, and it calls Mapusa the largest town in northern Goa.
In south Goa, the Ministry's list has Margao (also known as Madgaon) as the main population centre, then Chandor, the broad, open beaches of Colva and Benaulim, and Palolem, Patnem and Colomb Bay.
Goan food
Incredible India describes Goan cuisine as a fusion of Indian, Portuguese and Konkani influences. The dishes it names include fish curry rice, prawn balchão, xacuti and bebinca.
Wildlife sanctuaries, diving and dolphin-watching
The Ministry of Tourism's Goa page names wildlife sanctuaries including Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali, Cotigao, Bondla and Mhadei, and the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, and lists scuba diving, snorkelling and dolphin-watching among things to do in Goa.
Temples and the Safa Shahouri Masjid
Among the parts of Goa's heritage, the Ministry of Tourism names Hindu temples, including the Shri Manguesh Temple, the Shanta Durga Temple and the Shri Saptakoteshwar Temple, and a mosque, the Safa Shahouri Masjid.
Festivals in Goa
The Ministry of Tourism names Carnival, the Shigmo festival and the Feast of St Francis Xavier among Goa's festivals. Its season guide adds Christmas and New Year in winter, Sao Joao as a festival during the month of June, and Tripurari Purnima, also called Dev Deepawali, celebrated two weeks after Diwali. GTDC's festival page lists Bonderam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Chikhal Kalo and Sao Joao among others.
The Goa Department of Tourism's calendar of events for 2025-2026 gave the dates of the Carnaval Festival as 13 to 17 February 2026, at Porvorim, Panaji, Margao, Vasco, Mapusa and Morjim, and of the Shigmo festival as 5 to 18 March 2026, at Panaji, Margao, Vasco and other places. The calendar marked its dates as tentative. Those are 2026 dates, so check the Department of Tourism's calendar for the year you travel.
When to visit Goa
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its Climate of Goa State (February 2019), describes the climate as pleasant from December to February. It calls April and May uncomfortable, with oppressive heat, and the period from June to October warm, humid and uncomfortable, with July receiving the highest rainfall. IMD counts June to September as the south-west monsoon season.
The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site says Goa is welcoming throughout the year and that there cannot be one best season to visit. Its season guide calls winter the golden time for the beaches, describes a green side of Goa in the rainy season, and notes that the strong summer sun can make it hard to explore the churches during the day.
Flying to Goa
Goa is served by Goa International Airport, Dabolim and Manohar International Airport, and each has its own route pages. Dabolim is about 28 km from Panaji, according to the Airports Authority of India, and is a civil enclave. Manohar International Airport, in Pernem taluka in the north of the state, is a greenfield airport run by GMR Goa International Airport Limited.
The Dabolim airport page sets out its published runway closures and the weekday times when civil scheduled flights are not permitted. Check which airport your ticket names, because the state bus corporation lists separate airport shuttles for each (see Getting around Goa).
Main routes recorded from Goa's airports
The site's schedule data records direct domestic flights from Dabolim to Delhi, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), Ahmedabad, Kochi and Lucknow, and from Mopa to Kolkata (Calcutta), Hyderabad and Pune. Each name links to its route page, and each airport page lists the other routes recorded from that airport.
The airlines recorded on these routes include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air.
Getting around Goa
GTDC says visitors can use public transport, privately owned cabs and rented vehicles, and that cabs can be booked across the state through the Goa Miles app. It says unmetered taxis can be hired, and auto-rickshaws in urban areas, and that bike hire is available in the main towns and even in villages. GTDC adds that motorcycle taxis, whose drivers are known locally as pilots, carry a single pillion rider.
Kadamba buses
The Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd (KTCL) is the state transport undertaking of Goa, and its share capital is held entirely by the Government of Goa. Its citizen's charter, last updated on 28 January 2026, lists point-to-point shuttle buses connecting Panaji, Margao, Vasco, Mapusa, Ponda, Curchorem and Sanquelim, and interstate buses to Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. GTDC adds that local private buses have a wide network, even in the remotest areas.
The same charter lists air-conditioned airport shuttles from Dabolim Airport to Panaji and to Calangute Beach, and from Mopa Airport to Mapusa, Calangute Beach, Panaji and Margao. KTCL says online booking is available on its website, one month in advance.
River ferries
GTDC says river crossings in Goa are served by flat-bottomed ferry boats. The Government of Goa's River Navigation Department lists its ferry routes by name, among them Panaji - Betim, Ribandar - Chorao, Old Goa - Piedade, St. Pedro - Diwar, Naroa - Diwar and Kerim - Tiracol.
The department's ferry routes page says the government has exempted foot passengers and two-wheelers from ferry toll charges, and that tolls are payable for four-wheelers and cargo.
Side trip: Dudhsagar Waterfalls
The Ministry of Tourism lists Dudhsagar Falls among its things to do in Goa, and suggests watching a train cross the bridge with the falls behind it. A Goa Government notice of 24 May 2024 places the Dudhsagar Waterfalls tourism circuit in Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park, Mollem.
That notice said the circuit would be closed to vehicles from 1 June 2024, for the proliferation of wildlife and because of the advancing monsoon. GTDC's home page shows a Dudhsagar helpline, so check the current position with GTDC or the forest department before you plan the trip.
Questions about visiting Goa
Which airport do I fly into for Goa?
Goa is served by Goa International Airport, Dabolim, a civil enclave, and by Manohar International Airport at Mopa, in the north of the state. Each has its own route pages, so check which one your ticket names.
When is the best time to visit Goa?
The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site says there is no single best season. IMD's Climate of Goa State (February 2019) describes December to February as pleasant, April and May as uncomfortable with oppressive heat, and June to October as warm, humid and uncomfortable.
Are the Churches and Convents of Goa a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. UNESCO inscribed the Churches and Convents of Goa, at Old Goa about 10 km east of Panaji, as a World Heritage Site in 1986, and says the ASI manages the property.
What were the Goa Carnival dates in 2026?
The Goa Department of Tourism's calendar of events for 2025-2026 gave 13 to 17 February 2026 for the Carnaval Festival, and marked its dates as tentative. Check the department's calendar for the year you travel.
What does the 2024 notice say about Dudhsagar Waterfalls?
A Goa Government notice of 24 May 2024 said the Dudhsagar Waterfalls tourism circuit would be closed to vehicles from 1 June 2024. The Ministry of Tourism lists Dudhsagar Falls among its things to do in Goa, so check the current position with GTDC or the forest department.
Do foot passengers pay on Goa's river ferries?
The River Navigation Department says the Government of Goa has exempted foot passengers and two-wheelers from ferry toll charges. Tolls are payable for four-wheelers and cargo.