Two days covers South Goa's main sights from Colva. Day one is Margao's Holy Spirit Church, Ancestral Goa (Big Foot) at Loutolim, Braganza House in Chandor, the Goa Chitra museum and Benaulim Beach, about 49 km. Day two goes south to Cabo de Rama Fort, Agonda and an afternoon on Palolem Beach, about 96 km, back by about 17:20. Both days work on any day of the week.
Holy Spirit Church in Margao at 09:00, Ancestral Goa (Big Foot) at Loutolim at about 09:45, then Braganza House in Chandor at about 11:20, with lunch at about 12:20. After lunch, the Goa Chitra museum in Benaulim at about 13:45, then Benaulim Beach from about 15:05. About 49 km by cab, back in Colva by about 16:15, with the evening free for the sunset. Works on any day.
Margao's big white church, built in the 1670s, with a carved gold altar and a square in front lined with old houses. It is the heart of the old part of Margao.
Tip: Go in the morning: the doors usually close by late morning and open again in the evening. Dress modestly and stay quiet during Mass. The busy Margao market is a few minutes away.
An open-air model of a Goan village 100 years ago, on a forested hillside in Loutolim: life-size figures of the potter, the fisherman and the toddy tapper, a big rock carving of the saint Mirabai, and the Big Foot rock that gives it its name.
Tip: Wear shoes for the slope and allow about an hour. Casa Araujo Alvares, an old family house next door, can sometimes be seen with the same family; ask at the gate.
Goa's grandest old family home, in the village of Chandor: a 17th century mansion that runs the length of the square, split into two wings for two branches of the family. Inside are a long ballroom, Chinese porcelain, carved furniture and a small chapel.
Tip: Each wing is a separate visit with its own family guide and its own donation. If you only see one, most people pick the east wing for its chapel. No set tour times: just knock.
A museum of everyday village life in Benaulim: thousands of old farm tools, kitchen pots, carts and boats collected from Goan homes, with a small farm and a museum of old Christian art beside it.
Tip: Visits are guided, so allow an hour. It is 3 km from Benaulim beach, so it fits well before an evening by the sea.
The same long beach as Colva, 2 km south, but quieter. Fishing boats sit on the sand, and the village behind it has old Goan houses and small family-run places to eat.
Tip: A good place to end the day: walk the sand at sunset and eat fish at one of the beach shacks. Shacks are open from about October to May.
South to Cabo de Rama Fort at about 09:30, then Agonda Beach at about 10:50, with lunch there at about 12:20. Then Palolem Beach from about 13:35 for the afternoon: swim, take a kayak out, or walk over the rocks to Patnem at low tide. About 96 km by cab, the longest day here: back in Colva by about 17:20. If you stay at Palolem for the sunset, you drive back after dark. Works on any day.
An old fort on a headland high above the sea, rebuilt by the Portuguese, with crumbling walls, rusty cannons and a small white chapel of St Anthony still in use. The walk round the walls looks down on the sea and the empty beach below.
Tip: Wear shoes and carry water; the walk to the cliff edge is rough and has no railings. Cabo de Rama beach below is a steep walk down.
A long, quiet beach between two headlands, with beach huts under the palms and no loud music. Olive Ridley turtles nest at one end, and the fenced nests are looked after by the Forest Department.
Tip: It is a beach for doing nothing: a swim, a long walk and lunch at a hut. From about November to March, keep away from the fenced turtle nests.
South Goa's most famous beach: a curved bay of soft sand with palm trees, coloured beach huts and calm water good for swimming and kayaks. Boats leave from here for Butterfly beach and dolphin trips.
Tip: Cabs stop at the car park at the north end. Swim in the middle of the bay, where it is calmest. The headphone party, Silent Noise, is on Saturday nights from about November to April.
Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Margao town and the highway south to Canacona are slow at busy times, most of all from December to early January, so real drives take longer than shown. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.
Call or message a local South Goa operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
We are still listing South Goa operators. Write to [email protected] and we will put you in touch.
The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Spirit Church, Margao | Open to visitors about 09:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 19:00 (listings differ on the midday closing). Free | Morning, before 11:00. | 30 min |
| Ancestral Goa (Big Foot), Loutolim | About 09:00 or 09:30 to 18:00, every day. About ₹50 | Morning, when it opens. | 1 h 15 min |
| Braganza House, Chandor | About 10:00 to 17:00, every day, shown round by the family. A donation per wing (about ₹150 to ₹200); one listing says closed Sundays | Late morning. | 1 h |
| Goa Chitra Museum | 09:00 to 18:00, every day (one listing says closed Mondays). Ticket about ₹300 | Afternoon, before the beach. | 1 h 15 min |
| Benaulim Beach | Open beach, best in daylight. Shacks and sunbeds from about October to May? | Late afternoon, for the sunset. | 1 h |
| Cabo de Rama Fort | 09:00 to 17:30, every day. Free | Morning or late afternoon; there is little shade in the middle of the day. | 1 h |
| Agonda Beach | Open beach, best in daylight. Shacks and sunbeds from about October to May? | Any time; it is calm all day. | 1 h 30 min |
| Palolem Beach | Open beach, best in daylight. Shacks and sunbeds from about October to May? | Afternoon into sunset. | 3 h |
Margao, Chandor, Cabo de Rama and Benaulim
See the 1-day plan →Margao, Loutolim, Chandor and Benaulim · Cabo de Rama, Agonda and Palolem · Ponda temples and a spice farm
See the 3-day plan →Every sight with what to see, opening times and how long to stay.
See all places →Yes, for the main sights and beaches. Add a third day for the Ponda temples and a spice farm, or simply for a lazy day on the beach.
If you mostly want the beach, Palolem is a fine base, and the beach day becomes short. These plans start in Colva because it is closer to Margao, Chandor and the airport.
Yes. Going to Cabo de Rama first gets you there before the midday heat and leaves Palolem for the afternoon, but the day works either way.
