Diya Padiyar(That’s Not Just Beaches & Booze)
You’ve booked the tickets. Your playlist is set. Your Instagram is ready for sunsets and sea-shell photos. But now comes the real question—what exactly should you do once you get to North Goa?
Sure, beach-hopping and shack-chilling are classics. But North Goa has so much more to offer if you know where to look (and you’re not just following the guy with a drone on YouTube).
This isn’t one of those “Top 10 Tourist-y Things to Do in North Goa” guides. These are the real “insider” secrets—from secret chapels and soulful food to markets that smell like spice and mornings that start with homemade pão.
So, if you’re hunting for the best things to do in North Goa, here’s a local’s guide that goes beyond the obvious—and deeper into the good stuff.
Things To Do In North Goa
1. Catch the Sunrise at Chapora Fort
No, not the Dil Chahta Hai photo (okay, maybe just one). But go there early. Before the crowd. Before the sun gets annoying. Sit on the fort wall, watch the Chapora River meet the sea, and enjoy the quiet. It’s one of the most peaceful places to visit in North Goa, if you time it right.
Pro Tip: Carry a thermos of chai and turn it into your own personal sunrise picnic.
2. Eat Your Way Through a Goan Breakfast
Forget hotel buffets. Step into a local café or a roadside poder (bread seller) setup. Order poie with chorizo, bhaji-pão, mirchi cutlet, or fluffy sanna with coconut chutney. Wash it down with some chao / cha (tea).
Local Favourites: Café Tato (Panjim), Bhonsle’s (Mapusa), or Anandashram (Assagao).
3. Do a Secret Chapel Trail in Aldona or Pomburpa
Everyone visits churches in Old Goa. But the real charm lies in the tiny whitewashed chapels tucked into the villages—silent, centuries-old, and postcard-perfect. Rent a scooter, get a little lost, and follow the church bells. Some favourites: the St. Thomas Chapel in Aldona and Mae de Deus Chapel in Saligao.
Note: Dress modestly and don’t disturb locals. These aren’t tourist spots—they’re community spaces.
4. Get Your Hands Dirty at a Local Pottery or Tile Workshop
Want a break from “doing nothing”? Try your hand at Goan pottery or the famous Azulejo tile painting. There are small, home-run studios in Siolim, Aldona, and even Fontainhas that offer 1–2 hour sessions.
You’ll leave with a handmade souvenir and a lot more respect for the local art scene.
5. Wander Fontainhas – Goa’s Latin Quarter
Yes, it’s photogenic. But also, walk slow. Read the names on the ceramic tiles. Peek into old bakeries, art galleries, and tiny family-run museums. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch the scent of bebinca baking from someone’s window.
Don’t Miss: The Gallery Gitanjali, the quaint post office, and Joseph’s Bar for an old-school drink. If you want the best experience, book one of the many Soul Traveling Trails in North Goa!
6. Go Book Hunting at Literati in Candolim
If you’re someone who likes to read on the beach (and not just look at the sea), Literati is paradise. This Indo-Portuguese house turned bookstore has a curated mix of old and new, fiction and Goa-focused non-fiction. Grab a book, sip a coffee in their garden, and let the afternoon pass slowly.
7. Have a No-Phone Picnic at Parra Road (The One With the Palm Trees)
Yes, it’s Insta-famous. But go early, leave the phone in your bag, and sit under a palm tree with some fresh mangoes or poi and butter. Parra Road has its moments if you give it silence.
Local hack: Rent a cycle from a nearby shop and pedal down the whole stretch.
8. Do a Morning Veggie Market Run (Even if You’re Not Cooking)
Mapusa Market or the Assagao Farmer’s Market (on select days) is pure sensory overload—in the best way. Just walking around, talking to vendors, and tasting local fruit (jamblam, chikoo, tambdi bhaji) is an experience. And you’ll learn more Konkani in one hour than any Duolingo lesson.
Best Buy: Fresh kokum, homemade pickles, toddy vinegar, and local flowers.
9. Take a Floating Sunset Boat Ride on the Divar Island
This one’s underrated. Everyone does sunset at the beach. But on the island? Fewer people, golden light bouncing off mangroves, and a stillness that’s rare in Goa. Hire a small canoe/kayak or a local boatman for the full effect.
Pro Tip: Go on the Divar Island Experience with Soul Travelling.
10. Taste North Goa Through a Traditional Saraswat Thali
Move over butter chicken. Go for a local thali where every element—sol kadi, moongachi usal, banana bhaji, bangda curry—is packed with stories. Drop by Ritz Classic in Panjim or try the quieter Kokni Canteen or Vinayak in Assagao.
Vegetarian? Saraswat thalis are a delight with seasonal veg curries and kokum-scented gravies.
11. Attend a Village Feast or Tiatr (If You Time It Right)
Ask around. Locals will know if there’s a feast day (dedicated to a local church) or a tiatr (Goan theatre with music and political satire) happening nearby. These aren’t tourist shows—they’re the heartbeat of Goan culture.
Sit back, laugh along, and maybe even join a dance. Nobody judges in Goa.
12. Catch Live Music in a Not-So-Obvious Spot
Yes, live music is everywhere in North Goa. But the magic lies in discovering it without a banner. A local trio playing Konkani hits in a roadside tavern. A keyboardist jamming at a home café. A baritone belting Frank Sinatra at a hidden Assagao bar.
Best bet: Ask your waiter or cabbie. Locals always know who’s playing where.
13. Swim at Ashwem or Morjim at Dawn
North Goa beaches are buzzing by noon. But go at sunrise—especially at Ashwem or Morjim. You’ll find fishermen dragging in their nets, dogs snoozing by the shore, and maybe just one or two other souls floating in the waves. Pure peace.
14. Shop Local, Not Loud
North Goa has some amazing boutiques and flea markets (Anjuna, Arpora night market), but also quiet concept stores and village haats. Look for handmade soaps, coconut shell earrings, pottery, and textiles.
Favourite spots: Paperboat Collective (Assagao), Rangeela (Anjuna), and Earth Mama (Siolim).
15. Watch the Sun Dip at Reis Magos Fort
Sure, Fort Aguada is packed. But Reis Magos? Slightly off-beat, well-restored, and with the kind of sunset views that make you go “woah” without a filter. Also, there’s usually less crowd. Bonus: The drive up there is stunning.
Do Less Feel More!
You don’t come to North Goa to tick boxes—you come to feel it. To hear the hum of fans in sleepy bakeries, to smell fish curry before you see the kitchen, to wave at strangers on bicycles, to sit and not scroll. That’s the real magic.
So next time you’re thinking about things to do in North Goa, ditch the checklist. Go where the wind (and the wi-fi signal) drops. Smile at the aunty selling mangoes. Say yes to that invite from the guy who knows a hidden waterfall. Eat, walk, float, listen.
You’re not just visiting North Goa. You’re becoming a part of it.
