5 Best Sights in South Goa, Goa

Despite its proximity to crowded Colva, Benaulim beach is a world apart. Still relatively quiet, an increasingly rare commodity on Goa’s beaches, this long swath of sand features only the odd souvenir hawker or stray dog, and is an excellent spot on which to park your beach towel. Of course, there are beach shacks, if you’d prefer a steady supply of beer and snacks as well as the comfort of a sun bed, and although it isn’t as idyllic as Morjim or Mandrem farther north, with still water and soft sand, Benaulim is a great pick for a day in the sun. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

The chief reason to visit Chandor is this 400-year-old house—a slice of living history. Two wings are occupied by two branches of the Braganza family, the Menezes Braganzas and the Braganza Pereiras. You can see the style in which the wealthy landed gentry must have lived until the land reformation that followed Independence in 1947; the great rooms are filled with treasures, including beautiful period furniture and Chinese porcelain. Although some parts of the house have been renovated and are in reasonably good shape, it takes a lot of effort to maintain the two wings, and contributions toward upkeep are expected.

One of Goa's lesser-known stretches, Cavelossim Beach is starting to come into its own. With a few swanky hotels in the area, including the Leela Goa, Cavelossim is primarily popular with wealthy Indian visitors, due to the proliferation of upscale resorts in the area, and as a result is fairly clean, with soft white sand. If you're looking for swinging nightlife, this is not the beach for you, but it is worth a visit for those seeking relaxation, or perhaps some dolphin spotting—contact the area's boat operators who can organize sunset trips to spot the pods of dolphins that inhabit these waters. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; water sports. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.

This once-deserted white-sand beach, backed by palm groves and low, green mountains, is still quieter than its northern counterparts, but Palolem is now a definite destination for sunseekers. It has a solid selection of cheap eateries and shacks, which have sprung up to cater to its bunch of hippie visitors. The farthest south of this coastline's developed beaches, it's no longer quite the idyll that first drew visitors this far south, but it is still very beautiful. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Another of the south’s treasures, and only a short distance from Benaulim beach is Varca, a clean, quiet beach that manages the seemingly impossible feat of being nearly entirely hawker-free. Visitors from the area’s resorts are treated to a quiet, palm-lined strip of beach that’s perfect for unwinding with a good book. Beach shacks are thin on the ground in season, and nonexistent in the off-season, so plan to pack a picnic basket if you’re headed there in the leaner months. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.