34 Best Sights in Goa, India

One of the chief attractions of Ponda is this temple in Priol, 9 km (5½ miles) before you reach Ponda. With its domes and other eccentric, un-Hindu architectural features, the temple has evidence of Islamic and Christian influences. Other temples in the vicinity include the always-crowded Shree Shantadurga temple, with its distinctive tower, the Shri Mahalsa temple, with its gargantuan (41-foot-high) oil lamp, and the Laxmi Narasimha and Naguesh temples, with their lovely temple tanks (large pools with steps leading into them, so that the devout can bathe).

Close to Panaji, Sinquerim is a quiet, well-kept beach and, with some of Goa's most expensive resorts in the area—including the Taj Fort Aguada Resort and the Taj Holiday Village—it tends to be a destination for well-heeled local tourists and older international travelers. Having said that, pockets of vendors and tourists can gather around some of the more populist beachfront hotels. Visitors can try their hand at water sports such as windsurfing and snorkeling, and while the water isn't crystal clear, it is clean and makes for a lovely afternoon of paddling about; consistent waves make for good bodysurfing. Amenities: lifeguards; water sports. Good for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.

The dark sands of Vagator Beach lead on from the red cliffs that line it. Vagator is popular with both local and foreign tourists; as a result, there are many vendors and stands catering to visitors, selling snacks, sliced local fruit, trinkets, and souvenirs. Plenty of bars and shacks are on hand to meet the needs of this mixed crowd, and in the high season, most bars reverberate to the sounds of electronic music and reggae. Vagator's waters are choppier than some of North Goa's other beaches, which is why this beach isn't a top pick for swimmers. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; 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.