Looking for solitude in Goa's cacophonous beaches? Head out to the unexplored shores. The ultimate guide to finding a private beach in Goa.
In 2019 over 8 million tourists visited Goa. Nine out of ten tourists arriving here want to soak into its vibrant beach vibes. A handful of beaches seems to grab the attention of Goa's beach dwellers. As a result, you see these popular beaches bustling with crowds all around the year.
About a quarter of Goa got covered by forests. Club this with the 131 KM coastline that borders its west. This gives rise to many seafronts. Quite a few of them don crescent-shaped mangroves. Others see salubrious rock formations. Then, there're a few which appears only during the low tides.
Many of them remained alienated from the maddening tourist rush. This intriguing aspect of Goan beaches happens to be the core of this post. Let's have a look at seven unexplored beaches adorned with natural beauty.
Unexplored South Goa beaches
The remarkable Western Ghats guards the eastern border of the state. The hilly southern region of Goa is a testimony to this fact. Lush green hills bounds a large number of beaches in South Goa.
Unlike the north, South Goa beaches are silent. Navigation through the meandering roads increases the relative distance between them. These factors contribute to the lesser tourist footfall at beaches in this part of Goa.
Galgibaga Beach
Galgibaga is more of a secret beach in the Canacona district of South Goa. The faraway beach lies at a large distance of 75 KM from Panjim. The enticing thing about this beach is the amount of green cover you see around its periphery.
Tall casuarina trees at the centre of the beach calm the hot afternoon air. The northern end of the beach sees a large mangrove extending itself into the sea. The seascape resembles an artistic painting with symmetrical precision.
The southern end of the beach sees a montage of rocks in various sizes and shapes. Walking down the dunes takes you close to a large backwater channel. Galgibaga river empties itself on the other end of the channel. Thick mangroves and tall coconut trees on the edge witness the confluence in silence.
The only commercial activity I saw during my late 2019 visit was a shack in the middle of the beach. It served good food and chilled beer. "Few locals and long staying foreign tourists are the only human species you'll ever see here". The comforting words of the gentleman serving food were pacifying.
Galgibaga beach happens to be one of the three beaches earmarked for turtle hatching in Goa. The forest department has done a remarkable job ensuring the safety of the turtles. This beach doesn't allow any form of commercial activities. This makes it one of the cleanliest beaches of Goa.
Palolem Beach
Travel 8.5 KM north off the Galgibaga beach to reach the crescent-shaped Palolem beach. This is one of the popular beaches of South Goa. It shares similar characteristics to the former. Tall coconut trees lined up in an arc-shaped pattern makes the beach look elegant.
The northern end of the beach dons a large hillock. From a distance, the wavey hills seem to embrace the coconut trees into their arms.
Makeshift villas and shacks spread themselves across the length of the beach. I visited this place during the busy and lean tourist seasons. Despite the popularity, it neither looked crowded nor untidy.
The calm and serene neighbourhood of the beach makes it an excellent option for longer stays. Its proximity to the important South Goa town Canacona eases the reachability.
The beach is a short 2 KM diversion away from the Mumbai-Kochi National Highway 66. Canancona bus stand near the market eases the connectivity to other parts of Goa. Inter-state buses are also available to the neighboring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Canacona railway station falls under the Konkan Railways. The scenic railway line connects Mumbai to Mangalore. Passenger and express trains provide connectivity to other parts of Goa and beyond.
Palolem has a myriad of accommodation choices. From luxury resorts to cosy homestays, it covers the sojourn needs of all types of travellers.
A handful of pubs and nightclubs in the vicinity comes to the rescue in case you're missing the party vibes.
Butterfly/Honeymoon Beach
Your search for the remotest beach in Goa ends at Butterfly beach. The beach is a tiny sandy patch sandwiched between two massive rocky cliffs. When viewed from the front, the cliffs look like the wings of a butterfly. This best explains the reason behind its primary name.
Reaching this secluded beach is an adventure in itself. Unlike the other beaches of Goa, this has no access road. Well, don't worry. There're two indirect ways to reach this beach. You've got the options of trekking and boating.
For the trek option, you need to reach this high-octane pub called Leopard Valley. The pub lies on the main road connecting Agonda to Palolem. The trekking trail starts from a jungle quarry 1.5 KM further down the pub.
The jungle trek has bits of excitement and adventure throughout the 2 KM trail. Vast swathes of grassland welcome you after a gentle walk of 15 minutes. You need to cross a small stream midway into the journey.
The last 500 metres could be a little tricky. You'll dodge through an uneven terrain sprinkled with large boulders. The vegetation casts a deep shadow as you continue to move forward. Branches of trees hanging all around make the trail spooky.
The trek takes about 45 minutes to complete. Given the photogenic nature of the trail, you should consider one hour on each side.
The boat option will be way quicker. You can hire a boat from Palolem/Agonda Beach. You might catch a glimpse of dolphins during the ten minutes sea ride. The boatmen usually charge between INR 1000-1200 for a round trip.
The beach gets flooded by rough sea waters during high tides. Mud and slit on the trail make it inaccessible during monsoon. The boat option might be possible in such times. Strong currents and sporadic rocks on the sea route could turn the journey into a disaster.
The towering cliffs on the edges of the beach adds quintessential beauty to the seascape. The waves often rise a couple of feet to crash on the rocks.
The beach scores 100% on remoteness. You wouldn't get even a bottle of water here. Carry essentials and plan to leave by dusk.
The beach grew popular in recent times. As a result, you see the place turning into a thrash-bin. Lackadaisical disposal of garbage started polluting the jungle and the pristine seawater. Don't leave your trash behind. This tiny gesture of yours would be instrumental in the upkeep of this beautiful place.
Looking for something to do in Goa besides the beaches? This blog post explores 5 unique experiences that will take you off the beaten path and show you a different side of Goa - Discover the hidden gems of Goa beyond the beaches.
Unexplored North Goa beaches
North Goa is famous for its party vibes. Its beaches draw huge crowd. The Baga-Calangute-Anjuna stretch sees swarms of domestic and global tourists. Is there a possibility of locating a noiseless beach here? You bet there're. Let's find out.
Morjim Beach
The euphony of tall coconut trees on the final approach road to Morjim beach hints serenity. The beach with its fawn looking sand appears soothing. The gentle spray of the retreating sea waters paints the shore chocolatey.
Morjim is the only beach in North Goa that's home to the Olive Ridley Turtles. Like its southern counterpart Galgibaga, this beach sees no commercial activities. Although there're quite a few restaurants in the middle of the beach.
A large water body welcomes you right before the entrance to the beach. This happens to be the Chapora River. The stillness of the water reflects the river's contentment in meeting the sea. The soothing confluence takes place at the northern end of the beach.
The vicinity of Morjim sees a lot of guest houses. This is an area preferred by long-standing travellers. Despite the rush you see in the nearby Siolim town, the beach draws a little crowd. This makes it excellent for strolls and photography.
Spend your evening relaxing on a beach chair. The gentle waves of the sea emerging from the orange-lit horizon will bring smile to your face.
Orzan/Small Vagator Beach
No matter how beautiful a smaller place might be, it's always overlooked by the popular larger one. Orzan beach has a similar fate given its juxtaposition with the famous Vagator beach.
When viewed from the top, Orzan beach appears as a small reflection of Vagator Beach. The best possible reason behind its alternative name, the Small Vagator beach.
Reaching the beach is no less than an escapade. A ride through the narrow forested streets of Vagator will take you to a large table-top land. It throws itself downwards in the form of a massive undulating cliff. A tiny but steep flight of stairs in the middle of the crag takes you down to the beach.
The 180° mountain borderline on the edge of the beach is a treat to watch. Coconut trees of varying heights add ornamental beauty to the lush green motif. The amiable touch of the receding sea waters turns the beige-coloured sand blackish.
The beach got tattooed with yellowish-black rocks of different shapes and sizes across its length. Quite a few of them gets submerged by the retreating waves.
A tiny part sandwiched between rocks on the northern end looks safe for swimming. The beach had many restaurants. The ones facing the waters had a nice spread of beach beds. It looks calm despite the commercial look.
This is your ideal beach for spending those lazy afternoons.
Arambol Beach
The cherubic Arambol beach holds many impressive features. Arambol mountain on its northern end adds grandeur to the beach.
The tail end of the mountain breaks itself into tiny doppelgänger megaliths well into the sea. The level of water submerging them looked similar during my visits in the last couple of years.
The beach looks reticent during the course of the day. Its golden shoreline is apt for those carefree long walks.
Things change in a jiffy as the afternoon sun mellows down. A part of the beach turns into a flea market. The vicinity of the beach sees European settlements. While some spread their handmade wares, others hum with their guitars and drums.
Arambol beach is famous for its hipster parties and music festivals. The last light of the sun often sees the beach apparelling for getting into the groove.
Sunset always looks serene by the calm-looking waters of this beach. Sundown during monsoon cast a magical spell on the beach. Those low hanging fluffy clouds seem to create a diffused sky.
If you're here or at any other landscape, don't leave once the sun disappears. The departing sun often leaves behind the sky painted in hues of magenta. The clouds seem to reflect the oceanic landforms.
The 35 KM long journey from Panjim keeps the urban tourists away from the beach. Passing through the sloppy streets of Arambol could be fun. If lucky, you might get a glimpse of a football match between the local clubs.
Querim/Keri Beach
"A lot of hard work is hidden behind nice things". Being the northernmost beach of North Goa, a trip to Querim beach could be taxing. The exhaustion caused by the 44 KM long haul from Panjim will fade away once you step on the beach's wheaten sand. The subtle contrast created by the cerulean sea and the light-blue sky will make you happy.
A scenic forested road accompanies you on the last leg of the journey. The winding road and the whiff of fresh air on this ten kilometres stretch impart hill station vibes.
The bucolic settings at the beach draw all your attention. You might see tiny flying objects between the blues of the seawater and the sky. You need to walk to the southern end of the beach to unearth the mystery.
A hill with a steep downward slope becomes visible as you walk a little over 100 metres. The discovery of paragliding flights taking off the forested hill unfolds the mystery. Querim Beach is one of the few places in Goa where you can fly high over the waters of the Arabian Sea.
Terekhol river meets the Arabian Sea near the northern end of the beach. The river straddles the border between the states of Goa and Maharashtra.
The usual touristy crowd seldom amass the beach. Besides the foreign tourists staying nearby, you might encounter a few desi souls.
The white sand of the beach turns golden as the sun starts to climb high in the sky. The palm and coconut trees provide natural shade to the beach shacks. They help avoid sunburns and can take care of the hunger pangs. Also, many had free Wi-Fi.
The scenic remote beach often sees shootings of regional Indian movies.
Goa holds plenty of vistas through its unexplored seascapes. Many of them remained untouched by flamboyant touristy vibes even today. Quite a few can become your own private beach.
This brings us to the end of this post. Thank you for coming this long.
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