Places to visit in North Goa...

Goa is a beach paradise of India and its proved by the regular attendance of millions of tourists from all parts of the world, all year around. Goa is divided into North Goa and South Goa. North Goa is popular as a happening and lively place, while South Goa is more relaxed with its quiet and secluded ambience. 
The life in North Goa have so much to offer that you need to plan your itinerary carefully to make the best of your trip.

We would like to present you with a complete guide on the best places to visit in North Goa to help you plan a memorable itinerary.

1.  Beaches- known and lesser known

The serene sands of North Goa that take you from the ecstasy of the endless sea to the zenith of the all-night beach parties are the highlight of any goa trip. The most famous ones are the Vagator beach where white- skinned come for some sun tan and some quiet time, along with the Anjuna beach that rests between the Aravalli hills and is a treat for the nature lovers. (Try going there on a Wednesday and you can enjoy shopping at the flea market too.)

Another very famous is the Calangute beach. Perhaps, the most beautiful beach of North Goa, Calangute beach is more commercial with showrooms and shops crowding its line, but every bit is a must visit. For the adventure enthusiasts, Sinquerim beach makes for a perfect place. From scuba- diving, parasailing, wind surfing, and water skiing, there’s nothing you’ll miss over here. For the ones seeking some quiet time, Mandrem and Arambol beaches are perfect options. Honeymooners and love birds love it here.

2.   Forts and churches

Although South Goa is known for churches, there’s no dearth of some great historical forts and old age churches in North Goa as well. One of the most famous is the fort Aguada. The view of the lighthouse is simply splendid. Other prominent forts are the Chapora fort and Reis Magos fort. All these historical forts remind beautifully of the amazing architecture used at the time of Portuguese rule.
The area of North Goa is also very popular for the amazing churches. No matter the spirituality beliefs, there’s a certain sense of calm that is experienced by one and all. Some well-known churches that are a must visit are the Mae De Deus Church known for its impeccable architecture, Reis Magos church, Church of Lady of Miracles, and church of Nossa Senhora. One very interesting Hindu temple to visit is the temple of Bogeshwara. A masterpiece in its own right, the temple offers a mesmerising charm that captivates your senses.

3.  For partying and entertainment

Goa and parties are synonymous to each other. From the upmarket crowd hangs of the Candolim area to the discos of the Baga- Calangute stretch, every night is a night to remember in goa.
While in Candolim, don’t forget to enjoy at SinQ beach club located right opposite Taj Holiday village and the LPK waterfront near Nerul market. Alongside the stretch between Baga and Calangute, you can enjoy Cape Town café, Cock’s Town beach shack, and Club Tito’s.




If your night stay is around the Vagator beach, don’t forget to pay a visit to the Hill Top. No, it’s not a mountain, it’s the most happening area for the perfect psy- trance parties. Some other names like the Club Cubana near Baga beach, Paradiso near Anjuna, and AZ.U.R. of Marriott resort are some of the most legendary names in Goa party circuit.

4.  For shopping

Shopping in goa is great fun but not when it’s about branded clothing and super stores. Goa shopping is all about hippie clothing, funky jewellery, and gothic accessories in a variety that’s hard to find anywhere else. You’ll love shopping here if you know the art of bargaining. Go to the Mapusa market and walk through the brilliant flavouring agents of the delicious Goanese cuisine. Yes, find delectable variety of spices, vintage, textiles, conventional handicrafts, Goan earthenware, exotic fruits, and more.
Another market bustling with tourists is the Anjuna flea market. Held every Wednesday, the place has amazing handicrafts, junk jewellery and accessories. Beware of the high prices and don’t buy without proper haggling. If earthen jewellery excites you, the Calangute market square will make you super happy. Buy a beer and a plate of fried prawns from one of the stalls and go on a shopping and leisure spree.

How to reach North Goa:
By Air - Fly from any main city of India to the Dabolim airport located at just 30kms from Panjim. From Panjim you can travel easily by taxi, rented vehicles or bus as well.

By Bus - KSRTC, MSRTC and KTC are the most well-known bus operators and are the ones who are almost always on time J. The private bus operators also operate from the major cities of North Goa.

By Train - For train, here are only two main station options Manmad which is the most famous one and Thivim. From here you can take taxis and reach to Panjim and other nearby cities within 1-3 hours’ time.

Planning your itinerary

While you may stay in North Goa for over a month and still won’t feel the need to go back home, ideally a period of 3-4 days are enough to enjoy the North side in a superficial way. If you have a week with you, you can even visit its off-beat destinations and can even make some local friends.

Almost, all the destinations of North Goa are within hours’ distance from each other. If you start from Panjim, Calangute is just 15kms, Candolim is 12.4kms, Aguda fort is 16.6kms along with many other destinations. The best way to enjoy North Goa is to start from its capital city Panjim. It is well connected and most populous too.

About Neha Singh:

A postgraduate in Mass Communications, Neha loves everything about life. Traveling is extremely close to her heart and writing came to her naturally.

An avid trekker & explorer, who often takes off some time from her busy life for mountaineering, she loves meeting new people & gets attached to their culture very easily. Her ambition is to explore as many places as she can in her life. She strongly believes in Gandhian principle – “simple living high thinking”.

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Dandeshwar Temple, Jageshwar Dham - Almora

Dandeshwar temple is where Lord Shiva stays with a staff and protects the region. Dandeshwar Shiv temple complex (दंडेश्वर मंदिर समूह) is situated slightly upstream, 1.9 km. from the Jageshwar temple complex and can be easily reached on foot from Jageshwar Dham. Jageshwar is a small pilgrimage town in Almora district, Uttarakhand. Lord Shiva resides in Jageshwar in form of Jyotirlinga, so Jageshwar is also popularly called as “Jageshwar Dham”, residence of Lord Shiva.

Temples at Jageshwar Dham are considered to be dated back to 9^th - 13^th Century and are being preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Out of all the temples in the Jageshwar Dham, Dandeshwar Temple is the biggest shrine. Dandeshwar temple complex is being restored by ASI, and the condition of the temples is improving gradually.

Last day of our stay at Jageshwar was solely dedicated to explore numerous nearby temples to Jageshwar main temples complex. After Vridh Jageshwar temple and Jhanker Sam temple, we started on a cosy walk along side the flowing water stream to enjoy the Dandeshwar temple. Occasionally we were also enjoying going down to the river bed. Word Dandeshwar is formed by coupling of Dand "Staff" and Eshwar "The God". In line with the meaning of staff; the Dandeshwar temple is so tall that you may risk a camp in your neck. It is believed that Lord Shiva resides in this temple with a staff and keep a guard over this region.

The stone lingam or the deity here is a natural uncut rock, which follows the local custom of worshipping the Gods in their natural divine form. There are some carvings also on the top of the dome.

There are several small shrines in the premises to ensure some interesting memories in lieu of valuable moments spent at Dandeshwar.

Bifurcated by a river stream flowing underneath the temple, the premises also present a beautiful scenic vista to the travellers.

Come here early morning to cherish the beautiful foggy appearance of this temple complex.

Situated at a distance of 36 km. from Almora town, in Kumaun region, temple town of Jageshwar consists of more than 500 small and large stone temples, spread across the town and on the flanking hills.

Simple yet elegant structures of these temples in the laps of mother nature along with some quiet moments will make up for a lifetime of memories. Dandeshwar temple can be easily reached by walk from Jageshwar Dham. Lets check the 360 degree view of the Dandeshwar Temple.


This was our last day of stay at Jageshwar Dham and next day was return back to Delhi. But we had to discover the Katarmal Sun Temple hidden in Almora Valleys. Check out the Route from Dandeshwar/ Jageshwar to Katarmal Temple. Return journey to Kathgodam still had excitement of discovering yet another offbeat destination.

Never knew Almora district has so many attractions to explore. Keep travelling Guys...

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