A Perfect 3 Day Stay in Goa

If you are like most tourists visiting Goa, you have limited time but would like to see as many things as possible and make the most out of your vacation. Many tourists to Goa are repeat visitors who visit Goa once every few years. These are people from the neighboring states of Maharastra, Gujarat, Karnataka and AP. If I were to visit Goa multiple times, I will spend a 2-3 day vacation each in different parts of Goa and enjoy various beaches spread all throughout North & South Goa. Or else if you have a weeks time, you can afford to do that. Otherwise, if you want to make you trip more fun, you should focus on only some of the most important tourist attractions in Goa, stay somewhere centrally or in one of the Goa hotels near the beach (here is a full list of hotels in Goa) and be content with it. This is exactly what I will be talking about in the rest of this article.

Stay Near Calangute Beach and Tour Goa

Here is what I would do in my Goa trip if I had just 3 days. Stay in a nice hotels in Calangute with whatever my budget permits. Enjoy the Calangute Beach and cover  a few other nearby beaches like the Baga Beach a few kms north and Anjuna Beach further north and the Candolim beach on the south. I may avoid too many beaches and focus on spending quality time in 1-2 beaches. All of these Goa beaches are very close to each other. Anjuna is supposed to be the most popular of the Goa beaches but equally crowded. If you are young and want to experience Goa night life, Anjuna is a good place to be. I would spend an entire day at Panjim - the most popular city in Goa. Two things I would definitely like to do while at Panjim is visit the old town in Panjim to experience Goa's culture and see the Bon Jesus Basilica church / cathedral. Both will showcase the rich Portugese background of Goa. Enjoy a nice lunch in one of the local restaurants in the main town. If you like non vegetarian food, one must try Goa sea food delicacies such as Goan Fish Cury - simple and will make your trip memorable. Plan on getting back to Calangute and have dinner at your hotel or a nearby restaurant after changing at the hotel. The third day can be spent doing other activities such as para sailing, boating, evening carnival cruise with music and dance, para sailing or driving around in a rental motercycle. See 7 Things to Do in Goa for a list of other things to do in Goa.

Hotels in Goa 

Among the good hotels in Goa, Delta Residency is a popular 3 star hotel located in Calangute Beach (just 0.5 km from the beach). The hotel is family friendly and has a decent swimming pool. It provides A/C deluxe rooms for about Rs. 2600 per night and facilities include clean rooms and bathrooms, fresh towels, hot shower and a hygienic kitchen serving good food in a simple yet elegant restaurant. Another good hotel for those that are price conscious yet need a clean space near the beach can go for Ticlo Resort (Rs. 1000). Here is a full list of hotels in Goa near Calangute beach. It has exact distance of about 25 hotels from the beach.

Graciano Cottages in among the most affordable and popular hotels near Colva Beach. Hotel is just 0.2 kms from the beach and provides comfortable rooms and a green space for its guests. Hotel offers complimentary internet service and has a good restaurant. Here is a list of hotels in Goa near Colva beach.

Other things to consider for longer stays is a trip to one of the many Goa Wildlife Sanctuaries. Find out more about Goa.

Enjoy your Goa trip!

If you have been to Goa, I would love to hear your experience.