Adventure Activities in Goa

Goa is the best alternative to the mountains for anyone looking for adventure and adrenaline in India. The options for Goa adventure activities are almost endless, and include water sports, go-karting, scuba diving and snorkeling, hiking, fishing, and dolphin sightseeing trips.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in Goa

Goa has some excellent scuba diving sites around Grand Island, including Suzy’s Wreck, Davy Jones Locker, Shelter Cove, Umma Gumma Reef, and Bounty Bay. For good snorkeling in Goa, you’ll need to take a day trip to places such as Grand Island. You’ll be able to see some fascinating marine life. The best months are from November to April. The highly regarded Barracuda Diving at the Goa Marriot in Panaji runs certified scuba diving courses, and snorkeling and scuba diving and trips. Daily dive trips are around $60, and snorkeling $25. There’s also another diving club, Goa Diving, at Bogmalo Beach.

Water Sports in Goa - Goa Water Sports Operators

From initially only being available at five star hotels, water sports are now on offer at beaches all over Goa. You can choose from parasailing, jet skiing, waterskiing, wake boarding, kite surfing, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, and banana rides. Prices vary but you can expect to pay around $20-40 for para sailing, $25 for jet skiing, $5-10 for a banana ride, $15 for windsurfing, $35 for water skiing, and $40 for kite surfing and wake boarding. One of the biggest operators is Atlantis Water Sports on Calangute Beach. The National Institute of Water Sports in Panjim gives short training courses in many water sports.

Fishing in Goa - Goa Fishing Tours

Catching a huge fish can provide quite a thrill and fishing trips are growing in popularity in Goa. Fishing is best in the early morning and late afternoon, and from mid October to mid December in Goa. John’s Boat Tours in Candolim runs fishing trips for 795 rupees ($20) on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Goa-Fishing, based in Dona Paula, is operated by a licensed commercial/sports fisherman and provides a range of more expensive trips for serious fishers. These include fishing on the shore, full day deep sea fishing expeditions, and spear fishing off the reefs of Grand Island and Bat Island.

Dolphin and Crocodile Sightseeing in Goa - Goa Dolphin Sightseeing Tours

Dolphin (and crocodile!) spotting is a popular tourist activity in Goa. The best time is from October until May, while the monsoon isn’t around. Most boat cruises leave from near the mouth of the Mandovi River near Panaji. John’s Boat Tours is a reliable operator based in Candolim and they run dolphin trips on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays for 795 rupees ($20). Crocodile trips run on Thursdays and Sundays and cost 995 rupees ($25). The price includes Goan food and beer.

Trekking and Camping in Goa - Goa Trekking and CampingTrips

October to December is the perfect time to go trekking in Goa. The Goa Hiking Association in Panaji organizes a major trekking program in October each year. The Goa Branch of the Youth Hostel Association of India also runs Trekking Expeditions and Family Camping trips in Goa every December. Some recommended places to trek and hike to include the Sahyadri Hills, Devils Canyon and the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary in Mollem, the Chandrasurya Temple in Netravali (2 hours south of Panaji), and the Kuveshi Falls to Castle Rock just over the border in Karnataka state.

Go-Karting in Goa

Go-karting is the latest craze in Goa. The best place for go-karting in Goa is located on the Panaji-Margao Highway at Nuvem, in south Goa. The track there is almost 500 meters long (0.3 miles), with lots of twists. Average speeds of 70 kilometers per hour (44 miles per hour) are common. The other go-karting track in Goa is at Arpora, just north of Baga and Calangue Beaches in north Goa, near Ingo’s night market. The track there is only just over 300 meters (0.2 miles) long, and it’s a much easier course. Expect to pay around 150 rupees ($3.50) for 12 laps. It’s open until 10 p.m.