When I make references to going left or right down a beach that is based upon looking towards the ocean. In other words, left is South and right is North.

North Goa

Querim (Keri)​

This beach is in the far North of Goa. Keri Beach is very small and secluded. There are only a handful of restaurants in the town. I walked left along the beach and climbed some rocks which lead to a trail. Continuing along the trail gave me great aerial views of the coastline.

Eventually I reached Kalacha beach and inland from this beach is Sweet Lake. This freshwater lake is calm and peaceful and perfect for a dip. There is a trail going along the lake that leads to tiny Waterfalls. An unwanted guide broke off a bit of clay from a rock and ground it up. It created a mud mixture that is​ ​perfect for exfoliation. From there I discovered the Banyan tree, maze game and a sacred tree where people sit and meditate for many months of the winter. My guide told me that during the peak season the river is full of people massaging mud into one another and that under the banyan trees people pass a chillum around. This hike was one of my favorite things I did in Goa.

I stayed at Dreamcatcher hostel. It had a fun vibe with trippy art and locals smoking herb in the lobby. However, to simply use the kitchen to cook your own food is 150 rupees (per meal). You can go to a restaurant and get a huge meal for 120 rupees. Also, the WiFi is a hotspot on the owner’s phone which is usually turned off.

Arambol

This beach actually had some energy which was surprising compared to most of my other experiences in Goa. A line of beach bars were open, with tables on the sand and psy-trance music playing. While walking to the right along the beach I came across some colorful houses and some interesting rocks half in the sea. These rocks were fun to climb and gave me a great view of the waves hitting the shore behind me.

Also on this side of the beach is a trail leading to Arambol mountain. When walking to the left along the Beach I came to a seemingly endless amount of coast. The sand is black and fun to draw designs in. The farther left I went, the less crowded it became which was perfect for a relaxing beach day.

I stayed at Namastay Hostel which had a lot of potential. The owner told me they have an outdoor seating area and live music when the season starts. The WiFi was extremely fast. However, due to the moldy monsoon season the rooms were very unhygienic.

Morjim​

This beach is an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Nesting Site and each January Sea Turtles come here to lay eggs. When I walked to the left the beach curved in as a river reached the ocean. This curve in the beach had the most peaceful and calm waters. I usually couldn’t swim in the rough monsoon waves but in this river water I was finally able to have a proper beach day.

When I walked along the right side of the beach I came across some ​aesthetic roc​ks and a cross jutting out of the water.

I stayed at Wanderers Hostel which had very clean rooms and a swimming pool. The WiFi was spotty but better than nothing. They had AC and let me print a document for free so I would definitely recommend this place!

Anjuna​

Anjuna has my heart as far as Goa goes. I finally experienced a touch of the psychedelic Goa experience while staying at Wonderland Hostel. This place has its own trippy atmosphere with nightly psy-trance sessions. All of the guests here were so open-minded and ready to mingle. I’d 100% recommend staying here.

The beach was quite small. The water ran up into the walls that jut out to hold bars and restaurants. It was hard to walk the beach during high tide. There was definitely no place to put out your towel and relax. However, when I walked all the way down the left side of the beach past Curlie’s Bar and climbed over the rocks, I discovered a secluded beach. There were so many rocks sticking out of the water that it broke the waves and there were tiny rivers and tide pools I could swim in. This secret spot redeems Anjuna’s main beach and gives it the title of the best place to stay for both the beach and the vibe.

Mid Goa

Colva​

Everyone told me not to go here, saying it would be too crowded and that only Indians go here. Seeing as it was the Monsoon “crowded” only meant that things were opened. Restaurants, grocery stores, spice stalls, and clothing huts were all actually opened giving this place a vibrant feel.

The beach is long in both directions and I enjoyed walking down it. However, it was at this beach that people started pestering me for selfies which quickly became the bane of my existence. A few kilometers to the left brought me to Benaulim Beach which had some nice beach bars and less people.

I stayed at Casa Colva which had a dorm room. The owner was extremely nice and helpful. They allowed me to cook in the kitchen and use their water filter. I got the dorm room to myself and my only complaint would be that the wifi was a personal hotspot on the owner’s phone.

South Goa

Palolem​

I heard from many people that this is the best beach of Goa. Apparently it has the best parties and it is the destination spot of all the Goan beaches. In season, there is a silent disco that Palolem is famous for. However, during the monsoon this may have been the least happening beach I went to. Everything was covered in tarps with palm tree prongs strapped around buildings. There were a few restaurants and general stores open but nobody played music. The beach was fine. I had to go to the far right to swim in the designated lifeguard area.

I walked past that area and discovered some rocks jutting out of the sand and one had the most realistic shark face design. I continue past that and there were many rocks to climb that made a great spot for watching the sunset. My friends and I crossed the small ocean path (during low tide) and made it to Kanika island jutting off the tip of Palolem. There was a sign saying “guard dogs keep out” but we hiked the entire island and didn’t see a thing. We discovered a rock with a plaque stating that it was ancient. There were some closed down buildings that could possibly be bars or restaurants during the season.

When walking South which is down the left side of the beach, I found the more​ ​quiet and secluded beaches of Colomb, Patnem and Rajbag. However, my favorite thing I did while staying in Palolem was hiking to Butterfly Beach. Even though the town of Palolem was dead during the monsoon, the nearby town of Canacona had many supermarkets and shops in which I could find anything I needed.

For a short while I volunteered at RoadHouse Hostel. The WiFi was extremely fast. This hostel attracted cool guests and the art on the walls was unique. If you book the private room you can see a dragon that I painted.

Butterfly Beach​

Only 4 km from Palolem, it is possible to walk here, though I decided to take a bus. I took the bus headed towards Agonda and got out at Leopard Valley. From there I followed a dirt road that eventually turned into a tiny path. There were no trail markers so I’d suggest downloading an offline map to help you find your way. Eventually I heard the waves and before I knew it I emerged onto a private beach. There were huge rock walls on each side of the beach making it inaccessible for anybody too lazy to hike for 45 minutes.

Dudhsagar Waterfall​

This technically isn’t a beach though​ ​many people do​ ​want to see this wildlife sanctuary while in Goa. Unfortunately, that might not be possible if you come during the monsoon. My friends and I planned to go and despite our best efforts we were only able to watch the falls pass by from outside of a train window. We took a train from Palolem to Margao and then transferred, boarding a train headed towards Castle Rock. The station we were supposed to get out at was closed due to somebody drowning in the flooded falls. We randomly ended up stranded in Castle Rock until a train returned to Margao many hours later.

Here I will rank my impression of the beaches (based on the monsoon)

1. Anjuna ​(This is based on the vibe. During the season when everything has a good vibe, this may be less relevant)
2. Morjim​ (There was literally no night life. I just really liked the spot where the river met the ocean)
3. Keri​ (This is here ONLY because of Sweet Lake otherwise it would be after Palolem and Arambol)
4. Palolem​ (This is here because of Butterfly Beach otherwise Arambol would be before it)
5. Arambol
6. Colva