10 offbeat things to do in Goa

A guided paddle along the narrow creeks of the Chorao wetlands, among mangroves, wading birds and crabs.

Mangrove kayaking only works around high tide, when there is enough water in the channels, so the start time moves from day to day and the operator sets it. On some days the tide falls too early or too late and the trip simply does not run.

The kayaks are sit-on-top boats and a short briefing comes first, so no experience is needed. You will be low in the water and in the sun for a couple of hours; a hat and water matter more than anything else you bring.

• Area: Chorao island, about 20 minutes from Panjim
• Time needed: Half a day, including the briefing
• Best season: Mid-October to mid-May, when the operator runs trips
• How to do it: Book with a guided operator; timing follows the tide

Source: Adventure Breaks: Chorao mangrove kayaking, Make It Happen: backwater kayaking

Goa's mangrove bird sanctuary, reached by a short government ferry from Ribandar and best seen from the water.

The sanctuary was set up by the forest department to protect the mangroves on Chorao. Local boatmen take visitors into the shallow creeks by canoe, and the forest department runs a small boat at high tide.

At low tide much of it cannot be reached by boat, and the canoes get further than the larger craft. Birds are most active early in the morning and towards sunset, and the migrants are here in the cooler months.

• Area: Chorao island; ferry from Ribandar, about 15 minutes from Panjim
• Time needed: Two to three hours
• Best season: October to March, for migratory birds
• How to do it: Ferry from Ribandar, then a canoe or the forest department boat

Source: GTDC: Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

A government ferry from Old Goa to a river island of quiet lanes, paddy and old houses, with the crossing as half the point.

The River Navigation Department runs the Old Goa to Piedade crossing throughout the day and late into the night, and the ferry carries foot passengers and scooters as well as cars. Take a scooter across and the loop of the island takes under an hour.

There is very little to buy on Divar and few places to eat, so bring water. Combine it with the churches at Old Goa, which are next to the ferry point.

• Area: Ferry point near Old Goa, 25–30 minutes from Panjim
• Time needed: Two to three hours
• Best season: October to March; mornings, before the heat
• How to do it: Government ferry from Old Goa, ideally with a scooter

Source: River Navigation Department: Old Goa to Piedade, River Navigation Department: services

Panjim's old Latin Quarter on foot, either alone in an hour or with a guide who explains the houses, chapel and bakeries.

The neighbourhood is only a few blocks, and most of what is worth seeing, including the Chapel of St Sebastian and the Phoenix spring at its edge, is a short walk apart. A self-guided hour is enough to see it.

A guided walk adds the history and the people behind the houses. At least one operator runs them year-round, including in the monsoon, with morning and evening slots.

• Area: Fontainhas, Panjim
• Time needed: One hour alone; about two and a half hours guided
• Best season: Year-round; early morning or evening
• How to do it: Walk it yourself, or book a guided walk

Source: Make It Happen: Fontainhas heritage walk, The Revolving Compass: self-guided walk

Watching Goa's cashew spirit being made on a farm, from the fruit to the pot still, during the short season when it is actually distilled.

Feni is made only while cashew apples are being harvested, roughly March to May. Outside those months you can taste it, but you will not see a still running.

Goa Heritage Distillery, on the edge of Bhagwan Mahavir National Park, runs a seasonal trail through the harvest and distillation. Soul Travelling runs a riverside tasting at a farm in Rivona in the same window. Both are booked in advance.

• Area: Rivona and the Bhagwan Mahavir fringe, eastern South Goa
• Time needed: Half a day, including the drive
• Best season: March to May, the distilling season
• How to do it: Book ahead with a distillery or tasting operator

Source: Goa Heritage Distillery, Soul Travelling: feni tasting in Rivona

A small stepped tank beside the Gopinath temple where bubbles rise steadily from the bed, and more of them, locals say, when you clap.

Budbudyachi Tali is a temple tank rather than a lake in any scenic sense: a granite-stepped pond fed by springs. Nobody has settled what causes the bubbles. It takes a few minutes to see, so it works best as part of a day in the Netravali and Sanguem countryside.

It is about 50 km from Margao, and the roads have been improved, with parking added at the site. This is a place of worship, so dress and behave accordingly.

• Area: Netravali, about an hour from Margao
• Time needed: Under an hour at the site; a half day with the drive
• Best season: October to March, or the monsoon for the green
• How to do it: Self-drive or a hired car

Source: GTDC: Netravali Lake (Budbudyanche Taley), Travel Goa: Budbud Tali

Marked forest trails and tall watchtowers over waterholes in Goa's southernmost sanctuary, half an hour from Palolem.

The sanctuary has several watchtowers raised about 25 metres above the ground, looking over waterholes, and trails ranging from a few hundred metres to around 5 km. Animals come to drink at dawn and dusk, which is when the towers are worth climbing.

Large mammals are rarely seen. Birds, butterflies and quiet forest are the realistic reward. The forest department manages the sanctuary and handles any overnight stay.

• Area: Canacona, about 30 minutes inland from Palolem
• Time needed: Half a day
• Best season: October to March; early morning
• How to do it: Go independently; entry is ticketed at the gate

Source: Goa Forest Department: Cotigao, GTDC: Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary

A seventeenth-century mansion running the length of Chandor's village square, still lived in and shown by members of the family.

The house is split into two wings held by different branches of the family, and each is shown separately. The west wing has a library of several thousand books; the east wing has its own collection and a private chapel.

There is no government funding. Visitors pay a contribution towards upkeep, and recent reviews say both the condition of the rooms and the quality of the tour vary.

• Area: Chandor, about 10 km east of Margao
• Time needed: One to two hours
• Best season: Year-round; it is indoors
• How to do it: Turn up; a family member or representative shows you round

Source: Holidify: Braganza House, Tripadvisor: Menezes Braganza House

A tall seasonal waterfall with a viewing park, and a set of sixth-century rock-cut caves protected by the Archaeological Survey of India a short way off.

The falls are worth seeing only in and just after the monsoon. By the dry months the flow drops to a trickle. The GTDC park has railings for viewing, and the Rudreshwar temple sits just above the falls.

The caves are small, so ten or fifteen minutes is enough, and there are no facilities at the site. They make sense as a stop on the way rather than a destination.

• Area: Sanquelim, about 30 km from Panjim
• Time needed: Two hours for both
• Best season: August to October, while the falls are running
• How to do it: Self-drive or a hired car

Source: Holidify: Arvalem Waterfalls, Tripadvisor: Harvalem Caves

A short boat ride from Palolem or Agonda to a small cove backed by forest, often combined with a morning dolphin trip.

There is no road down to Butterfly Beach. Most people come by boat, and a few trek through the forest with a local guide. Morning trips from Palolem often look for dolphins on the way.

The cove is small and has no shade, food or toilets. Visitors report strong currents and rocky patches, and on shared trips boats may give you only a short time ashore. Recent reviews also mention crowds and litter in peak season.

• Area: Boats from Palolem or Agonda beach
• Time needed: Two to three hours
• Best season: October to May, when the sea is calmer
• How to do it: Book a boat on the beach or through a registered operator

Source: Goa Tourism Hotels: Butterfly Beach boat trip, Tripadvisor: Butterfly Beach