You can spend three days in Goa, visiting its beaches, forts, cathedrals, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries, and islands. Yes, you can cover all these distinctive tourist destinations in three days. Let me help you jot down the ultimate Goa 3 days itinerary.

Day 1 in Goa

Chapora Fort and Vagator Beach

On day one, head to Anjuna Beach and rent a room there. Afterward, you can go to Chapora Fort, located on Vagator Beach. The fort gives you a stunning eagle of Vagator Beach.

Calangute Beach

Then move to Calangute Beach. Calangute Beach flourishes with water sports activities in Goa. Every kind of watersport will be available, from flyboarding to parasailing. That said, Calangute Beach is one of the swim-friendly beaches in Goa. Hence it is the one-stop destination to satisfy your adventure needs. You can have lunch at one of the shacks or restaurants here.

Aguada Fort and Candolim Beach

After that, go to Candolim Beach. Candolim Beach offers plausible massage and spa centres. You can make use of this good service. Apart from that, one of the famous forts of Goa, Aguada, is situated here. You shouldn’t miss seeing this fort because it is the oldest fort in Asia. Not only that, the fort has secret underground passages and prison compartments that date back to the 17th century.

Mandovi river cruise

Try to cover these sightseeing locations by 6:00 PM and drive 30 minutes from Candolim Beach to reach the Mandovi river. Since you are shifting places from Vagator to Candolim Beach, it is best to rent a bike. However, taxis are also not complainable. Uber is available in Goa. That said, Mandovi river’s signature attraction is its cruise parties. It is one of the places offering the best cruises in Goa. They happen for one hour every day. Take part in the cruise party to have an exciting experience. Reis Magos Fort is situated in the Mandovi river. If time allows, you can explore that as well.

Shopping at Anjuna Beach and partying at Baga Beach

If not, head back to Anjuna Flea Market in Anjuna Beach to shop for unique souvenirs from Goa. For the night, visit Tito’s club in Baga Beach or any party place to discover the nightlife of Goa. Nevertheless, parties are not the only answer to nightlife in Goa. You can stay on the beach till the morning on the beaches of Goa to explore the nightlife. With that ended the day one exploration.

Day 2 in Goa

Dudhsagar Waterfalls

Start day two by taking a one-hour and thirty minutes trip to the South of Goa. More specifically, head to the Dudhsagar Waterfalls, one of the majestic cascading waterfalls of Goa. You have a thrilling trekking route awaiting there. You can either trek or directly reach the waterfall through a jeep safari.

Mollem National Park 

In both cases, you can manage it by the afternoon. So, after that, go to Mollem National Park, also known as Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary. Dudhsagar Waterfalls comes in the territory of Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary only. A walk through the Mollem National Park reinvents the picturesque beauty of nature with its evergreen plants and blue valleys. The area reserved as a bird sanctuary is a delightful sight. Make sure you click beautiful pictures of the scenery. This will take your time till evening. 

Panjim Local Market

After that, head to the old city of Goa. The buzzing streets of the old city are not short of reasonable markets. For example, Panjim local market is a great place to go shopping.

Although you have visited only two places, you must be tired because of the walking and travelling. Travelling from Mollem National Park to Old Goa will consume another one hour. Hence, head to Panjim Market to explore the shops. Have dinner and go to sleep. That will be all for day two in Goa.

Day 3 in Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus

On day three, you will be in the old city of Goa. First, go to the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Bainguinim. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is the oldest church and a place of Portugal’s influence in Goa. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and a pilgrimage for christians. The church is a lively beauty of Portuguese architecture with inscriptions in Latin and Portuguese and splendid paintings of Dom Martin Basilica. While you are at the cathedral, pay a visit to another significant tourist location- the tomb of St. Francis Xavier.

Se Cathedral

In close vicinity is another popular cathedral called Se Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Catherine, a martyr. The cathedral houses her crown and jewels. Something worth noting is the cathedral’s golden bell, the world’s largest and oldest bell with amending music.

Chorao Island & Salim Bird Sanctuary 

After that, go to Chorao Island, located in the Mandovi river. Chorao Island, which contains the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, is a must-visit place in South Goa. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary needs no explanation. It is a popular bird sanctuary in India. If you visit at the right season, a pristine experience is assured.

Beaches in South Goa

Then go to any beaches in South Goa—Benaulim, Colva, Agonda, and Palolem are some famous beaches in South Goa. These beaches are all near each other. So, you can visit them and end your three days in the hallmark setting of Goa.

Enjoy the best of everything in Goa in three days!

In a nutshell, you can make the most of everything in Goa in just three days. Divine cathedrals, archaic forts, majestic waterfalls, mesmerising nature scenery, midnight parties, cruises, beaches—we covered everything. If you don’t want to fall short of any experience on your, stick with my plan. If you find this useful, consider the budget as the next step. Read my blog post on “Goa on a budget” for help.

You can also look into my ultimate solo travel guide to Goa if it’s you are travelling solo in this tropical state.