Which is the Best Beach for Water Sports in Goa?
To be honest, it isn’t easy to pick the best beach in Goa for water sports because all the beaches in Goa have exclusive water sports activities. Wouldn’t it be a disgrace to the land of sun, sand, and beach if it doesn’t have water adventures to entertain its visitors? Colva, Baga, Sinquerim, Dona Paula, Candolim, and Palolem are great for water sports in Goa. Read along if you are curious to know which among the list is comparatively the best for water sports.
1. Colva Beach – all-rounder of water sports
Colva beach, situated in South Goa, is a paradise for watersports in Goa. It is explicitly famous for its water sports activities such as parasailing, jet skiing, ringo ride, and banana ride. All these watersports have timings. You will get all the required water sports equipment and a life jacket on paying the ticket fare. Then an instructor will brief you on how it goes, give you a 15 minutes training, and will tell you when you should return. After all the talking, you can partake in the activity with a guide. Make sure you wear the appropriate outfit before signing in for water sports. The excellent service from instructors and guides is the best about Colva Beach. Maybe that’s what makes Colva the best beach for watersports in Goa.
Activity timings: 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM
2. Baga Beach – the best for scuba diving
Baga Beach, located in North Goa, embarks on fun watersports activities that elevate the tourists’ travel experience. It has scuba diving, banana ride, parasailing, speedboat, and jet skiing. Everything is well-managed in Baga Beach. You have an instructor and guide to help you throughout the activity. When safety is assured, you can enjoy it even better. While at the beach, stay till evening to enjoy the nightlife of Baga Beach, which is also amazing.
Activity timings: 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM
3. Calangute Beach – perfect for flyboarding
3 km away from Baga Beach is our next water sports destination in Goa, Calangute Beach. Calangute Beach’s captivating activities include the banana boat trip, bumper boat trip, pace boat trip, flyboarding, and parasailing. Flyboarding is the highlight of all. However, you can pick your favourite and enjoy your time playing in the water.
Activity timings: 09:30 AM to 05:30 PM
4. Sinquerim Beach – famous for boat rides
Next is Sinquerim Beach. Sinquerim Beach is one of the hidden beaches in Goa. It has a plethora of water sports for its visitors, from windsurfing, jet-skiing, parasailing, and scuba diving to fishing. Besides all these, the top-notch activity is boat excursion. The boat trips take you on snorkelling and dolphin watching.
Activity timings: 09:30 AM to 05:30 PM
5. Dona Paula Beach – apt for kayaking
Another beach with cheerful seaside sports is Dona Paula. Dona Paula is one of the places with Portugal’s influence in Goa. It attracts huge crowds to its major tourist attractions located nearby. Water sports such as the water-scooter ride, motorboat ride, snorkelling, and kayaking contribute to the number of visitors. That said, kayaking is the best in Dona Paula Beach. But the only worry is there aren’t wide varieties of sports here. More thrilling adventures like parasailing, jet-skiing, and flyboarding are not present. However, the nearby attractions like the National Institute of Oceanography, Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, and Cabo Fort compromise for the lack of watersports.
Activity timings: 10:30 AM to 05:00 PM
6. Candolim Beach – great for customised packages
Candolim Beach, located in South Goa, is also a beach suitable for water activities. It offers several water sports packages, making it even easier for tourists. Ayurvedic spas in Candolim Beach share the same hype as water sports activities. Cafe Candolim, located under the coconut palm shack, is delightful. It is one of the famous cafes in North Goa. Hence, a must-try!
Activity timings: 09:30 AM to 05:00 PM
7. Palolem Beach – the best of everything
Lastly, Palolem, a swim-friendly beach in Goa, tops the list with Colva Beach. Like Colva Beach, Palolem has impressive water sports activities like parasailing, speed boat, jet-ski, banana ride, and bumper ride. All these activities take place under the guidance of the trained instructor. Most of the instructors are locals in Palolem Beach, which I consider a plus. The locals are very friendly and helpful. They tell you which places in Goa are worth visiting and vice versa. A great input of local knowledge!
Activity timings: 10:00 AM to 05:30 PM
Tie between Colva Beach and Palolem Beach
To conclude, water sports activities are in every nook and corner of Goa. Amidst the innumerable picturesque seas in Goa, Colva Beach and Palolem Beach sweep the first floor in water sports activities. Both of these beaches are the best! Nevertheless, beaches such as Dona Paula, Candolim, Baga, Calangute, and Sinquerim offer speechless water adventures too. Hence, you can visit any beach from the list to accelerate your solo travel experience by participating in adrenaline-boosting water adventures.
That said, the overall cost for the water sports package comes to Rs. 2000. It will not exceed Rs. 2000. The price may sound reasonable, but it is time oriented. So, if you want to experience all watersports, Rs. 2000 is a good deal. But if you want to spend more time on an activity, you should probably choose an individual package.
For all the insights into Goa, check out my article on the ultimate solo travel guide to Goa.