Goa travel tips I'd give any friend before they arrive
The small rules and courtesies that make a first trip to Goa easier and kinder, from what to wear into a church to why the sea closes in the monsoon.
On this page
In short
- Cover shoulders and knees in churches and temples, take your shoes off at temples and ask before photographing people or taking photos inside.
- Uber and Ola don't operate in Goa, so book taxis on GoaMiles. UPI works almost everywhere, but I'd keep cash for markets and small shops.
- Swim only between the lifeguards' flags. The sea is closed for swimming through the monsoon, and swimming at waterfalls, rivers and lakes is banned for about 60 days from late June.
- Drinking or cooking in the open on beaches, and littering, can attract fines. Outdoor music stops at 10 PM in Anjuna and Vagator, and casinos are for over 21s with photo ID.
- 2 October is a dry day across Goa. The emergency number is 112.
The things that catch first-timers out in Goa are small ones: what to wear into a church, why there's no Uber, where you may swim and what you can't do on a beach. None of them is hard, and knowing them makes Goa easier for you and kinder to the people who live here.
I host guests in Siolim, and most of what follows is already in the guide they receive, from the rules of the sea to the number to save. Here it is for anyone, grouped by the moment you'll need it.
Churches, temples and village manners
Cover shoulders and knees at churches and temples. They're places of worship first, so take your shoes off before entering a temple, keep your voice low during services and ask before taking photos inside. At Old Goa's churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site, go early and dress modestly.
Ask before you photograph people, especially in villages and markets. Goa's old houses are homes, not museums, so admire them from the lane. In Panjim's Fontainhas, people live behind those ochre, blue and green walls, so keep your voice down, even at first light.
Learn a few words of Konkani, the local language. I put four in the guide I give guests, and the first of them explains a great deal about Goa.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Susegad | The Goan art of unhurried contentment |
| Dev borem korum | Thank you. Literally, may God do you good |
| Poder | The village baker who cycles by each morning |
| Balcão | The shaded front porch of an old Goan house |
Money, taxis and scooters
Pay by UPI, but carry some cash. UPI works almost everywhere, and GoaMiles takes it in the app. Keep some cash for markets and small shops, and for the coves and islands, which have few shops and where some paths charge a small fee. The government river ferries are free for foot passengers and two-wheelers.
Book taxis on GoaMiles, because Uber and Ola don't operate in Goa. Download GoaMiles, Goa's own taxi app, before you land (Android or iPhone), or use the taxi counters at the airports. My piece on getting around Goa covers the rest, from buses to ferries.
On a scooter, carry your licence, always wear a helmet and never ride after drinks. Take a taxi home instead. A scooter is the local way to explore, but village roads are narrow and dark at night, with cattle and dogs on them, so slow down after dark.
Swimming, the sea and the seasons
Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, between their flags. The guide I give guests says it plainly: currents can be strong on calm-looking days. Some quieter beaches, such as Querim at Goa's northern tip and Kakolem in the south, have no lifeguards at all, so take extra care there and keep out of river mouths. My piece on the best beaches in Goa runs the coast from north to south.
In the monsoon, the water is closed. The sea is closed for swimming from June to September, and district orders ban swimming at waterfalls, rivers and lakes for about 60 days from late June. You can still visit a waterfall; you can't go in. Bring a light rain jacket: some shacks close, but the forests and falls are at their best, as my piece on Goa in the monsoon shows.
Book water sports only with registered operators. Sea sports run from October to May, from 8 AM to sunset. Use only operators registered with Goa Tourism, who carry photo ID. Always wear a life jacket. Paragliding was suspended after an accident in January 2025, so fly only with an operator who can show Goa Tourism registration, and book activities through LetsGoa, the booking site I trust.
Beaches and nights out
Leave the beach as you found it. Littering, and drinking or cooking in the open on beaches, can attract fines, so take your rubbish back with you. On the turtle beaches, Galgibaga among them, nests are cordoned: keep clear, and no bright lights after dark.
Outdoor music stops at 10 PM in Anjuna and Vagator, so late nights move indoors. Entry charges, dress codes and opening nights change often, so check a venue's page before you go. My picks are in Goa nightlife.
Casinos are for over 21s, with photo ID. Deltin Royale and Big Daddy float on the Mandovi in Panjim. Gaming needs original photo ID, entry is by package and men can't wear shorts, sleeveless tops or flip-flops.
Heat, dry days and emergencies
Plan your day around the midday sun. It's strong, so start early, rest through the middle of the day and carry water. At Rivara, I ask guests to refill their bottles from the RO purifier. Quiet corners are at their best before 9 AM, and Old Goa's churches before the heat and the crowds.
Plan sunsets with care too. Chapora Fort is under restoration until about December 2026 and entry can close around 5:30 PM, and Cabo de Rama's gates close at 5:30 PM, so watch the sun go down from the open cliffs nearby.
Remember that 2 October is a dry day. Goa declares Gandhi Jayanti a dry day, and in 2024 and 2025 the state's notice closed every premises selling liquor for the day, whether bottles to take away or drinks to have there. If you arrive in early October, plan around it.
Save 112, and know the nearest hospital. The emergency number in Goa is 112, for police, fire and ambulance. In the north, St. Anthony's hospital is in Anjuna, near the petrol pump. Both are in the guide every guest of mine receives, and I'd save them before you need them.
Most of it comes back to the first word on that Konkani list, susegad. Slow down, cover your shoulders, swim between the flags and let Goa do the rest.
Questions people ask
That Uber and Ola don't operate, so you'll book taxis on GoaMiles, and that UPI works almost everywhere but cash helps at markets. Cover shoulders and knees in churches and temples, and swim only between the lifeguards' flags, never in the monsoon. Don't drink or cook in the open on beaches, which can attract fines.
The main ones: no littering, drinking or cooking in the open on beaches; outdoor music stops at 10 PM in Anjuna and Vagator; casinos are for over 21s with original photo ID. Sea sports run only October to May, 8 AM to sunset, with registered operators, and swimming at waterfalls, rivers and lakes is banned for about 60 days from late June. On a scooter, carry your licence, wear a helmet and never ride after drinks.
Not in the open: drinking or cooking in the open on beaches can attract fines, as can littering. Have your drink at a shack or restaurant instead, and take a taxi home.
Yes. Goa declares Gandhi Jayanti, 2 October, a dry day, and in 2024 and 2025 every premises selling liquor, in bottles or by the glass, closed across the state for the day. Plan your evening around it.
112, for police, fire and ambulance. In the north, St. Anthony's hospital is in Anjuna, near the petrol pump. Save both before you need them.
Light clothes for the heat, plus something that covers shoulders and knees for churches and temples. From June to September, add a light rain jacket. For the casinos, men can't wear shorts, sleeveless tops or flip-flops.
Sources and checks
- The House of Nivak guest guide (facts checked 27 Sep 2026)
- Department of Information and Publicity, Goa: dry day on 2 October 2025
- Department of Information and Publicity, Goa: dry day on 2 October 2024
- River Navigation Department, Goa: ferry routes and tolls
- GoaMiles on Google Play (Android)
- GoaMiles on the App Store (iPhone)
Opening days, prices and seasonal rules change. I check them before every update; please confirm anything time-sensitive before you go.
