India’s Best Beach Destinations
Discover India’s best beach destinations, from laid back Goa and Kerala to secluded Gokarna and the tropical Andaman Islands.
There’s a lot to take in when you travel around India. Busy cities, ancient temples, chaotic markets, spectacular scenery. It’s brilliant, but it can be overwhelming. After a week or two travelling around, a few days by the beach is a welcome change of pace to let everything you’ve seen and done sink in.
The good news is that you don’t need to leave the country to experience some great beach resorts. With over 11,000km of coastline, there is plenty to choose from whether you want a bit of nightlife, complete serenity or something a bit off the beaten track. For India’s west-coast beaches, the best time to go is from October to March, which is also great for exploring the rest of India too. The Andamans have a slightly longer season, with the driest and most popular time to visit between November and May.
Here’s our guide to the best places to finish an exciting India multi centre holiday with a bit of beachside R&R.
For a simple, beautiful and more luxurious beach stay, South Goa is ideal. The beaches are long, clean and reasonably quiet and there’s still enough going on if you’re the type of person who gets itchy feet after a couple of days on a sun lounger. And, like the whole of this coast, it faces west, so the sunsets are beautiful.
Cavelossim offers the classic beach resort type holiday and is home to some of Goa’s most luxurious 5-star hotels. Its white sand contrasts beautifully against the black lava rocks, and it’s one of the cleanest and calmest stretches of coast in Goa. Its location, with the Sal River running parallel behind the beach, means you have the sea on one side and backwater on the other. A boat trip up the Sal is a must-do, gliding through mangroves full of birdlife with a chance of spotting dolphins near the river mouth.
Palolem, located further south, boasts a perfect crescent bay backed by swaying palm trees and jungle, with calm, shallow water that’s great for swimming. Head out on a boat trip to nearby coves such as Butterfly Beach and Honeymoon Beach or spend a day at Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary. Palolem is also home to a seasonal silent disco at Neptune Point. With great DJs and a beach to dance on, it makes for a really fun evening.
Agonda is a good option if you want to flop, drop and do very little. It offers a 3km stretch of wide, quiet sand, dotted with yoga schools and laid-back beach shacks serving fresh seafood and cold beer. It’s also an important Olive Ridley turtle-nesting beach, with conservation measures in place. The sea can get rough here though, with a sharp drop close to shore, so it’s not best suited to families or unconfident swimmers.
If you’re looking for high-energy water sports and a buzzing nightlife, North Goa is the place. It’s where the hippie trail ended up in the 1960s and is the birthplace of India’s beach party scene. It’s also one of the better-value beach spots on the Indian coastline.
Calangute is one of the longest beaches in North Goa and has been nicknamed the Queen of Beaches for decades. It runs straight into Baga to the north, and between the two you’ll find every water sport going, from parasailing and jet skis to banana boats. There are hundreds of beachside shacks and restaurants too, where you can pull up a chair and enjoy a cold drink with your feet in the sand. After dark, Baga comes alive, with Tito’s Lane at the heart of its lively bar and club scene. For a spot of culture, Fort Aguada is a short drive away. Built by the Portuguese in 1612, it has excellent views along the coast, and the old Aguada Central Jail below it is now a fascinating museum telling the story of Goa’s independence struggle.
Anjuna, with its red cliffs, rocky coves and flea markets, is the hippiest of the bunch. Its beach shacks were the birthplace of Goa’s famous trance parties, and the weekly flea market has been running since the 1970s. The Saturday night market at nearby Arpora is more atmospheric though, with live music stages, street food stalls and hundreds of traders.
Vagator is the prettiest of North Goa’s beaches, with dramatic cliffs dropping to small sandy coves. Chapora Fort, which you can get to via a short, steep climb, overlooks it all and offers one of the best sunsets in Goa. Little Vagator (Ozran) is another nice beach along this stretch, with some great clifftop restaurants and bars.
If you’re touring South India, including Kochi, Munnar and a houseboat trip through the Alleppey backwaters, Kerala is the perfect choice, as its beaches sit within easy reach of it all. The coast here feels very different to Goa. It’s greener, gentler, and much more about Ayurveda and slow mornings than nightlife. October to March offers the calmest seas, but currents can be strong along this coast.
Kovalam is the most developed resort, great for families and one of the closest Kerala beaches to the main airport. It consists of three crescent coves: Lighthouse Beach, named after the Vizhinjam lighthouse above it, busier Hawa Beach just north, and quieter Samudra beyond. It’s one of the safer places to swim in Kerala, with lifeguards patrolling in season, plus a surf club and a huge choice of Ayurvedic spas and yoga. There’s also more going on in the evenings than elsewhere on this coast, with beachfront restaurants and bars dotted along Lighthouse Beach and plenty of live music.
Marari is the easiest to combine with a houseboat trip as it’s just 11km from Alleppey. This working fishing village has one of the cleanest beaches in Kerala, and the accommodation is barefoot luxury rather than big resorts, with some excellent Ayurvedic retreats. Watching the boats and daily catch come in, in the early morning, is magical.
Varkala is the most dramatic of Kerala’s beaches. The town sits on top of 15-metre red laterite cliffs, with a narrow path along the top lined with cafés, shops and yoga schools. Just below, its golden sand beach, Papanasam, is considered holy. Sunset from the North Cliff is a must-see, and there’s a great surf scene with something for beginners all the way up to experienced pros. The ancient Janardanaswamy Temple is a short walk away, and Alleppey is only about two hours by train.
The state of Karnataka, home to hi-tech hub Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), has a long coastline, but very little of it is set up for visitors. The main place to head to, at the moment, is Gokarna, south of Goa. It’s first and foremost a Hindu temple town, and pilgrims flock to the Mahabaleshwara Temple and the Koti Teertha bathing tank.
When it comes to beaches, there’s a lovely selection. Several of the best-known beaches, including Kudle, Om, Half Moon and Paradise, are linked by coastal trails over wooded headlands, with spectacular views across the Arabian Sea. Om Beach is the most famous, named after its shape, which resembles the Om symbol. Kudle is the best choice for a stay, though, with a wide golden stretch of sand, relaxed shacks, yoga schools and sunset drum circles. Half Moon is lovely and very quiet, but only reachable on foot or by boat. For dolphin spotting, head out on an early morning boat trip to Paradise Beach, although swimming there isn’t recommended due to the strong currents.
The Andaman Islands are the best choice in India for diving, with water and coral on a completely different level to the mainland. The season here is a little different too, running from November to May, with December to April best for diving visibility.
Getting to the Andaman Islands is a bit trickier, requiring a flight and a ferry, but if you’re after paradise beaches with jungle backdrops, it’s definitely worth the extra effort.
Havelock is the perfect base, home to the stunning Radhanagar Beach. Its 2km stretch of pure powder-white sand is backed by thick jungle and consistently ranked among the best beaches in Asia. From here you can walk along the sand to Neil’s Cove, a sheltered lagoon at the far end of the beach and particularly beautiful at sunset.
Take the ferry from Havelock to Neil Island, which is smaller and quieter, and worth spending a night or two if you really want to switch off. Ferries and hotels need booking well in advance though.
Back on the main island, head to Port Blair for the islands’ history. The Cellular Jail tells the story of the Indian independence activists exiled and imprisoned here by the British. You can also visit the ruins on Ross Island where the old colonial buildings have been overtaken by jungle.
If you’d rather finish somewhere else entirely, there’s no shortage of options. Sri Lanka is a great choice if you’re visiting South India, while the Maldives provides a luxury finish to your Indian adventure. The beaches of Thailand also work really well. That said, with this much choice on its own coastline, there’s a lot to be said for spending your whole holiday in India.
Choosing the right beach often comes down to where else you’re travelling. Goa is the natural choice after the Golden Triangle, with South Goa particularly well suited to those looking for a more luxurious and relaxing finish. Kerala works perfectly after touring South India, particularly if you’re already visiting Kochi, Munnar and the Alleppey backwaters.
Have a look at our India multi centre holidays for inspiration. Or simply get in touch with our team and we’ll build something around exactly what you want to see and do.
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