What was once a clean stretch of beach with few odd tourists has seen a sudden outpouring of love from vacationers who are done with the usual beaches up North. Agonda is fast becoming one of South Goa’s best beaches thanks to ample upscale boutiques, beachside shacks, groovy bars, vegan cafes and boutique resorts lining the area, making it a fun village for everyone. So, if you’re someone who wants a leisurely, perfectly relaxing beach vacation and don’t mind paying a premium for it (the resorts, restaurants and stores are all slightly expensive here), Agonda beach holds a lot of promise. And hey, with this travel guide to Agonda, you’ll know exactly where to head and what to do.
Here's Your Complete Guide To Visiting Agonda Beach In Goa
Best Restaurants In Agonda
Our typical day starts with breakfast at Zest Cafe with a coffee and eggs to order (their smoothies and fruit bowls are just right to balance our alcoholic excesses through the day). You can also try Mandala Cafe for similar food offerings. Kopi Desa with its avant garde food, cocktails and groovy vibe is our favourite place for dinner. H20 gets a fair share of attention on its live music nights but honestly, while the view is great in the day, the food isn’t much to write home about. Other favourites here include Fatima’s Corner (for thali lunches) and My Friend’s Place Garden Restaurant for BBQ delights.
The restaurant at Agonda Cottages, Simrose and Madhu’s Beach Huts come with really nice beach views too.
Average Price For A Meal: INR 1,500 for two
Best Places To Stay In Agonda
Like we said, Agonda Beach is an expensive beach in general and hence, resorts like Dunhill, H2O and The White are an indulgence for most of us. A wrung lower is Agonda Paradise whose beach views and simple wooden decor will make you feel right at home. The prices hover around INR 3,000 for a night.
If you’re ready to give into a more experimental, rustic living, there’s Credo Jungle Resort. This place offers eco-huts, an abundance of nature and home-cooked meals. You could even be treated to occasional jam sessions and surprise encounters with rare wildlife but are definitely not for someone who’s after comfort, beer and unlimited beach time.
Your most affordable bet in Agonda, which is also clean and comfy, might be Fatima’s guesthouse or Maria Paulo guesthouse.
Best Things To Do In Agonda
The beach itself isn’t big on watersports and the waves are big and rough, which makes swimming rather challenging. Some seasoned water babies, however, do hit the waves with the surfboards under the vigil of the life guards. Mostly, you’ll see couples, families and friends sunning themselves and enjoying the sun beds with books, fresh juice and sunscreens for company. If you’ve got no chill and would rather be active, you can head over to Palolem, about 20 mins away in an auto/cab. There, you can swim, shop, chill at the shacks, go on boat rides and more. Another quieter, more picturesque option is taking a boat to Butterfly Beach or Cola Beach.
You could even get in touch with the folks at Goa Jungle Adventure in Palolem and explore the flora and fauna around. You could even get a massage and de-stress at the famous Krishna Ayurveda Massage Centre.
Pro-Tip
If you happen to find yourself in Agonda during the monsoons, be prepared for a total shutdown but you can count on the beach huts at Cinnamon Agonda to lodge you comfortably. Perhaps Fatima will also be serving its epic seafood.
Now if you've plans of loitering around South Goa and beach hopping, this could help.
And if you truly want to blend in with the Goan vibe, you might want to shop for some shell jewellery from here.
