Best Water Sports in Goa

The best time for enjoying water sports in Goa is from the month of October to May when the skies are cloudless, clear and blue.

The water in the sea as well as river is fairly placid. These few months give you the opportunity to participate in a maximum variety of watersports like surfing, diving, sailing, paragliding, etc.

You must surely do the following water sports in Goa-

1. Jet Ski rides at famous beaches like Candolim, Baga and Vagator
2. Water Skiing at Mobor beach
3. Windsurfing at Dona Paula
4. Scuba diving at Grande Island
5. Water rafting in Mhadei river
6. Fishing in Dona Paula
7. Bumpy banana ride at famous beaches like Baga, Calangute, Anjuna and Vagator

Here is all that you’re going to need on your trip to Goa. Nothing over and above these items:

• Sunscreen- A good sunscreen since you’re going to be out in the heat at beaches and sweaty while partying all night.
• Fanny Pack- You can carry this bag that sticks to your waist instead of a sling bag or a tote for all your essentials.
• Power Bank- In case you’re unable to charge your phone while travelling, you have a backup
• Sunglasses- Needless to stay, sunglasses to save you from harsh sun rays and to cover-ups for sleepy and hung-over eyes.
• Essential Footwear- Make sure you take a mix of flip-flops, crocs and dancing shoes because you cannot wear the same branded shoes everywhere in Goa
• Jacket- It is going to be hot in the day but considerably cool in the night. So carrying a jacket isn’t a bad idea. You can also use this as a mat or pillow at the beach.
• First Aid Box- Goa is full of outdoor activities and an emergency may occur at any point. So, it is advisable to carry at least a basic first aid kit with you.
• Water Bottles - so that you don’t get dehydrated.
• Moisturiser- Considering Goa’s weather, your skin will become dry very quickly. So carry one moisturiser for your rescue.

Goa falls under the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea, so it has a hot and humid climate for most time of the year. The month of May is usually the hottest that witnesses a daytime temperature of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with great humidity.

The monsoons and winters here, on the other hand are moderate. It is never too rainy or cold.

Goa is absolutely worth visiting for water activities. There are so many different watersports you can try out. Right from basic banana and bumper rides to kayaking in backwaters of rivers, from sailing to surfing, from being above water on your jet ski to diving below water for a scuba diving time.

 Moreover, if you’re an enthusiast but are not sure about the techniques, there are provisions for you to learn any of these activities.

We have often heard that swimming, which is a type of watersports activity is safest for pregnant women. However, not all water activities are safe during pregnancy.

These activities are very energetic and unpredictable in terms of movement. So,for a pregnant women, it is best to avoid water sports in Goa.

Some water activities like scuba diving have strictly stated the minimum age requirement of 10 years. However, other activities like banana ride and jet skiing do not have a well stated minimum age bracket.

It is completely the choice of parents to analyse whether or not the kid will be able to pull off the activity while adhering to all instructions.

Small kids can engage in activities like swimming, snorkeling and fishing in Goa. These activities are completely safe for an age bracket of 2 years and above. The parents can smartly take kids to beaches that have shallow water, like Palolem beach in Goa where kids can be safer.

Moreover, if you’re still not sure of letting your kids engage in open water activities, you can always take them to amusement parks that have water sports specially created for kids in the kids area.

The first thing you can do incase of medical emergency during water sports is to contact the nearest hospital. More often than not, there are cops at every beach in Goa who can help you get first aid or medical help.

There are many hospitals in Goa. The below numbers can help you get immediate rescue or help.

• Ambulance-108
  Location- Entire Goa

• Goa Medical College-2458727, 2458049
  Location- Bambolim, Central Goa

• Manipal Hospital - Emergency- 8888702222
  Location- Panjim, Central Goa

• Wockhardt NUSI Hospital- 6684444
  Location- Cuncolim, South Goa

• Vision Hospital- 2256788
• Location- Mapusa, North Goa

• Women's Police Helpline-1091

• Panjim Women's Police Station-2428992

• Margao Women's Police Station-2710762

Not all water sports are open during the rain. Activities like snorkeling and scuba diving decrease the underwater visibility during the rains that then become a pointless sport. Similarly, activities like sailing and surfing do not have conducive weather to carry out the activity.

On the other hand, short and above the sea activities like jet skiing, bumper ride and banana rides are made available subject to rains.

The following beaches are famous for water sports in Goa:

• Calangute - Best for Jet Ski rides and Banana Rides
• Baga - Best for Jet Ski rides, Wakeboarding and Banana Rides
• Mobor beach - Best for Water Skiing, Winch-boat parasailing and Scuba diving
• Morjim - Best for Kite surfing
• Bogmalo beach - Best for snorkeling
• Vagator - Best for Jet Ski rides and Banana Rides
• Anjuna - Best for Jet Ski rides and Banana Rides

Scuba diving like any other activity is a very safe one when done with all safety measures. Make sure you follow all the instructions given by your guide and you don’t have to worry.

There are a lot of places where you can enjoy the ride to witness the underwater world. Here is a list of all major scuba diving spots in Goa:

• Cove of Shelter- Depth 8 metres
• Reef of Uma Guma - Depth 14 metres
• Bay of Bounty - Depth 6 metres
• Wreck of Suzy’s - Depth 30 metres
• The Jetty - Depth 6 to 8 metres
• Locker of Davy Jones - Depth 14 metres
• The Turbo Tunnel - Depth 8 to 10 metres
• Sail Rock - Depth 8 to 24 metres
• Grande Banks - Depth 4 to 8 metres

The approximate rate for a scuba diving experience costs approximately INR 2000 ($15) per head for a dive time of 15 to 20 minutes. The rates may vary with different locations in Goa. But you can consider this to be an approximate price for your under water tour.

At some locations, guides may offer to take underwater photos on paying a few extra bucks. Here, this has become a way of earning over and above the diving fees. While in some other locations you may not find this facility.

The ideal duration for a holiday in Goa is approximately a week. Within this span, an individual will have enough time to undertake all water activities like snorkeling, sailing, jet skiing, scuba diving etc.

You may also have extra time to enjoy the nightlife and go for other adventure activities like trekking, hiking, quad biking and sightseeing tours to places like Aguada fort, Chapora fort, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Dudhsagar Falls.

Yes, Goa has beautiful rivers where you can go for a river rafting expedition. This thrilling ride can be best enjoyed in river Mandovi that stretches across a total of 10 km. The best time to enjoy rafting here is from July to September during monsoon when the river is overflowing with rainwater.

Individuals aged 12 or above can participate in this activity which is completely safe if done with all precautions. Make sure you use the correct gears and this activity is safe to participate in. This river offers rapids ranging between 2 and 3 which is apt for a first timer.

A non swimmer can go for a rafting ride too as same precautions are taken for everybody, irrespective of whether or not you can swim. The guide will help you with all safety measures that include having a life jacket along with other essentials like helmets, wet or dry suits, luggage cover etc.

A river rafting ride in Goa will cost you not more than INR 1500 ($21) per head. The duration of which depends on all members on the tube who run it together.

Parasailing in Goa is easily available. It is a famous activity here and is one of the must do in Goa. It is a beautiful feeling when you’re a sandwich  between the neverending sky above you and the sea below you.

In Goa, you will find this activity at Baga, Calangute, Anjuna, Colva, Mobor, Candolim and Vagator beaches. These are all the best places to try out this activity.

Kayaking is a lovely, relaxing experience and there are a number of places where you can go to enjoy this activity in Goa. When done in the backwaters of rivers, it seems more like a rejuvenating activity and on the other hand, when done in the sea, kayaking can be an adventurous and a relatively tiring activity. In Goa, you can enjoy kayaking at following spots:

• Aguada River
• Siridao
• Chorao
• Nerul Creek or Spike’s river
• Bat Island
• Mobor beach
• Bambolim
• Calangute-Baga stretch
• Candolim
• Chicalim
• Vasco da Gama
• Sal backwaters

The cost for Kayaking per head depends on the location. More isolated the place, greater the charges. However, the average cost can be considered to be around INR 1000 to 1500 per head.

Goa is one of the top and few destinations to offer snorkeling in India. While snorkeling here, you can expect to spot parrotfish, angelfish, snappers, Moorish idols and barracudas that are commonly found in all destinations.

However, make sure you avoid the rainy season as water gets murky and the tides are not very welcoming at this period of time. Some of the best spots for snorkeling in Goa are:

• Suzy’s wreck in Calangute
• Grande Island
• Shelter Cove near Vasco de Gama
• Bay of Bounty
• Uma Guma
• Bat Island
• Navy Island

 This dive can cost you approximately INR 1000 to 1500 ($10 to 16) per head for a rough duration of 15 to 20 minutes.

The individual health of the person currently must be taken into account before determining whether to participate in watersports or not. An asthma patient may be at a higher risk of suffering but that can also be the case with any other individual who has a relatively poor physical shape.

In case your health is good overall, engaging in watersports can be your enjoyment without any fear.

 It is best advised to avoid wearing spectacles or contact lens during water sports, especially during underwater sports unless necessary otherwise.

These elements can make you conscious or might even give you a sense of irritation as the seawater is salty.

Jet ski is one of the most popular and common water activities in Goa. You will find this ride on almost every beach, be it in south, central or north Goa. Jet ski is a fun activity and splashes a lot of water.

So make sure you carry an extra change of clothes. Jet ski in Goa will cost you not more than INR 500 i.e- $7 per head for a short 1 minute ride.

Like jet ski, banana ride is also one of the most popular and common water activity in Goa. You can find this ride on almost every beach, be it in south, central or north Goa. In north Goa, famous beaches like Calangute, Anjuna and Baga have this facility. This activity will cost you not more than INR 500 ie- $7 per head for a short 1 minute fun fall ride.

Learning the art of sailing can appear to be a tricky task. But enhancing a few skills can make you a great sailor. An extremely popular water sport sailing in Goa is one of the most thrilling water activities and you can enjoy it at the following places-

For Parasailing-

• Dona Paula
• Majorda
• Anjuna
• Bogmalo
• Calangute
• Colva
• Candolim
• Vagator

For Catamaran- Palolem beach

Surfing in Goa is a thrilling yet joyful experience. All kinds of surfing enthusiasts, including experts come to goa to enjoy this activity. Even if you don’t have prior experience, you have opportunities to learn in Goa.

The most famous beaches for Kite surfing-

• Arambol
• Mondego Bay, Morjim
• Bambolim
• Mandrem
• Ashvem
• Pernem

The most famous beaches for Windsurfing-

• Dona Paula
• Arambol
• Mandrem

The Arabian sea along with rivers flowing in Goa offers a number of water activities. One of this is dolphin spotting. You can get on one of these rides that take you deep into the sea and offer joyful views of dolphins dancing in the water. The best places to spot dolphins in Goa are-

• Palolem beach
• Coco Beach
• Cavelossim Beach
• Sinquerim Beach
• Morjim Beach
• Varca

Cost Per Person: Rs. 200 ie- $3 per person approximately.

There are many cruises in Goa and they are available in a variety. There are party cruises, romantic cruises, sunset and dinner cruises, casino cruises etc. All these water rides are a fun experience.

The cost of rides in any of these start at a minimum rate of INR 200 and go up to INR 2000 ie-  $2 to $15 for a fancy ride.

Below are different types of cruises in Goa:

• Luxury Cruise: This ship has all things luxury. It is no less than a 5 star hotel and you can also book an overnight stay at this cruise.
• Private Cruise: These cruise are booked for private groups and parties. It has exclusive ntry and needs to be booked quite in advance.
• Casino Cruise: These are cruise that have a casino inside it. These usually have a fixed start and end point and stop in the middle of sea for a fixed number of hours.

There are some other cruises classified by Goa tourism in the categories of

• Sundown: These cruises get lit just when the sun sets down somewhere in the horizon. These are mainly famous amongst nature lovers.
• Sunset: Embrace dusk in the most enchanting way by taking up a ride in sunset cruise. It is affordable and offers mesmerising views.
• Dinner: These cruises are specially arranged to give people an offbeat- off-shore dining experience. Because dining onshore in quiet mainstream.
• Backwater Thrills: These cruises sail across the backwaters of Mandovi river. It also rides across islands like Chorao and Divar.

Out of so many beaches in North Goa, below ones have managed to make their mark by providing best water sports facilities-

• Arambol Beach
• Kerim Beach
• Arambol Beach
• Morjim Beach
• Anjuna Beach
• Vagator Beach

Out of so many beaches in South Goa, the below ones have managed to make their mark by providing best water sports facilities-

• Agonda Beach
• Bogmalo Beach
• Colva Beach
• Benaulim Beach
• Majorda Beach
• Varca Beach