Best Places to visit on a Weekend Getaway from Goa

Goa, the city of beaches and an engaging partying paradise is indeed a place everyone would want to visit once in their lifetime. Now, if you have heard about the state's offerings, then you might know the fact that apart from beaches, it is famous for its worshipping places as well.    Nevertheless, you would feel offbeat if you were in the beach paradise. But to extreme amazement, Goa has some nearby weekend getaways that one can visit to have fun and frolic.

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Let's see what these exciting and serene places are.

1. Amboli

Amboli is famous for its natural beauty. It is heaven for tourists. It has dense forests, waterfalls, and a great place for trekking and hiking. Amboli is known for its lush green landscapes, Misty Hills, and many more. The famous waterfalls in Amboli are Nangarta Falls, Hiranyakeshi Falls and Kavleshet Falls. Amboli experiences an amusing climate throughout the year. The town is also known for the Mahadevgad Fort, a historic structure situated on a hilltop.

The nearest airports are Dabolim Airport in Goa, which is 120 kilometres away from Goa. The nearest railway station is Savantwadi Road Railway Station, which is 30 kilometres from Amboli.

2. Dandeli

It is situated in the Western ghats of Karnataka, close to the Goa - Karnataka border. It is surrounded by Green Forest Hills and the Kali River. Dandeli is known for its biodiversity and wildlife. It is home to an extensive wilderness, including Black Panther, Indian Elephant, Malabar Giant Squirrel and several species of birds and reptiles. It is spread over 83400 square kilometres. You can also do many adventure activities like trekking, kayaking and coracle rides. Syntheri rocks are a famous rock formation. The rocks were carved out by the Kaneri River. The Supa Dam is one of the largest dams in Karnataka, near Dandeli. It is 125 km away from Goa, and the nearest railway station is Alnawar Junction and Landa Junction.

3. Malvan

Malvan is situated near the southern border of Maharashtra, close to Goa. It is 80 kilometres far away from Goa. Malvan is known for its beaches with Golden Sand and blue waters. Tarkarli Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the town. It is also notorious for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Sindhudurg Fort, built by Shivaji Maharaj, is also prominent among tourists. It is situated on a rocky island on the Malvan coast. Malvan can be reached by road from Goa in around two-three hours. The nearest railway station is Kudal, and the nearest airport is Dabolim Airport in Goa.

4. Devbagh

Devbagh is situated in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, near the southern border of Goa. It is known for its beaches, water sports and backwaters. It is the confluence of the Arabian Sea and the Karli River, known as Devbagh Sangam, which is 60 kilometres away from Goa. You can do water activities like boating, kayaking, jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkelling, etc.

The nearest railway station is Karwar railway station, which is 15 km from Goa, and the nearest airport is Dabolim Airport in Goa, which is 100 km away from the town.

5. Sawantwadi

It is situated in the southern part of Maharashtra, near the Goa border. It is 60 kilometres from Goa. It is also known for the Moti Talab Palace. It is a beautiful structure of Maratha architecture, which is surrounded by a lake. Sawantwadi is famous for its wooden toys and crafts.

Vengurla Beach, which is 30 km from Sawantwadi, is another attraction for visitors. Amboli Hill Station is also positioned near Sawantwadi, which is a place worth seeing. You can reach Sawantwadi from Goa within one to two hours. The closest railway station is Sawantwadi Road railway station.

6. Hampi

Hampi is situated in the Bellary district of Karnataka, which is 353 kilometres from Goa. Hampi is declared Heritage Place by UNESCO World Heritage for its historical and architectural importance. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, which was among the mighty and prosperous kingdoms. It has natural landscapes with strewn hills, paddy fields and river flowing. You can do adventure activities like rock climbing and bouldering. Hampi has many temples, monuments and other historical places. It includes Viru Paksha Temple, Vitala Temple, Hazara Rama Temple, Lotus Mahal, Queens Bath and the elephant stables.

7. Kolad

It is situated in the district of Maharashtra, which is 235 km away from Goa. It is famous for its adventure and nature. It is surrounded by the greenery of the Western Ghats and provides a stunning landscape view. You can do adventure activities like kayaking, trekking, camping and rappelling. Kolad is surrounded by waterfalls.

The nearest railway station is Roha. You can also reach Kolad via taxi. If you want to stay in Kolad, they provide resorts, homestays and hotels.

8. Panchgani

Panchgani is placed in the Sahyadri Mountain Range in the Satara District of Maharashtra. The elevation of Panchgani is 1334 metres above sea level. Panchgani is known for its strawberry farms. It is surrounded by valleys and hills. Krishna Valley is a famous valley in the town. Dhom Dam and the Kamalgad Fort are the main attractions of Panchgani. This township has several temples, with Sydney Point being a significant tourist attraction. You can do many activities like paragliding, trekking, kayaking, etc.

9. Udupi

Udupi is situated in Karnataka, which is 292 km away from Goa. It is also known as Parashurama Srishti. There you can find temples and beaches. You can also visit Sri Krishna Mandir, Shri Chandramouleeshwara Temple, and St Mary’s Temple. Paryaya festival is the main festival of Udupi, which is celebrated with great pomp and show. Malpe Beach is very popular among the tourist. You can do water sports activities here. St Mary’s Island is a group of small islands which is famous for its unique basalt rock and clear blue waters. Manipal University is a renowned university near Udupi. Udupi is also known for its dosas, idli, sambhar, rasam and a variety of chutneys and pickles. Udupi is known for its beautiful temples, beaches, distinctive cultural activities and delicious food.

10. Agumbe

Agumbe is situated in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, which is 357 kilometres away from Goa. Agumba is famous for Sunset View from a point called Sunset Viewpoint. You can see over the Arabian Sea. You can do many activities like trekking, kayaking and paragliding here. Agumbe received the highest amount of rainfall in India. You can experience the monsoon and heavy showers here. Onake Abbi Falls is surrounded by thick forest and is a popular spot. Kundari Hill is also famous for its Jain Temple, which belongs to Thirthankara. It provides a view of the Western Ghats and is popular for trekking.