Skip to content
The Tungabhadra river among granite boulders and stony hills at Hampi

Sample journey · 9–11 days

Goa at its own pace, and the granite kingdom of Hampi

Panjim, Old Goa, Hampi & South Goa

Photo: Tejj / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

For many, Goa means beach parties, but this journey shows its other side. In Panjim's Fontainhas quarter, yellow and blue Portuguese-era houses with balconies still line the lanes; in Old Goa stand the baroque churches; and village kitchens bring together coconut, vinegar and spices from two worlds. In the south, beyond Canacona, the coast slows right down: a few coves, fishing boats on the sand and evenings with nowhere to be.

In between comes one journey inland, to Hampi. Here, among enormous granite boulders on the Tungabhadra river, the capital of the Vijayanagara empire flourished from the 14th to the 16th century, and the ruins of hundreds of its temples, bazaars and palaces lie scattered across a landscape that feels like another planet. The journey suits couples who want an easy rhythm and simple but characterful stays: a Portuguese-era house in Panjim, a guesthouse among the rice fields and a cottage by the sea. Only the road to Hampi and back is long; elsewhere, distances are short.

The route

The journey

  1. Panjim
  2. Old Goa
  3. Hampi
  4. Anegundi
  5. Chandor
  6. Cabo de Rama
  7. Agonda & Palolem
  1. The laterite facade of the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa

    01Days 1–3 · Panjim & Old Goa

    A Latin quarter on the Mandovi

    Two nights in Panjim, Goa's small capital at the mouth of the Mandovi river. On the first morning, a walk with a local guide through the Fontainhas and São Tomé quarters: narrow lanes, houses with azulejo tiles and windows of oyster shell, bakeries where pão is baked each morning, and the white Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception above its zigzag steps. In the afternoon, a slow lunch: coconut fish curry or pork vindaloo, whose name comes from Portuguese wine and garlic. The next day it's about half an hour to Old Goa, once the capital of Portuguese India, where the Basilica of Bom Jesus, holding the remains of St Francis Xavier, and the vast Sé Cathedral stand among the palms. Later, a spice farm near Ponda, or the ferry across the river to Divar island, where village life moves as slowly as it did a century ago.

  2. The Virupaksha temple gopuram and courtyards from above, with the river and boulder hills beyond, Hampi

    02Days 3–5 · Hampi: the sacred centre

    A temple still at prayer

    Day three is the longest of the journey: about seven or eight hours with a driver over the Western Ghats and across the Karnataka plateau, or a daytime train to Hosapete and a short drive to Hampi. Three nights here, in a guesthouse among banana groves and rice fields. Early on day four, Hemakuta Hill: slabs of granite, small shrines and sunrise over the gopuram of the Virupaksha temple, where worship has continued for more than a thousand years. Then the temple itself, which we visit barefoot alongside pilgrims. In the afternoon, as the heat eases, a walk along the river past old stone bridges and holy figures carved straight into the rock. When the water level allows, you can cross in a round woven coracle, known locally as a parisal. Sunset is best met up on the boulders: quiet, warm and a very long way from the sea.

  3. The stone Garuda chariot and the gopuram of the Vittala temple at Hampi

    03Days 5–6 · Hampi: the royal centre & Anegundi

    A stone chariot and the monkey kingdom

    Day five is spent with a guide in the royal centre, whose scale only becomes clear on foot: the Lotus Mahal with its Indo-Islamic arches, the long facade of the Elephant Stables, a stepped tank cut as precisely as a drawing, and the Queen's Bath. Then the Vittala temple, with the famous stone Garuda chariot in its courtyard and mandapa pillars that, so the story goes, once rang like musical instruments. Access arrangements at some monuments change, so we check them on the ground. In the afternoon, across the river to Anegundi, a quiet village said to be older than the empire itself and linked in local tradition to Kishkindha, the monkey kingdom of the Ramayana. If you like, around 570 steps up to the Hanuman temple on Anjanadri Hill and a view over rice fields and a sea of boulders. Dinner is a thali of rice, dal and spicy sauces.

  4. Rocky shoreline and sea at the Cabo de Rama headland, South Goa

    04Days 6–8 · Chandor & Cabo de Rama

    Mansion villages and a fort above the sea

    On day six it's back to Goa, this time heading straight for the south, a drive of about seven hours. On the way, time permitting, or the following morning, Chandor, a village where vast Portuguese-era mansions still stand, with ballrooms, Chinese porcelain and family portraits. Some are still cared for by the same families, who show visitors around, so we arrange visits in advance. Four nights on the southern coast, in a cottage near Agonda or Palolem. On day seven, Cabo de Rama, an old fort on a rocky headland: through its gate you walk out to a small chapel and walls with nothing beyond them but the Arabian Sea. In the afternoon, a swim in a small cove below the fort and a return along village lanes past rice fields and white wayside chapels. In the evening, fish the boats brought in that same day.

  5. Palolem bay from above: a crescent of pale sand, palm trees and calm water

    05Days 8–10 · Agonda & Palolem

    Days without a plan

    The last days are simply for being. Agonda's beach is long and quiet; Palolem is livelier, a crescent bay lined with colourful cottages. Early in the morning you can head out in a fishing boat along the rocks, where dolphins often appear, or kayak the mouth of the Talpona river, where kingfishers and herons hunt in the mangroves. In winter, olive ridley turtles nest on some South Goa beaches, and local communities guard the nesting sites; with their agreement you can learn more about it. One afternoon, a cooking lesson in a family home: coconut milk, tamarind and recheado spice paste, and to finish, layered bebinca. On the last day, the drive from south Goa to the airport takes from about an hour to three, depending on which of Goa's two airports you fly from.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Fontainhas on foot

    Colourful Portuguese-era houses, azulejo tiles and morning pão in Panjim's old quarter.

  2. 02

    Sunrise on Hemakuta

    A granite hill above the Virupaksha temple while Hampi is still waking up.

  3. 03

    Vittala & Anegundi

    The stone chariot, the royal ruins and a quiet village across the river.

  4. 04

    The slow south

    The mansions of Chandor, a fort above the Arabian Sea and coves where fishing boats come in each morning.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • Even slower

    Instead of Panjim you could stay in a village mansion in inland Goa and make short outings from there, and add two more nights in the south.

  • For a honeymoon

    The final nights could be spent somewhere more special by the sea, and in Hampi a stay facing the boulders and the river.

  • Season

    November to February is usually the most pleasant; from March to May Hampi is very hot, so we rise even earlier there and rest through midday.

  • With Kerala or Mumbai

    From Goa it's easy to continue to the Kerala backwaters, or to begin the journey with a few days in Mumbai.

Practical considerations

  • The best time is roughly November to February, when it's dry and not too hot. The monsoon (roughly June to September) brings heavy rain and rough seas to Goa, and many beach cottages close.
  • The road from Goa to Hampi and back is long, about seven or eight hours each way; the train to Hosapete is an alternative, but timetables change, so we choose the option closer to the time.
  • Hampi's sites are spread over several kilometres and midday is very hot; we walk early in the morning and late in the afternoon, with a guide who knows the paths between the boulders.
  • In temples and churches we follow local custom: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off where asked. We swim only where it's safe, as some beaches have strong currents.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Keep exploring

Destinations

Ways to travel

Related articles

More journey inspiration

Plan your journey

Shape a journey like this

Would you like an India without the rush? Tell us the pace and the kind of stays you have in mind, and we'll shape a route between Goa's coves and Hampi's boulders together.

Shape a journey like this

This journey becomes the starting point of your enquiry — you can change or remove it.

All journey inspiration