10 Best Things to Do in Goa for Adults (2024) Activities in Goa

What are some things to do in Goa as adults? Actually there are more than just ‘some’. You could do a truckload – from laying like a beached whale on the sand to taking a walking tour of the Fontain has to indulging in some water sports. If you’ve got the time, we’ve got a list of things to do in Goa for adults. Want to have a brand new Goa experience? Go do what’s on our list here:

Things to do in Goa for Adults:

1. Take a Cooking Class

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And not just any…learn the intricacies of traditional Goan cuisine which has the most delectable influences of Portuguese, Saraswat Goud Brahmin, Konkani and Islamic cuisines. Many individual chefs and organizations offer these classes in several towns like Panjim, Patnem, and Dabolim among others. Ask around the locals in your area or rely on the good services of the internet. Cooking day classes and workshops will also take you on a tour of the local market, acquaint you with the intricacies of Goan cuisine and give you a hands-on experience. Among all the things to do in Goa for adults, taking a cooking class will by far be the most memorable; you’ll come back richer for the experience and would’ve added a new skill to your list.

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2. Visit a Spice Plantation

#2 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

One of the most important items of trade for the Portuguese in Goa was black pepper. Extremely expensive, pepper was profitable and highly coveted in the western world. Wouldn’t it be awesome to watch this black gold grow in its natural environment? Visiting a spice plantation is a great thing to do for adults in Goa – you not only get to see a critical element that played a big role in the region’s history but also get a sensory experience. Goa grows many other spices too like cloves, cardamom and triphala and you could see them on a spice plantation, like the one in Ponda that is widely recommended.

3. Take a Couples Massage

#3 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

Besides enjoying sunny days on the beaches, the one di rigueur thing to do in Goa for adults is to have a couples massage. Works even when you’re traveling alone! Relaxing, therapeutic and utterly enjoyable, a massage session is almost like getting a new lease on life. An easy activity (you really just need to lay there and shut your eyes), a luxurious massage can be had at one of the many spas that dot beach towns or at your hotel. You could get one at the beach too! So skip the partying for one night and go do this.

4. Take a Walk on the Beach at Night

#4 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

Palolem, Galgibaga, Bogmalo, Candolim, Anjuna, Arambol……..the list of beaches in Goa is endless! And most (except some in the southern district) are heavily peopled all day long. Cut the crowd and head to a beach for a late night walk under the stars and you will be rewarded with silence interspersed with the sounds of waves breaking on the shore. We’d say this would be one of the most awesome things to do in Goa for adults. Pick your beach and wait for the sun to go down.

Also Read: Beaches in South Goa

5. Watch a Tiatr

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Tiatr is a supremely interesting traditional art of Goa that you mustn’t miss while here. In fact, we’d place it high on the list of things to do in Goa for adults for its liveliness, its colors and all the wonderful stories. A style of musical theatre, Tiatr is a dramatic presentation that usually centers on social, religious and political themes and is unique to Goa. Catch a memorable performance at Hanuman Natyagraha in Mapusa, Kala Academy in Panjim or Ravindra Bhavan in Margao.

6. Take a Houseboat Tour

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How about a sojourn on the Mandovi or Chapora rivers on a houseboat? Sounds like a fun thing to do in Goa for adults? It is. Because it will show you a true slice of life from the real Goa that’s away from the beaches and shacks and tourist-focused markets all selling the same things. Because you would be a witness to accounts like fishermen repairing their nets on the banks, the lone baker on his daily journey to the village households with fresh paos, the odd church or temple that holds many stories within its walls and the verdant Goa that you don’t get to see on the beach. 

Also check: North Goa vs. South Goa

7. Catch a Soccer Game

#7 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

Goa is crazy for football. You’d see kids and grown-ups play football in local parks (even in monsoon), on the beaches and even small by-lanes. Get with the crazy and catch a soccer game while here and you’d have added a new one to your list of things to do in Goa for adults. With several clubs in full swing – FC Goa, Dempo SC and the Churchill Brothers Sports Club – it’s always game on somewhere. Check local listings and gear up for an exciting time.

8. Volunteer for Social Cause

#8 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

Make the most of your time and turn volunteer. One of the most rewarding things to do in Goa for adults would be to spend your time doing something that will add to another’s life. Besides giving you a new perspective on life (isn’t that what travel is all about?), volunteering will also add a new dimension to your vacation because helping others nearly always helps the self! Here are some suggestions:

• Mango Tree Trust in Mapusa that help educate children with lesser means
• Inspire Trust (you can find a branch in nearly every town in Goa) that works with kids teaching them arts and crafts as well as starting them early on the benefits of recycling
• WAGS (Welfare for Animals in Goa) in Siolim is a haven for rescued animals
• International Animal Rescue in Assagao, similar to the above
• The Primate Trust in Camurlim for abandoned baby apes and monkeys

Also Read: Trekking Places in Goa

9. Visit a National Wildlife Park

#9 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

A great thing to do in Goa for adults that does not involve the beach would be to go explore its rich forests. Several national parks like Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary & Mollem National Park, Netravali, and Cotigao, Mhadei and Bondla wildlife sanctuaries pepper the state and are very well maintained (Goa is, after all, one of the richest states in the country!). You can make reservations online and visit them for their rich flora and fauna, a day (and night) of unbelievable silence and an experience of a lifetime.

10. Visit a Museum

#10 of 10 Best Things to do in Goa for Adults

Youngsters go party and grown-ups visit museums. Well, not always, but if you’re in the sunny state, an absolutely awesome thing to do for adults would be to go visit a few museums. We’d recommend skipping the more popular ones for a chance to see the Naval Aviation Museum in Bogmalo for its well-maintained collection of various types of aircrafts, military weapons (decommissioned, of course) and giant replicas of INS Vikrant and INS Virat. Another museum worth visiting is the Big Foot in Salcette, Loutolim for a deep look at Goa’s rich culture, its traditional arts and occupations and a surprise statue of the saint Mirabai.

Besides these things to do in Goa for adults there are many others like gambling all night at one of Goa’s many floating casinos and washing out your retirement fund or just sticking to the beach with never ending rounds of beer. Or go hunting for a decent property and decide to move to Goa permanently. We do like that last one. Got more? Tell us in comments below.

Read also – Things to Do in Goa