Season guide · Goa · India
Goa in the hot season
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: iMahesh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hot and increasingly humid, with quieter beaches, lower prices and the cashew and mango season. Expect highs up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 4 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 23°C (73°F) to 33°C (91°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 4
- Sea
- 28°C (82°F) to 30°C (86°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in the hot season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 33°C (91°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 | 12 h | 3/5 |
| April | 33°C (91°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 1 | 12.5 h | 2/5 |
| May | 33°C (91°F) | 27°C (81°F) | 3 | 12.8 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 33°C (91°F) against a yearly 32°C (90°F), and 4 of the year's roughly 103 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in the hot season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Shigmo — Hindu spring festival with float parades (usually March)
- March: Holi (usually March)
Make the most of the weather
Castle · Panaji
Reis Magos Fort
Combine it with the Reis Magos church at the foot of the fort and lunch in Candolim.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Ponda
Spice plantation tour
Plantations around Ponda run guided walks among pepper vines, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon and cashew trees, usually ending with a Goan buffet lunch served on banana leaves.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- Nature
Beach · Palolem and Agonda
Palolem Beach
Rent a kayak in the morning when the sea is flat, and take a boat to Butterfly Beach before it gets busy.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Island · Old Goa
Divar Island
A short, free government ferry from Old Goa crosses the Mandovi to Divar, a rural island of paddy fields, old Portuguese houses and the hilltop church of Our Lady of Compassion.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- History
Castle · Palolem and Agonda
Cabo de Rama Fort
Visit in the late afternoon for sunset over the sea, and wear sturdy shoes for the walls.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- History
Day trips in the hot season
- Gokarna (About 3 hours by road from Panaji) — A Hindu pilgrimage town in Karnataka with the Mahabaleshwar temple and a series of quiet beaches, including Om Beach and Kudle Beach, linked by coastal footpaths.
- Hampi (About 7–8 hours by road; stay overnight) — The ruins of Vijayanagara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spread across a landscape of boulders and banana plantations, with the Virupaksha Temple and the stone chariot of the Vittala Temple.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the hot season a good time to visit Goa?
It is a trade-off: Hot and increasingly humid, with quieter beaches, lower prices and the cashew and mango season. The best months overall are November–February.
+What is the weather like in Goa in the hot season?
Highs of up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 4 rainy days over the season.