Not Just Yet another Beach Destination: Agonda Beach, Goa

The first time, the beach of Agonda was mentioned to me, I sort of liked this beach name as it began with an A and ended with an A. Nice short name for a beach, AgondAhhhh.

Agonda Beach, Goa

For many years the beach of Agonda was not even discovered, less even noticed even though it was screaming to be seen by the huge hoards of backpackers that flooded the crescent shaped bay beach of Palolem just on the other side of Palolem River.

Not a Secret Beach of South Goa Anymore

A decade ago, it was difficult to find tourists strolling along the white sands of Agonda. Today the entire scene has totally changed. With Palolem beach totally getting overcrowded and commercial, the immediate neighboring beach of Agonda is a great respite most needed for those tourists who love a serene place all to themselves.
A decade ago, Agonda beach was like a best kept secret. Today Agonda beach is like a secret garden that is open and accessible to all beach lovers.
Agonda Beach is the second in the list of preferences after Palolem beach who are enticed to the attractiveness of the large 3 kms beach, secrecy and empty beaches. In the responses of tourists it is highlighted that Agonda is for those who need peace and quiet, nice food, and decent housing at affordable prices. “Serene quiet beach away from the crowds. An ideal place for sun admirers and for those, who want to meditate or read a book” – this is Agonda for many now.

Olive Ridley Turtle Beach of South Goa: Agonda Beach

The highly endangered Olive Riddley Turtles have blessed Agonda beach by choosing it to be their regular hatching site of their newly born baby turtles. Olive Riddley Turtles are observed to visit only two places One in Eastern India, at Orissa and the other in and one in Southern India at Goa. Agonda has a turtle nesting unit managed by Forests (wildlife) department of Goa.

Agonda 2nd on the List of Top 25 Beaches in Asia

The top 25 best beaches in Asia according to Travel Portals are as follows:
1. White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
2. Agonda Beach, Agonda, India
3. Railay Beach, Railay Beach, Thailand
4. Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
5. Phra Nang Beach, Ao Nang, Thailand
6. Nai Harn Beach, Karon, Thailand
7. Cavelossim Beach, Cavelossim, India
8. Otres Beach, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
9. Secret Lagoon Beach, El Nido, Philippines
10. Yapak Beach (Puka Shell Beach), Boracay, Philippines
11. Kata Beach, Kathu, Thailand
12. Varkala Beach, Varkala, India
13. Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand
14. Lighthouse Beach, Kovalam, India
15. Long Beach, Ko Lanta, Thailand
16. Mandrem Beach, Mandrem, India
17. Baga Beach, Calangute, India
18. Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Vietnam
19. Padang Padang Beach, Bali, Indonesia
20. Yalong Bay, Sanya, China
21. Kamala Beach, Phuket, Thailand
22. Chishingtan Beach, Hualien, Taiwan
23. Haeundae Beach
24. Candolim Beach
25. Freedom Beach, Patong, Thailand

Best Way to Experience Agonda Beach is in a Coco Hut

Agonda Beach in Coco Hut

Agonda is the only beach where I came across many beach huts as being called as Coco Huts. Many of the beach accommodations that I visited during my stay at one of the local guest houses, I found that most of the beach huts or beach cottages owners prefer to call their accommodations as coco huts. This was something new and peculiar only with this South Goa beach of Agonda.

Hand Made & Hand Built Herbal Coco Huts, Back to Nature at End of the Season.
In South Goa, due to the regulations of the local government agencies called the Panchayat, not even a single person or private company is allowed to build permanent beach huts on beach region that comes under the designated area of CRZ or Coastal Regulation Zone. Hence all the Coco huts or beach huts at Agonda beach are natural, eco-friendly and dismountable in the Monsoon seasons.

All the coco huts at Agonda beach are totally made from natural materials such as coir, wood, sticks, cane, palm leaves, bamboos, ropes and any other eco-friendly materials. Also every year in the month of May these temporary beach huts also called as coco huts of Secret Garden have to be compulsorily dismantled and the Agonda beach shoreline left back to its original state.

Agonda beach leaves a definite imprint on the mind mainly because of its distinctive 3 bays that make up the entire stretch of Agonda beach. The most imprinted image of Agonda beach on my mind is the strewn rocks on the entire stretch of Agonda like sprinkled salt on my seafood platter.

Also Read:
5 Best Luxury Hotels in Goa
Best Beach Huts in Goa