Beaches in India - an overview for visitors

India has a coastline of about 7,500 kilometres along the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, plus two island groups — the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Together they offer everything from the busy package-tourist beaches of Goa to remote, near-empty coves in the Andamans, with seafood cuisine and water sports along most of the coast.

This page is a quick overview of where the main beach regions are, what each is good for, and the best time to visit. Use the dedicated guides linked at the bottom for detailed information on Goa and Kerala.

When to go

• November to February is the prime beach season for almost all of India: dry, warm, and the sea is calm and clear.
• March to early May is shoulder — hot, but quieter and cheaper.
• June to September is the south-west monsoon. The west coast (Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra) is wet, the sea turns rough and brown, and most beach shacks close. The Andamans and Lakshadweep also see heavy rain.
• October to December brings the north-east monsoon to the east coast (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bay of Bengal islands) — be aware of cyclone risk in this window.

West coast — Arabian Sea

Goa

The most-visited beach destination in India and the easiest entry point for first-time beach travellers — international flights direct to Dabolim and Mopa airports, well-developed accommodation across budgets, and beach shacks dotting most of the coast.

• North Goa (lively, party-leaning): Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Candolim, Morjim, Arambol.
• South Goa (quieter, families and resorts): Palolem, Agonda, Colva, Varca, Benaulim, Cavelossim.

See our Goa travel guide for season, transport and accommodation detail.

Kerala

Slower-paced and more scenic than Goa, with beaches set against coconut palms and lagoons rather than party strips.

• Kovalam — Kerala's classic beach town near Trivandrum; lighthouse beach, Hawah beach, Samudra beach.
• Varkala — clifftop town with a long, dramatic beach below; popular with backpackers and yoga travellers.
• Marari — quiet fishing-village beach near Alleppey, paired well with the backwaters.
• Cherai (Kochi) — long sandy beach near Fort Kochi.
• Bekal — wide unspoilt beach beside the 17th-century Bekal Fort in north Kerala.
• Also: Kappad (where Vasco da Gama landed), Beypore, Alappuzha (Alleppey), Fort Kochi.

See our Kerala visitor's guide for more.

Karnataka

Quieter west-coast beaches less developed than Goa or Kerala.

• Gokarna — pilgrimage town with a string of beaches reached by short cliff walks: Om beach, Kudle beach, Half Moon beach, Paradise beach.
• Murudeshwar — known for its huge Shiva statue beside the sea.
• Karwar — small port town with several family beaches.
• Malpe and St Mary's Island — near Udupi; Mary's has unusual columnar basalt rock formations.

Maharashtra

• Mumbai city beaches — Juhu, Versova, Gorai, Aksa, Marve, Madh Island, Chowpatty, Bandstand. Good for an evening walk; not really for swimming.
• Alibaug — closest weekend-getaway beach for Mumbai.
• Tarkarli — clear-water beach on the Konkan coast, popular for snorkelling and scuba.
• Ganpatipule — temple-town beach in Ratnagiri district.
• Diveagar, Murud-Janjira, Kashid, Nagaon — quieter Konkan-coast options.

Gujarat and Daman & Diu

• Diu — UT island just off the Gujarat coast with Nagoa beach and Ghoghla beach.
• Mandvi in Kutch — long, clean beach popular with Gujarati holidaymakers.
• Ahmadpur–Mandvi (different from Kutch's Mandvi) — long sandy stretch on the Gujarat–Diu border.
• Daman — UT town with Devka beach and Jampore beach.
• Dwarka and Somnath — pilgrimage towns with adjacent sea views.

East coast — Bay of Bengal

Tamil Nadu

• Marina Beach (Chennai) — one of the longest urban beaches in the world, more for evening strolling than swimming.
• Elliot's Beach (Besant Nagar, Chennai) — quieter alternative in the city.
• Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) — beach next to UNESCO-listed Pallava temples; about 60 km south of Chennai.
• Kanyakumari — at the southern tip of India; sunrise and sunset over the sea on the same day.
• Rameswaram, Tiruchendur — pilgrimage-town beaches.

See our Tamil Nadu travel guide for more.

Andhra Pradesh

• Visakhapatnam (Vizag) — R K Beach (city), Rushikonda Beach (resort area), Yarada Beach (quieter cove).
• Suryalanka and Mypad / Mypadu — Andhra's longer, less-developed beaches.

Odisha

• Puri — pilgrimage town and one of east India's classic beach destinations, paired with the Jagannath Temple.
• Konark — beach near the UNESCO Sun Temple.
• Gopalpur-on-Sea — old colonial-era beach town, low-key.
• Chandipur — unusual "vanishing beach" where the sea recedes up to 5 km at low tide.

West Bengal

• Digha — Bengal's most-visited beach town, about 180 km from Kolkata.
• Mandarmani — long drivable beach where you can drive on the sand at low tide.
• Tajpur, Shankarpur, Bakkhali — quieter alternatives.

Islands

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

The most pristine beaches in India, with white sand, clear turquoise water and proper coral reefs. Reach by air from Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore or Delhi to Port Blair.

• Radhanagar Beach (Havelock / Swaraj Dweep) — repeatedly rated among Asia's best beaches.
• Elephant Beach (Havelock) — the main snorkelling and water-sports beach.
• Kalapathar Beach (Havelock) — quiet sunrise beach.
• Bharatpur and Laxmanpur (Neil Island / Shaheed Dweep) — clear shallow water, good snorkelling.
• Corbyn's Cove (Port Blair) — the city beach.
• Wandoor Beach — entry point for the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.

Best season: November to mid-May. The monsoon (May–September) and the cyclone-prone shoulder months (October, November) bring rough seas.

Lakshadweep

A chain of 36 atolls in the Arabian Sea about 400 km off the Kerala coast. Visiting requires a permit; only a handful of islands are open to non-Indian visitors. Bangaram, Agatti, Kavaratti, Minicoy are the better-known stops. Reach by air to Agatti or by ship from Kochi.

Pondicherry (Puducherry)

The UT on the Tamil Nadu coast. Note that the famous Promenade Beach in Pondicherry town is a rocky seafront and not for swimming; the real beaches are a short drive away.

• Paradise Beach (Chunnambar) — reached by a short backwater boat ride.
• Auroville / Serenity Beach — surfing-friendly stretch north of town.

Practical tips for beach travel in India

• Sea safety — many Indian beaches have strong rip currents, especially during the monsoon and on the west coast. Drowning incidents happen every year. Look for lifeguard flags (Drishti Marine in Goa, similar services elsewhere); swim only in patrolled zones; and don't go in beyond knee depth if you are not a strong swimmer.
• Bikinis and swimwear are normal in Goa and on resort beaches in Kerala and the Andamans, but uncommon and uncomfortable on most other Indian beaches. A rash-vest, leggings or a t-shirt over a swimsuit is the practical compromise; topless and nude bathing are not legal anywhere in India.
• Sun — UV is intense year-round. High-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a rashguard for snorkelling are essential.
• Water sports — parasailing, jet-ski, banana-boat, scuba and snorkel operators are widely available in Goa, the Andamans and to a lesser extent Karnataka and Kerala. Use PADI- or SSI-certified dive shops and ask to see equipment before paying.
• Cyclones — the east coast and the Bay of Bengal islands are cyclone-prone, especially October–December. Watch the weather forecast and be prepared for itinerary changes.
• Restricted islands — entry to Lakshadweep and to the Nicobar group requires permits; some islands are closed entirely to outside visitors. The Sentinel and Nicobar tribal reserves are off-limits and approaching them is illegal.
• Plastic and beach cleanliness — many municipalities have banned single-use plastic on beaches. Carry your rubbish out, especially on the smaller islands and Konkan-coast beaches that have little waste-management infrastructure.

Comprehensive list of beaches by state

Andhra Pradesh: Rushikonda, R K Beach (Vizag), Yarada, Mypadu, Suryalanka.

Andaman & Nicobar: Radhanagar, Elephant, Kalapathar, Bharatpur, Laxmanpur, Wandoor, Corbyn's Cove.

Daman & Diu: Nagoa, Ghoghla (Diu); Devka, Jampore (Daman).

Goa: Anjuna, Arambol, Baga, Benaulim, Calangute, Candolim, Cavelossim, Colva, Morjim, Palolem, Vagator, Varca, Agonda.

Gujarat: Mandvi (Kutch), Ahmadpur-Mandvi, Dwarka, Somnath, Beyt Dwarka.

Karnataka: Gokarna (Om, Kudle, Half Moon, Paradise), Karwar, Malpe, Murudeshwar, St Mary's Island.

Kerala: Kovalam, Varkala, Cherai, Bekal, Marari, Alappuzha (Alleppey), Fort Kochi, Beypore, Kappad.

Lakshadweep: Agatti, Bangaram, Kavaratti, Minicoy.

Maharashtra: Juhu, Versova, Gorai, Aksa, Madh Island, Chowpatty, Bandstand (Mumbai); Alibaug, Tarkarli, Ganpatipule, Diveagar, Kashid, Murud-Janjira, Nagaon.

Odisha: Puri, Konark, Chandipur, Gopalpur-on-Sea.

Pondicherry (Puducherry): Paradise (Chunnambar), Serenity / Auroville, Promenade.

Tamil Nadu: Marina (Chennai), Elliot's, Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), Kanyakumari, Rameswaram, Tiruchendur.

West Bengal: Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur, Shankarpur, Bakkhali.