Morjim Beach travel guide

Morjim Beach lies on the northern bank of the Chapora river estuary in Pernem taluka, North Goa. It is a wide, fairly flat beach, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand, and it is generally calmer and less built up than the Baga and Calangute strip to the south. The village behind it is nicknamed Little Russia because of the Russian-speaking residents and visitors who have settled here, and you will see some signboards and menus aimed at them.

Morjim is also an olive ridley turtle nesting beach. Local fishermen who once took the eggs became protectors from the mid-1990s, and the Forest Department now runs nest protection with local volunteers. Nesting runs roughly from November to March, and Forest Department figures cited by The Goan show nests on the Morjim-Mandrem coast rising from 8 in 2014-15 to 276 in 2024-25. Conservationists warn that lights, loud music and beach events can still disturb nesting, so be a considerate visitor after dark.

The beach suits travellers who want sand, sunsets and a slower pace rather than a party. Swim only in lifeguard-watched, green-flag areas, and note that sea swimming and coastal water sports are prohibited in the monsoon. The beach changes sharply by season: shacks and cafés open from roughly October and many are dismantled by May, and from June to September the sea is rough and the beach is empty.

For eating and staying you have three zones. The beachfront and Gawdewada Road at the north end have resort restaurants; the village lanes inland have cafés; and across the Chapora river, Siolim has Goan family restaurants, a village market and a Portuguese-era church. Chapora Fort and Vagator are a short drive south, and Ashwem and Mandrem lie to the north.