Goa has THE best market in India, if not the whole world: the Saturday night market, followed closely by the flea market. These aren’t the only options, but are great places to start shopping in Goa. The two biggest markets are only open ON SEASON: End of October through March-April. I couldn’t fit this is my ultimate guide to Goa, so here you go!
Even after being in North Goa a year, I haven’t even begun to check out all the little shops. I’m just going to share some of my favorites with you. I will probably add shops to this post as I find them when they open back up next season. A few might sound familiar because I featured some in my International Boho-Chic Designers Series.
Don’t forget to pick up my Insider Guide to Goa and my Guide to India
General Goa Travel Tips
- Safety Tips For Solo Female Travel in Goa, India
- BEST Places to Visit in Goa in 3 Days
- 50 Things to Do in Goa
- Best Place to Stay in Goa
Wednesday Flea Market in Anjuna
This market is a hippie market full of products from all over India and even foreigners selling amazing jewelry and art. In fact, it’s such a popular market with so many options I wrote an entire post on it: Anjuna Flea Market: A Hippie’s Paradise
Saturday Night Market in Arpora
Ok, this is my favorite place to go in Goa. By the end of the season, I’ll admit it gets a little old but now that it’s over I can’t wait for next year’s to start. The night market is near Club Cubana and has adequate parking for bikes, but not cars. You’re best to be dropped off to avoid dealing with traffic.
This is a place to PARTY. You cannot bring in drinks. There are multiple bars inside, a funky soul music type one (that sometimes plays reggae too?), and a couple trance bars.
The food is SO freakin’ good. The best is the famous rotisserie chicken from the “French guy”. We get one every time we go, and an extra to take home and eat the next day.
Popular restaurants like Thalassa serve here and you can get anything from legit gelato, roast beef and potatos, Indian food, to an Italian guy serving up his homemade pizza.
The shopping is glorious although a little pricey (in comparison to the rest of India) as most come from all over India and are cheaper to buy in their own state. Here more westerners sell clothes and jewelry.
If you think it’s just “junk” you’re so so wrong. Clothes here are the finest silks, costing sometimes 200 USD a dress or scarf and I walk through here and literally want to buy everything, but obviously can’t! Most shops can be found on Etsy as well. Slowly but surely I hope to feature all the ones I love on my boho-chic series.
Read More: How to Ship Souvenirs Home From India
Read More: What to Buy in Each Area of India
Some of my favorites are:
Sagia jewelry
La Alkemista
Nadine Essra Designs
Tara Verde
Fara Boutique
Mermaid Boutique
DADAblui
Baga, Calangute, Tito’s Lane, and Candolim
You can find jewelry stores with precious gems and take personal orders. I think Fancy Arts Emporium on Tito’s Lane did a great job making my star ruby ring, although over-charged. Being on a time constraint, and it being end of season we still used them (next to Ronil Beach Resort, Saunto Waddo, Baga Road). The clothing stores in these areas are not worth your time, except maybe Queen B. Ben found some nice linen shorts there.
Boutiques
Cute boutiques are located inside Villa Blanche, Thalassa, and La Plage, as well as other restaurants.
Check out the post Boutique Gems in Ashwem Beach where I have lots of shops listed, and be sure to stop by Jade Jagger’s shop up there.
Tia & Tan sells from Goa as well as artist Saffron, and Doe Designs.
Cheshire Cat is popular, but not my style.
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Anjuna Cliffside always has stalls set up similar to the Wednesday market but fewer, more expensive, and no westerners selling.
Vagator Cliffside has vendors on the cliffs you’ll pass walking down to the beach. You can get big beach blankets for 200 rs. This all fits the Indian saying, “same same but different”. If you want wall hangings, read this first.
If you’re staying a while, the local market in Mapusa is the best for all your normal needs. You’ll have the center market for fish, meat, and veg. The pharmacy on the corner has everything, Ajay’s supermarket can order you any meat you want, and you can get any clothing made or anything fixed in Mapusa. I get my jewelry fixed and my shoes from the leather guy. You can buy all your bedding and mattresses- literally a one stop shop.
Other supermarkets for long-term people: Newton’s and Delfinos in Candolim have lots of imported stuff (Newton’s is better), Oxfords near Starco junction is the basic grocery store we go to, and Magson’s in Panjim when we’re coming through. They have good cold cuts!
For furnishing, I don’t think it’s “cool” in India, but I shop at Fab India. I think it made our villa super cute! I don’t dress in traditional Indian clothing because it feels like dress up to me, but they are known to have cute clothes as well.
For fabrics and repairing a couch your dog ate, I can recommend Zam Zam in Mapusa, Shop no. 7, Block A, God’s Gift.
Just two shops down from Zam Zam is a framing shop that did a great job for me on the paintings I got from Saffron. I forget the name though!
For wood workings I get great deals from Mohamad Yousuf Bhat near Goan Heritage Holiday Street, Calangute, Bardez.
For more tips on Goa check out my 170-page e-book, Insider’s Guide to Goa. After five years of living in Goa, I am confident this book is the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide to Goa plus it has all my secrets inside + way more places to shop in each town in Goa. Click here to buy it now.
Wha, I like this style :} :}
thanks me too!
Great shopping guide!! If I ever go to Goa I will def check out these markets, they look amazing! Beautiful clothes and jewelries! Ah, now I really want to go to Goa! :)
ahhh yes Goa is great for shopping! As is all of India :)
So the locals Indians go to Goa in the summer , but you said the season is the winter months, is nothing open for the locals during the summer
Yeah it’s a little confusing. Basically, most of the top restaurants in Goa are western-run so they shut. Indian restaurants mainly stay open which is where many Indian tourists would eat anyways. They stay at the nicer hotels on sale that are open in monsoon, and the beach is still frequently visited by them although they don’t get in to swim. Although most great places are closed, it’s much cheaper making it a hot-spot.
This makes me want to visit just for shopping! I love the boho look of pieces from India. One of my fashion designer clients produces gorgeous caftans there… but I can’t afford them (haha).
ahhh really, yes they can be so expensive especially for the foreigners! The clothes are gorg!
It’s a great guide for anyone (particularly girls) who loves to shop! Goa is amazing and it is on my radar this year! Hope to follow your tips. :)
Aw, Goa looks like a dream. I’d love to go shopping in some of those boutiques! <3
They are sooo much fun to shop in- great when you’ve had too much sun !
In February, I visited the local market in Mapusa and the Saturday Night Market in Arpora.
By your description, I feel like I’m back.
This beautiful Saturday Night Market, I will definitely visit again.
and loads of beer
Love the Saturday Night Market, just wish I had had longer there. Such a fabulous atmosphere. It was right at the end of the season when I went and I got some real bargains. Well maybe they weren’t compared to what you might pay elsewhere but I loved it all.
Hello Kathryn,
You are so right!! The sales are best at the very end: )
hii there rachel….me and my friends are coming to goa….hope ur guide helps us
Hey there! After staying in Goa, I’m going someplace rather cold, probably with snow. Is there anyplace in Goa where I can buy reasonably priced winter type clothing?