Fort Aguada
Forte da Aguada
A sea-defense fort built by the Portuguese at the mouth of the Mandovi River in 1612, home to one of Asia's oldest lighthouses, with superb sunsets over the Arabian Sea and Candolim beaches.
Fort Aguada was built in 1612 by the Portuguese on the north bank of the Mandovi River mouth to defend against the Dutch and the Marathas. Its name means “watering place” (aguada), after the freshwater spring inside the fort. Its large reservoir can hold 2.35 million litres, once one of the largest freshwater stores in Asia. The fort has two levels. The upper fort on the hilltop has thick walls, a moat and a four-story white lighthouse built in 1864, one of the oldest in Asia. Visitors can climb it, and a newer lighthouse built in 1976 stands beside it. From the walls you can overlook the Mandovi estuary, the Arabian Sea and the Candolim–Calangute coastline, making it a great sunset spot. The lower fort sits by the sea and was used as a prison for many years (closed in 2015). It now houses the Goa Freedom Struggle Museum. Entry is free (the lighthouse costs about ₹20), and it is open 08:30–17:30. Alcohol is banned inside the fort. Below the fort, the Sinquerim Beach is home to the Taj group's Fort Aguada Resort, where guests can enjoy water sports. Getting there: 25 minutes by taxi from Panaji or 20 minutes by scooter from Baga, with a large car park below the fort. Plan about 1 hour, ideally in the evening, and then have dinner in Candolim. Notes: The upper fort has no shade, and it closes soon after sunset.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Reis Magos Fort
- Calangute Beach
- Dona Paula
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church
- Fontainhas, Panaji
- Baga Beach
- Arpora Saturday Night Market
- Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary