Best places to shop in Goa

Goa, to me, is my native place. I was born and brought up in the village of Benaulim and ergo, know every detailed aspect of any place. In this blogpost, I will share with you the top places to do your shopping, be it souvenirs, spices, artifacts and anything else you got in your mind right now.

The state of Goa is a tourism hotspot with visitors from all parts of the world throng to enjoy the golden beaches of Goa. What I realised after years of travelling was that each and every one of us followed a common trait while we travel - we love to shop! Yeah, that's right!

Now please don't argue that men don't shop! Everybody who travels on a vacation usually ends up shopping something or the other they fancy. Men shop for chocolates, garments and other stuff to gift to their loved ones.

So, yeah! We all instinctively find something or the other in the alienated country that touches our heart. Goa, is a treasure of such wealth. With rich spices and attractive clothing line, gems, artifacts and alcohol galore, you will be tempted to empty your wallet all the way till the last penny. Hence, before getting into the markets and shops information, let me suggest you to keep a tight budget controls on your vacation trip.

Top shopping destinations in Goa

Listed below are the famous shopping places in Goa among the locals and also tourists alike. Although some of these are pretty run down places with water leaking from the roof and improper drainage systems, the number of people visiting these markets never deteriorate. There is always a rush at these places and the conditions during peak hours is inexplicable.

To begin with, let's talk about: 

Mapusa market: 

If you liked the Goan food or ever wondered what spices the locals use/ where do they get it from, Mapusa market is the most ideal spot for obtaining the aromatic spices. People all the way from South Goa travel up to Mapusa to get their hands on the finest curry masala, garam masala, xacuti masala and other vegetable and meat spices. Just not that, this marketplace is also known for the traditional sweets. You also get sweet bread, or the customary "boll". 

Other products include bebinca, dodol, nevreo, cashews, garments. It has so much to offer, except for a parking space. If you are with a car, you have genuinely invited big trouble for yourself.

Some of the café in the market are pretty dope. I usually check out the crowd levels and try out new places.

Margao MMC: 

For any persons from South Goa, the Margao Muncipal Market or MMC (in short) is the go-to place for shopping their daily needs. With every item available for purchases at wholesale prices, MMC is the best and most economical supermarket, for the rich and poor alike. 

Goan pork sausages

Best thing again is the snacks and juices available. The faloda shake in the center of the market is divine. However, nothing beats the attraction at one of the notable Restaurants in the city, which is also known as gavdeanghele meaning 'of the tribals'. You will find tons of working ladies taking a respite while savouring on some hot tea and delicious puri bhaji, sheera and samosa. Their bhaji puri is indeed incredible. It has a totally different taste altogether. This restaurant has one of the hot-selling delicacies.

Also, you can also grab the best Goan pork sausages ( comes with meat only and meat+skin types). While some like the chewy meat and skin sausages, others prefer the only meat ones because of the fat and skin content. Everybody has their favourites. What you should remember is that since these sausages are home-made, they all don't taste the same. What you might buy from one vendor may not taste the same as the other. Plus, some even have it as they are, since they are smoked already during preparation. I prefer them with some onions and potatoes. My parents like to buy only from one vendor in Margao simply because his pork sausages are comparatively bigger in size, economical and most importantly more delicious! If the quantity of vinegar and spices are not right in the meat, it won't taste good.

There is also another market, besides the MMC, which is called the old market. It is at a walkable distance from the MMC wherein you would find everything sold for wholesale. If ever you want to buy vegetables, meat or anything else in bulk, simply head there with your bag and get as much as you want for a bargained reasonable price. P.s Traffic is the major problem in Margao, especially the market. Forget about taking a car; it is painful to even find a parking space for your bike.

Anjuna flea market: 

Anjuna Beach market

The flea market is open only during the season time, that is from November till March. It usually opens up at 9 a.m. and shuts down by the break of nightfall at around 6 p.m.

This market comprises more of the hippie lifestyle products. You will find items made of seashells, stones, gems, handcrafts, garments that are adored much by the foreigners.

The market is located at the Anjuna beach. It is pretty mesmerizing when you have the beautiful beach view whilst shopping.

Saturday Night bazaar: 

Also known as Mackies Saturday night bazaar, it is a football ground converted into a huge market every Saturdays. It was previously permanently set up at a nearby property but due to parking congestions and legal settlement, it got moved to the nearby open field.

The atmosphere is lively with live music and dance, with pandals and tables put up for the crowd to relax and feast on the international cuisines served by some of the tourists themselves. Yes! You will see quite a couple of foreigners making a living selling their homemade recipes, food, artifacts and much more.

The night bazaar also has other forms of entertainment such as the giant wheel, shooting games, merry-go-round, etc.

However, some of the products come at an expensive price which test out your negotiating and bargaining expertise.

Caculo mall and Mall de Goa:

Finally, for all you branded freaks, there is no better place for you to grab your stuff than the malls. There are apparently 2 malls in Goa, both in the North side. Caculo Mall is the oldest comparatively and is situated in Panjim. Mall de Goa is right besides the national highway, in the Bicholim district. While Mall de Goa houses more branded shops than Caculo, the latter has bowling and KFC, which is missing in the new shopping mall thereby still attracting plenty of youth.

The Mall de Goa facade

If you need the best handpicked vacation plan from me (being a resident of Goa and knowing every detail), check out my other blog post. Click this link now!