Chorao & Divar Islands
Goa ยท Old Goa & Panaji ยท 5m
Goa's forgotten islands โ bird sanctuary, Portuguese mansions, and zero tourists
Why Special
Chorao and Divar are river islands in the Mandovi โ 10 minutes by free government ferry from the mainland but a world apart from beach Goa. Chorao has the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (mangroves, kingfishers, white egrets). Divar has crumbling Portuguese mansions, the Bonderam festival, and a pace of life unchanged in decades. Almost no tourists visit either.
Festivals & Events
Bonderam Festival
Aug4th Saturday of August
Divar Island's unique flag festival โ villagers parade with colourful flags, folk music, boat races, and traditional food. Tiny island event with huge local character.
Unique island festival celebrating Goan village culture.
Infrastructure Reality
Network Coverage
Basic signal on both islands. Patchy in mangroves.
Medical & Emergency
Hospital: Old Goa / Goa Medical College (ferry + 5km). Basic clinic on Divar. (8 km)
Ambulance: 108 (20+ min response due to ferry)
Police: Old Goa Police Station (ferry + 3km)
Getting There
Panaji 15km (ferry + drive, 30min total). Old Goa 5km (ferry + 2min drive).
Roads: Island roads are narrow but paved.
Public transport: FREE government ferry every 15-20 min from Ribandar (Chorao) and Naroa (Divar).
Fuel & Stay
Fuel: Old Goa / Ribandar (ferry + 5km)
Stay: โน0/night
Daily Budget Reality
Budget
โน600Mid-range
โน1,100Luxury
โน1,700๐ก Day trip from Panaji. Ferry is FREE. Bird sanctuary boat โน200-300. Cycle rental โน100-200.
Crowd Intelligence
Best days: Any
Bonderam Festival (4th Saturday of August) is the one time Divar gets crowded. Otherwise always empty.
Food & Dining
Cuisine: Carry your own food. Maybe a chai stall.
Pack food from Panaji. There is almost nothing to eat on either island.
How to Reach
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