Grand Island

Grand Island, Ilha Grao, or Ilha Grande is a small rocky island just off the coast of Dabolim airport. It is small in size – only about 2.5 kilometers, but is a hub of activity. This is one of the best places in Goa for scuba diving and snorkeling. There are many great sites including sunken ships where you can see a variety of marine life, such as sea turtles, dolphins, lobsters, reef sharks, and more. The seabed has colorful corals. You will also find good sites for beginner divers and snorkelers.

Not into diving and snorkeling? You can enjoy a picnic lunch at Monkey Beach with BBQ. You can just relax on the beach, swim in the clear water of the Arabian Sea, or enjoy the many water sports activities. You can also play beach volleyball or football. Walk to explore the island. There is a Holy Cross at the western edge of the Grande Island. Boat trip to the Grande Island takes only 90 minutes from the Coco Jetty. Boats also leave from the Sinquerim Jetty in Candolim.

Where is Grand Island?

Grand Island is on the Arabian Sea. It is very close to Vasco da Gama, just off the coast. It is west of Vasco da Gama in the Mormugao peninsula. The only way to reach the island is by a boat because of its mid-water location.

There are boat services from several places in Goa, such as Calangute, Baga, Candolim, Sinquerim, and Dona Paula Beach. The boat trip takes anything between 45 minutes to 1 and half hours depending on your place of departure.

7 Top Reasons For Visiting Grand Island

1. Snorkeling
2. Scuba diving
3. Swimming
4. Water sport
5. Dolphin Watching
6. Fishing
7. Nature

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Grand Island

The first diving spot on your trip to the Grande will be even before you actually reach the island. It is around Pequeno, which is also called Potato Island because of its shape. It is very close to the shoreline. You will go down just before the island to try your luck. This is a hilly island with one small beach, which is good for snorkelling in shallow water. Your boat operator can give you the diving and snorkel gear and also lifejackets. It can be free or on rent depending on the package you have selected.

The other diving and snorkelling spots are around Grand Island. San Jose and Penjueno are two more islands close to the Grande. The marine life and corals are good there as well.

Grand Island is the best place in India for snorkelling and diving. Many believe that water here has better marine life compared to Andaman and Lakshadweep. That’s because there are many sunken ships, bays, and a sandy bottom, which is home to different types of marine life. There is a coral reef at many places. You will find sites for all levels of divers and snorkelers. There are challenging sites where only the experts can venture too, but you will see many beginners too having fun. The water depth close to the beach is only between 7 and 20 meters.

Most Famous Dive Spots In Grand Island

1. Suzy (4-15m) – This is a sunken British 135-meter vessel. It went down in the 1930s when the ship hit some rocks in a strong sea storm. Fortunately, only 1 crew member died. The ship was carrying railway sleepers. To this day, you can find parts of the cargo in a dive. The ship rests on the sandy bottom of a small bay, and is covered with mussels and small corals. You will find a lot of fish and crustaceans here.
2. Davy Jones Locker (15m) – Another sunken ship close to the Grand Island.
3. Sailing Rock (20m) – An interesting and challenging dive spot where you can see a lot of aquatic life and corals. The sea current is strong here, and also at the Davy Jones Locker, so these two spots can be tough for beginners. They are best for experienced and professional divers.
4. Umma Gumma Reef (15m) – This is the best spot for beginners, and it’s one of the best places too. You have the chance to see reef sharks, lobsters, sea cucumbers, needlefish, turtles, and many more species.

There are other diving spots too, like Turbo Tunnel (7m), Surge City (9m), and Bounty Bay (9m). You will find many remains of wrecked ships that went down here during the Second World War or before. There are other interesting places too.

You can swim in the waters of the Arabian Sea as well, and also enjoy water sports here, apart from snorkeling and scuba diving.

Dolphin Spotting

There are many places in Goa where you can see dolphins. But here in the Grand Island, if you are lucky, you can spot an entire pod of dolphins. Just be alert when you are approaching the island on the boat trip. You can miss the playful dolphins as they twirl very fast. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip.

Fishing

Once you are close to the island, your boat will stop for a while. You will be handed a fishing rod and bait attached to it. You can then try your hand at fishing, sitting at the boat. You can carry anything you catch, and it will then be prepared wonderfully for a barbeque lunch at the island. Light snack and soft beverages are also served on the boat as you cruise towards the island. On the trip, you will also see many Goa landmarks, like the Millionaire Palace, Goa Jail, and Fort Aguada from the boat.

Monkey Beach

You land at the Monkey Beach on the Grand Island. Here you can relax, get a tan, swim in the sea, play beach volleyball and football, enjoy a picnic, lunch with barbecue and chicken or vegetarian, and try the many water sport activities. There’s a chance to see dolphins right from the beach as well. You will find tents here where you can sit back and relax. Mats are available on rent. There is beer and soft drinks too with the lunch served at the Monkey Beach. Walk back to the boat after spending time here for the return journey.

Best Time To Visit The Grand Island

October to May is the best time to visit the Grande Island. The weather is nice, so your boat ride from the Coco Beach will be more pleasant. The summer is hot. There are also fewer tourists in the summer, so the boat may not leave unless a minimum number of people book a trip. The water becomes very choppy during the monsoon, June to August. No boat will take you to the island at this time. And even if you reach the island, you won’t find any water sports, snorkeling, or diving.