Goa, a city that is always in the bucket list of every traveller. People love to enjoy the beaches, clubs, goa night and adventure activities. Have you ever thought of spending time in Goa for a festival known as Sao Joao Festival? If not, then think about it!
The traditional São João Festival is scheduled on June 24th, 2025. The festival is rooted in Catholic Traditions, spirituality, local food, customs and community bonding makes it a vibrant celebration. In this blog post you will get to know more the festival, best places to experience São João and as a tourist what and how you must plan?
What is São João?
The Sao Joao Festival celebrates every year on June 24th to honor the birth of Saint John the Baptist. The festival welcomes the monsoon season and nature, locals leap into wells, ponds, and rivers. The tradition symbolizes the happiness of Saint John while he was in the womb of her mother and heard the birth of Jesus.
São João Festival Highlights
The rituals celebrated by locals are a communal joy, and a tribute to Mother Nature. Let’s see the festival highlights:
- Well Jumping Rituals: Locals who participate in this ritual garland themselves with vibrant floral crowns. They are known as Kopels. They gather around water bodies and sing traditional songs in Konkani language. They sang “Viva São João!” before taking joyous climb into the water. The theme of this ritual is “Purification and Communal Joy”.
- Sangodd – The Boat Parade: In villages like Siolim, Anjuna, and Candolim, the boats are decorated beautiful, and these boats are called “Sangodds”. The decorated boats flowed down rivers showcasing the themes. The boat parade is accompanied by music and dance, that creates a festive atmosphere for both locals and tourists.
- Traditional Attire and Music: To enjoy the Sao Joao festival, people wear traditional costumes. The villages filled with traditional Goan music, featuring instruments like the ghumot and kansallem. The folk dance like Mando and Fugdi performs in the festival.
- Culinary Delights: In the festival locals prepare traditional Goan dishes like Sorpotel, Sannas, Patoleo, and Bebinca. Goa’s life and festival are both incomplete without liquor, especially Goa’s famous Feni, Cashew Liquor.
Best Places to Experience São João
Goa is divided into two parts Northern Goa and Southern Goa. Northern Goa is known for its vibrant culture and loud music, whereas Southern Goa is more of traditional music and village like feeling. I am sharing some of the best places to enjoy the Sao Joao festival:
- Siolim: This village is known for its grand boat parades and vibrant community celebrations.
- Anjuna & Candolim: These places are known for beachside festivities and cultural performances.
- Mapusa & Panjim: Both the villages offer a blend of traditional and modern celebrations.
Best Time to Enjoy São João
The Sao Joao Festival celebrates every year on June 24th, but the best time to reach Goa is either by June 22nd or 23rd. If you reach early at the festival, you can participate in pre-festival events. The festival starts at 3:30 PM, and the boat parades starts at 4 PM.
What to Pack for Goa Festival
The festival began in July and the weather was not so pleasant in Goa during that time. I would advise taking some of the essentials for the weather and festival.
- Lightweight Raincoat for monsoon showers.
- The surface would be slippery due to monsoon, advise wearing waterproof footwear.
- Kopel, A floral crown for the festival which you can buy from local vendor.
- To safeguard electronic items, you can buy waterproof bags.
- If you are willing to take part in the well jumping festival, carry swimwear.
How to reach Goa
- By Air: Nearest airport is Goa’s Dabolim Airport (GOI) or the new Mopa Airport (GOX). From there taxis are available.
- By Train: There are few railway stations like, Madgaon (MAO) and Thivim (THVM), that accommodate tourists from Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi.
- By Road: The highways are well connected with regular bus services.
Accommodation for São João
The Goa’s Sao Joao Festival is very famous in the country, so I would advise booking accommodation in advance. There are some villages which I mentioned in this blog post (Siolim, Anjuna, or Panjim), try to book hotels in advance at those places. To enjoy the authenticity of Goa, you can choose homestay option.
Final Thoughts
In this blog post I have shared about the São João Festival, the places where you can take best experience and what is necessary for the festival. I hope you enjoyed the blog post and plan a trip to explore the Goa’s tradition, culture, and delicacies. Shout out loud “Viva São João!”
Pack your bag and explore unexplored places with Hema………
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