Panaji, November 2026 : The Goa Tourism Department has identified and demarcated 14 locations across North Goa for regulated watersports activities, including kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, paddle boating, boat rides and river rafting. The move aims to promote water-based tourism while strengthening safety standards, supervision and monitoring of recreational activities.
Key details of the 14 designated watersports locations:
Baga: Baga beach and Baga creek have been identified for regulated watersports activities.
Tiracol river: Keri has been designated as a watersports location.
Mayem lake: The popular lake has been included in the list of approved sites.
Moira river: One location near the river has been demarcated.
Chapora river: Four locations along the river, including an area near Chapora jetty, have been identified.
Nerul river: Orda has been designated for watersports activities.
Mhadei river: Two locations near Ustem dam have been identified.
According to the Tourism Department notification, the demarcated areas cover rivers, lakes, beaches and other inland water bodies. The initiative is intended to identify specific zones for recreational water-based tourism and ensure that activities are conducted under regulated conditions.
Safety rules and operational restrictions
All watersports activities at the notified locations will have to comply with prescribed safety conditions and operate under professional supervision. The permitted activities and operational limits will vary depending on the location.
Kayaking: Operations will be restricted to distances between 200 and 500 metres from the boarding point, depending on the designated site.
River rafting: Activities near Ustem dam will be permitted for a distance of up to one kilometre from the boarding point.
Professional supervision: Rafting must be conducted under the direct supervision and guidance of trained instructors.
Safety compliance: Operators will have to follow the conditions prescribed for their respective locations.
Tourism Director Kedar Naik stated in the notification that river rafting activities must be conducted with the assistance of trained professional instructors.
The latest notification comes months after the Captain of Ports Department withdrew permissions for river tourism and watersports activities in July.
The department had also informed the Bombay High Court that the Tourism Department had not notified or demarcated designated monsoon watersports zones, despite an earlier framework requiring operators to obtain a no-objection certificate before commencing operations.
The identification of 14 locations is expected to provide a regulated framework for watersports tourism in North Goa, while addressing concerns over safety, operational monitoring and supervision.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
