All of us have planned a trip to Goa with friends at least once in our life. Be it during the college days or a reunion party, Goa has always been a destination to party with friends like there’s no tomorrow. Some of us succeed with those plans while the others keep postponing it for one or the other reason. However, Goa is not just about friends and partying. There is another facet to Goa which most of us are not aware of. A part of Goa which is calm, quiet, serene and most importantly non-commercialized. We are talking about the Divar Islands, a small piece of land close to Goa yet miles apart in tradition and lifestyle. We bring you our two-day Divar Island guide where we shall take you around places on the divar island and also explore the Vashi Island. This Divar Island Guide: Expect the unexpected in Goa talks about our experiences of the island stay in Goa before we headed to North and South Goa.

How to reach Divar Islands:

Divar Islands is located approximately 10kms from the main Panjim city in Goa and can be reached by a ferry from Old Goa. The island is separated from the main Goa city by the Mandovi river which was at a full bloom during the monsoons at the time of our visit. The island is very small in area and is covered by greenery on all sides. 

Mandovi River

The ferry connecting to Divar Island

History of Divar Islands:

The divar island is famous for churches and temples built during the Portuguese era. It is said that divar had a dark history as earlier the Portuguese used to convert the Hindus to Christianity forcibly during their rule at the Divar Islands and Goa. The history of Divar Islands also speaks about the plague that hit it and devastated the complete island and made people leave the island and move towards Goa. However, the places to visit in Divar Island today are some of the most beautiful and Instagrammable ones.

Divar Island during Monsoons

Divar Island Guide: Things to do in Divar Islands

The first and the foremost thing one should do when looking for a tourist spot in Divar Island is to visit the Our Lady of Piety Church. Built on a hilltop, this church provides an amazing view of the entire island and can be your favorite spot to spend some time and enjoy the beauty of this island. We visited the church on a Sunday evening and were happy to find a mass being carried out there. Next to the church is a cemetery too. No photography/videography is allowed inside the church.

Our Lady of Piety Church

View from Our Lady of Piety Church

A church in the Matias village of Divar Island, this is more than 400 years old and looks quite dramatic from the outside. When we visited the church it was closed, however, the courtyard of the church and the tall building was giving it a very interesting look.

Saint Mathias Church

Divar is a very small island with a handful of people. This island can be easily explored a two-wheeler. We went on an island tour on a bicycle during the second day of our trip. While going through the island we could find locals smiling and interacting with us all along our way. There is a straight stretch of land with paddy fields on both sides and a huge banyan tree on one side of the road. The entire stretch gives it a very scenic look and one can spend a good amount of time there enjoying the beauty of nature.

Another island close to the Divar Island is the Vashi Island which is located at a distance of 5 mins via the ferry from Divar Island. Vashi is an island which has both Hindus and Catholics living on either side of the island. We explored this island on a bicycle and enjoyed interacting with the locals. The locals there are very friendly and treat you well.

Cycling around Vashi Island

Vashi Island

A church at Vashi Island

5) Staying at a Nature Care Center:

Divar is an island of divine power. The moment you enter it you start getting positive vibes from the atmosphere. We stayed at Devaaya Ayurveda and Nature Care Center and availed the ayurvedic treatment there a the resort. This place helps in curing different types of illness through Ayurveda and naturopathy. Read more about our experiences at Devaaya Ayurveda Spa Resort here. These things to do in Divar Islands can easily be covered in a divar island day tour.

Divar Island Guide: Places to stay in Divar Islands

Divar Island is a small island with a number of stay options. From different kinds of homestays in Goa to hotel retreat in Goa, Divar offers a variety for the same. The Devaaya Resort can be considered as an island beach hotel as it has all the facilities of a hotel and a resort combined with the benefits of Yoga and Meditation. Other stay options could include villas in Divar Islands which are excellent value for money options especially when you are visiting in a group or during the monsoons.

Our Villa at Devaaya