20 BEST Hostels in Goa (2021 • Insider Guide!)

• Overall Best Hostel in Goa – Happy Panda – Arambol
• Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Goa – Zostel Goa – Arambol
• Best Cheap Hostel in Goa – That Crazy Hostel – Anjuna
• Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Goa – SUMMER by thehostelcrowd – Palolem
• Best Hostel with a Private Room in Goa – Woke Hostel – Arpora

In this post we’ll help you decide where to stay in Goa. Organized by YOUR needs, our list of the 20 best hostels in Goa will help you find the best type of hostel that fits your travel-style.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for, then remember to check out our best Airbnbs in Goa post too.

Hostels in Arambol & Mandrem

Set in North Goa, Arambol & Mandrem cater to a budget conscious, hippy crowd. There are loads of yoga and esoteric happenings and general good vibes. Whilst there are no all night parties, there is still plenty to keep your evenings filled with.

Overall Best Hostel in Goa – Happy Panda – Arambol

• $$
• Bar & Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Kitchen
• Airport Transfers

The overall best hostel in Goa is Happy Panda, they’re just great! As the best hostel in Goa in 2021 Happy Panda know exactly what Goa backpackers are looking for and deliver it in full. The hostel itself is cool, clean and community-oriented. There are plenty of communal spaces to hang out in and there’s always someone in the kitchen cooking up a great veggie something for everyone to try. If you’re down for a super relaxing time in Goa you’ll surely love Happy Panda. Bookworms will squeal with joy at their packed bookshelf!

The Happy Panda bar is pretty awesome and serve up an ice cold Kingfisher whenever you want it! Don’t worry if they’re fully booked, they’ll pitch a tent for you in the garden! Beggars can’t be choosers, right?!

Roadhouse Arambol

• $$
• Garden Area
• Laundry Facilities
• Late Check-Out

It’s safe to say that some areas of Goa can get pretty crowded at certain times of the year but not Arambol and not Roadhouse. If you like a quiet yet sociable hostel you’ll love Roadhouse Arambol. This is the kinda place where sing-songs around the campfire are the norm and everyone greets you like an old friend. The hostel itself is clean cut and modern. The dorms are bright and well laid out to give guests maximum space to live in. Just 5-minutes walk from the beach Roadhouse is a great youth hostel in Goa.

Bootstart Colive – Mandrem

• $
• Bar & Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities
• Tours & Travel Desk

Bootstart Colive is a bit of a hidden gem. Set back from Mandrem Beach, Bootstart Colive is an authentic, chilled out and super affordable Goa backpacker hostel. Calm and quiet this is an ideal hangout for digital nomads who need to focus on the task at hand. Each guest gets their own storage locker beneath the bunk bed, big enough for your rucksack. Just remember to bring your own lock, Bootstart Colive is super safe but it’s good practice to lock your stuff up!

Vaayu Waterman’s Village – Mandrem

• $$$
• Bar & Restaurant Onsite
• Free WiFi
• Late Check-Out

Vaayu Waterman’s Village is an indie Goa backpacker hostel that has both cottages and cabins available to stay in. Ideal for couples, in particular, Vaayu Waterman’s Village is an authentic Goan homestay hostel on Aveshem-Mandrem Beach Road. Vaayu’s perfectly captures the Goan vibes in everything they do, from the style of the hostel to the welcoming nature of the staff. Admittedly a little more expensive than some other top hostels in Goa but Vaayu Waterman’s Village offers great value for money and good night’s sleep.

Best Hostels in Anjuna & Vagator

Anjuna are Vagator are Goa’ hedonistic party havens. The crowd here come here for one thing – all night parties down on the beach!

JUNGLE by thehostelcrowd – Vagator

• $$
• Free Breakfast
• Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities

Set in a classic, colonial Portuguese mansion JUNGLE is a top hostel in Goa, certainly one of the best. This hostel is super charming and easily the kinda place where you can extend your stay. If you like the fresh air, being surrounded by plants and like to have plenty of space to sunbathe and do yoga you’ll just love JUNGLE. If you’re an uber chilled traveller wanting to hang out near Vagator Beach JUNGLE could be the best hostel in Goa for you. The free breakfast is a total bonus and with a cafe of their own makes it one of the top hostels in Goa for 2021.

Lazy Llama – Anjuna

• $$
• Bar Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities
• Late Check-Out

Lazy Llama is another great youth hostel in Goa for solo travellers who just wanna relax! The Lazy Llama is lazy by name and by nature; everywhere you look there’s a cosy spot to chill out in! Enough hammocks for everyone…nearly! If you’re a solo traveller who loves getting yourself out there and meeting new people every hour of the day you’ll love Lazy Llama. They’re located just 5-minutes walk away from world-famous Anjuna Beach where you’ll find all the backpackers hanging out! Solo nomads who wanna relax and find a new crew will love Lazy Llama.

Best Cheap Hostel in Goa #1 – That Crazy Hostel – Anjuna

• $
• Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities
• Late Check-Out

The best cheap hostel in Goa is That Crazy Hostel. It’s much loved by all who visit and it’s not hard to see why. Nestled away in Northern Goa close to Anjuna Beach That Crazy Hostel has all the mod cons you’d want from a hostel but still has all the hippy vibes you’re heading to Goa to experience. The garden area is That Crazy Hostel’s best feature, colourful and sun trapped it’s safe to say you won’t be straying very far once you’ve checked in! Swing by reception around midday to find out what the evening’s event and entertainment are.

Roadhouse Anjuna

• $$
• Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities
• Tours & Travel Desk

Roadhouse Anjuna is the sister to Roadhouse Arambol and has all the same calm and peaceful vibes as its sister but is located, well duhh, at Anjuna Beach! Roadhouse Anjuna is a great budget hostel in Goa and they have everything you could ask for. Free WiFi, air conditioning, a community kitchen and their own cafe too. Roadhouse Anjuna is a highly recommended hostel in Goa as gets booked up well in advance. If you wanna stay at this little gem of a hostel you’ve gotta get ahead of the game.

Hyyge Hostel – Anjuna

• $
• Garden Area
• Ceiling Fan
• Luggage Storage

Hygge is a great cheap hostel in Goa; simple but ample Hygge is perfect for travellers on a super tight budget. Hygge is another super hippy youth hostel in Goa located just 500m from Anjuna Beach. In a closed compound, all of its own Hygge is a real home from home and the team make everyone feel really welcome. Being one of the newest hostels to open in Goa Hygge are still collecting reviews but they’ve made a cracking start and certainly deserve support from the travelling fam!

Best Cheap Hostel in Goa #3 – Bunkker – Little Vagator

• $
• Bar & Cafe Onsite
• Self Catering Facilities
• Late Check-Out

Bunkker is a top hostel in Goa and great for travellers on a shoestring budget. Bunkker is a new Goa backpacker hostel and is still in tip-top condition. Made entirely from upcycled shipping containers Bunkker is modern, on-point and has a more hipster than hippy vibes. No bad thing! Super close to Rider Mania and Sunburn staying at Bunkker means you can either party til dawn or get an early night. Whatever floats your boat! The dorms are all air-conditioned which is a big bonus!

Best Party Hostel in Goa – Pappi Chulo – Vagator

• $
• Free Breakfast
• Bar Onsite
• Tours & Travel Desk

Pappi Chulo is a buzzing and vibrant party hostel in Goa. If you’re seeking party vibes, community vibes and amazing hostel vibes all in the one place you’ll just love Pappi Chulo. With their own bar in the garden, a great sound system and an even better taste in music Pappi Chulo is the coolest hostel in Goa that party people fall head over heels in love with. Without a doubt, the best party hostel in Goa, Pappi Chulo is the kinda hostel you’ll dream about. The dorm rooms are clean, airy and bright. The beds are super comfy; the perfect place to nurse a hangover before you do it all again.

Dreams Hostel – Vagator

• $$
• Self Catering Facilities
• Laundry Facilities
• Outdoor Terrace

Surely it’s the digital nomad dream to be able to live and work just steps away from beaches like Vagator in Goa? Dreams Hostel allows digital nomads to do just that. Why not live the dream at Dreams? With hippy vibes in no short supply, a decent internet connection and super nice dorm rooms there’s a lot to love about Dreams Hostel. There is plenty of zen areas to work in and you’ll find the hostel office is quite productive. As a much loved Goa backpacker hostel Dreams is a great place for digital nomads and, in fact, chilled out travellers of all kinds.

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Hostels in Baga & Calangute

Baga & Calangute are popular among package, mainstream and domestic travellers to Goa. Expect the odd chain hotel and family of holidaying Brits and Delhiites!

Castle House – Baga

• $$
• Free Breakfast
• Swimming Pool
• Cafe & Bar Onsite

As Goa backpackers hostels go Castle House is right up there with the best, especially for travelling couples seeking a private room! Castle House is great for couples who want some time to themselves, to chill out by the pool and relax in the sun. Located just a few minutes walk from the ultimate beach combo of Calangute-Baga-Candolim and 20-minutes from the city of Panjim Castle House puts you at the heart of Goa’s backpacker zone. The Castle House swimming pool, pool table and library will help keep you and your partner busy, on top of all that beach action!

Hashtag Rooms – Calangute

• $$
• Bar & Cafe Onsite
• Laundry Facilities
• Tours & Travel Desk

The whole of Hashtag is super clean and tidy, including the bathrooms. If you’re working your way from North to South be sure to start your time in Goa at Hashtag Rooms in Calangute. This top hostel in Goa is just 100m from the beach! Truly a place for everyone Hashtag Rooms is a great hangout for solo travellers, digital nomads and have enough beds to accommodate groups too. If you’re a last minute kinda traveller you’ll find all the information you could possibly need at their tours and travel desk.

Best of the Rest

Best Cheap Hostel in Goa #2 – Hopping Frog – Assagao

• $
• Bar & Cafe Onsite
• Laundry Facilities
• Late Check-Out

Hopping Frog is the best budget hostel in Goa and is one of the best-connected too. Staying at Hopping Frog sees you just 15-minutes away from the big town of Mapusa, just 10-minutes from Assagao Beach area and is close to Goa’s main train station too. Hopping Frog is a top hostel in Goa for travellers on a micro-budget as they have everything you could need right there; a cafe and bar, laundry facilities and free WiFi too. Hopping Frog is simple but cosy, cool and cost-effective.

Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Goa – SUMMER by thehostelcrowd – Palolem

• $$
• Free Breakfast
• Self Catering Facilities
• Laundry Facilities

Digital nomads in Goa have a tough balance to strike. Who would want to work when you could spend every waking minute on the beaches of South Goa?! Thankfully SUMMER by thehostelcrowd make it as easy as possible to max out on those beach moments and make the money too. As the best hostel for digital nomads in Goa SUMMER is a cool and calm hostel near Palolem. Ideal for digital nomads SUMMER has decent free WiFi for guests as well as a communal kitchen and laundry facilities, and the private rooms offer desks and are super affordable.

Best Hostel with a Private Room in Goa – Woke Hostel – Arpora

• $$
• Swimming Pool
• Cafe Onsite
• Tours & Travel Desk

Woke Hostel is a flashy, high-end hostel set in a colonial Portuguese mansion near Arpora. There is a real charm to Woke Hostel, perhaps it’s the building itself or perhaps it’s the simple but tasteful decor. Either way, Woke is a highly recommended hostel in Goa, ideal for travellers who have a slightly bigger budget to play with and want a taste of luxury. The staff at Woke Hostel are outstanding and host Shadab is quite the storyteller! Whatever, your Goa itinerary, this is a good base.

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Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straight forward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.

Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!

If you are backpacking through Goa, prepare to have the time of your life. Goa is fun, filled with interesting people, and it’s at one of the best bargain prices in the world.

With the help of this guide to the best hostels in Goa, you’ll be able to easily pick the hostel that fits your travel style, and book with confidence.

So, which on are you going to book? The best hostel in Goa for solo travelers? Or how about one of the best hostel cheap hostels in Goa?

Still stuck? Do yourself a favor and just book our pick for best hostel in Goa for 2021 – Happy Panda!

Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Goa.

Travel Safety Tips for Goa

And don’t forget Travel Insurance! We’ve put together a roundup of Travel Insurance for backpackers – check it out here, or if you’re low on time, get a quote from World Nomads, our favorite travel insurance provider.

Getting an estimate from World Nomads is simple – just click the button or image below, fill out the necessary info, and you’re on your way!

Over to you

By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Goa has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!

If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!

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