India GO
Divar Island, Goa
Divar is an island in the Mandovi river about 10 km upstream from Panaji, reached only by ferry, and the ferry is free for foot passengers and two-wheelers. Government ferries cross from Old Goa to Piedade from 6:00 until 2:15 at night, and two smaller routes run from St. Pedro and Naroa. On the other side: paddy fields, Portuguese-era houses, the hilltop church at Piedade and very little commerce.
No bridge reaches Divar; free ferries do, from near the Viceroy's Arch, from Ribandar and from Naroa, and that small inconvenience has preserved an island of paddy fields, Portuguese-era villas and almost no commerce a few minutes from Old Goa. The climb to Our Lady of Compassion church in Piedade village opens out over the Mandovi, and the site also keeps a small structure from Kadamba times. Quiet for most of the year, loudest in late August during the Bonderam flag festival.
A free ferry to the Goa of fifty years ago: paddies, old villas, silence
👣 How to reach Divar: the ferries
There is no bridge to Divar. The River Navigation Department of Goa runs three routes to the island; the timings below are the first and last sailings it publishes. Ferries shuttle back and forth through the day; the department does not publish a minute-by-minute timetable.
- Old Goa – Piedade
3 ferries, 6:00 to 2:15 (next day). The busiest crossing, a few minutes from the churches of Old Goa.
- St. Pedro – Divar
1 ferry, 6:30 to 0:45 (next day).
- Naroa – Divar
1 ferry, 6:00 to 24:00.
- What it costs
Nothing for foot passengers and two-wheelers: the Government of Goa has exempted them from the ferry toll. Cars and larger vehicles pay a small toll fixed by the government.
What to see on Divar
Divar is less a list of sights than a way of moving slowly. The island has three villages: Piedade (with its wards Goltim and Navelim), Malar (once São Matias) and Naroa. The name is usually traced to the Konkani Dipavati, "small island".
- Church of Our Lady of Compassion, Piedade. The church stands on the island's hill, and the climb to it opens out over the Mandovi. Its history goes back to the early 1500s.
- Traces of the Kadamba era. Before the Portuguese, Divar held Hindu temples, among them the original Saptakoteshwar temple, built by Kadamba kings in the 12th century and destroyed in the 14th. A small structure from Kadamba times survives near the church site.
- The villages themselves. Paddy fields that turn green in the monsoon, Portuguese-era villas, and almost no shops. Cycling or walking between Piedade and Naroa is the best way to see it.
The island is quiet because it is lived in. People go about their day here; treat lanes and courtyards as someone's home.
Bonderam: the flag festival
Once a year the quiet breaks. Bonderam is held on Divar on the fourth Saturday of August, in the middle of the monsoon. The name comes from the Portuguese bandeira, "flag". Under Portuguese rule the island's wards quarrelled over land, and the authorities marked boundaries with coloured flags; villagers answered by knocking the flags down with fotashes, bamboo pop-guns firing paper pellets.
Today that protest is a parade: flags, ward floats built around Goan folklore, mock battles with fotashes, folk music, and in the evening bands and fancy-dress competitions. Malar ward holds a smaller edition a week earlier. Thousands of visitors come, so allow extra time at the ferry.
When to go
Any dry-season morning works: the light is soft over the fields and the climb to Piedade is easier before the heat. In the monsoon the paddies turn vivid green and the island is at its most beautiful, though rain makes cycling harder. For the island at full volume, come for Bonderam in late August.
Divar has almost no commerce, so bring water and anything you need for the day. It combines well with Old Goa: a morning among the churches, then the ferry from the Old Goa jetty.
❓ FAQ
What is Divar Island known for?
Its unhurried village life a few minutes by ferry from Old Goa: paddy fields, Portuguese-era houses, the hilltop church at Piedade, and the Bonderam flag festival in August.
What are the Divar Island ferry timings?
Old Goa – Piedade runs 6:00 to 2:15 (next day) with 3 ferries; St. Pedro – Divar 6:30 to 0:45; Naroa – Divar 6:00 to 24:00, according to the River Navigation Department.
Is the ferry to Divar free?
Yes for foot passengers and two-wheelers. Cars and larger vehicles pay a small toll.
How do I reach Divar Island from North Goa?
The usual way is to drive or ride to Old Goa and take the Old Goa – Piedade ferry. Old Goa is east of Panaji along the Mandovi.
When is the Bonderam festival?
On the fourth Saturday of August every year, with a smaller edition in Malar ward a week earlier.
Are there other quiet islands near Divar?
Chorao, its neighbour in the Mandovi, is reached by ferry from Ribandar and is home to the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.