India GO
Fort Aguada and lighthouse, Goa: timings, tickets and what to see
Fort Aguada, the Portuguese fort on the headland at Sinquerim in North Goa, is open daily from 9:30 am to 6 pm, according to Goa Tourism. The working lighthouse beside it keeps its own hours, 10 am to 5:30 pm and again 7:30 to 8:30 pm, and sells its own tickets. Entry to the upper fort is listed as free, and the former Aguada jail, part of the fort complex, now houses a museum with a separate ticket.
Built in 1612 to guard against Dutch and Maratha raids, Fort Aguada once held the largest fresh-water reservoir in all of Portuguese Asia, hence the name ("aguada" = watering place). The Portuguese-era lighthouse here is one of the oldest in Asia. The panorama from the upper ramparts, with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Candolim coast stretching south, is the single best free view in North Goa.
The fort closes before sunset, so come in the late afternoon; the working lighthouse beside it keeps its own, shorter visiting hours plus an evening slot. Weekends get crowded with honeymoon photo-shoots.
Opening hours
Official hours: goa-tourism.com · checked 28 September 2026
Tickets
Timings: fort, lighthouse and museum
Three places on one headland, three sets of hours:
- Upper fort and ramparts: daily, 9:30 am to 6 pm (Goa Tourism Development Corporation).
- Aguada lighthouse: 10 am to 5:30 pm and 7:30 to 8:30 pm (Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships).
- Aguada Jail Museum (Aguad Port & Jail Complex): daily, 10 am to 8 pm (museum website).
The Incredible India page gives a 5 pm closing time for the fort; Goa Tourism's 6 pm is the figure used here. For most of the year the fort shuts before sunset, so come in the late afternoon. The lighthouse's evening slot lets you see the headland after dark.
Entry fee
- Upper fort: listed as free in the visit card above. No official fee page exists, so treat it as likely rather than certain; parking may be charged.
- Lighthouse: a separate ticket, booked through an online portal from a QR code on site. Goa Tourism calls it a small fee; India GO has no confirmed price.
- Aguada Jail Museum: ₹300, or ₹600 for international visitors, on its booking page.
What to see
The Portuguese built Aguada in the early 17th century to guard the mouth of the Mandovi. It takes its name from a freshwater spring: aguada means a watering place, and the spring gave the fort a constant supply of drinking water.
The ramparts and cistern
The bulwarks stand 5 m high and 1.3 m thick, laid along the natural rock so the walls were harder to breach. The fort could mount up to 200 cannons, and its cistern held more than 2,000,000 gallons of water. From the upper ramparts the Arabian Sea is to the west and the Candolim coast runs south.
The old lighthouse, 1864
A 16 m masonry tower raised in 1864; before it, from 1841, an oil lamp hung from a mast inside the fort. Goa Tourism calls it the oldest of its kind in Asia. It went out of use in 1976 and is usually closed to the public.
The new lighthouse, 1976
The working light, the Aguada Lighthouse and DGPS Station, was built in 1972–76 and commissioned on 20 July 1976. This is the one visitors climb for a small fee, and the one with the evening visiting slot.
Aguada Jail Museum
The fort's jail was Goa's largest prison until 2015. Its former cells now house the Aguad Interactive Museum, with its own ticket and longer hours than the fort.
Church of St Lawrence
Built just outside the fort, dedicated to the patron saint of sailors.
How to get there
The fort is at Sinquerim, at the northern end of the Candolim beach strip. By road it is reached along the Aguada–Siolim Road; there is also a steep footpath of about 2 km up the headland. A scooter or taxi is the usual way. Weekends get crowded with photo shoots.
❓ FAQ
What are Fort Aguada's timings?
Daily, 9:30 am to 6 pm, according to Goa Tourism. The lighthouse is open 10 am to 5:30 pm and 7:30 to 8:30 pm.
Does Fort Aguada have an entry fee?
The upper fort is listed as free. The lighthouse and the Aguada Jail Museum (₹300, ₹600 for international visitors) have their own tickets.
Which time is best to visit Aguada Fort?
Late afternoon, before the 6 pm closing. For the headland after dark, use the lighthouse's 7:30 to 8:30 pm slot.
What is special about Aguada Fort?
A cistern that held over 2,000,000 gallons, a freshwater spring that gave the fort its name, and an 1864 lighthouse that Goa Tourism calls the oldest of its kind in Asia.
Can you climb the Aguada lighthouse?
The working lighthouse, yes, for a small fee, according to Goa Tourism; tickets are booked online via a QR code. The 1864 tower is usually closed.