Ponda
Temple villages and spice gardens in central Goa
A Ponda tour links Mangueshi and Shanta Durga temples, spice plantations and a 1560 mosque in a taluka about 28 km from Panaji, in South Goa.
Overview
Ponda sits in the middle of Goa at about 42 m above sea level, roughly 28 km south-east of Panaji and 17 km north-east of Margao. It is the administrative seat of Ponda taluka, which moved from North Goa to South Goa district in January 2015. The town itself is mainly a transport crossroads, so a Ponda tour is really a day spent among nearby temple villages and spice gardens, best fitted into the October to March season.
Five large temples are spread across the taluka: Mangueshi, Shanta Durga, Nagueshi, Mahalasa Narayani and Ramnath. The Mangueshi Temple at Priol, about 21 km from Panaji, honours Shiva as Manguesh. Its lingam was brought here in 1560 from Kushasthali, today's Cortalim, when worship elsewhere was under threat from Portuguese rule. The complex was renovated in 1890 and again in 1973, and a seven-storey lamp tower rises in the compound.
The Shanta Durga Temple at Kavale stands at the foot of forested hills. Its foundation stone was laid in 1730, it was completed in 1738 and it was renovated in 1966, and the goddess it honours is said to have reconciled Vishnu and Shiva. Do not confuse it with another Shantadurga temple in Quepem taluka. The Ramnath complex lies about 33 km from Panaji and joins five temples.
The spice plantations are the second reason to come. Most of Goa's plantations cluster in this taluka, 15 to 30 km from Panaji, and grow pepper, chilli, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom beneath coconut and betel nut palms. A visit usually pairs a guided walk with herbal tea and a lunch served on a banana leaf. Savoi, about 25 km from Panaji, and the Tropical Spice Plantation at Keri are among the names to look up. For something older than the temples now standing, the Safa Masjid in town was built around 1560 under Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur.
Ponda also works as a staging point. The Panaji to Belgaum highway passes through the taluka, and the roads to Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and to Mollem and Dudhsagar branch from here. Madgaon Junction, in Margao, is the main railway station, and Dabolim is the closest airport.
Known for
A Shiva shrine moved here in 1560, with a seven-storey lamp tower
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Jatra at the Mangueshi Temple, Priol
festivalA nine-day temple festival at Priol with palanquin processions, a boat procession and a closing chariot procession, run from Ratha Saptami to Magh Purnima.
Usually late January or February, in the month of Magha. In 2025 it ran from 4 to 12 February. No 2027 schedule found.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesJatra at the Shanta Durga Temple, Kavale
festivalAn annual temple festival at Kavale with a palanquin and chariot procession of the goddess, held around Magha Shuddha Panchami.
Usually February. The 2021 festival ran from 12 to 20 February, with the main procession on 16 February. No 2027 schedule found.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
May is the hottest month, with daytime highs above 35 C, and the south-west monsoon from June to September brings over 90 per cent of Goa's roughly 3,048 mm of rain.
Goa International Airport, Dabolim (GOI); Manohar International Airport, Mopa (GOX) is also listed on Incredible India's Bondla page (distances to be supplied)
Madgaon Junction (MAO) in Margao, about 17 km from Ponda town (distance to the station itself to be supplied)
Ponda is about 28 km south-east of Panaji and 17 km north-east of Margao (Wikipedia). The Panaji to Belgaum highway passes through the taluka, and minibuses run from the Kadamba bus terminus in Panaji (Wikivoyage). Drive times (to be supplied).
Check which Shantadurga you are heading for, as the Kavale temple is in Ponda taluka and another Shantadurga temple stands in Quepem taluka
Allow for a vehicle between temples, since Mangueshi is at Priol, Shanta Durga at Kavale and the Ramnath complex about 33 km from Panaji
Plan the spice plantation as a half-day outing, as visits generally combine a guided walk with a meal, and book the plantation you want before travelling
Location
Packages that visit Ponda
All packages →Ponda Temples and Spice Plantations Stay
A Ponda temples and spice plantation tour in Goa: three days, two nights in one hotel, four temples, a c. 1560 mosque and a spice walk, with airport transfers.
PondaHeritage & TemplesBondla Wildlife Sanctuary and Ponda Temples
A 3-day Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and Ponda temples tour in Goa: zoo, deer park and forest trails, Mangueshi and Shanta Durga temples, a spice plantation.
Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary → PondaWildlife & NaturePlan a trip to Ponda
Tell us your dates and we will shape the route.