Have you ever considered a road trip with your sibling? So inspired by the TVF Tripling series ,This was our first siblings trip to Goa, kind of a birthday gift to my little brother.
Goa, All time favourite holiday destination not only for Indians but for foreigners as well. Formerly a Portuguese colony, Goa is not only vibrant in cultural diversity and heritage but in the natural beauty that extends along its coastline and into its verdant rural landscapes.While North Goa is usually most crowded and hotspot for parties , south Goa holds some true coastal beauties.
If you wish to find solace in the tranquility of nature ,South Goa is your place to be.
Beaches here are less crowded and offer you peace and quiet. South goa is where the soul of Goa resides.
Reaching There:
There are many trains running from Mumbai to Goa on daily basis. We boarded the Mangalore Express from Mumbai CST at 10.00 PM on Friday night.
We reached Madgaon station at 10.30 AM in the morning. From Madgaon station , You have to go to the Kadamba bus stand as it is the main bus stand to go south goa.It will take at most 30 minutes to reach by walking. There are many private bus operators operating the buses on this route as the frequency of government buses is low. You can get a direct bus to Agonda ,if not You can board the bus for Canacona. It will take around one and half hour to reach Canacona. From there ,you will find buses for Agonda beach which will take 30 minutes . There are two dropping points for Agonda ,first one is little bit far away from the beach and other is closest to the beach. Dropping point having a small bridge is closest to the beach, just a few steps away.
We reached Agonda by 1.30 PM in the afternoon. We directly went to the beach. After playing for 2-3 hours in the water and clicking enough pictures, We had our lunch and decided to go to our homestay. Our homestay was very near to the Agonda beach which we had previousy booked from AIRBNB site.
First thing we did is to hire a two wheeler as it is must to explore this area on your own. You can hire one for Rs 200-300. Providing a driving license is not necessary but valid ID proof is needed. Also not forget to rent the helmet as it is compulsory on the highway. And you can get petrol at almost every shop here. Make sure to check your bike for any earlier damages ,better to take photos as you have to pay for the damages.
Itinerary/Places to Explore ::
We went to Agonda and polelem beach on Day 1 evening. On Day 2, we visited Cabo de rama and Cola beach. On day 3 Morning , We visited Butterfly beach.
Agonda Beach:
Agonda is a large fishing village located in Canacona in South Goa district. It is famous for its picturesque beach and It is one of the only four beaches designated as turtle nesting sites.
The beach is very clean and there were only 2-3 foreigners and some fishermen apart from us on the beach.
Palolem Beach-
Cute beach town bustling with restaurants and different shops. Perfect for shopping, eating and dipping your toes in the beach. It is famous its nightlife. This beach is much larger and much more crowded. Palolem is about 30 minutes from Agonda .
One of the finest beaches of Goa, Betul beach is known for its serenity and fish biodiversity. On the other side of betul beach is betul fort which is nearer if you are coming from south goa. It has remnants of a fort in the form of an old cannon and offers the most mesmerizing view where Sai river merges into the ocean. The place has a breath-taking panaromic view of ocean, river, backwaters and lush greenery. You will find many fishermen and fishing boats here. If you ask, they will be ready to drop you to the other side, to the beach.
Cabo de Rama –
This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches, quite secluded due to its remoteness.
It is 18 km from Agonda and will take almost 45 minutes to reach .
This beach lies hidden beneath a tall cliff. There is a resort and beach restaurant named “the Cape Goa” on the cliff. The ambience and food here is really great .You should definitely visit.
From the top of the cliff , It offers spellbinding panaroma onto the Arabian Sea and the pristine blue waters of the beach . Be cautious though as this spectacular view will take your breath away in seconds and conquer your heart forever.
With stone steps leading the way down from the cliff to the beach, the landscape changes quickly from open views of the sea and adjoining hills to a secluded beach, with waves of crystal clear water splashing onto the beach. It is relatively safe to swim here but one must be careful as there are no lifeguards at the beach. A strip of palm groves stretched alongside the beach offers a very pleasant setting for picnics.
Cola beach-
My favourite after the butterfly beach, it offers relaxable atmosphere and the best sunset. You can just read your favourite book , listen to your favorite songs or do nothing and admire the beauty of this place.
Staying here for sunset is a must . We missed the sunset as we reached late .
By following google maps to the cola beach , you will end up at a bus stop. There is a sign board there to the cola beach. You can reach to the bottom of the hill by vehicle both two wheeler and four wheeler but road to the beach goes through the jungle with some steep drops which is quite challenging. We parked our bike at the bus stop and decided to walk to the beach. It took us 30 minutes to reach there.
As we got to the bottom of the hill, there was a beautiful palm tree lined stream leading to the fresh water lagoon which pours out into cola beach .It is called an emerald lagoon because of its clear green colours and calm swimmable waters. The beach is also famous for the traditional Rajastani shacks alongside the beach. Together, this makes Cola beach a must visit experience in Goa.
On our way back, It rained heavily . Thankfully , We got lift till the bus stop.
What's there in Name?
This is a beach we ended up by mistake. I forgot the name but views are spectacular.
Butterfly Beach-
The hidden gem of South Goa, most beautiful beach I have ever visited .
It is one of the most picturesque beaches among all the beaches of Goa. It is serene, peaceful and mesmerizing. It is surrounded by a lot of rocks. It was named by earlier tourists who used to visit the place and saw millions of butterflies flying on the blossoms on the hillside.
You can reach here by taking a boat ride from polelem beach for RS 1000-2000. Or by road . We took the second option.
Vehicles do not go directly to Butterfly Beach and reaching here through land involves a challenging forest hike. However, this also makes for a wonderful opportunity to go trekking through a forest! You can park your vehicle where the location in your google map ends. And keep walking for another 45 minutes inside the forest to reach this paradise on earth.
When we reached , there were only the two of us on this beach having it all to ourselves. If you are lucky, you can even spot the dolphins .You can also experience one of the most beautiful sunset view, you could have ever seen in your life.
The beach is very secluded so you won’t find any tourist facilities here.
Visit to this heaven marked the end of our trip. For return journey, We boarded Kokan Kanya Express for Mumbai.
Highlights-
Budget-
Train Tickets(Mumbai to Madgaon) - Rs.1200
Local Transport(Bus to canacona and agonda)- Rs. 230
Bike hire(with petrol and parking charges)-Rs. 910
Food- Rs. 1670
Homestay- Rs. 1700
Total Cost-Rs.5710
Thank You for Reading..
