Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels

Tripoto
23rd Nov 2013
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 1/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 2/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Chapora Port
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 3/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Nature's Mirror
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 4/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Our ride to see the dolphins - #Coco #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 5/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
The tree clearly meant to photobom the Church
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 6/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Nature's laurel & hardy
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 7/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Nature's frothy white blanket
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 8/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Sunset at #Agonda
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 9/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Sunset at #Ozran
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 10/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
SUn, SAnd & BEer!
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 11/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Querim #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 12/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Sinquerim #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 13/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Ruins of St.Augistine Complex
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 14/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Se Cathedral
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 15/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Basillica of Bom Jesu
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 16/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Viceroy's Arch
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 17/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Dramatic Sky #Agonda
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 18/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
View from #CaboDeRama Fort
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 19/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
A wholesome meal
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 20/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
The view at #Canaguinim
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 21/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 22/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 23/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Panoramic view #Nuem #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 24/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#crabs eye view of #Nuem #beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 25/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Nuem #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 26/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Nuem #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 27/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Colva #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 28/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Palolem Beach in 2009
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 29/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Palolem Beach in 2009
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 30/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Palolem #Beach in 2009
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 31/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Calangute
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 32/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#DonaPaula
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 33/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#DonaPaula
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 34/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#DonaPaula
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 35/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Its common to spot #peacocks among hens
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 36/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Quepem #Dam
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 37/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Sarzora #lake
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 38/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
Choice of #fish at #Calangute
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 39/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#MapusaMarket #CafeSFXavier
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 40/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Arambol #Beach
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 41/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Aguada #fortress
Photo of Along the coastline of Goa on two wheels 42/42 by Samantha Mascarenhas
#Aguada #fortress

I live in Bombay but Goa is my native place, so one would easily think I have seen it from corner to corner. NO! Surprisingly for me, every time I visit Goa with family or friends I always come across a new place..indeed the state is only small on the map. Last year I decided to ride along the coast line of Goa starting from North Goa - South Goa. And it was a journey that ended too soon. So much to see, eat, drink and experience all in this tiny state, and I am still not satisfied.

Getting there, If you want to start your journey in North Goa the suitable railway station is Thivim, for South Goa it is Margao and if you want to get to Goa by flight the airport is in Dabolim, Vasco. It is economical to get to Goa by train, as all bus stands will provide services to the major tourist beaches from where you can get access to motorbike rentals. A 2 wheeler in Goa is a necessity - its the best way to travel and it gives you the leverage of time.

Accommodation tips, in my experience tripadvisor has varied options for hotels, be it luxury or budget. Find the one that suits you the best. For nervous travelers book in advance..but finding a stay in Goa at the last moment also is not a problem, you can easily ask around and someone will be there to show you some accommodation options.

Food!!! If you visit to Goa and eat fired rice, french fries, butter chicken!!! missing out all the goan food then my friends you have only experienced half the culture. Although since Goa is become a lot more "touristy" and most people are not aware of the local food or their palates are not accustomed to the spicy vinegar drenched cuisine, restaurants offer the most sought for dishes. And for me its sad to see the authentic goan food stalls/restaurants going out of business in their own home grounds.

For meat eaters, if you want to eat something on the go, try the sausage pao, beef pao, cutlet pao...you can find these being sold on food carts near most churches mostly in the evenings. These are mostly run by local people and it is worth the try.

Things to do, relaxing on the beach with beer and a seafood platter; #sunbathing; #waterSports; if you want to go #dancing out with your girlfriends or boyfriends head to #Baga beach for their array of pubs; roaming the roads of Panajim; the old #Portuguese architecture; the #churches with their inscriptions, statues, alters, of architectural magnificence like Basillica of Bom Jesu, Chapel of St.Catherine, Our Lady of Rosary Church, Our Lady of the Mount Church, St.Augustine Ruins, St.Cajetan Church, St.Francis of Assisi, Se Cathedral and many more; riding along the curvy roads; and might I stress again the #food.

Apart from the obvious tourist spots, the interiors of Goa are quiet beautiful too, the local homes, the small churches, the lakes, dams, the open fields are all accessible with a two wheeler. For the brave hearts who wish to venture in the interior of Goa, having good GPS access would be handy, as the roads are seldom deserted and its hard to find someone to help with directions when you've wandered too far.

A few necessary and useful tips:

  1. Always refuel you bikes or cars at the petrol stations, you can save a few bucks
  2. Try the local goan cuisine
  3. Alcohol is cheap but lets remember to be civilized
  4. Do not liter on the beaches or on the roads

My journey began when I arrived Thivim Station by train from Mumbai. From there you can get an auto rickshaw or a bus(cheaper option) taking you to Mapusa.

Photo of Arambol Beach, Arambol, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Querim Beach, Pernem, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Querim Beach, Pernem, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Mandrem Beach, Mandrem, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

The #Lighthouse and #Aguada Fortress is a good spot to view the #Arabian Sea. Its a 17th century Portuguese fort used for defense. From being used during war to being used as a prison for drug use, this fort has quite a history, I only wonder if there are some spirits still guarding the place. On the Aguada-Siolim road, you can also stop for Go-karting.

Photo of Aguada Fort Area, Candolim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Aguada Fort Area, Candolim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Cafe S F Xavier, Mapusa, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

This is a cheaper option for a homestay compared to the much hyped,expensive and touristy options at Calangute Beach, and it is not very far from Calangute.

Photo of Sinquerim Beach, Candolim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

Perfect spot to end the evening watching the sun take a dip into the ocean. The best part about this beach is descending down the typical Goa brick stairs to get on to the beach

Photo of Ozran Beach Road, Vagator, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

This is a good place to find great bargains as long as you haggle...even if you do not want to buy anything just go there for a quick browse, and a good sighting of the faithful hippies playing music, minding their own business and gazing ocean wards.

From here you can take a boat to get a decent sightings of some dolphins.

Photo of Coco Beach, Bardez, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

Calangute beach has many options for water sports, and with the current flood of tourists, this place is advisable only for water sports and not sunbathing or relaxing. And don't worry if you don't know to swim(like me), if you get cold feet to jump in the middle of the sea you can tell someone to give you a push(like I did) and they will be obliged to do so(They actually did)

Photo of Calangute Beach, Bardez, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Calangute Beach, Bardez, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

You can cross over the Mandovi River using the Ferry Jetty from Betim, the ferry service is free and you can take your bikes along. Panjim has a lot to offer with respect to the old Portuguese architecture; #DonaPaula; the churches with their inscriptions, statues, alters, of architectural magnificence like Basillica of Bom Jesu, Chapel of St.Catherine, Our Lady of Rosary Church, Our Lady of the Mount Church, St.Augustine Ruins, St.Cajetan Church, St.Francis of Assisi, Se Cathedral and many more; Goa state museum; Goa University & some beaches too.

Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Panaji, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

When you want to get to South Goa, you can get buses from Mapusa to Panjim and from Panjim bus stand you can get Shuttle services directly stopping at Margaon bus terminal. Margaon market is the best option to do some shopping for local sweets, goan sausages, vinegar, goan spice mix and of course wine shops.

Photo of Margao, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Margao, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Margao, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Margao, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

I prefer Palolem for accommodation as there are many options available as soon as you get there.

Photo of Palolem Beach, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Palolem Beach, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Palolem Beach, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Agonda Beach, Agonda, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Agonda Beach, Agonda, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Agonda Beach, Agonda, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Canaguinim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Nuem Beach, Canaguinim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Nuem Beach, Canaguinim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Nuem Beach, Canaguinim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Nuem Beach, Canaguinim, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

On the way to Cabo De Rama, there is a lonely restaurant, you can stop over for a Fish thali(wholesome meal)

Photo of Cabo De Rama Fort, Cola, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas
Photo of Cabo De Rama Fort, Cola, Goa, India by Samantha Mascarenhas

This is where my two wheel journey ended and it was back to work, saving money for my next trip.

Frequent Searches Leading To This Page:-

Best Tour Packages for Goa, Goa Tour Package for Couple, Best Travel Packages for Goa, Best Goa Trip Packages, Goa Holiday Tour Packages, Top Goa Packages for Family, Goa Honeymoon Packages from Delhi