[varunait2003]

Originally Posted by varunait2003

I drove from Bangalore to North Goa yesterday.

Bangalore > Hubli > Dharwad > Tinai Ghat > Anmod > Ponda > Candolim

I returned yesterday via South Goa, however crossing Madgao was a pain due to the diversions (a flyover was getting constructed on the Madgao bypass). May be I took a wrong turn:(

The road between Ankola and Yellapur is bad, not exactly potholes but worn out surface and long furrow lines may be due to truck movement. After Yellapur it’s smooth till Hubli. I read somewhere that heavy vehicle movement is restricted on the Anmod route for now, so all that traffic is going through this route.

For folks going from Bangalore I would recommend to take the Anmod Ghat route and then take the left from Ponda to go to South Goa, you will get good roads and reach faster.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by varunait2003

I returned yesterday via South Goa, however crossing Madgao was a pain due to the diversions (a flyover was getting constructed on the Madgao bypass). May be I took a wrong turn:(

The road between Ankola and Yellapur is bad, not exactly potholes but worn out surface and long furrow lines may be due to truck movement. After Yellapur it’s smooth till Hubli. I read somewhere that heavy vehicle movement is restricted on the Anmod route for now, so all that traffic is going through this route.

For folks going from Bangalore I would recommend to take the Anmod Ghat route and then take the left from Ponda to go to South Goa, you will get good roads and reach faster.

The road between Ankola and Hubli is the primary route for all Mumbai bound buses & trucks from coastal Karnataka I e. Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapur etc and also for North Kerala cities like Kasargod, Kanhangad etc. It's same from Mumbai/ Pune buses / trucks bound for coastal Karnataka & North Kerala. So, the road surface is weathered beyond good to passable. It's been that way since many years. I believe once the coastal NH66 is ready, then perhaps Mumbai/ Pune bound buses / trucks may cease to take this route. That's happening shortly as the coastal NH is nearing completion (as I heard last).

I live in Goa and ride all over Goa on work regularly. The Madgao bypass is getting ready and then it will be a breeze. However there's an existing old bypass to Madgao that takes one through Gogol & Rawanfond. It's called Madgao Bypass road (in Google maps) and the city can be bypassed without any issues or delay. Tourists generally take the old bypass and don't enter the city.

South Goa district is quite large. and anything South of Zuari bridge at Cortalim is South Goa and it's roughly starts at the middle of the state. The reason I say this is South Goa is not a place but a district that stretches upto Karwar border and is roughly about 66-68 kms in length.

If one is going to Colva, Benaulim, or Varca (all very close to Madgao) in South Goa, then perhaps taking the Anmd route might make sense. However if one's destination is Palolem or Patnem or Devbagh (near Canacona town) deeper South, close to Karnataka border, then I wouldn't recommend the Anmod route, as it doesn't make sense. The road from Madgao to Canacona passes through Karmal ghat and the road is narrow at few sections (between Madgao and Canacona) and that would be an additional hour or two to drive, if someone's destination is Palolem and they are taking the circuitous route through Anmod and God forbid if there's a heavy vehicle like truck/ bus breakdown in the narrow corridor/ road section then add another couple of hours to the delay.

[spacefugitive]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

There's a shortcut at Bankapur, after Haveri on the Bangalore to Hubli route. This takes you through minor state roadsl via Mundgod to join the Hubli - Ankola road at Yellapur. This route shortens your distance by 50 Kms / 1 hour drive time. This route is a decent route, not recommended for low GC cars. XUV 700 shouldn't have any issue here.

Ground clearance isn't the issue for me, a honda city was able to get through this. The issue is that this road is a real back breaker. my back and neck really regret taking this.

[amandal1810]

I drove from North Goa (Baga) to Bengaluru on 28th September. Took the Anmod Ghat route. Roads were good throughout, except for a few KMs where some bridge construction is going on. The potholes here were quite big and sedans need to be careful here. My Honda Elevate was fine though. But adventure awaited us.

As we neared Tinai Ghat, we encountered a huge queue of trucks and lorries. The reason: there was a small section of about 200m where the road had completely disappeared. It was only mud slush and slurry. What made things worse was an incline (GOA to BLR side) on this patch. I am not sure what caused it, but I am guessing it was heavy rains and eroded roads. Heavy vehicles were either waiting for the road to be fixed (work was in progress) or taking a U-turn. Some cars braved it while others turned around. I decided to put the Honda Elevate (ZX CVT)) to the test and attempt this off-roading section. And to my pleasant surprise, it did it in one attempt! I have no knowledge of off-roading except for one tip: maintain momentum and don't stop mid-way. Unfortunately, the dashcam footage got overwritten by the time we reached back home in BLR so I do not have a video of this adventure. Here's a photo of the car after this muddy adventure:




I had a huge adrenaline rush during this. However, Honda Elevate is not the car for such activities and I knew that there might be a risk of the car getting stuck in the mud. Now I know why people buy 4x4 and go on off-road adventures

I am sharing the exact location of this bad patch:



Other than this bad patch and a few KMs of potholes, the entire stretch was smooth tarmac. We started from Baga at about 8.30am and reached home (Bellandur) at 11.30pm, which included 3 food stops and multiple bio breaks. We stopped at Hill View restaurant but the food was barely edible here; please avoid. We also stopped at Apoorva Resorts and the food was great here; recommended.

The alternative route was via Tilari Ghat which passes through Maharashtra and is about 45 mins longer.

[rohittk]

Originally Posted by amandal1810

I drove from North Goa (Baga) to Bengaluru on 28th September. Took the Anmod Ghat route. Roads were good throughout, except for a few KMs where some bridge construction is going on. The potholes here were quite big and sedans need to be careful here. My Honda Elevate was fine though. But adventure awaited us.

Thanks for the update. Do you think the patch would have been fixed by now? I will be driving Oct 2/Wed.

[marutifan]

How many people pay the 20 rupee forrest pass extortion when crossing Anmod Ghat at the border check post? I believe this is pure robbery right in front of the cops manning the check post. I refuse to pay despite the intimidation tactics and they relent when they realise I'm not scared. But every other car I saw was paying.

[marutifan]

Originally Posted by rohittk

Thanks for the update. Do you think the patch would have been fixed by now? I will be driving Oct 2/Wed.

While driving to Goa, you can bypass the bad stretch of road by taking a detour through wildlife sanctuary in which case, ignore the post I just made about refusing to pay 20 rupees. But while returning to Bangalore I would advise either Chorla Ghat if that road is motorable or else via Karwar - Yellapur. There is another option of Anmod to Ramnagar by taking Castle Rock bypass. My advice is to check back just before your return trip since it's only a small stretch of road that is a problem and it should be patched up by next weekend.

[rohittk]

Originally Posted by marutifan

While driving to Goa, you can bypass the bad stretch of road by taking a detour through wildlife sanctuary in which case, ignore the post I just made about refusing to pay 20 rupees. But while returning to Bangalore I would advise either Chorla Ghat if that road is motorable or else via Karwar - Yellapur. There is another option of Anmod to Ramnagar by taking Castle Rock bypass. My advice is to check back just before your return trip since it's only a small stretch of road that is a problem and it should be patched up by next weekend.

Ok. Any guidance on what i should put in google maps for the wildlife sanctuary detour you are suggesting. Usually figuring this out via maps while you are driving can be messy. Or do you suggest I ask the locals for the detour. Also would you recommend me taking the chorla ghat enroute to Goa so that I don't have to worry about Tinai Ghat. I wonder why folks are not talking about Chorla Ghat route these days.

[george.joe]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Palolem is in the Southern end of Goa. So it makes sense to enter Goa from Karwar (Karnataka) side and from Karwar, your destination is just about 30 kms inside Goa.

Thanks for your inputs, this really helps. Planning to start on Oct 2nd. Planned route will be
Bangalore -> Bankapur Toll -> Mundgod -> Yellapur -> Karwar -> Palolem.

Hope I can take the same route for a return from Cavelossim to Bangalore.

Any must have eateries that anyone can suggest enroute? For a 5AM start, will breakfast and lunch options be over by Bankapur?

Any fuel pumps/COCO pumps on this route?

[amandal1810]

Originally Posted by marutifan

How many people pay the 20 rupee forrest pass extortion when crossing Anmod Ghat at the border check post?

I paid. This is the same in Bandipur. They do give a slip/bill but I don't know if its actually legit.

Originally Posted by rohittk

Thanks for the update. Do you think the patch would have been fixed by now? I will be driving Oct 2/Wed.

I am not sure TBH. Work was already in progress to fix this patch. So I am guessing it should be better by now. Moreover, there were many trucks waiting in the queue to cross this section. So this road is of economic importance.

Originally Posted by rohittk

Ok. Any guidance on what i should put in google maps for the wildlife sanctuary detour you are suggesting. Usually figuring this out via maps while you are driving can be messy.

A policeman who was managing traffic at the bad patch was trying to explain to me an alternate route but I could not understand him due to the language barrier. So I am guessing you can ask around and find out the alternate route to bypass the bad section at Tinai Ghat. But yeah, not having the route predetermined can be a bit messy. You can ask at the check post where they take the 20rs, but thats for GOA to BLR.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by george.joe

Thanks for your inputs, this really helps. Planning to start on Oct 2nd. Planned route will be
Bangalore -> Bankapur Toll -> Mundgod -> Yellapur -> Karwar -> Palolem.

Hope I can take the same route for a return from Cavelossim to Bangalore.

Any must have eateries that anyone can suggest enroute? For a 5AM start, will breakfast and lunch options be over by Bankapur?

Any fuel pumps/COCO pumps on this route?

If you are traveling from Palolem to Cavelossim, then do not take the highway, There is a scenic coastal route that takes you from Palolem - Agonda - Kola - Betul - Velim - cross the Assolna bridge - Cavelossim. This route is very peaceful, devoid of any traffic and quite scenic too. You can visit the Cabo-De-Rama Fort in this route ( with a small diversion though)

From Palolem to Cavelossim is around 32-34 Kms and once you are in Cavelossim, on your return journey, you have an alternate route to Bangalore through Madgao - Ponda - Mollem - Anmod - Tinai Ghat - Ramnagar - Alnavar - Dharwad - Hubli - Bangalore on Pune - Blr NH. This is the preferred route to travelers from Bangalore going to North Goa such as Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Anjuna, Panaji, Vagator, Siolim, Morjim etc. You can explore this option too, though a small section of the road at Anmod is bad as reported by others who took this route to Goa.

So, from Cavelossim you have both option of Anmod - Dharwad route or the familiar Karwar route, back to Bangalore. You can choose based on your arrival / initial experience on the Karwar route. If your experience is good you can retrace the route, If you want to explore a new route, you can take the Anmod - Dharwad route to Bangalore

Regarding breakfast, if you start at 5AM from Bangalore, you could be in Chitradurga (which is about 200 Kms from Bangalore) by say 8:00 AM or thereabouts depending on your driving speed. Chitradurga is the district headquarters and a small size city and you get some decent restaurants adjoining the highway for breakfast. You can try Krishna Bhavan Veg restaurant on the highway service road as I have heard some decent reviews about it. For lunch, Yellapur has a couple of decent restaurants. You can try Shanbagh hotel for good lunch here. If you are keen on nonveg restaurant, then Mumtaz hotel is a good option in Yellapur.

Regarding COCO fuel pumps, I am sorry, I don't have much idea about the COCO fuel pumps on this route. I believe fellow travelers would be able to assist you in this matter.

[rohittk]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Palolem is in the Southern end of Goa. So it makes sense to enter Goa from Karwar (Karnataka) side and from Karwar, your destination is just about 30 kms inside Goa.

An update from my side. I have decided not to take the Tinai Ghat route. I had called up Simla restaurant in Tinai Ghat (figured out via google maps) and the owner mentioned the route has gotten a bit busy due to lorry traffic. Rather i will take the Kalghati Road - Yellapur - Ankola route. Will spend the night in peaceful South Goa and then head to north Goa next morning on Oct3.

Basis your recommendation I will take the Bankapur shortcut after Haveri. Google maps suggests this as well. I will be in a Jeep so should be able to navigate the road without much issue.

[george.joe]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Palolem is in the Southern end of Goa. So it makes sense to enter Goa from Karwar (Karnataka) side and from Karwar, your destination is just about 30 kms inside Goa.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

If you are traveling from Palolem to Cavelossim, then do not take the highway, There is a scenic coastal route that takes you from Palolem - Agonda - Kola - Betul - Velim - cross the Assolna bridge - Cavelossim. This route is very peaceful, devoid of any traffic and quite scenic too. You can visit the Cabo-De-Rama Fort in this route ( with a small diversion though)

Thanks again for a prompt response. My plan in Goa will be Palolem to Candolim and back to Cavelossim. Not sure if the scenic road you mentioned will be en route. Will give it a try if it is on the route from Palolem to Candolim

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by george.joe

Thanks again for a prompt response. My plan in Goa will be Palolem to Candolim and back to Cavelossim. Not sure if the scenic road you mentioned will be en route. Will give it a try if it is on the route from Palolem to Candolim

Palolem to Candolim will have to be though the highway only. The route upto Madgao is a little narrow and slow. From Madgaon to Panaji it's 4 lane most of the distance, then Panaji to Candolim is again narrow single lane roads after crossing the Mandovi river. You cannot use the coastal road for Palolem - Candolim route. That's ideal only for South Goa beach places like Varca, Benaulim, Colva, Cavelossim, Agonda etc..

[zwift]

From Ramnagar to Anmod, twice (November 2022 and October 2023) we have been taking this "Two Bridges and a Creek" diversion after the Tinai Ghat. The Bridges are over a Creek on either side of the U-bend. It by-passes the old "back-breaker ditch" before Anmod.
During both our trips, this was a gravel/stone road for a small distance (beginning), and then a smooth single-lane tarred road. We had to slow down on the winding road only once or twice to either give way to the car coming from front, or to overtake a slow moving car.
We enjoyed driving through the winding roads, cool breeze and shaded with nature. A sharp contrast to the dull highway.

Was checking the Google Maps for our next trip from Saturday. The screenshot from today afternoon shows a slow-build-up of vehicles.

With the posts above talking about the bad stretch between Anmod and Tinai, has any body been on this diversion stretch recently?