[rajshenoy]

Thanks damu

This trip is long pending and still pending

Thanks to monsoons i am waiting for august

[nitinr30]

I'm planning to do my first loooong( have done <350 at a stretch so far) drive, with a trip to Goa from Bangalore. That also with a 9 month old. Will be watching/ scanning these Goa threads for updated route/ road info. Any new information would be really helpful. :-)

[Damu]

Originally Posted by nitinr30

I'm planning to do my first loooong( have done <350 at a stretch so far) drive, with a trip to Goa from Bangalore. That also with a 9 month old. Will be watching/ scanning these Goa threads for updated route/ road info. Any new information would be really helpful. :-)

Hello Nitin,

I just did a trip between 13th and 17th June on the same route, that is, Bangalore - Hubli - Yellapur - Ankola - Karwar - Madgaon - Cavellosim.

The road is very good throughout. Except for road widening after Sira no obstacles thereafter.

I am compiling my report on the trip with route updates and some new points of interest, and will post it in a couple of days.

[nitinr30]

Originally Posted by Damu

Hello Nitin,

I just did a trip between 13th and 17th June on the same route, that is, Bangalore - Hubli - Yellapur - Ankola - Karwar - Madgaon - Cavellosim.

The road is very good throughout. Except for road widening after Sira no obstacles thereafter.

I am compiling my report on the trip with route updates and some new points of interest, and will post it in a couple of days.

Thanks Damu. That'll be really helpful. Infact, if you could suggest any place on the way where I could stay for the night to break the journey, then that'll be great. I think many people suggested doing it in Hubli. I can drive the whole distance in one stretch but with a little baby on-board I'm not too sure how cranky he might get. Hence keeping an option.

Cheers,
Nitin

[nirmaljusdoit]

Originally Posted by nitinr30

I'm planning to do my first loooong( have done <350 at a stretch so far) drive, with a trip to Goa from Bangalore. :-)

I too went on the same route last month & the conditions were awesome ! Do try to complete the ghat section from Hubli to Karwar before nightfall as rain + darkness makes the weather foggy.

[nitinr30]

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit

I too went on the same route last month & the conditions were awesome ! Do try to complete the ghat section from Hubli to Karwar before nightfall as rain + darkness makes the weather foggy.

Thanks Nirmal. I'm planning to go only by Aug end and will not prefer driving at night. Hence might end up staying back at Hubli for the night.

[MaverikMahesh]

Nitin,

Considering that you have a 9 month old, it is best you take a break at Hubli. There are many hotels in Hubli with varying budgets - Hotel Swati is nice and economical (Rs 1000), Clarkes Inn (Rs 3000 +) etc. It is very easy to get onto the Yellapur / Karwar road from Hubli city center. You can plan for stops at Kamat / CCD after Tumkur, there are decent hotels on the service road at Chitradurga, Kamat near Rannebennur and then stop at Hubli. You can do Hubli in 7 hours (with the above breaks).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by nitinr30

Thanks Nirmal. I'm planning to go only by Aug end and will not prefer driving at night. Hence might end up staying back at Hubli for the night.

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Clarkes Inn (Rs 3000 +) etc. It is very easy to get onto the Yellapur / Karwar road from Hubli city center.

Clarke's Inn is I think more than 4000+ for a day for two people with BF included.
Though the place is very good, but extremely costly.

[MaverikMahesh]

Originally Posted by ampere

Clarke's Inn is I think more than 4000+ for a day for two people with BF included.
Though the place is very good, but extremely costly.

Ok, the last time we had inquired (15 days back), i think they quoted Rs 3500. Not sure if there are different categories. But you are right, they are expensive, but nice

[Damu]

Update: Trip from 13th to 17th June 2012


Hello again!

Come June and the monsoons, and it seems we must head towards Goa for our annual holidays.

This year was no different but we made our plans rather late. Mainly due to my wife's vacillations, but no more on that head!

I started this thread two years ago when we did this trip in our friend's Scorpio. Last year we were 8 people and we used the same friend's Scorpio and another friend's Honda OHC.

This year we were 4, it would be in my own Scorpio Sle which I bought late last year.

Same route would be followed. Bangalore - Hubli - Ankola - Yellapur - Karwar - Madgaon.

As is usual with us, we left late, at 0815 hours. I don't think we've ever left anywhere early! So we had a somewhat painful drive through the Ring Road as the railway gate after BEL was closed. Long wait while idiots piled up on both lanes on both sides of the gate and created the usual chaos when the gates opened.

Once on the Nelamangala expressway though, it was smooth and easy all the way to Dobbspet where we stopped for breakfast at the first Kamat's.

Then a long, comfortable run to Hubli with no problems.

After Sira, the road widening is going on, so there are innumerable diversions. Fortunately, the diversions are well made and tarred, so although time is lost, there is none of the usual jolting and dusty conditions that are otherwise common with most diversions.

We had lunch at Kamat's at Ranebennur at the Reliance outlet. Decent food, but the toilets could have been better.

Left the Pune highway at Hubli and turned towards Ankola. I felt really good as we entered Kiriwati. I love this section with the forest and ghats.

The Scorpio sounded its reserve fuel warning voice message somewhere here so we filled in 10 litres at some roadside bunk. Just enough to get us to Goa where we could fill up at a reputed bunk.

On the way, after Yellapur, there was an accident in the ghat section. Both sides of the road were blocked due to this. Naturally a long line of vehicles lined up. What surprised and impressed me was the way no one attempted to go onto the wrong side and block up the road. What a big difference from the loutish behaviour seen at Bangalore railway gate. See the photo with the neatly parked trucks and buses and you'll understand my meaning.

Photos 2 traffic stopped near Yellapur




Reached Goa after an uneventful, smooth drive.

My Scorp again delivered its reserve fuel warning as we entered Goa, so we filled in a full tank of diesel at the next large outlet in Canacona. The Scorp took only 47 litres to brim full so that means it still had had about 15 litres in the tank.

This time, sadly, there was no rain at all throughout the journey. Just a few spattered drops nearing Ankola.

The road from Hubli to Karwar is good all the way through. Last year we had to deal with pot holes in the ghats and forest near Yellapur, but now these are all done up and now it's a very good road throughout.

Reached Cavellosim at 2030 hours, just 12.5 hours after departure, with two halts for food and two halts for fuel, one halt for coffee, the stoppage due the accident and half hour wasted in Bangalore.

GPS Screen shot 6350




The road from Cancona to Cavellosim was very good throughout. Not even one pot hole, and for speed breaker broken hearted Bangaloreans, very few speed breakers, and those are properly made and well marked.

The Scorpio is very good for long distance, and we were not tired at all. So when we reached our hotel, we checked in, had a wash and drove out again to a nearby restaurant for dinner. This was Fisherman's Wharf which I've described in the first part of this T/L. It is only a few kilometers from Haathi Mahal.

This trip we were staying at RGBC Haathi Mahal in Cavellosim instead of our usual RGBC in Benaulim.

RGBC's Haathi Mahal in Cavellosim




Day 1 June 14th 2012

For lunch we found a place behind our hotel which had quite a reputation - Joe's River Cove. We were told it is quite popular. This was afternoon so it was empty but for us. Decent food, smiling waiter, nice atmosphere. Like Fisherman's Wharf, it's built on the river side. The same river too, the river Sal.

Joe's River Cove Cavellosim







Day 2 June 15th 2012

We had two events pre-planned for the day, (1) a morning visit to Shri Mangesh Temple in Ponda and (2) late afternoon we were to meet up with a very well known Scorpio owner who is from Goa.

I had checked the location of Shri Mangesh Temple on my GPS without success. From Google maps I got a map route from Cavellosim via Madgaon to Ponda. My friend however had asked his business associate who said the route was via Panjim. I didn't agree with that and got confirmation from our hotel staff that the route for us, from Cavellosim, was indeed Ponda via Madgaon and not via Panjim.

So we went via Madgaon and it was easy enough to reach Ponda as there are adequate signages. The road from Madgaon to Ponda is excellent.

But, thereafter, locating the Shri Mangesh Temple wasn't easy; it isn't marked prominently anywhere.

One of the best parts of travelling in India is that one can, almost anywhere, anytime, simply stick one's head out of the window and ask for directions. That's what we did, and so we reached Shri Mangesh Temple without any problem.

As we came upon the temple from Madgaon side, there didn't seem to be parking arrangements so we parked on the side of the road. Later, we saw that just 100 metres further on, towards Panjim, there were two large parking areas.

We went into the temple and were told by one of the priests that the "aarti" would be performed at 12 noon, so the priest advised us to wait the few minutes left. We waited, finished the "aarti" and came out.

Shri Mangesh Temple, Ponda







I wanted to see the shops around the temple and was surprised to see the number of stalls offering tatoos!

I also took a reading of my GPS because I had not been able to get the coordinates of the Temple anywhere. If anyone needs it it is here:

garmin Shri Mangesh Temple - N15 26.835 E73 58.181

Strangely, Google Maps' coordinates are 15.44578,73.966398.

I don't understand the anomaly. Maybe it's my own lack of knowledge.

Our plan was to head back to Cavellosim as my Scorpio friend was to meet us there by 5 but as we had been recommended to drive back via Old Goa which is a beautiful old place, the ladies decided to visit Panjim and then head back to Cavellosim.

So we drove to Panjim via Old Goa and it was indeed a beautiful drive, with the last part alongside the River Mandovi.

Wandering around the market area in Panjim, my wife pointed out this quirkily named restaurant, knowing that I would like to take a picture of it.

Ding Dong Bar and Restaurant, Panjim




I first read this as "Bare Restaurant" and wondered what could "bare" mean. My imagination worked overtime!

By this time it was quite late so lunch was at Panjim. As both the ladies were vegetarian today, we decided on the well known Punjabi restaurant, Sher E Punjab. The food was really excellent and I stuffed myself to the gills. In fact we all did.

During lunch I called my Scorpio friend, and told him that as we were already in Panjim, we could meet at Panjim itself. So after lunch, we met at Bambolim Beach Resort. We had coffee and spent a very happy couple of hours indulging mainly in Scorpio talk. I was very pleased to meet Allwyn, he is a very friendly person, so typically Goan. He is very well known in the Scorpio owners' circle and it was great to make a new friend.

After that we left for Cavellosim and it's quite a long way from Panjim to Cavellosim. By the time we reached, we were all feeling very heavy after the lunch and long drive. So we went for a long walk to get some circulation moving.

It was a pleasant walk through the main road which leads to many of the upmarket hotels. Although a main road, it is quiet. There was hardly any traffic so it was a nice walk. We couldn't see the sea but we could hear the surf thundering.


Day 3.

Nothing much to do, as it was raining. Just wandered around Colva beach when the rain reduced.

We reserved a table for dinner at Martin’s Corner. There was a two piece band and they were really good. Good food and good music.


Day 4. 17th June

Return journey. We left leisurely at 8.15 am.

We had earlier decided to stop for breakfast in Karwar at the place mentioned by rkamat earlier in this thread, Abhiruchi restaurant in the Hotel Premier Residency.

Excellent advice by rkamat, food was excellent and very good toilets as well. It’s definitely worth going into Karwar for this. Thanks Rohini for the advice!

Photo Premier Residency.







All the way from our hotel till Hubli it rained. It was such a relief to have rains in the monsoon. I enjoyed the drive back to Hubli. At Hubli the rain was very heavy. We stopped at the Kamat for lunch. Good food but toilets could have been better.

After Hubli, the weather cleared up and no more rain. As usual, from Tumkur, the heavy truck traffic started and as always all lanes occupied.

We decided to stop on the way and have our dinner as well. This was because of the disorder and rush we have experienced at Nelamangala toll gate. So we had dinner and reached Nelamangala at 10.30 pm. Even at that time the toll gate was a mess with people squeezing into others’ lanes, hardly any discipline.

Anyway that was expected and there was no point getting worked up. We reached home without incident.

GPS SCREEN SHOT 6470





The Scorp was its usual comfortable self, so we had a great drive.


The roads were very good throughout. But this was a month ago, so I hope the condition is the same now.

I am attaching a GPS (.gdb) file with the four waypoints mentioned above:
1) Joe’s River Cove restaurant, Cavellosim
2) Shri Mangesh Temple, Ponda
3) Bambolim Beach resort
4) Abhiruchi Veg Restaurant, Hotel Premier, Karwar

Attached gps file

GOA new Favourites Jun2012.gdb


If anyone wants the full set of waypoints I have saved over three trips, please let me know and I’ll post it here.


Thanks for reading, hope it is of help!

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by nitinr30

I'm planning to do my first loooong( have done <350 at a stretch so far) drive, with a trip to Goa from Bangalore. That also with a 9 month old. Will be watching/ scanning these Goa threads for updated route/ road info. Any new information would be really helpful. :-)

If you are with a 9 month old baby (I am in the same situation), better to coast along a route that is closer to bigger cities and good medical facilities. You could choose the Hubli-Belgaum-Sawantwadi->Ponda route. Its slightly longer. You could stay over night at Belgaum which is a slightly better place to stay at than Hubli (medical facilities wise).

[nitinr30]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

If you are with a 9 month old baby (I am in the same situation), better to coast along a route that is closer to bigger cities and good medical facilities. You could choose the Hubli-Belgaum-Sawantwadi->Ponda route. Its slightly longer. You could stay over night at Belgaum which is a slightly better place to stay at than Hubli (medical facilities wise).

Thanks Zombiee. I was thinking to take the Mangalore route and stay there for the night and heard that Mangalore-Goa drive is pretty scenic. For now, I have just booked hotels for a week from 25th Aug and still wondering if I should drive down or not(everyone around scaring about going with a small baby . Let me see how the little on responds to car seat that we have put in so that he gets comfortable with it.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by nitinr30

Thanks Zombiee. I was thinking to take the Mangalore route and stay there for the night and heard that Mangalore-Goa drive is pretty scenic. For now, I have just booked hotels for a week from 25th Aug and still wondering if I should drive down or not(everyone around scaring about going with a small baby . Let me see how the little on responds to car seat that we have put in so that he gets comfortable with it.

Please dont go via Mangalore. While scenic, getting to Mangalore will be a big problem. The Sakleshpur - Gundia stretch is generally very bad it. Its a 2 lane without divider road from Kunigal onwards. Also, there are long stretches where you are out of civilization.

[nitinr30]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

Please dont go via Mangalore. While scenic, getting to Mangalore will be a big problem. The Sakleshpur - Gundia stretch is generally very bad it. Its a 2 lane without divider road from Kunigal onwards. Also, there are long stretches where you are out of civilization.

Thanks for the heads-up. Appreciate it. Will avoid this route completely then.

[ashis89]

I along with 2 of my friends are planning to do the Bangalore-Goa trip in 1 day on 2 bikes. We will be starting at 3-4 am on 10th Nov riding all the way to Panjim and return on 13th Nov. Can anyone suggest the best possible route for us considering less distance and good road conditions which we can cover in the whole day and reach by 6 pm? Also some decent cheap accomodation option suggestions in Panjim would be very helpful for me.