A short, easygoing trip to enjoy the monsoons in Goa around the north beaches area away from crowds and chaos of Mumbai.
To do
Just chill and slow down life completely. Smoke, drink, read a book, hike around or just be blank. Check out Goa without tourists and shut down with beaches inaccessible and dangerous, with great weather. Monsoons should be enjoyed away from the cities and off-season Goa is a good idea.
Day 1
Bike taxi to acco@Morjim beach – Great ride though the villages, fields, hills and in rain
Adventurous walk to the Morjim Beach – making own route since all was water-clogged and temporary paths erased
Solo cycling in the pouring rains along the beach, with my hip-flask to keep me warm on a bicycle with an iron-hard seat (I could not walk properly for the entire day) and the front wheel which was not securely fastened and came out as I lifted the bicycle (thankfully not during riding)
2 meals in a small shop with just maggi and eggs. All good
Evening – Apara arrives. Relaxing supper at a joint
Reading & chilling
Mosquitoes played havoc
Day 2
Easy start of the day. Warm and humid
Good breakfast@North Goa resort (ok but pricey)
Scooty ride all the way to the border of Goa@Querim beach. Ferry to Tiracol Fort. Great view of the Querim beach. The fort serves as a hotel as well. Was closed due to offseason
Return via Arambol beach (lunch) -> Mandrem (Mandrem Beach resort – A-class, offseason@800 per night, season@3K-4K, chilled there)
Brief drenching enroute
Maggi again
Reading & chilling
Day 3
Adventurous walk, again, to the Morjim Beach in morning
Breakfast@North Goa resort
Walk to the local assembly hall with great view of the sea, calm and quiet environment and offering windy shade to sit and chill. Chilled and read book there
Smoke, beers and lunch
Exit
Acco options
Almost all places shut down.
White feather guesthouse – 1 bedroom, sitting room, kitchenette and bath. 3 balconies. Nice view. Bright and airy accommodation. Very nice and clean. Hospitable owners and staff.
Food was difficult to get. For the first day, I had maggi with eggs prepared by a gracious lady running a grocery shop. I was quite ok with it. Later, we found a joint open specifically for off-season business some distance away.
Transport
Onwards by Bus – Sleeper bus. Horrible experience. Never travel by same. Got off at an unknown spot in Pernem. Got a bike taxi for Rs. 200.
Pernem is the first district which comes as one enters Goa from Maharasthra. It is also the first train station.
Return by Train – Konkan Kanya express from Thivim. Beach to Station via bike taxi.
Beach quality
Beaches – Morjim, Ashvem, Mandrem, Arambol, Querim
During Monsoons, everything is shut down, more so because this was the less frequented section of North Goa.
The beaches were bereft of the tourist crowd, sea was wild and dangerous. Overcast skies bearing bark and tempestuous clouds added the flavor. The beaches were also flooded i.e. water during high tides and/or pouring rains would get accumulated in great amounts (not deep) on the beach
To do
Just chill and slow down life completely. Smoke, drink, read a book, hike around or just be blank. Check out Goa without tourists and shut down with beaches inaccessible and dangerous, with great weather. Monsoons should be enjoyed away from the cities and off-season Goa is a good idea.
Day 1
Bike taxi to acco@Morjim beach – Great ride though the villages, fields, hills and in rain
Adventurous walk to the Morjim Beach – making own route since all was water-clogged and temporary paths erased
Solo cycling in the pouring rains along the beach, with my hip-flask to keep me warm on a bicycle with an iron-hard seat (I could not walk properly for the entire day) and the front wheel which was not securely fastened and came out as I lifted the bicycle (thankfully not during riding)
2 meals in a small shop with just maggi and eggs. All good
Evening – Apara arrives. Relaxing supper at a joint
Reading & chilling
Mosquitoes played havoc
Day 2
Easy start of the day. Warm and humid
Good breakfast@North Goa resort (ok but pricey)
Scooty ride all the way to the border of Goa@Querim beach. Ferry to Tiracol Fort. Great view of the Querim beach. The fort serves as a hotel as well. Was closed due to offseason
Return via Arambol beach (lunch) -> Mandrem (Mandrem Beach resort – A-class, offseason@800 per night, season@3K-4K, chilled there)
Brief drenching enroute
Maggi again
Reading & chilling
Day 3
Adventurous walk, again, to the Morjim Beach in morning
Breakfast@North Goa resort
Walk to the local assembly hall with great view of the sea, calm and quiet environment and offering windy shade to sit and chill. Chilled and read book there
Smoke, beers and lunch
Exit
Acco options
Almost all places shut down.
White feather guesthouse – 1 bedroom, sitting room, kitchenette and bath. 3 balconies. Nice view. Bright and airy accommodation. Very nice and clean. Hospitable owners and staff.
Food was difficult to get. For the first day, I had maggi with eggs prepared by a gracious lady running a grocery shop. I was quite ok with it. Later, we found a joint open specifically for off-season business some distance away.
Transport
Onwards by Bus – Sleeper bus. Horrible experience. Never travel by same. Got off at an unknown spot in Pernem. Got a bike taxi for Rs. 200.
Pernem is the first district which comes as one enters Goa from Maharasthra. It is also the first train station.
Return by Train – Konkan Kanya express from Thivim. Beach to Station via bike taxi.
Beach quality
Beaches – Morjim, Ashvem, Mandrem, Arambol, Querim
During Monsoons, everything is shut down, more so because this was the less frequented section of North Goa.
The beaches were bereft of the tourist crowd, sea was wild and dangerous. Overcast skies bearing bark and tempestuous clouds added the flavor. The beaches were also flooded i.e. water during high tides and/or pouring rains would get accumulated in great amounts (not deep) on the beach
