Hyderabad to Goa - An exhilarating experience (Now updated with Photos)

[9tMax]

vnabhi,
Each route has got its own share of good and bad points. Here is a critical analysis of the pros and cons to make u thoroughly confused about which route to follow , just as it happened with me after doing a thorough research on this forum.

As far as road condition is concerned, both the routes are almost same - each one has its own share of rough surfaced roads, but in the bijapur-belgaum route the total length of such road is probably slightly less than the hubli route. And at the same time you can enjoy excellent k'taka SH on both routes - homnabad to bijapur in one and hospet to ap-k'taka border in the other route.

Scenic beauty: the belgaum route offers u a much better view of the ghats while descending, whereas on the karwar route u won't almost notice when the ghat section comes and goes. I felt that to help the fully loaded trucks to move up the slopes that road has been made without any steep inclines and avoids climbing too high into the mountains.So u don't get any good view of the ghats from the road. So if u want to enjoy the ghat views it's got to be belgaum route.
But hold on! While driving on the planes, the scenery right after hospet (hubli route) is also fantastic, with smooth black roads curving and bending thru strange looking bare rocky mountains. U can see the pix of the hampi-raichur road on my flickr album here, which i took during my trip to hampi a couple of years back (u need to go back a few pages).


Places to see en-route: U've got bijapur on belgaum route and hampi on hubli route. Initially i thought gol-gumbaz in bijapur will be nothing great, but when i saw it infront of my own eyes i was simply stunned to see the scale of the things. And once u enter inside the gumbaz it is SIMPLY AWESOME, u have to see it to believe it. It is such an engineering marvel, i was left speechless when i looked up at the dome. This monument is a must-see if u r going via bijapur.
And to make things worse and even more confusing for u, there is hampi on hubli route - which is a world heritage site. But IMO hampi deserves a separate trip as u need to spend a couple of days there to do justice to the place.

Food on the way: Good on both the routes. In belgaum i would specially recommend hotel ramdev - its on your left hand while going from bijapur, on the main road, just before the airport crossing. In hubli, hotel ayodhya was ok for lunch, this also will come on your way only.

Driving time and traffic density: Very high truck traffic on the hubli route from ankola to yellapur and then again near hospet. Bijapur route that way is free once u r out of hyd. So driving time may be a bit less on this route.

Ultimate suggestion: Cover the whole circuit like i did, i.e. go via bijapur and come back via hubli. That way u can keep ur spirits high all thru the journey while driving on unexplored roads.

I am going to post my snaps from this trip soon on this thread.

[9tMax]

Since there are already a couple of nicely written travelogues on hyd to goa, i thought it may be better to just post a few snaps from my trip. So here they are.

Gol Gumbaz in bijapur


Gol Gumbaz from the terrace of hotel pearl.


The road from bijapur to athni


Menu card of a small hotel cum restaurant in chikodi, where we had our lunch. Please click on the thumbnail at your own risk . U can't hold me responsible if the partition of ur brain containing all ur knowledge about english language and spelling gets formatted. I sincerely wanted to find out the difference between `anda fray' `anda dray' and `anda omlet' but then left it at that bcoz we had miles to go and could not afford to have a stomach upset.


The road from belgaum to amboli, early in the morning.


Amboli ghat.


My darling enjoying the scenery at amboli ghat.


Sunset @ colva beach


Another sunset @ colva.


and one more, can't help, sunset is my favorite subject.


Bogmalo beach.


Sunset again @ bogmalo beach


An old jet plane on display at the naval aviation museum, on the way to bogmalo beach.


A friendly chat with the big brother.


Palolem beach. Sorry that i couldnt catch the sunset on this beach, as we visited this place on our way out of goa, early in the morning.



K'taka SH from hospet to raichur.

[akroy]

9tMax, suggest you to write a separate travelogue of your trip, not only it will make a nice reading but also it will provide nice help for people who use the search option in future for the route...

Also pls post the pics with the 800 * 600 resize option

Abhi

[pjay_in]

This has been a great thread to read, thanks Zappo.

I am going to Goa this weekend (Fri-Sun) and can't really wait to start off!

[vnabhi]

Thanks Max for the answers, and for the splendid snaps.
What was the mlieage like on your Omni? I know it is very comfy to travel in due to the tons of leg space you get.
BTW, how come they don't have anda half dray on the menu, when they have anda half fray? Just curious

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I know it is very comfy to travel in due to the tons of leg space you get.

Tons of space?, i reckon you must mean for the passengers in the back. The front space for driver and passenger is extremely cramped ( and more so for a driver with a tummy)

@Max, amazing pics, i am traveling to Goa next month and after seeing your pictures, i have already started counting my days.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Tons of space?, i reckon you must mean for the passengers in the back. The front space for driver and passenger is extremely cramped ( and more so for a driver with a tummy)

Bingo. I never sat on the front seat of an Omni. I had hired Omnis for local sight-seeing in Simla way back in 2002.

Wow, you are already planning a Goa trip!! I thought you did one not so long ago.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Wow, you are already planning a Goa trip!! I thought you did one not so long ago.

Not planning, already planned. Unfortunately, this time wont be traveling by car. Booked flights both ways and resort booking is also done. Will be there on Feb 21 and return on Feb 25!

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Not planning, already planned. Unfortunately, this time wont be traveling by car. Booked flights both ways and resort booking is also done. Will be there on Feb 21 and return on Feb 25!

Gosh,then half the fun is gone !! Anyways the beaches and belles in Goa should make up for the loss, not to mention Fenny.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Gosh,then half the fun is gone !! Anyways the beaches and belles in Goa should make up for the loss, not to mention Fenny.

I prefer the belles and fenny over beaches, in that order

[vnabhi]

I'd put Fenny last. Somehow I feel it stinks !!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I'd put Fenny last. Somehow I feel it stinks !!

, it was just a way of saying, i tried it only once and whew is it a stinker. I plan to stick to mostly Buds when i am there

[Zappo]

Arre kya baat karte ho? Fenny is fun. Yes, it is much stronger than any of those bade-sahab-wala stuff we keep having (IMFL). However that is the part of the fun yaar.

I mean sitting in the dark balcony of the hotel in a wicker chair, overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean in front, listening to the distant roar of the oncoming waves with a glass of kaju fenny mixed with Limca in hand and having general chit-chat.

Ah! Talk of nirvana...

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Arre kya baat karte ho? Fenny is fun. Yes, it is much stronger than any of those bade-sahab-wala stuff we keep having (IMFL). However that is the part of the fun yaar.

I mean sitting in the dark balcony of the hotel in a wicker chair, overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean in front, listening to the distant roar of the oncoming waves with a glass of kaju fenny mixed with Limca in hand and having general chit-chat.

Ah! Talk of nirvana...

I guess it is a case of 'One man's Fenny is another's poison'

[Vikrocks]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I really don't think you can do either of these routes under 16 hours, my suggestion would be to start early from Hyd, say around 6am and cover 600kms by 7pm or so and stay overnight and start again early and and reach Goa by afternoon next day. That would be the most safe way to travel and enjoy the drive.

Though I totally respect your judgment, I believe its all about your mind set. When I did my trip to Delhi in 2005, I took two night halts. Now I do Hyderabad- Delhi regularly (did 4 time in 2007) in one shot.
So I believe that if you want to do it then it is a piece of cake.