[airbus]

We are planning to visit Goa during end of September. We plan to start in the afternoon from Bengaluru and halt in Hubballi-Dharwad for the night, then proceed to Goa next morning. Any recommendation of hotel in Hubballi-Dharwad for overnight stay with family? Secondly, is Londa - Mollem - Ponda route good for reaching Calangute?

[srinih75]

Yesterday started our mini vacation at Goa Varca. After a lot of research stuck to the route that Google maps gave. We compared it with the route that my old and trusted mapmyindia GPS. Started around 8 30am (tried to start 2 hours earlier but had to work late into the night on wednesday) and Google said we will arrive at Varca by 7 30pm. Apart from some rash driver who almost got me a heart attack where he splashed water into my windshield at the that section climbing down (darn you Ka25ma7194white corolla) and being stuck at the that section due to some car crash for about 90 minutes it was an event free drive. Roads are good except when I crossed Ponda where it was a bit of Martian surface like feeling. Rain was pounding on us which made things a bit difficult as we couldn't differentiate water puddle and major crators. We finally made it to the resort by 9 30pm.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by airbus

We are planning to visit Goa during end of September. We plan to start in the afternoon from Bengaluru and halt in Hubballi-Dharwad for the night, then proceed to Goa next morning. Any recommendation of hotel in Hubballi-Dharwad for overnight stay with family? Secondly, is Londa - Mollem - Ponda route good for reaching Calangute?

Hubli has many options. Clarks Inn and Ambassador and many more.

For Calangute, Ideally you take Chorla : Hubli Belgaum Jamboti Chorla Sanquelim Mapusa Calangute.

To avoid Belgaum you can also do Hubli Kittur Khanapur Jamboti Chorla Sanquelim Mapusa Calangute.

The Mollem option works good for Varca, Colva etc.

[mohan41]

I am planning to visit Goa during second half of September with my family - wife and two kids. Please recommend any good places to stay in Goa which have good beach access, kids' amenities and reasonably good service.

[shetty_rohan]

Originally Posted by mohan41

I am planning to visit Goa during second half of September with my family - wife and two kids. Please recommend any good places to stay in Goa which have good beach access, kids' amenities and reasonably good service.

I am also travelling to Goa in the first week of September. After some research decided to stay in "Beleza by the beach". MakeMyTrip has some good deals, I have paid around Rs 10,200(including GST and breakfast) for 3 nights. Do check this.
This place is around 3.5 kms from Martin's Corner. If you have not heard Martin's Corner, then do plan to visit this place.

[Happysmiles]

Originally Posted by mohan41

I am planning to visit Goa during second half of September with my family - wife and two kids. Please recommend any good places to stay in Goa which have good beach access, kids' amenities and reasonably good service.

Check out this https://www.tripadvisor.in/
It gives you the best hotels with authentic traveller reviews and ratings.
For a quiet family vacation visit south goa. If you want the typical tourist attractions visit north goa.
Old Goa has some beautiful temples and churches.
Have a great vacation.

[rajivtelang]

Currently I am at Goa and reached here via Amboli ghat.

Bangalore Goa:
Started at 5.45am on 24th and reached my destination in south goa at 7pm. Took the bauxite road exit post Belgaum. This road is great until it becomes a narrow 2 lane. The road from bauxite road till the ghat is not great with lot of rough patches and due to constant rains it was further slowing me down. In ghat there was too much of fog. Road in ghat is very good.

Goa Bangalore:
Planning to return via Anmod route as usual on 28th.

Amboli ghat route is not recommended since it is too much to travel from Bangalore to Goa that too on not so good state roads unless you want to really enter Maharashtra and then to Goa for just long drive experience Chorla is for north Goa and Anmod for south as recommended by Paragbhai.

[fergus]

Hi Ravi. Just completed the return trip from Bangalore to Goa today .started at 5 am.Reached Mapusa at 3.30 pm.Drove through Anmod.Good roads overall. Ghat section experienced rain and fog.

[perty]

Originally Posted by shetty_rohan

to stay in "Beleza by the beach".

A little OT. Maybe you know this already but just thought of giving a heads up.
We stayed there about 7 years ago.
The location is great and they have a private pathway leading up to the beach.
In the 3 day package, they book you in for a North Goa tour and south Goa tour on separate days.
A private bus comes up to the resort and picks up people who are booked for the tour.

Most of the tour is good, except for the dolphin cruise as they call it, which is a total waste of time and money. The dolphins are rarely seen and the people on the boat end up getting some serious suntan. Some people in the group had been forewarned so they didn't take that cruise, while we took it and came back looking burnt

Have a good trip !

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Currently I am at Goa and reached here via Amboli ghat.

Bangalore Goa:
Started at 5.45am on 24th and reached my destination in south goa at 7pm. Took the bauxite road exit post Belgaum. This road is great until it becomes a narrow 2 lane. The road from bauxite road till the ghat is not great with lot of rough patches and due to constant rains it was further slowing me down. In ghat there was too much of fog. Road in ghat is very good.

Goa Bangalore:
Planning to return via Anmod route as usual on 28th.

Amboli ghat route is not recommended since it is too much to travel from Bangalore to Goa that too on not so good state roads unless you want to really enter Maharashtra and then to Goa for just long drive experience Chorla is for north Goa and Anmod for south as recommended by Paragbhai.

Returned yesterday via Anmod route. No issues at all, road is good throughout. Encountered traffic at the entry of Nice road.

PS: Noticed three speed radar vehicles, one after Varur Kamat Upachar, next at their favorite spot of Davanagere and one at Chitradurga. So please be careful and alert throughout.
It appears they will not stop you anymore. I think you will get a chalan by post if you are caught overspeeding

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

It appears they will not stop you anymore. I think you will get a chalan by post if you are caught overspeeding

Ideally, this is what they should do. I have encountered cops in Mysore also where they send/sent challans for overspeeding unlike BTP which has a habit of pouncing on vehicles and creating a mess behind, mostly seen on outer ring roads.

A dangerous practice.

PS: I know many would say that the addresses of the Vehicles are not upto date which makes them do that but thats a different issue to tackle :-)

[champ27]

I am leaving for south Goa (Varca) tomorrow morning. Planning to take the below route:

Hubli - Kalhatgi - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - South Goa

However, Google maps is also showing a slightly altered route:

Hubli - Bankapur - Mundgod - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - South Goa

Basically, it's suggesting to exit NH4 at Bankapur. Shows some savings in time and distance( 25km). Is it worth taking this route? Experts please suggest.

[BlrGuy]

Originally Posted by champ27

Hubli - Bankapur - Mundgod - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - South Goa

Basically, it's suggesting to exit NH4 at Bankapur. Shows some savings in time and distance( 25km). Is it worth taking this route? Experts please suggest.

Avoid going via Mundgod. Though the route is scenic, the roads are bad. You can drive via Kalgathgi and Yellapur to South Goa. Or you can take the route towards Alnawar and Ramnagara and proceed towards Goa. This route is after Dharwad and you will have to watch out for a sign board that indicates the route to Panaji. This route too has decent roads (broken at a few places, but perfectly motorable). It is raining in Goa and drive safely. Have a nice trip.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by champ27

I am leaving for south Goa (Varca) tomorrow morning. Planning to take the below route:

Hubli - Kalhatgi - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - South Goa

However, Google maps is also showing a slightly altered route:

Hubli - Bankapur - Mundgod - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - South Goa

Basically, it's suggesting to exit NH4 at Bankapur. Shows some savings in time and distance( 25km). Is it worth taking this route? Experts please suggest.

I took the Mundgod route to Goa and back during the Independence Weekend in my Honda City. I reached Goa in 8.5 hrs including a breakfast break at Apoorva Resorts and fuel stop at the BP COCO after it. The road was great throughout though very narrow, so you would need to go off the road on the left in case a bus comes, two cars can pass through side by side. Saying that it is totally empty, rarely would there be any traffic on either side. Incase you take it, make sure you fill up your tank before exiting NH4 and take your break. There wouldn't be anything available till Karwar. Saves a lot of time though.

Originally Posted by BlrGuy

Avoid going via Mundgod. Though the route is scenic, the roads are bad. You can drive via Kalgathgi and Yellapur to South Goa. Or you can take the route towards Alnawar and Ramnagara and proceed towards Goa. This route is after Dharwad and you will have to watch out for a sign board that indicates the route to Panaji. This route too has decent roads (broken at a few places, but perfectly motorable). It is raining in Goa and drive safely. Have a nice trip.

How long ago did you travel this route ? As mentioned above I did a couple of weeks back and the road was really good.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

I took the Mundgod route to Goa and back during the Independence Weekend in my Honda City. I reached Goa in 8.5 hrs. Saves a lot of time though.



How long ago did you travel this route ? As mentioned above I did a couple of weeks back and the road was really good.

I second this. I travelled in July. Both onward and return took this route. Onward was with a break though since we started quite late in the evening. But the return was done in 10 hours including 30 mins break at a temple, a good 60 mins for lunch at Amrut, Karwar, a dinner break at Chitradurga for 45 mins, fuel and a few convenience breaks. So the actual travel time from Varca to Whitefield was around 7- 7.5 hours.