[pranav_mankad]

Did Bangalore-Goa-Bangalore last week. Here are quick details:
Both ways I took same route :
Bangalore ( Whitefield ) - Neelmangala- Tumkur - Chitradurga- Bankapur toll gate - Tadas - Kalaghati - Yellapur - Karwar - Goa ( Mobor )

Road condition:

• Till Chitradurga : Great condition.
• From Chitradurga till exit to service road for Tadas: Multiple diversions. At times the road contidion on these diversions was very bad. Please watch out for deep pathole just at the edge of end of rumble stip. It can create issues for low GC vehicles.
• Tadas to Yellapur : Mostly good. Narrow road at few places but is beautiful with farms around. Immediately after Tadas, there is 2 - 3 km patch of a bit broken road. However, nothing that can unsettle. Road joins NH 52 just before Kalaghati.
• Yellapur to Karwar : Mostly good except few rough patches. Watch out for blind turns and oncoming traffic as this is un divided road. Especially during night. Overall , its green and fun to drive. As you connect NH 66 near Ankola, road is mix of 4 lane divided and undivided patches. Be carful during night drive on this patch. Condition of road is good.
• Karwar to Goa ( Mobor ) : Good road condition. On the forest patch and ghat section, please be careful. There are rough patches and blind spots.

Overall Road condition : Good
Will I recommend this route? : Yes. For day travel. At night, road could be solitude between Tadas service road exit -Tadas to Yellapur patch. I would rather stick to NH 48 till Hubli bypass and then turn over to NH 52. NH 52 is regularly used by heavy vehicles and busses and hence is safer.

Total travel time taken : 12 Hours - with 3 breaks. ( Breakfast, Lunch and Tea in evening )

[Mik]

Had an extended vacation at South Goa over two weekends.
Jio was the savior in client calls as the broadband was unreliable in Fatrade.

Shacks: As of writing

Benaulim - 2 shacks Rafael and Johncy open. Couple more being built.
Colva - Kentuckee (at beach parking area) open. Boomerang (a personal favorite) is in shambles but has opened up.
Varca - No shack was open.
Fatrade - 1 small so-so shack was open. Another was being built.
North -- No idea. But considering the trend, must have opened up.

Safety:: Well its an eyewash. You have the standard foot operated hand sanitizers and waiters covering their necks and mouths with masks. Is it worth the risk - I leave it upto you.

Rest is all chill in old South Goa. Was truly a liberating experience in the solitude of Goa bylanes without masks. Renting out a stunner of a self sufficient Villa ensured limited dependency on outside help and crowds.

Road Conditions

Budigere Cross - KR Puram - Chitradurga - Bankapura Toll - Mundgod - Karwar - Fatrade
Nothing new apart from some of the road work on Mundgod Karwar and beyond being completed with better driveability. The chitradurga to Bankapura section - as many have reported - is painful. I took two mini breaks of 15 mins and 10 mins. Total time taken was 9hrs 30 mins. (4 AM start)

Fatrade - Karwar - Kumta - Shimogga - Hirayur - Bangalore
This section has good roads at most places and very scenic too however I didn't enjoy driving on it. Through the small towns and all - there were too many jaywalkers, cows and other assorted vehicles putting cognitive load on me. Jog Falls is amazing though. Looks so much more impactful in real-life. A 25 year old dream fulfilled. Total time taken was 13 hours (7.45 am start) including 40 mins at Jog Falls and atleast 3 other stops of 15 mins each.

[rajivtelang]

Which is COCO (Company Owned Company Operated) and/or trusted petrol bunk on the below route?

Bangalore-Hiriyur-Hosadurga-Shimoga-Sagar-Honnavar-Goa

Could recent travelers on that route recommend one? Say in first 300-350KM?

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Mik

Had an extended vacation at South Goa over two weekends

Originally Posted by pranav_mankad

Did Bangalore-Goa-Bangalore last week

Any issues at the Goa border, with regards to current Covid-19 situation? Is any sort of pass required?

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Any issues at the Goa border, with regards to current Covid-19 situation? Is any sort of pass required?

None, just keep all the car documents handy. Even photocopies are accepted.

[trahul4]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Which is COCO (Company Owned Company Operated) and/or trusted petrol bunk on the below route?

Bangalore-Hiriyur-Hosadurga-Shimoga-Sagar-Honnavar-Goa

Could recent travelers on that route recommend one? Say in first 300-350KM?

I am not sure about CoCo but I generally fill up in Shimoga at IOC bunk opposite Ashoka Grand Hotel. I have never experienced any issues with this bunk. Otherwise, BP at Sira adjoining Kamat is a good option. This is Coco.

[2500cc]

Did Bangalore Goa (Candolim) last week, took Bangalore-Hubli-Dharwad-Anmod-Mollem-Ponda-Panjim-Candolim route and returned through the same.

As many have mentioned too many deviations after chitradurga till hubli. After the deviation from Dharwad to Panaji road the roads are decent for most part except few kilometers before Anmod where once need to take deviation into the forest road. Now the google maps show this route officially.

During the late and early hours, the forest authorities take stop you from entering this road, if you have a valid reason they just note down the vehicle number and let you pass.

Goa is very dull, most restaurants are closed and the very few beach shacks are open.

[Jammy70]

Originally Posted by 2500cc

Did Bangalore Goa (Candolim) last week, took Bangalore-Hubli-Dharwad-Anmod-Mollem-Ponda-Panjim-Candolim route and returned through the same.

As many have mentioned too many deviations after chitradurga till hubli. After the deviation from Dharwad to Panaji road the roads are decent for most part except few kilometers before Anmod where once need to take deviation into the forest road. Now the google maps show this route officially.

I am driving back tomorrow from Panaji and plan to take this route. Would like to know if my Honda City (with 2 adults) will be able to handle the stretch around Anmod. Else, will need to consider the Ankola - Yellapur - Bankapur route.

Thanks!

[trahul4]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

I am driving back tomorrow from Panaji and plan to take this route. Would like to know if my Honda City (with 2 adults) will be able to handle the stretch around Anmod. Else, will need to consider the Ankola - Yellapur - Bankapur route.

Thanks!

Haven't taken the Anmod route off late, but the Yellapur Bankapur route via Mundgod is fine if you do it in the daylight hours. A few kms in Arbail ghat section is in bad condition though and you should be careful there.

Going by the threads here, I hear Anmod route is just fine as well with the forest diversion near Anmod. I would stick to this route if traveling to or returning from Panjim.

[bsdbsd]

Dear BHPians, I may drive to Goa in December. If anyone of you are aware, what is the status of our classic route: Bangalore-Hubli-Kalghatgi-Yellapur-Karwar? I dont see the recent posts mentioning about this route, but I see talks about Tadas. I am very wary of traveling these inside roads with family. Please help me out here with the status of Hubli-Kalghatgi-Yellapur and onwards (Karwar-Varca).

And also plesae let me know the route condition from:
Hubli Dharwad bypass-Mugad-Alnavar-Londa-Ponda and then onwards. Is this the Anmod ghat route? Thanks.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

None, just keep all the car documents handy. Even photocopies are accepted.

Is there a checking of vehicle documents for entering Goa? Are all vehicles stopped?

[Funny]

We are planning a quick Goa getaway on the Diwali weekend. The idea is to visit few tourist places and chill with my buddies at the shacks, but I am not sure if this is a good time to visit. Yay or Nay? If yay, what is the best route to travel from BLR-GOA if we are going to drive at night (start at 9PM).

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

Is there a checking of vehicle documents for entering Goa? Are all vehicles stopped?

Yes, there is checking for most out of state vehicles. Last month when I drove through Goa ( Manipal-Udupi-Goa-Belgaum-Bombay) , my car was exempted as it is KA 22 ( Belgaum city ) regd. , just neighbouring to Goa ( only 2 hours ). Many other cars from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore had been held up for checking. Witnessed this at two places. However Goa police is friendly and never harass unnecessarily All documents in place, you are let to go quickly.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by vivek95

Yes, there is checking for most out of state vehicles. Last month when I drove through Goa ( Manipal-Udupi-Goa-Belgaum-Bombay) , my car was exempted as it is KA 22 ( Belgaum city ) regd. , just neighbouring to Goa ( only 2 hours ). Many other cars from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore had been held up for checking. Witnessed this at two places. However Goa police is friendly and never harass unnecessarily All documents in place, you are let to go quickly.

Thanks for the information. Even though it is friendly, it is most regrettable to see such discrimination. The state of registration should never be a criteria for stopping and checking a vehicle for no other reason. I have had arguments with Goa police on this issue in the past when I asked them why I was stopped while others were not. This is wrong and illegal. I refused to show any documents unless a valid, non discriminatory reason for stopping me was provided.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

Thanks for the information. Even though it is friendly, it is most regrettable to see such discrimination. The state of registration should never be a criteria for stopping and checking a vehicle for no other reason. I have had arguments with Goa police on this issue in the past when I asked them why I was stopped while others were not. This is wrong and illegal. I refused to show any documents unless a valid, non discriminatory reason for stopping me was provided.

I totally agree with you Sir. This discrimination is wrong. They should have checked mine too. I was all set to pull over but cops signalled me to pass. Was stopped at Karnataka border ( regular affair ) for checking of liquor in all my bags , I have never touched alcohol in my life ( and will never ), so that was out of question anyways. Did figure out bribery taking place though when I was waiting in the queue.