[db01]

Hi all,

Driving to Goa on 19th October in a Polo GT TSI, planning to go via Ramnagar > Anmod > Mollem.

Wanted to know from someone who has travelled recently whether it is better to go straight from Ramnagar to Anmod or take the diversion at Tinai Ghat via Marsangal/Rangarook

[SourPai]

I recently took the Bangalore Goa route via Dharwad - Ramnagar - Anmod - Ponda - Cansaulim. Returned via same route. While going to Goa, halted at Hubli and while coming back, took halt at Davanagere (night halt)

Roads are largely good with some bad patches that do not last more than 1 min. Took the diversion at Tinai ghat section just after Ramnagar as suggested by google and it worked out well. I was quite impressed by Goa side of roads. Looks like a newly laid tarmac and is quite smooth

[krishnakumar]

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a good place to stay with a pet on this route? Preferably 5-6hrs out from Whitefield, so Chitradurga - Hubli stretch I guess would be perfect.

[SVMBLR]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a good place to stay with a pet on this route? Preferably 5-6hrs out from Whitefield, so Chitradurga - Hubli stretch I guess would be perfect.

Hi Krishna,

check this...https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/14989...5-66f4c63b3965

[payyans]

Trip update:
Successfully completed first ever long drive to North Goa. Thanks to all the tips given in this thread.
Onwards:
Dharwad>Ramnagar>Anmod>Mollem>Panaji>Mapusa>Morjim
Goa police is waiting with speed guns at multiple places between Mollem to Panaji.
It was a smooth drive, started around 4:20AM and reached Morjim by 3:00pm

Return Same route, only difference took the Anmod - Rangarook - Marsangal - Tinai detour.
Narrow roads with blind turns, drive carefully.

Return journey driving was little hectic due to various reasons:
1. late start from Morjim, started around 10:30, crossing north-south Goa took some time.
2. multiple road construction diversions before reaching BLR (200-50km range), then army of heavy trucks and finally once you are in ORR, metro work diversions.. reached home by 12 AM (We took 3 breaks, overall 1:30-45hrs)

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by payyans

Trip update:
Onwards:
Dharwad>Ramnagar>Anmod>Mollem>Panaji>Mapusa>Morjim
Goa police is waiting with speed guns at multiple places between Mollem to Panaji.
It was a smooth drive, started around 4:20AM and reached Morjim by 3:00pm

Return Same route, only difference took the Anmod - Rangarook - Marsangal - Tinai detour.
Narrow roads with blind turns, drive carefully.

Hi payyans,

Thanks for your update!

I'm doing this trip tomorrow. Can you please let me know the road condition in Ramnagar - Anmod - Mollem stretch?

Is it better to take the Tinai Ghat detour? I'm not really sure why Google is suggesting that, is it because of the road construction near Anmod?

[payyans]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Hi payyans,

Thanks for your update!

I'm doing this trip tomorrow. Can you please let me know the road condition in Ramnagar - Anmod - Mollem stretch?

Is it better to take the Tinai Ghat detour? I'm not really sure why Google is suggesting that, is it because of the road construction near Anmod?

Ramnagar - Anmod - Mollem: only few patches in the span of 5-8 km you will find unfinished bridges and road construction. But they are still in decent driving conditions, not like big potholes! The surface is bit uneven, just go slow.

The moment you cross the ghat, don't get mesmerised by the beautiful Goan road Traffic police is waiting there with speed guns in 2 or 3 places.

While coming back to Bangalore, I saw around 6-7 cars coming from Bangalore on the Tinai Ghat detour. The trick is identifying this turn, it is completely invisible from the main road!
This road is very good, you can avoid the bad patch. Only thing is be very careful, it's a narrow road, with blind turns, so go slowly.

[Lucifer68]

21 Oct - Drove from Bangalore to Goa - Update on route status.

05:20 - Rajajinagar, Bangalore
08:45 - Apoorva Restaurant, Just before Davangere. Really crowded, sad service, better to consider other options.
10:32 - Bankapur Toll - Turn towards Mundgod / Yellapur
12:15 - Yellapur
14:06 - Enter Goa
15:45 - Utorda Beach

Observations:
1. Outside Tumkur, work ongoing, small pileup....plus 20 mins
2. Between Davangere and Hiriyur...twice encountered ongoing road construction, Deviation into the service road.
3. Very small roads around the Tibetian monastry on the way to Yellapur. Max 40 Km speed. Small stretch of good roads...but predominantly slow drive, small roads, with oncoming traffic.
4. Goa is typical...slow traffic.

But considering all, almost 11 hrs drive to get to Utorda Beach. Planning to return next week, via Ponda / Dharwad. Will share update on the road status.

Route taken image below

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Lucifer68

08:45 - Apoorva Restaurant, Just before Davangere. Really crowded, sad service, better to consider other options.

The time says it all. The should have peak hours then. My suggestion is if you are on the road at 0400AM, you can make it there by 0700/0730. It's usually empty then without crowd. Once you pass that time, you had it. These resort hotels I think are not built to scale crowd.

3. Very small roads around the Tibetian monastry on the way to Yellapur. Max 40 Km speed. Small stretch of good roads...but predominantly slow drive, small roads, with oncoming traffic.

Again, going all the way to Hubli taking the bypass and driving via the regular Ankola route does not make you lose time.

Also if the plan is to head to North Goa, you will need to account 1-2 hrs driving across Goa which is not easy. Many have explored driving to Belgaum and taking the Chorla-Sanquelim-Mapusa to enter North Goa. I dont know how good is that option? But this means you also have to drive along that 50km Dharwad-Hubli bypass which is getting widened.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by ampere

The time says it all. The should have peak hours then. My suggestion is if you are on the road at 0400AM, you can make it there by 0700/0730. It's usually empty then without crowd. Once you pass that time, you had it. These resort hotels I think are not built to scale crowd.

Sorry for being OT. I feel Apoorva Resorts is little over hyped. That's been my first stop enroute Pune but I am not a fan of their greasy benne dose. The next alternative is Ganesh Hotel Hubli I guess. Any other alternative for in between?

Was the rush due to being a Sat? I have never seen any crowd during my weekday runs till now.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Sorry for being OT. I feel Apoorva Resorts is little over hyped. That's been my first stop enroute Pune but I am not a fan of their greasy benne dose. The next alternative is Ganesh Hotel Hubli I guess. Any other alternative for in between?

It is over hyped I agree. But what are the options? There is a Shell ahead before the Hubli bypass. But it's on the other side. The Ranebennur Kamat was a decent option. But that's also gone.

[Lucifer68]

Originally Posted by ampere

It is over hyped I agree. But what are the options? There is a Shell ahead before the Hubli bypass. But it's on the other side. The Ranebennur Kamat was a decent option. But that's also gone.

If there is time for a small detour going inside Davangere has better options. But fully agree with the 'ampere' & 'ghodlur', these highway restaurants just cannot manage a bit of peak and are certainly hyped.

Have been driving this route for quite a while and I can fully resonate with the comments. Before there used to be a sense of camaraderie; A sense of enjoying the food and the drive. But now its more of numbers, more people, more collections. Maybe I am getting beyond in my years now.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Lucifer68

If there is time for a small detour going inside Davangere has better options. But fully agree with the 'ampere' & 'ghodlur', these highway restaurants just cannot manage a bit of peak and are certainly hyped.

If it's a regular speed run, my solution is simple. Make sure you hit the road latest by 4AM. That allows you to cross Tumkur before Bangalore wakes up. You make it to Apoorva by 7-7:30. The hotel is just opened. Dont order anything fancy. Have the basic stuff, and you are out 25-30 minutes. At least the place gives a decent parking, clean toilets and sense of space. By 0930 you would be at Hubli bypass. I have timed this and found one can manage an average of 85-90 with some consistent driving and crunch 450 km in 5-5:30 hrs without going past 110-120.

[Nero]

Originally Posted by Nero

Hello BHP-ians! We're a family of 4 and are planning to travel to Goa (Canacona) mid-October. Google is showing BLR-Tumkur-Chitradurga-Haveri-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar-Canacona route. I travelled this same route in Jan this year and the stretch from Yellapur to Ankola was pathetic with lots of construction. Wanted to know if it's improved or worsened considering the rains. Or if there's a better route to take. I will be driving my new ScorpioN D-AT and hence not majorly worried about poor roads. But if there are stretches that are blocked due to rains or construction. Any suggestion would be great!

Thanks to all of your suggestions, we managed to travel to and from Goa this week. Took the BLR-Chitradurga-Haveri-Hubli(Gabbur toll plaza)-Alnavar-Ramnagar-Anmod-Molem-Shigao-Quepem-Barcem-Canacona. The roads were good obviously upto Hubli and manageable till Ramnagar and it get's bad till Anmod because of the construction work and monsoons. The drive from Anmod towards Mollem is enjoyable with lots of curves and winding roads. Once you get into Goa via Mollem it's pretty standard route without much surprises.

On the way back, we took the Canacona-Karwar-Ankola-Yellapur-Kalghatgi-Hubli(Gabbur toll plaza)-Haveri-Chitradurga-BLR route. This route was a lot more easier in spite of having really poor stretches of roads between Ankola and Yellapur. This route took much longer to cover as somewhere in between Sira & Tumkur we had a huge traffic pileup that caused about 35 mins delay because of the ongoing construction work.

[Lucifer68]

Fully agree. The early morning drive is a pleasure in itself. Typically, plan all my drives on weekdays, helps with the traffic ....on the road and the restaurants.

Planning return this friday...going thru all the comments thinking of below options:

Option 1 - Karwar > Kumta > Siddapura > Soraba > Hirekerur > Ranebennur > Davangere > Bangalore

Option 2 - Utorda > Mollem > Londa > Alnavar > Dharwad> Hubli > Blr.

Understand Karwar to Sirsi is a mess, hence ruling it out. Since incoming was via Yellapur, ruling that out. Do not prefer Karwar > Mangalore > Blr ...not the issue with distance, more of optimization.

Do share thoughts