[filcord]

Originally Posted by ssingri

Hi folks,
Any update on road conditions and weather in Goa, I am planning to drive down this weekend(22nd) and will be there most of the week.
Just wondering if it will be too hot and if the beaches will get rough.

Weather in Goa is hot and humid, around 34 Celsius daytime temp. with 70% humidity. Bathing in the sea is great, but the water can be rough, so please do not go further than knee-deep water, even if you're a good swimmer. (There are aabout 30-odd deaths a year of tourists drowning in Goa). If you have any alcohol, don't go more than calf-deep.
Beaches are less crowded now.
Roads are great within Goa, as always!

[suniladhiya]

Originally Posted by filcord

Weather in Goa is hot and humid, around 34 Celsius daytime temp. with 70% humidity. Bathing in the sea is great, but the water can be rough, so please do not go further than knee-deep water, even if you're a good swimmer. (There are aabout 30-odd deaths a year of tourists drowning in Goa). If you have any alcohol, don't go more than calf-deep.
Beaches are less crowded now.
Roads are great within Goa, as always!

filcord- Just returned from Baga and Calangute - and the beaches are packed to overflowing. Maybe because its a weekend - also possible the lesser known beaches like Mandrem/ Morjim in the North may perhpaps be less crowded.

+ 1 to the roads within Goa - this has never failed to amaze me - even the minor roads in the interiors are of super excellent quality.

Weather for Bangaloreans may be a tad hot and humid, but coming from Pune we are quite comfortable considerting Pune was sizzling around 39-40 deg celsius when we left.

In any case, Goa is Goa and always to be enjoyed

[bornin70s]

Whats the best route from Hampi to North Goa (Vagator)?
Google map shows NH63 back again to NH4. Dunno what road to take after that.

[ranjitp1]

Take NH63 to Ankola,then NH17 to Karwar,Panjim,Candolim,Calangute,Vagator.Its pretty straight forward.You leave NH17 after crossing the mandovi bridge at Panjim,take a left and follow the road you would reach Vagator beach.

[Arka]

We returned from a week-long trip to Goa on Saturday, 29th May. Stayed at a place called Colonia Santa Maria on the Baga stretch. Hotel was quite decent with easy access to the beach. Goa was sweltering (but then who cares). Baga beach was relatively free of human traffic. We felt as if we were on a secluded stretch of sand.

Took the NH4-NH63-NH17 route both ways. The entire stretch of road was excellent, except for a few diversions between Hubli and Haveri. The trucks drove with a lot of discipline. The nutcases on the highway were all privately owned vehicles (many were in a hurry to meet their maker).

Overall a very pleasant highway experience all the way to Goa.

[ssingri]

Originally Posted by Arka

We returned from a week-long trip to Goa on Saturday, 29th May. Stayed at a place called Colonia Santa Maria on the Baga stretch. Hotel was quite decent with easy access to the beach. Goa was sweltering (but then who cares). Baga beach was relatively free of human traffic. We felt as if we were on a secluded stretch of sand.

Took the NH4-NH63-NH17 route both ways. The entire stretch of road was excellent, except for a few diversions between Hubli and Haveri. The trucks drove with a lot of discipline. The nutcases on the highway were all privately owned vehicles (many were in a hurry to meet their maker).

Overall a very pleasant highway experience all the way to Goa.

I would say the same, we were in Goa between 22 May and 29 May. I particularly enjoyed the Hubli Ankola stretch, good surface a lot of twisties and mostly through forest area.
On the way up we left Bangalore (Jayanagar) at 06:30 AM 22 MAY and reached Palolem in south Goa at 04:30 PM after a break for lunch at Hubli (this was at a dhaba just off the toll collection point before the turn off to Ankola - I quite liked the food) and another break for coffee in Karwar.
On the way down we left Calangute in North Goa at 10:30 AM 29 May and Reached Bangalore at 11: 15 PM after 2 breaks for lunch and dinner.

Still cant understand the difference in time taken.

[motomaverick]

Hi any lastest update on the Goa routes below?

1. Blore - Hubli - Ankola - Panaji i.e. NH 4 - NH63 - NH 17. 677kms

2. Blore - Shimoga - Karwar - Panaji i.e. NH206 - NH 17. 627kms

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Hi any lastest update on the Goa routes below?

1. Blore - Hubli - Ankola - Panaji i.e. NH 4 - NH63 - NH 17. 677kms

2. Blore - Shimoga - Karwar - Panaji i.e. NH206 - NH 17. 627kms

NH63 is in very good condition and NH17 from Ankola onwards to Panjim is also very good.IMO ,you would do better speeds on the NH 4-63-17 combo as opposed to Shimoga-Karwar as you have the advantage of the 4 laned NH4

[Arka]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Hi any lastest update on the Goa routes below?

1. Blore - Hubli - Ankola - Panaji i.e. NH 4 - NH63 - NH 17. 677kms

2. Blore - Shimoga - Karwar - Panaji i.e. NH206 - NH 17. 627kms

Hello Motomaverick - I did the NH4-NH63-NH17 route both ways on the last week of May. Like Ranjit, I would also recommend this route to you because of the quality of the tarmac all through.

NH4 till Hubli, is a beautiful divided highway which gives you stress-less cruising. NH63 from Hubli to Ankola is a sufficiently wide undivided highway. Again great tarmac and even better views (it is green all the way). NH17 from Ankola till Panjim is again a great stretch of road and with wonderful vistas of the Arabian Sea in the vicinity of Karwar. The road is however narrower than NH63 and has significantly more traffic. So progress will be slower.

Please note that you turn to the left to get on to NH63 from NH4. This turn appears a couple of kms after the toll booth before Hubli. At this toll booth, tell the toll collector that you would like to take the Karwar road and he will provide you with instructions on where to turn, and also charge you a smaller toll fee.

JLN's post on pages 82 and 83 of this thread provide wonderful details on this route and more. Have a good trip.

[sajirm]

Hello Friends,

I am planning to visit Goa on the 1st July 2011. I am driving down from Bangalore with 2 of my friends, and this will be the first time I am going to Goa. Looking through several posts I figured that there are multiple routes to Goa, and got confused.

Could any of you please suggest a good route?. What I am looking for is:

1. Good roads without pot holes or construction where one can drive peacefully. ( I know that I am wishing for too much, but I am 40+ and look for these things)
2. Availability of decent rest rooms during the route as we have a lady passenger.
3. Route with lesser traffic.

I would like to rely on the wisdom of the BHP'ians who would have traveled these routes and would be the best people to suggest a safe way to reach Goa and back.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Regards,
Saji Menon
sajirm@gmail.com

[sumanths]

Hello,

Am planning to drive to Yellapur, Uttar Kanada from Bangalore. Had done this streach through Hubli earlier. Want to try the Bankapura - Mundgod - Yellapur stretch this time. How are the road conditions? Any recent experiences?

Also, what are the reviews on Banana County resorts in Yellapur?

Planning the trip during August 15th weekend in my Linea MJD. Given that it has quite low GC (161 mm), particularly interested in any stretches that would scrape the bottom of the car.

Thanks in advance,
Sumanth.

[condor]

Check the BLR-Goa route quries thread

Do not take the Bankapur-Yellapur stretch. Advice form locals a some time back was the roads were bad. I dont think they would have improved at all.

[ampere]

The Mundgod option is not got at all. Always heard bad road about that stretch.
Also I have heard positive reviews about Banana County.

When you are there dont miss the Sathodi and Maggod falls.

[ravibhat]

Via Mundagod from Bankapura to yellapura there is always bad stretch. But trust me try that route, you will love drive in rains and maintain slow speed. It should be worth. If you want breeze/smooth drive go via Hubli. Else try this was: Haveri-sirsi (73km)-yellapura(55km) hardly 15km bad road and super duper scenary. Or I suggest while coming back take yellapura-sirsi-Jog falls-sagar-shimoga-bangalore.

Banana county is always only best option in yellapura. It is still good resort.

Ravi.

[sumanths]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. My original plan was to go through Hubli as that offers excellent surface to drive on. Have to look at the Haveri - Sirsi - Yellapur stretch, as driving through jungle sounds fun.

Did Haveri - Sirsi stretch a few years back in the middle of the night. Couldn't enjoy much scenery then. But, road felt OK to average at 50kmph.

@Ravi - Any recent experiences on Haveri - Sirsi stretch?