[ampere]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Thanks everybody. How is the condition of Hubli-Ankola road currently in rainy season? Need to suggest to a friend who is coming from Ankola.

Hubli-Ankola is always good irrespective of rains. Wide 2-lane all the way.

[sureshurs]

Did Bangalore-Goa-Bangalore last week. Thanks to Arjun VS, took the Blr-Dharwad-Ramnagar-Ponda-Goa route. The details are as below

01-July-13 ( Monday)

Started at 11:00 AM from Rajarajeswari nagar and to NH4 via outer ring road -Jalahali cross. Stopped for lunch at Reddy Mess ( opp Aishwarya fort hotel) Chitraduga at 1:30 PM. Excellent road with couple of diversions for 6 lane widening work with moderate traffic till Tumkur

Started from Chitradurga at 2:15 PM after lunch and reached Hubli-Dharwad bypass - Goa Road exit by 5:30 PM after a tea break of 15 mins. Excellent road with light traffic.

Filled gas at HP petrol station on Goa road and reached Ponda bypass by 8:30 PM. Good road except in patches near railway crossing and Alnavar cross where work is till in progress. Heavy cloud cover on Anmod ghat with a visibility of 50 Ft slowed us down. Very light traffic till Ponda. Reached Varca at 9:30 pm. Regular traffic from Ponda bypass to Margoa.

Total travel time Is 10:30 mins.


05-July-13

Took the same route leaving at 10:30 am and reaching Rajarajeswari nagar by 8:00 PM. Took the NICE road to link road to avoid evening traffic.


I travel every year to Goa and as been taking the Hubli-Ankola--Karwar route for last 3-4 years. I would suggest taking the Dharwad-Ramnagar-Goa route for two reasons ( lighter traffic and picturesque route)

[rajivtelang]

Hi All,

I visited Goa on 7th and returned on 10th. Took the Dharwad-Alnawar-Molem route. Same route to return back.
Route is really good except some bad patches on the Dharwad-Alnawar route due to construction work in progres. Took around 10 hours on each direction.

Timing:
Started at 6.30AM from HSR layout, reached Quepem (South Goa) at 4.30PM with all breaks. Return - Started at 6.30AM from Quepem and reached back at 4.30PM. Almost same time on both directions.

Food:
On the way to goa halted at Kamat, Tumkur for breakfast, Kamat at Ranebennur for Lunch and Anmod for tea break in the evening. On the way back halted at Anmod for breakfast, Kamat at Sira for Lunch.

Points to be careful at:
There is a railway line work in progress on the way from Dharwad to Ramnagar. Be extremely careful when you see an old tar road patch meets the newly laid. There is quite a big 'step' at this intersection and if you do not slow down you will jump over it. This may damage something on the car.

[kannan666]

Thanks for the update, this was the old usual route which had deteriorated very badly in 2008, nice to see that it is motorable now. BTW - which car were you driving ?

[Brian Ammanna]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Hi All,

I visited Goa on 7th and returned on 10th. Took the Dharwad-Alnawar-Molem route. Same route to return back.
Route is really good except some bad patches on the Dharwad-Alnawar route due to construction work in progres. Took around 10 hours on each direction.

Thanks for the update Rajiv. Planning to drive down from Blr - Anjuna during the Aug 15th weekend and wanted to try a new route which is shorter as well. Will try the Dharwad - Mollem route while going and take the Belgaum route on the way bk.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Brian Ammanna

Thanks for the update Rajiv. Planning to drive down from Blr - Anjuna during the Aug 15th weekend and wanted to try a new route which is shorter as well. Will try the Dharwad - Mollem route while going and take the Belgaum route on the way bk.

The Mollem route is the standard NH4A via Ponda ghats. So you do :

Hubli-Dharwad bypass and take the Alnavar exit.

Alnavar-Ramngar-Mollem-Ponda

[mannubhai]

Originally Posted by Brian Ammanna

T Planning to drive down from Blr - Anjuna during the Aug 15th weekend .

Im driving down same time. We would be in Colva.

Wondering which is the shortest and best route to drive on, seeing multiple options in the thread.

Would be starting from Sarjapur road.

Plan to start at 530am. Seen most drives are taking 10 -1030 hours. So ideally should be reaching at around 4pm at colva.

Suggestions on routes, Break fast options, non-veg eateries for lunch and chai shops would be highly appreciated

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by mannubhai

Im driving down same time. We would be in Colva.

Wondering which is the shortest and best route to drive on, seeing multiple options in the thread.

Would be starting from Sarjapur road.

Plan to start at 530am. Seen most drives are taking 10 -1030 hours. So ideally should be reaching at around 4pm at colva.

Suggestions on routes, Break fast options, non-veg eateries for lunch and chai shops would be highly appreciated

Since you are going to Colva, south goa the Hubli - Yellapur - Karwar section should be the shorter one but not sure about the road condition of NH17.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mannubhai

Suggestions on routes, Break fast options, non-veg eateries for lunch and chai shops would be highly appreciated

Its Kamat all along the way on NH4 and nothing else (Dobbaspet/Sira/Davangere/Ranebennur/Hubli/Ankola). For good non veg you can try Amruth at Karwar. But I think it would be quite late by the time you reach Karwar.

[rockyb]

Did it recently. Good roads all the way. This is my preferred route. If you start at 5 am you can have lunch in Karwar @ 2 pm

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Since you are going to Colva, south goa the Hubli - Yellapur - Karwar section should be the shorter one but not sure about the road condition of NH17.

[Gomzy]

I am also planning to drive down to Goa on August 15th with friends, have never been to Goa in the monsoon, is it a good time to go this time of the year?

I normally take the Bangalore- Hubli- Belgaum- Amboli-Sawantwadi-Panaji route, pitstops at Rannebennur, Sankam (Belgam), and at the hotel just before the Amboli ghat (do not remember the name) if anyone has taken this route recently may please apprise me of the current road condition.

Further as i understand all the shacks on the beaches will be closed, what about the water sports?

[denver85]

Originally Posted by Gomzy

I am also planning to drive down to Goa on August 15th with friends, have never been to Goa in the monsoon, is it a good time to go this time of the year?

I am also driving down on the same day to Goa . Goa monsoon is really enjoyable. It will be completely green. Visit the forest reserves/Duthsagar falls which will be in the best state.

I normally take the Bangalore- Hubli- Belgaum- Amboli-Sawantwadi-Panaji route, pitstops at Rannebennur, Sankam (Belgam), and at the hotel just before the Amboli ghat (do not remember the name) if anyone has taken this route recently may please apprise me of the current road condition.

I am planning to take Dharwad-Alnavar-Ramnagara-Mollem-Ponda-Panaji route. As per the latest report this is the best route currently.

Further as i understand all the shacks on the beaches will be closed, what about the water sports?

No shacks and water sports. The sea will be really rough, Don't even think about taking a dip. The details are as per my visit there two years back in September.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by denver85

I am planning to take Dharwad-Alnavar-Ramnagara-Mollem-Ponda-Panaji route. As per the latest report this is the best route currently.

Anmod-Mollem NH4A is not the best route,anmod ghat is potholed.The best route at the moment is Dharwad-Alnavar-Ramnagar-Piranwadi Cross-Jamboti-Chorla-Sanquelim-Mapusa-NH17-Panjim.

http://goo.gl/maps/EgDI4

[denver85]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Anmod-Mollem NH4A is not the best route,anmod ghat is potholed.The best route at the moment is Dharwad-Alnavar-Ramnagar-Piranwadi Cross-Jamboti-Chorla-Sanquelim-Mapusa-NH17-Panjim.
http://goo.gl/maps/EgDI4

Thank you so much Ranjith sir
Do you know how is the road condition from Sanquelim to Panaji thorugh Orgao/Banastarim which looks a little short. Map link is here : http://goo.gl/maps/VIIMC
Just to understand the road conditions. The route you have mentioned is the best one for me as I need to reach Candolim.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by denver85

Thank you so much Ranjith sir
Do you know how is the road condition from Sanquelim to Panaji thorugh Orgao/Banastarim which looks a little short. Map link is here : http://goo.gl/maps/VIIMC
Just to understand the road conditions. The route you have mentioned is the best one for me as I need to reach Candolim.

Sorry I do not have any info on the route you mentioned.If Candolim is your destination,then you can take the Sanquelim-Bicholim-Assanora-Mapusa-Calangute-Candolim road.http://goo.gl/maps/oEhJb