[CANPUSH]

Anyone recently traveled on Kolhapur - Gaganbawda - Talere route or Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Phonda route?

I am planning to travel to Goa (Which I can do through Chorla Ghat) and return via Malvan -Kanakvli to Pune sometime in first-second week of September.

I will appreciate updates on road surface condition of this route.

[ritzy]

Hi guys!!

We're planning an all stags road trip to Goa from 1st Sept to 4th Sept. We have our accommodation booked at Candolim area ( North Goa). We are planning to start around 5 from Pune and hope to reach Candolim by late afternoon.

I have done this stretch multiple times in last few years and I generally go Via Nipani - Kaveri Hotel - Ajra - Amoboli Ghat. However, after going through some earlier posts, it seems that we are better off avoiding this route and instead go all the way to Belgaum and take Chorla ghat.


Please advise if Amboli ghat condition is really so bad that its better to take the longer route via Belgaum?
Suggestions on route / food are also welcome.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by ritzy

Please advise if Amboli ghat condition is really so bad that its better to take the longer route via Belgaum?
Suggestions on route / food are also welcome.

Our family friends tried to take the Amboli route in an Innova last week. They had an elderly couple with them who could not take the bumpy ride. Somewhere midway they gave up and took some route via Tillari dam through to Chorla.
I think it must be at the T junction near Ajra, where they took a left insted of going right towards Amboli.

Recommended route remains Chorla for now. I am not sure what car you will be driving and if you are ok with broken roads for sustained time/ distance.

[ritzy]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

I am not sure what car you will be driving and if you are ok with broken roads for sustained time/ distance.

Thanks a lot. We would be driving a Polo Highline (P). My friend, who owns the car since last few years, keeps her truly like a baby. I am sure he wouldn't like the car sustaining torturous road conditions for long. We will stick to Chorla ghat then.

[VivOverland]

Originally Posted by ritzy

We will stick to Chorla ghat then.

That's a good call. I just returned last evening via Chorla, after taking Amboli on the way in (on Thursday). Avoid Amboli it's in poor shape and you'll lose time at the expense of your car's underbody.

Chorla was 95% smooth with 5% deducted for some early potholes under trees on turns. Made great time, left Panjim 0530 and touched the NH4 at Belgaum 0815. I used to avoid this road because of the many trucks but it's now clear because of the mining ban in force. Breakfasted at Sri Ram dhaba at 0835.

Safe travels!

[sidpunjabi]

Hey guys,

This is my 1st time driving down to Goa from Mumbai.

After Pune, I'll be taking the Satara - Kolhapur - Belgaum - Chorla - Mapusa - Calangute route, which also seems to be the preferred way on the forum.

There's already a lot of information about restaurants and routes, so the only point of doubt that remains for me is on the the download side - washrooms & toilets.

Which places/spots/restaurants have clean toilets along the way, especially between Satara and Kolhapur?

[Happysmiles]

Originally Posted by sidpunjabi

Hey guys,



This is my 1st time driving down to Goa from Mumbai.....

Which places/spots/restaurants have clean toilets along the way, especially between Satara and Kolhapur?

Satara - Manas Hotel.
Karad - Hotel Pankaj.
15 km Before Kholapur- Hotel Sai International.

All 3Hotels have Great Food and Clean Restrooms.

[erlebrito]

Hi Guys,

I have been on the Amboli road around a fortnight ago and it is a nightmare. There are craters all over the roads and the progress on the roads is extremely slow.

In contrast, the road on the Chorla Ghat is in fairly good shape and progress along the road is great. Traversing the extra distance to Belgaum does not actually add a great deal of mileage to the trip - I have checked and it is hardly a few kilometres more (around 14) and I find the added convenience of the better road a great advantage. The only disadvantage is the portion through Belagavi which slows you down considerably. But all in all I would recommend the route through Chorla any day.

Have fun driving.

Cheerio

[pramod]

I drove through following:
Bangalore - Kolhapur - Amba - saakarpa - Amba - Marleshwar - Amba - Sakarpa - vatul - Rajapur - Gaganbawda- vaibhavWadi - calangute - chorla - kittur - Bangalore last week.

Amba ghat : most curves , under tree sections are horrible. They got damaged within 2 days of rain between 21st to 24th Aug.

Amba ghat to Sakarpa is in good condition. Again curves are potholed
Marleshwar route is not bad at all. I covered all these in a Skoda Octavia 2017. No scraping at all. Maybe my driving skills

Sakarpa to Gaganbawda through interior - you need a life support in some sections, but doable in others. But, the scenarios on this trip will last my life time.

Talere to Sawantwadi/Amboli junction is a nightmare. Four-laning and rains. Horrible condition. Amboli junction to Panjim is a beautiful four lane road of 45 kms.

Chorla is broken at almost all curves from Goa to Karnataka border. Once we enter Karnataka, it's bliss. We drove through Jamboti, Khanapur, Kittur to join NH4.

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[abhypras]

Hi Friends,

I will be driving to Goa from Mumbai around mid-September and prefer to take the coastal route from Alibaug. There are in all 4 creek crossings where RO-RO services are available. However I would like your guidance on the current road conditions.

Below is the route that I intend to drive. Will take a night halt at Dapoli.

Alibaug - Kashid - Agardanda - Dighi(Ro-Ro crossing) - Shrivardhan - Bagmandla - Vesavi (Ro-Ro crossing) - Kelshi - Anjarle - Harnai - Dapoli - Guhaghar(Ro-Ro crossing) - Velneshwar - Jaigad(Ro-Ro crossing) - Ratnagiri - Pawas - Jaitapur - Kunkeshwar - Malvan - Vengurla - Aronda - Goa.

Will be grateful if anyone can share their insights on the road conditions on this route.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by sidpunjabi

Which places/spots/restaurants have clean toilets along the way, especially between Satara and Kolhapur?

Sai international, about 35 kms before Kolhapur, (200 kms from Pune/ 80~85 kms beyond Satara) on lefty hand side has cleanest toilets on the route.

Food is also decent.

[sidpunjabi]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Sai international, about 35 kms before Kolhapur, (200 kms from Pune/ 80~85 kms beyond Satara) on lefty hand side has cleanest toilets on the route.

Food is also decent.

Thank you @CANPUSH. I've heard a lot about Sai International, but google would throw up so many results (many establishments with that name). This helps narrow it down to the 1 everyone seems to be talking about.

Also, I figured that the accommodation / hotel section will be open 24 hrs. What about the restaurant part? Is that 24 hrs too or are there any timings?

[selfdrive]

Guys, recommendation for a place to stay overnight in Belgaum please?
I don't have enough time to drive straight through to Goa.

I tried to book with Sanman deluxe, but they asked me to come over and check. Apparently it is off season and rooms would be available. I don't want to end up having a situation where I land there with family and no rooms available. Any other suggestions as backup would be helpful. Clean room for 2 adults + 2 kids. Will leave the next morning for Goa

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Guys, recommendation for a place to stay overnight in Belgaum please?
I don't have enough time to drive straight through to Goa.

I tried to book with Sanman deluxe, but they asked me to come over and check. Apparently it is off season and rooms would be available. I don't want to end up having a situation where I land there with family and no rooms available. Any other suggestions as backup would be helpful. Clean room for 2 adults + 2 kids. Will leave the next morning for Goa

Try the following :-

1. Hotel Adarsha Palace, College road, Belgaum-- just about 300 metres ahead of Sanman deluxe. Infact this is convenient as it falls on left side going to Goa.

2. Hotel Ramdev International,JNMC road or Dr.B.R.Ambedkar road, Belgaum - this is actually the first hotel that you come across ( on your left ) after you enter Belgaum. Couple of other good hotels in this area like Hotel Rakshit international, Hotel Rohan residency, Hotel Sai Sangam international.


3. Hotel Sankam residency ( 3 star )- but this is way off your route towards Goa. Nevertheless, you get exceptionally fantastic food here.

4. Amongst other star rated hotels you have Hotel EEFA, Hindalga road, Belgaum ( 4 star ) , Hotel Fern UK 27,JNMC road Belgaum ( 5 star )

5. Hotel Fairfield Marriott,NH4 at Kakati,Belgaum ( 4 star ). This is bang on the highway, falls on your left side.

P.S - I am a Belgaum-ite living in Mumbai.

[VivOverland]

Originally Posted by abhypras

Hi Friends,

I will be driving to Goa from Mumbai around mid-September and prefer to take the coastal route from Alibaug.

As a thrice yearly traveller to Goa, I would strongly recommend you avoid this road. Unless you like following slow trucks on dual carriageway, at 20-40 kph over cratered roads, traffic jams at every village intersection (at least 40 of those), and roadworks coming up as well!

The NH17 has been ignored by our politicians and is now mainly a truck route for short inter village runs, and for those avoiding tolls on NH4.