[Ertigiat]

Originally Posted by ShivSaisha

Hi folks,

Planning to drive from Pune to Goa in a week with the family. Need help with the road conditions, especially post the right turn after Nipani.

Between Audi A6 and Toyota Fortuner, which car would you recommend for this journey?

Appreciate your assistance.

Sir, what is your destination in Goa? If it is North Goa then you can take a right turn after Nipani but if it is South Goa then I would recommend continuing till Belgaum and taking Anmod route to reach destination.

[ShivSaisha]

Thanks for your note. We are staying at Vagator.

[Dexter_]

Originally Posted by aashishnb

What are the good clean restroom locations between Mumbai and Kolhapur considering family (ladies & children)?
Are there any good 3-star / 5-star hotels along the highway?

Hotel Sai International is good for a stop over, just before Kolhapur. Good food options and clean washrooms.

I have stayed at The Fern Residency, Karad. It's a good place to stay, looked like a fairly new property.

[shashant]

Is there any restriction on number of people traveling together in the car? We are planning for a trip to Goa from Pune.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by Dexter_

Hotel Sai International is good for a stop over, just before Kolhapur. Good food options and clean washrooms

Sai International is not serving proper meals. We could only get few snacks and tea. However, the washrooms are clean and safer. More so there wasn't a lot of rush like always.

[spr1ngleo]

Will be starting for goa trip after two days. Plan is to stay at Amboli, for two days, then continue towards Goa. Is Amboli worth staying for two days or better spend in Goa? Please advise. I will be travelling with my family- me, wife and daughter by car. Please advise, thanks in advance.

[Ertigiat]

Originally Posted by shashant

Is there any restriction on number of people traveling together in the car? We are planning for a trip to Goa from Pune.

No restrictions, other than allowed capacity of particular vehicle, you are travelling.

Originally Posted by spr1ngleo

Will be starting for goa trip after two days. Plan is to stay at Amboli, for two days, then continue towards Goa. Is Amboli worth staying for two days or better spend in Goa? Please advise. I will be travelling with my family- me, wife and daughter by car. Please advise, thanks in advance.

Views are bound to differ but I am of opinion, Amboli is not worth spending two days. If you can spend few hours in Amboli on the way to Goa.

Goa will be a far better vacation destination compared to Amboli.

[suzuki san]

Originally Posted by spr1ngleo

Will be starting for goa trip after two days. Plan is to stay at Amboli, for two days, then continue towards Goa. Is Amboli worth staying for two days or better spend in Goa? Please advise. I will be travelling with my family- me, wife and daughter by car. Please advise, thanks in advance.

A relation of mine (with maid and dog) spent a night at a home-stay at Amboli about 5 years ago and quite enjoyed herself. She got there at about 2 pm and left the next day at Noon. Said that was more than enough time. Try and get a home stay if possible. You will get a taste of the local cuisine.

Regards,
SS

[tazmaan]

I will be taking this route on 18th November and Back via the same route on 25th November with family. Have done it several times before but not during covid.

We are packing our own food. Can anyone suggest locations for bio breaks. Plan to leave at 4am that way kids sleep for a good part of the journey and as a driver I am always more fresh at 4am than say 7pm.

We used to stop at Kamat for breakfast before Satara and hotel Minerva just after Ajara for lunch which had good wash rooms.

[humyum]

I just reached Goa late last night.

Guys please don't even think about taking the right turn to Nippani and taking that route to Goa, its in T.A.T.T.E.R.S

For that 145 kilometers it took us close to 5 hours. There were so many stretches where I drove in 1st and 2nd gear at idle rpms because the roads were that bad.

After exiting on the highway too, there is so much construction going on, that its equally bad. It took us 1 hour for 35 kilometers on the highway.

Is there any other route someone has taken recently to reach bombay from? I don't mind even if its longer by 100-150 kilometers but I can't take the Nipaani route back for the sake of the Swift. We will be going back after 6 days on a Sunday

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by humyum

I just reached Goa late last night.

Google maps is showing the Anmod route via Belgaum as the default one right now, so you could try that on the return trip. However, if you are in North Goa, it will mean navigating local Goa traffic for a little while.

There are a few recent posts on this and the Bangalore Goa thread, that say it's in decent condition. I am planning to take the same on Friday for my onward trip to Goa.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by humyum

I just reached Goa late last night.

Guys please don't even think about taking the right turn to Nippani and taking that route to Goa, its in T.A.T.T.E.R.S

For that 145 kilometers it took us close to 5 hours. There were so many stretches where I drove in 1st and 2nd gear at idle rpms because the roads were that bad.

Do you know the waypoints you took? As this sounds very surprising. Friend did the Nipani - Uttur - Ajara - Amboli - Goa route and reported a butter smooth ride. Did you accidentally get routed via Gargoti?

After exiting on the highway too, there is so much construction going on, that its equally bad. It took us 1 hour for 35 kilometers on the highway.

You mean in Goa? Yes, that is known and the best way to avoid it is to take Pernem - Parse - Siolim route to your destination in north Goa.

Is there any other route someone has taken recently to reach bombay from? I don't mind even if its longer by 100-150 kilometers but I can't take the Nipaani route back for the sake of the Swift. We will be going back after 6 days on a Sunday

I would suggest you still take the Amboli route back as that is in top shape. I am wondering where you encountered broken roads. Worst case, take Mollem - Anmod - Khanapur but that will add 3-4 hours to your already long journey.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by humyum

I just reached Goa late last night.

Guys please don't even think about taking the right turn to Nippani and taking that route to Goa, its in T.A.T.T.E.R.S

For that 145 kilometers it took us close to 5 hours. There were so many stretches where I drove in 1st and 2nd gear at idle rpms because the roads were that bad.

This is really surprising, I am in Goa and have come through the same route and it was absolutely fantastic including the Amboli ghat, where in Goa were you headed to, if you could share the actual route taken then it would throw some light.

Yep as moralfibre suggested, if you are in North Goa take the Pernem route for your exit and Mollem - Khanapur only if you are in South Goa, else it does not make sense.

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Did you accidentally get routed via Gargoti?

Does seem like he's missed a turn or two and the rest Google has managed

[humyum]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Do you know the waypoints you took? As this sounds very surprising. Friend did the Nipani - Uttur - Ajara - Amboli - Goa route and reported a butter smooth ride. Did you accidentally get routed via Gargoti?



You mean in Goa? Yes, that is known and the best way to avoid it is to take Pernem - Parse - Siolim route to your destination in north Goa.



I would suggest you still take the Amboli route back as that is in top shape. I am wondering where you encountered broken roads. Worst case, take Mollem - Anmod - Khanapur but that will add 3-4 hours to your already long journey.

Originally Posted by Trojan

This is really surprising, I am in Goa and have come through the same route and it was absolutely fantastic including the Amboli ghat, where in Goa were you headed to, if you could share the actual route taken then it would throw some light.

Yep as moralfibre suggested, if you are in North Goa take the Pernem route for your exit and Mollem - Khanapur only if you are in South Goa, else it does not make sense.



Does seem like he's missed a turn or two and the rest Google has managed

So sharing the screenshot of my map timeline, we had not switched on the maps for major part of this route though.

Yes, Amboli Ghat and Ajara did come. I remember Ajara because firstly the road through Ajara had like deep craters that even the Endeavor behind me was being careful about and because I saw Ajara Mumbai buses in the town.



This is what my timeline shows on the maps.

A more zoomed out version of the route.




Amboli ghat was good, as in, I was doing 3rd gear engine braking most of the way, but before that and after that was when things got horrible.

The first few kilometers after Nippani were okay too. I mean an occasional section or a huge pothole somewhere, but nothing that bad.

Looking at the picture, can you suggest if this was the right route or I missed something somewhere?

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by humyum

Looking at the picture, can you suggest if this was the right route or I missed something somewhere?

The route is correct. I am not so sure why this route is marked as excellent by everyone except your bad experience. Maybe it is an expectation issue where you thought it would be NH like. But even then, the undulations I experienced were very very nominal in most places. Ajara town might have an odd broken patch but for the total 100 odd km from Nipani to Sawantwadi, it may not be < 5% of total.