Weekends mean a lot to working-people. These are the only days on which people Live Life King Size. If you are living in Goa and got bored resting or relaxing on the beach, then we are going to make your weekend special. Continuing on our road-trip-series around the globe, here are the top weekend road trips that you can take from Goa.
ABOUT GOA:
A kaleidoscopic blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures, sweetened with sun, sea, sand, seafood, susegad and spirituality, Goa is India’s pocket-sized paradise. Goa is India’s smallest state by area and lies on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year for its white-sand beaches, nightlife, places of worship and World Heritage-listed architecture. It has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, a biodiversity hotspot.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you are planning to take these weekend trips post-COVID-19 lock-downs, you need to be careful. Although short road-trips are one of the safest travel options after the peak of the pandemic is over, but everyone still needs to take precautions. Try to avoid crowded places. If you rent a car or bike, don’t forget to wash/sanitise it properly before driving.
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In this post you will find -
Top Weekend Road Trips from Goa
Sawantwadi
Sawantwadi is a beautiful town situated in the Sindhudurg district in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. This amazing tourist town is located on NH-17 that connects the famous city of Mumbai to Goa. For people who are commuting to Mumbai or Goa, it is a popular stop for relaxation and refreshment. An evening walk to the famous Raghunath market and Moti Talao (Lake) alongside the scenic town of Sawantwadi is one of the best experiences.
Distance: 60 Km from Panjim (Approx. 1.5 Hour)
Best Time: October to March
Amboli
Amboli might be a perfect weekend destination from Goa if you are a nature lover. Amboli has become an ideal tourist place in Maharashtra for a short holiday primarily due to its breathtaking natural beauty and multiple options for activities. Amboli Falls, a beautiful waterfall, is one of the top tourist attractions of this hill station. Watching the sunset from here is a prime attraction and Madhavgad Fort, Shirgaonkar Point, Hiranyakashipu Keshi etc., are the other tourist attractions. With pleasant weather conditions, this kind of holiday place remains the favourite choice of nature lovers and backpackers all around the year.
Distance: 83 Km from Panjim (Approx. 2-2.5 Hour)
Best Time: June to August
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Karwar
With scenic beaches surrounded by casuarinas trees along the Arabian sea coastline, Karwar is a port city and a perfect weekend road trip from Goa. Located on the west coast of the Indian Peninsula, it is both a natural harbour as well as a town with a history which dates back to the 15th century. With Konkani, Kannada and Marathi speaking communities, Karwar is a multicultural destination. This place is known for the important historic sites and is a haven for photographers because of the scenic landscapes and brilliant architecture of monuments. Karwar is an ideal place for adventure seekers with snorkelling, scuba diving and surfing opportunities available here.
Distance: 96 Km (Approx. 2.5 Hour)
Best Time: November to April
Malvan
Malvan is a beautiful and historical town in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. Sindhudurg Fort of Chatrapati Shivajiraje is one of the major tourist attractions of Malvan town. Mouth-watering Malvani sea-food and sweets will make your weekend trip worthy. This tiny city is also known for its beaches that are clean, refreshing and less crowded. People can have wide spread-out sunset views. Water sports are also available for fun. You can also enjoy the boat rides in Karli backwaters that gives you an amazing experience. Sindhudurg Fort, Rock Garden and the temples nearby are worthy to be visited. Along with Malvani Sweets and Sokadi (a drink made from the kokum fruit), try the famous coconut, rice and fish delicacies of Malvani cuisine. For Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, Malvan is perfect.
Distance: 105 Km from Panjim (2.5 Hours)
Best Time: October and February
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Tarkarli
Those who are longing for a weekend away from the hustle-bustle of the city, Tarkarli is such an amazing destination. The clear-blue-water and the golden-sand of Tarkarli make it worth a visit. Beach lovers don’t miss this beautiful place! This small town of Tarkarli also boasts of some major religious places and monuments in the region. Deobagh, Karli backwaters, Dhamapur Lake and the sea forts of Tarkarli have enough ability to make your weekend trip memorable.
Distance: 107 Km from Panjim (Approx. 2-3 Hour)
Best Time: October to March
Devbagh
Devbagh is a cocktail of lush green belt of casuarinas trees, crystal-clear blue water, and picturesque backdrop of beautiful mountains. About 2 kms from the southern part of Goa, it is a beautiful island lying along the coastline of Arabian sea. The beach town is famous for the fresh seafood, water sports and sunsets with splendid weather throughout the year. Jungle lodges and beach resorts are the most sought after stay options in Devbagh. For weekend travelers looking for an exotic vacation this place is a perfect getaway. Tagore Beach, Lighthouse, Devbagh, Sadashivgad Fort, Sajjeshwara Temple etc., are major tourist attractions of Devbagh.
Distance: 111 Km from Panjim (Approx. 2-3 hour)
Best Time: Anytime
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Dandeli
Dandeli, located on the Western Ghats of North-Karnataka, is blessed with the lush green forests and lies on the banks of the Kali river. It is known for its many fantastic adventure opportunities such as river rafting. Weekend travellers have many options such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, biking, and cycling. The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is another exciting place that you should definitely explore. For nature lovers, this is a perfect place as they can spot Black Panthers and Bisons here. Like the famous Sykes Point, a view-point which gives tourists a breathtaking view of Dandeli, Kavala Caves and Sathodi Falls are equally attractive. Camping is the most popular thing to do here and you will find here many operators provide memorable experiences and fantastic services to the guests.
Distance: 136 Km from Panjim (Approx. 3 Hour)
Best Time: October to February
Kumta
The beautiful town of Kumta is 30 km from the glorious beach town of Gokarna, Karnataka. Lying on the coastline of the Arabian Sea, it offers old temples and sprawling greenery and tantalizing beaches with black rocks. Kumta is all about unwinding, solitude and relaxing. The weather of Kumata is amazing throughout the year. This tiny city is adorned with beaches like Kumta beach, Baada beach, and Dhareshwar Beach creating a melodious background score around the most ancient temples displaying age-old art. The Yana caves are a popular attraction too. Trekking, rock climbing and other adventure activities will compel you to stay here.
Distance: 174 Km from Panjim (Approx. 4 Hours)
Best Time: November to March
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Nashik – wine tasting
Although Nashik doesn’t qualify as a weekend trip, none the less is the wonderful road trip from Goa. And more so if wine tasting is something that you love. There are 8 wine regions in India, but it is Nashik on the Deccan Plateau where the wineries are easy to travel between.
You can taste wine here at seven wineries and take tours of the winemaking process and the
vineyards, but there are 3 that are specifically recommended – Sula Vineyards, York Winery and SOMA Vineyards.
Sula Vineyards is the biggest, with 70% of the domestic Indian wine market, it caters specifically to the Indian palate and produces relatively sweet wine. There are tours and guided tastings on offer here. Tailored more to a European palate is the York Winery, where the wine tasting area looks out over the vineyards. You can make SOMA Vineyards your base, there are great accommodation facilities here and a huge variety of wines to try also. If you have a designated driver, it is easy to travel between these wineries and taste Indian wine, but its also easy to find a taxi or autorickshaw from Nashik city itslef.
Best time to visit: November and March (harvesh season)
Disrance: 650+ km
In the end…
We hope you enjoyed reading these and we have been able to inspire you to take some of these road trips from Goa. We (Sonakshi and I) love road trips a lot and hence, we hit the road frequently. Check out our other road trips here:
This guest post was submitted by Ritu Singh (from Adequate Travel).