JJ

Netravali -> Bubbling Lake -> Butterfly Beach -> Baga -> BigDaddy Casino -> Arambol Sweet Water Lake -> ChaporaFort -> Bascilica Church

Welcome back fellow travelers

Today we are going to take a step away from my motorbike travel tales for a moment. This time it's about a trip where lots of unexpected things happened, lots of spontaneous plans occurred and so on. It's the story of how a trip reminded us about the teenage days, the college days in which everything was a celebration of fun and spontaneity, no work related activities, no family responsibilities etc.

One day, one of our friends from work suggested a trip itinerary, it's a trek to Dudhsagar waterfalls which is in goa. The train ticket to goa was already booked. But at the last moment we got news that the trek is not gonna happen due to heavy rainfall . Since we already booked the tickets, we decided to explore the south side of goa which is known for its serene nature's beauty and peaceful beaches. I have already been to goa twice, but this time decided to focus more on the southern part of Goa

DAY 1 : THE BEGINNING

I reached Thampanoor railway station area at 9:00 am and parked my bike at Thampanoor Bus terminal pay and park. We all reached the railway station on time and our journey to goa started at 9:30 am. While the journey continued we met a traveler who was going to the Dudhsagar trek. She and her gang rebooked the trek with another agency and was hoping they would be able to go for the trek. Meeting new people who have a strong desire to travel always inspires me to know more about the world and motivates me to travel more. After a while, the rest of our friends from Ernakulam joined us. The fun persisted for a long time. we had a nice sleep in the train itself and before we know we reached Goa at 3:50 am the next day

DAY 2: EXPLORING THE SOUTH

The journey has been long and now it's dawn, so we decided to find a place to stay near the railway station itself. Luckily we found accommodation which was within one km from the railway station. We went there and decided to rest up to regain our energy, because there’s a lot of planning to do. We checked out in the morning, went to a nearby “Navatara” restaurant to have breakfast. Trying food in an unfamiliar place is always a challenge, but luck was on our side. The food was okay enough to fill both our soul and stomach. The mushroom masala dosa was tasty, if you are visiting this restaurant give it a try. After we had our breakfast, we booked two rental cars online to explore Goa.

As I said earlier our plan is to explore South Goa. So we got into our cars and started the ride towards the South. Our first destination is to visit Netravali wildlife sanctuary. The road towards this place is very peaceful, and traffic free. A short while later, a heavy downpour began, The force of monsoon began to reveal itself. On the way we stopped at a shop to buy ponchos, so that we can explore Goa without getting completely drenched in the rain. we were reaching our first destination, waiting eagerly to arrive, but soon our efforts were wasted, it was closed. One of the guards suggested that on the way back maybe you can visit a waterfall named “Bamanbudo Falls”. With the reignited hope we continued our travel. On the way, we stopped at Netravali bubbling lake. I have heard that these lakes tend to give out bubbles when they interact with loud external noise. With a curious mind we decided to visit the lake. And we can confirm that the lake is beautiful and it gives out bubbles underwater🫧. The water is emerald green in color and the area is surrounded by dense forest. The lake was less crowded, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. After spending some time in this serene location we resumed our quest to find the Bamanbudo waterfalls. Half an hour flew by and we reached the check post of the water falls. This waterfall was also closed. When we enquired about it the guard said due to some recent accidents all the waterfalls in goa are banned from entering for a week.

As all the waterfalls are currently closed, we decided to go and explore some peaceful beaches in south goa. With the new goal in mind we started a trip to butterfly beach in south goa. On the way back we stopped near a stream that was flowing under a bridge. We spotted a guard nearby and asked if it is okay for us to spend time near it, he said it's okay, and advised us not to wander deep into the forest area. The stream's water was cold and the sounds it gave out was music to the ears. The stream itself is not that deep, but the water current was so strong, because of that we opt not to swim in it. After spending some time refueling our soul with the forest beauty, our journey to the beach continued.

On the way, we had to stop at a location, we just had to The Road side was covered with beautiful lush green grass, a large herd of sheep peacefully grazing on the steep side of the greenish hill, the rain just stopped and an open road. This random place compelled us to stop and appreciate the surroundings. We captured many photos of this place, took a long rest. Stumbling upon the unexpected beauty of nature during my journeys has consistently fueled my desire to explore further and heightened my appreciation for the wonders that travel unveils.

We reached butterfly beach at 6:15 pm, in order to reach the beach we needed to hike around 2 km through a semi-forest. Still there was some daylight, so we didn’t wait around and started the trek to the beach. The trek was great and we reached the beach safe and sound. These are some of the unexplored places. It is located in a remote area and because of the trek, tourists usually avoid these kinds of places. If you are planning to visit south Goa and need a peaceful beach to chill out in nature, I would recommend this place. After spending like one hour at this beautiful beach we started our return trek, and that too in dark with very low visibility. By using our phone’s flashlight, we trekked back. Hiking at night is somewhat risky, don’t do it if you are alone or inexperienced in trekking. One of my friends almost lost her sandals in a mud pit, since it was raining before and it was challenging to spot the hazard in the darkness.

We all reached safely, after getting back into our car we booked a stay near the Baga beach area. En route to the accommodation at 10:30 pm we stopped at a restaurant named “The Fishermans Wharf” and tried many varieties of food, even though it was expensive. After having a blast we reached our stay at midnight

Day 3: THE PARTY

The time is 2:00 am, it is night time and we are around the Baga beach area, so we decided to explore the party streets. The night time ambience in north goa is energetic and lively, earning its reputation as the party capital. With lots of clubs, restaurants and pulsating music beats all collectively contribute to the electrifying atmosphere. We explored Titos Lane, and did some small shopping around the area. Then we went to the Baga beach, stayed there for a while enjoying the feeble beats of music from the beach clubs and engaging in the stories our friends that we shared. We had a good time. At 3:30 am we went back to our hotel.

Mornings in north Goa are kind of slow paced, with low activities during the day time. Decided to sleep during the day and woke up at 12:00 pm. We somehow ended up at a vegan only restaurant and had our healthy lunch. At 5:00 pm we arrived at Arambol beach, a nice beach located in the north part of Goa which is less crowded. The local shops around the shore lines were half open, most of them were closed due to off season. Not many people know this but if you travel along the shore line shops you can reach a sweet water lake at the end of the beach. After walking for about 15 minutes through the local shops, we reached the Arambol sweet water lake. This time, the water level was low, so we were able to cross the lake, allowing us to venture deep into the forest area and explore the streams and miniature waterfalls that contributed to the formation of the lake. I can guarantee you that the water in the lake is indeed sweet.After exploring the Arambol region we went back to our stay and got dressed up for our next big event.

While watching Hollywood movies featuring casinos inside cruise ships, I often found myself wondering if I could get into one and experience something similar. It was on my bucket list for a long time. Fortunately, One of my friends told me that there are casinos in goa. So the next stop is to go to Panjim, the capital city of Goa and get into one of the cruise ship casinos. On the way to Panjim we saw many big cruise ships lying idle, but our target for today was to get into the “Big Daddy” casino. We took the 3500 rupees per head entry ticket, and they offered us a free 1000 rupees chip, which we could redeem if we decided to try our luck in the casino and win it. After getting everyones ticket we waited patiently for the mini boat to come and pick us up. We got into the mini boat, after 5 minutes of sailing it took us to the gigantic cruise ship. The ship itself looks like something out of a Hollywood movie.

Since video recording inside the ship is banned ,we were unable to capture the inside of the casino. The ship had 3 levels of casino and a common hall. The common hall serves food and alcohol and you are occasionally presented with some group dance and belly dance performance. We had access to the second level of the casino, we directly entered into it for the sake of exploring it. I was truly in awe, the interior of it was very classy, resembling scenes straight out of a movie. The casino had a sophisticated ambience with lots of security guards, lots of games, occasionally there was a pole dance performance. Overall the casino had a rich and class atmosphere. Even though I didn't expect much, I found myself thoroughly satisfied with the outcome and the experience I got. we spend a considerable amount of time inside the casino, but as every good thing must come to an end, at 2 am the next day, we finally exited the casino and went back to our stay

Day 4: THE END

Following our exploration of beaches and green landscapes, and casinos, today we decided to venture into a fort. After having chole bhature at avenue bistro, we decided to visit Chapora fort. Reached the location at 1:00 pm. The climate was super cool, it was cold and windy with occasional rain. There are many forts in Goa and this one was a common recommendation. It is nice to admire the architecture of historic buildings. After a while in that place and clicking so many group photos we exited the fort at 2:15 pm.

On the way back to Madgaon railway station we made a stop at Basilica Bom Church, and indulged in some last minute shopping. The church itself is a beautiful site to explore. Upon entering the church you can sight numerous historical artifacts, antiquities, aged relics etc. Having thoroughly explored this area, we resumed our journey towards the railway station. We returned the rented cars, received our deposited amount, and concluded all necessary arrangements. At 6:15 pm we boarded the train back to kerala.

Our journey to goa was about embracing the beauty of spontaneity and uncertainty. From the mesmerizing beaches, lively party streets, thrilling casinos, enchanting forests, scenic roads, historic forts, and beautiful churches to the colorful shops and ever-changing weather, all of these elements collectively made our journey vibrant and created a diverse story that captures the essence of our unforgettable journey.

Closing the travel diary of Goa, But the blank pages ahead hold the promises of new and exciting adventures.

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