Mumbai To Goa : The Quintessential Road Trip
Sometimes, travelling is not merely reaching a destination but more about the journey, the experience and the exploration of soul of the nature. It is undertaken to expand the mind and make memories with the loved ones which can be cherished throughout the life. Trips by roads proffer to this very idea of mesmerisation and to further narrow the idea, we have one particular route which assists to make this odyssey a reality.
You must have guessed it by now.
Yes, its the legendary ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ route.
Despite the most astounding road journey and the most famous tourist destination of our country, we rarely see ourselves taking a road trip to Goa. I’m sure, this is one trip that all travel lovers have mentioned in their bucket lists and wish to experience at least once in their lives and rightly so, because of the immensity of the trip appendage to the growth of the individual experience.
One of the best things about this trip from Mumbai is the moderation of the time invested. Its neither too long where one might succumb to tiredness nor too short which may leave the traveller in downhearted disappointment. Its takes just 12 hours to reach Goa by road from Mumbai which makes it the best weekend getaway destination.
There are usually two common and best routes undertaken by travellers for a Mumbai Goa road trip; one via NH4 and the other is the Bombay Goa Highway via NH66.
Bombay to Goa via NH4 :
This is the best preferred route by the travellers who suffer from motion-sickness as it is a smooth and straight four lane road with minimum tussle. The journey approximately takes 10 hours 30 minutes which starts with the Mumbai-Pune Expressway leading to Belgaum(NH4) which further leads to our destination Goa.
The main milestones on this journey are Satara, Kohlapur and Sankeshwar which can be further explored if one is not on a tight schedule. These include the beautiful Rankala Lake, the Panhala Fort and the Jyotika Temple. On the next stop of Belgaum, the Belgaum Fort and the Bhimgad Wildlife sanctuary are the two famous places worth exploring. Belgaum is also appropriate to have a night halt if one wishes.
Bombay Goa Highway via NH66:
It takes around 12 hours and 30 minutes to reach Goa from this route. This is the best option for the nature loving travellers as this route has ample amount of scenic beauty. This route is filled with paddy fields, coconut and area nut plantations which offers amazing views of luxurious greenery all around and throughout the journey. This route exudes a peaceful environment only interrupted by the sounds of the regional birds and the distinct smell of the forest which enhances the trip further.
Again, if one has time in hand, this route has various places worth stopping and visiting. A beach side halt at Ganpatipule is worthy as it is claimed to be as alluring as the beaches of Maldives. Despite being small, the Karnala Bird sanctuary in the Taluka of Panvel is home to more than 150 species of birds making it a must stop for nature and bird lovers. One can also take a small ride of Pen, a historically important port city which is now famous for being a major centre for manufacturing huge Ganesha idols for worshipping.
As this route is also a commercially important one, the road has numerous minor stoppage places like hotels, restaurants, repair shops and petrol pumps. The main milestones are the small towns of Kolad, Indapur and Mangaon. Chiplun is yet another great place for a break which is famous for its waterfalls, the Parshuram Temple, Kokam and the delicious Ratnagiri mangoes which are a must try if one is visiting during the summer.
This is the trip I reckon you do not pretermit.
