If its Goa, it should be a road trip!! There are two ways to reach goa by road. One being the good old scenic NH-17 bombay goa highway and the other being NH-4 pune bangalore expressway. For years I have been travelling to goa by the old highway. The road is full of natural surroundings, ghat-roads and is toll free. You reach goa in around 12-13 hours if you drive at a stretch with one or two halts. But recently that road has been full of potholes and bad roads in ghat areas. So I tried the alternate route which was the NH4- Pune Bangalore expressway. Goa is around 600km from where i live,mulund,Mumbai.
We travelled by Hyundai-i10 all the way. Starting our journey at 5 am, the journey began through empty roads of mumbai, through the harbour route of airoli-vashi-navi mumbai-cbd and panvel. Soon we reached the Mumbai-pune expressway and through hazy surroundings made our way through. The road is good with minor bad patches. We halted at first food-mall for refilling petrol and sipping tea. After 2 hours we reached the end of the expressway to join the outskirts of pune.
TOLL : Airoli -30 Rs. Pune Expressway- 165 Rs.
The road led us to katraj and overlooking lavasa area where the road condition was bit bad. Khambatki ghat was a slow route as its a narrow road with medium traffic. The end of ghat road saw us join the new bangalore expressway. The road is a good with small bad matches in between. We halted at Hotel Ashirwad palace near the Wai-Mahabaleshwar turn for breakfast.
TOLL : 50 rs
The road ahead was plain with many small villages and farms passing by. This road is not at all scenic and hence it gets a bit warm as you reach satara. There are many frequent petrol pumps and eateries on the way.
Speeding through satara and karad you reach kolhapur by 11.30 am. To go into the city, you have leave the expressway and join the service road. You can halt at hotel Sai international which is located just before kolhapur.
Toll- Rs 131 and Rs 60.
After kolhapur you enter karnataka state and you can immediately spot the difference in the road condition and surrounding facilities. There are latrines and drinking water facilities after every 2 kms. After half n hour from kolhapur you reach nipani where you have to go off the expressway.
Toll- Rs 30.
Reaching nipani, you will see Hotel Goa Ways on your right. Take the right turn and enter the by-lane. This road takes you to Ajra-amboli route**. This road has been newly constructed and it takes you through small villages leading to ajra. There are many small restaurants where you can halt for lunch. We however, travelled till amboli and halted at MTDC resort-Green Valley for lunch at 1.30 pm. It is located just opposite to the amboli police check post. Its a great resort for food as well as staying over night. The rates are economical as well.
Starting at 2pm, we travelled through the amboli ghat and witnessed enchanting scenic views and monkeys on the way. The road is not great here but you can enjoy the scenary and easy through. The road led us to sawantwadi. Passing through the moti talav, we travelled ahead to join the old bombay goa highway at Banda. This is a newly constructed 4 lane road which takes us into the Goa border.
TOLL- Rs 250 ( Goa entry tax)
The smooth road takes us through patradevi-colval into the beautiful town of Mapusa. You can turn right at Hotel Green Park to enter Mapusa town and Beach areas or continue straight to reach Panaji and Margao. The straight road leads us to porvorim and eventually passing the mandovi bridge into panaji city. The view through the mandovi bridge is a spectacle. The amazing goan stay began hereafter.
**If you dont want to go through ajra-amboli route, you can continue on the expressway after nipani to reach belgaum and thereafter reach goa through Ponda. This route is a expressway route but takes and extra hour and half.
Total toll- Approx 650 Rs.
Feel free to ask any doubts in the comments.
We travelled by Hyundai-i10 all the way. Starting our journey at 5 am, the journey began through empty roads of mumbai, through the harbour route of airoli-vashi-navi mumbai-cbd and panvel. Soon we reached the Mumbai-pune expressway and through hazy surroundings made our way through. The road is good with minor bad patches. We halted at first food-mall for refilling petrol and sipping tea. After 2 hours we reached the end of the expressway to join the outskirts of pune.
TOLL : Airoli -30 Rs. Pune Expressway- 165 Rs.
The road led us to katraj and overlooking lavasa area where the road condition was bit bad. Khambatki ghat was a slow route as its a narrow road with medium traffic. The end of ghat road saw us join the new bangalore expressway. The road is a good with small bad matches in between. We halted at Hotel Ashirwad palace near the Wai-Mahabaleshwar turn for breakfast.
TOLL : 50 rs
The road ahead was plain with many small villages and farms passing by. This road is not at all scenic and hence it gets a bit warm as you reach satara. There are many frequent petrol pumps and eateries on the way.
Speeding through satara and karad you reach kolhapur by 11.30 am. To go into the city, you have leave the expressway and join the service road. You can halt at hotel Sai international which is located just before kolhapur.
Toll- Rs 131 and Rs 60.
After kolhapur you enter karnataka state and you can immediately spot the difference in the road condition and surrounding facilities. There are latrines and drinking water facilities after every 2 kms. After half n hour from kolhapur you reach nipani where you have to go off the expressway.
Toll- Rs 30.
Reaching nipani, you will see Hotel Goa Ways on your right. Take the right turn and enter the by-lane. This road takes you to Ajra-amboli route**. This road has been newly constructed and it takes you through small villages leading to ajra. There are many small restaurants where you can halt for lunch. We however, travelled till amboli and halted at MTDC resort-Green Valley for lunch at 1.30 pm. It is located just opposite to the amboli police check post. Its a great resort for food as well as staying over night. The rates are economical as well.
 |
| GOA Ways restaurant -Nipani |
Starting at 2pm, we travelled through the amboli ghat and witnessed enchanting scenic views and monkeys on the way. The road is not great here but you can enjoy the scenary and easy through. The road led us to sawantwadi. Passing through the moti talav, we travelled ahead to join the old bombay goa highway at Banda. This is a newly constructed 4 lane road which takes us into the Goa border.
TOLL- Rs 250 ( Goa entry tax)
The smooth road takes us through patradevi-colval into the beautiful town of Mapusa. You can turn right at Hotel Green Park to enter Mapusa town and Beach areas or continue straight to reach Panaji and Margao. The straight road leads us to porvorim and eventually passing the mandovi bridge into panaji city. The view through the mandovi bridge is a spectacle. The amazing goan stay began hereafter.
**If you dont want to go through ajra-amboli route, you can continue on the expressway after nipani to reach belgaum and thereafter reach goa through Ponda. This route is a expressway route but takes and extra hour and half.
Total toll- Approx 650 Rs.
Feel free to ask any doubts in the comments.
