The Road Trip to Goa

Hitting the open road and going on a classic road trip is unbeatable, right? And if you're after a destination that ticks all the boxes for a road trip, then Goa is where it's at. Gorgeous beaches, happening nightlife, and mouthwatering food - it's no surprise that both locals and tourists flock here.

My wife Vidya and I were super stoked about the trip, so we decided to make a few pit stops along the way. Vidya's a bit religious, so we had to include some holy places in our itinerary. Our plan was to start from Mumbai and hit up Ganpatipule, Goa, Kolhapur, Pandharpur, Jejuri, and then back to Mumbai - all in just 8 days. We've been prepping for this adventure for over a month now. From snagging new outfits to stocking up on essentials, and of course, making sure we're ready for our always-hungry son.

Day 1: Mumbai to Ganpatipule

Day 1 of our road trip kicked off with our sights set on Ganpatipule - a coastal town in Maharashtra that's famous for its stunning beaches, ancient temples, and breathtaking landscapes. It's a nature lover's and adventurer's paradise.

We hit the road early, setting out from Mumbai around 6:30 am and taking the NH 66 route. The drive was around 360 kilometres, and we estimated it would take us about 7-8 hours to get there. We made a few pit stops along the way for breakfast and to stretch our legs.

But as luck would have it, we hit our first snag. After covering about 150 km, the car's air conditioner broke down. With a kid on board, driving without AC wasn't an option. After searching online and enquiring around the area, we found a local AC repair guy who fixed the issue - or so we thought. We drove about 10 km and realised the AC wasn't working as expected. Since it was a public holiday, all service centres were closed, and we had to wait until the next day. As a temporary fix, we ran the AC for 30 minutes at a time and then turned it off for 10 minutes, which helped make the journey a bit more bearable.

We arrived in Ganpatipule around 5:30 pm and checked into our hotel. After freshening up, we headed out to the famous Ganpatipule temple and took in the town's sights. We were lucky enough to arrive in time for the evening aarti and even managed to explore the nearby beach before it got dark. We decided to save more beach time for the next morning and headed back to the hotel for a quick dinner before hitting the sack - we were exhausted after a long day on the road.

Day 2: Ganpatipule to Goa

Our plan for the day was to reach Goa by sunset, but unfortunately, the car had to be checked at the service centre before we could begin our journey. The news from the consultant wasn't promising, as the issue would require opening the dashboard and fixing it would take the whole day. As we couldn't afford to spend a day on repairs, we decided to continue the journey without doing the repair work.

Our drive from Ganpatipule to South Goa covered about 320 kilometres, with stunning views of the Arabian Sea and lush green forests. We made several pit stops along the way, including a local restaurant for lunch and scenic spots for pictures and stretching our legs.

It took us around 8 hours to reach Goa, and we checked into our hotel in Palolem, which is one of the most popular beaches in South Goa. After freshening up, we stepped out to explore the bustling nightlife and try some local Goan cuisine. We found a small local eatery run by a guy who prepares authentic Goan food and enquired with some local wine shops for a good pairing.

We tried out some of the local specialties, including seafood, vindaloo, and sorpotel, and enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

Day 3: Visiting religious places and beaches in South Goa

On Day 3 of our Goa trip, we decided to start the day with a visit to some religious places. We drove about 55 kilometres from our hotel to Shri Shanta Durga Temple, located in Kapileswari - Kavlem Road, Donshiwado, Ponda, Goa. This temple is built in the Saraswat architectural style and its pyramidical shape 'shikaris' rises on the roofs of the facade (entrance hall) and the 'Sabha mandap' (the main hall). We spent some time admiring the temple's beautiful architecture and stained-glass window panes.

Next, we headed to Mangeshi Temple in Mardol, Goa, which is about 20 minutes away from Shri Shanta Durga Temple. This 450-year-old temple dedicated to Shiva is known for its simple yet elegant structure consisting of several domes, pilasters and balustrades. We also saw the prominent Nandi Bull and the beautiful seven-story deepstambha (lamp tower) inside the temple complex.

Our final religious destination for the day was the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church, which took us about 30 minutes to reach from Mangeshi Temple. The church is a world heritage monument and contains the body of St. Francis Xavier. It was fascinating to see the historic church and share its story with my son, who was seeing a church for the first time.

After our religious visit, we had planned to visit the Indian Naval Aviation Museum, but it was unfortunately closed that day. So, we decided to head back to our hotel for a quick rest before exploring Palolem Beach in the evening.

We strolled along the beautiful beach, did some street shopping, and enjoyed the sea breeze. We were hoping to find some good local Goan cuisine for dinner, but to our disappointment, we couldn't find any decent restaurants. So, we went back to the same local guy who had prepared our previous day's dinner and ordered some Poee (Goan whole wheat bun), fish fry, prawns garlic, and chicken cafreal. We enjoyed our dinner with some drinks and then headed back to our hotel for a good night's sleep.

Day 4: Museum and Next hotel in Anjuna

On the fourth day of our trip, we decided to visit the Indian Naval Aviation Museum in Bogmalo, Goa. It took us around 1.5 hours to reach the museum from our hotel, which was located in Palolem. The museum is dedicated to the history of the Indian Naval Air Arm and is divided into an outdoor exhibit and a two-storey indoor gallery.

The outdoor exhibit showcases various aircraft, including Breguet Alizé, British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS.51, Hawker Sea Hawk Mk 100, and Lockheed L1049G Super Constellation, among others. Meanwhile, the indoor gallery features rooms dedicated to specific topics, such as naval armaments, uniforms of the Indian air and naval forces, and models of the INS Vikrant and INS Viraat. We were fascinated by the various displays and my son couldn't stop reading through all the details.

After exploring the museum, we checked in to our next hotel in Anjuna, where we had a relaxing afternoon resting in our room. For dinner, we ordered something light and had some drinks in our room.

Day 5: Water Sports and Anniversary Celebration

On day 5, we planned to enjoy some water sports in Goa. So, we drove to Baga Beach in the morning and tried our hand at jet skiing and boat rides. We had a lot of fun, and my son was particularly excited to play in the clean water.

After a delicious lunch, we returned to our hotel for a quick nap before getting ready for our anniversary celebration in the evening. We had booked a Family Dinner Cruise for the occasion, which cost us Rs.1,500 per person (Rs.1,000 for our child). The three-hour cruise offered a Bollywood DJ party, scenic dining with a stunning view of Goa, fun games, along with drinks and dinner. We had a great time on the cruise, which started at 9 PM and ended at midnight.

After the cruise, we drove back to our hotel and enjoyed the vibrant nightlife of Goa. The streets were lit up, and we saw people partying everywhere. It was a memorable end to a fantastic day.

Day 6: Relaxing at Anjuna Beach and Hotel

On day six, we decided to take it easy and relax at the beach. We found a great spot called Aura Beach Cafe, which had a lovely beachfront setting with a variety of seating options, great music, and a fantastic vibe. We enjoyed a few drinks and snacks before settling in for a delicious lunch. We spent about three hours there, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the ocean views, but eventually had to leave due to the intense heat.

Back at the hotel, we spent the afternoon resting and packing our bags, knowing that we had to leave early the next morning. In the evening, we ventured out to find some food but quickly realized it was too hot to be outside for too long. Instead, we opted to order in and enjoy a relaxing evening in our hotel room with a good movie.

Day 7: Kohlapur and Pandharpur

We had a long day ahead, so we left the hotel at 7 am. Our first destination was the Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple in Kolhapur. The temple was built by Karnadeva in 634 CE during the Chalukya dynasty. The crowned goddess Mahalakshmi's murti is mounted on a stone platform and weighs about 40 kilograms. It's made of gemstone and stands 3 feet tall. The temple also features the Shri Yantra carved on one of its walls.

The temple was 180 kilometres away, and we reached it after a five-hour drive. It was already noon when we arrived, and as it was Devi Day on Friday, finding a parking space was a challenge. After circling around for a while, we finally found a spot and walked for 15 minutes to reach the temple.

We then headed to Vitthal Rukmini Mandir in Pandharpur, which is 135 kilometres away. The main entrance of Lord Vittala's Temple faces the Chandrabhaga or Bhima River, and the Samadhi of Namadev and Chokamela are located at the entrance. Pilgrims first pray to the devotees and then enter the temple, where a small Ganesh Shrine is present as the first Shrine, followed by a hall where bhajans are performed.

We were hoping to get the evening darshan, but we reached Pandharpur at about 6:15 pm, and the temple was already closed. So we decided to go for the darshan early morning the next day. We checked into our hotel in Pandharpur, had some food, and went to bed early.

Day 8: Pandharpur and Jejuri

On the eighth day and last day of the journey, we woke up early at 4am and left for Vitthal Rukmini Mandir at 5am. Unfortunately, even at that early hour, we had to stand in a long queue that was already half a kilometre long before the gates even opened. Finally, the gates opened at 6am and we got to have the darshan at about 6:45am.

Our next and final destination was the Khandoba temple in Jejuri, which is located southeast of Pune city in Maharashtra. It was a 190-kilometre drive that took us about 5 hours to reach. As we left the town and hit the highway, we were greeted by lush green fields and quaint countryside. The road was well-maintained, and we could easily cruise through the picturesque landscape.

The temple is situated on a hilltop, and it requires climbing around 200 steps to reach the shrine. The climb can be a bit strenuous, but the view from the top is worth the effort. The main shrine of the temple is dedicated to Lord Khandoba, also known as Martanda Bhairava. The deity is depicted as a warrior and is always accompanied by his two wives, Mhalsa and Banai. The idol of Lord Khandoba is made of stone and is adorned with colourful clothes and jewellery.

After visiting Jejuri, we went to my uncle's place in Pune to meet relatives and spent the night there. We relaxed until the next afternoon and then headed back to Mumbai post-lunch.

Conclusion

Our 8-day road trip from Mumbai to Ganpatipule, Goa, Kolhapur, Pandharpur, Jejuri, and back to Mumbai was an incredible experience that we will never forget. From the breathtaking coastal views to the lively nightlife and delectable cuisine, each destination had something unique to offer. We covered approximately 1,900 kilometres during our journey and created unforgettable memories that we will treasure for a lifetime.