Bouquet of Beaches

November 17, 2006

Today we took to the roads of Goa; perhaps a risk to lives and limbs, except we promised ourselves to stick to the smaller roads. On “Main Street” – I had tongue-in-cheekily named it that after our first stroll among its multitude of vendors and restaurants, only to find that it is, in fact, called just that – we were able to rent a motorcycle for the day, starting at 200 rupees (about US$4.50) for something akin to a Vespa Scooter (49.9cc engine) and moving up as size and quality increases. I had decided that the extra power was worth a few rupees more, so we settled on a 150cc Beater Deluxe (not its true name), only to return it after wobbly riding one block out and somehow successfully navigating one block back on its damaged frame and under-inflated tires.

We added another 50 rupees – now at 300, or about $7.50 – and got into a 225cc Screamer… actually a nice little bike. Each bike has its own owner, who rents them out during the day from a corral of similar vehicles, hawking their own machine as loudly as they can. Our owner took me for a high-speed tour of the region, stopping by the gas station first, then to his home to pick up the documents. Rather useful, since he also showed me the different roads out of Palolem, to the north and south toward other beaches.

Agonda

A few kilometers to the north, over a road that peacefully winds through farmlands and over small hills, is the pristine beach of Agonda. There are a number of beach huts and cabanas there, but a mile of sand and trees and sky, and low, low-key energy. I think this is the scene our friends encountered in Palolem when last they visited. Little to do but relax, swim, and eat. An idyllic retreat for contemplation, or for Partners in Love… neither category fitting us at present, it made for a fun ride through the country, and good idea for another trip with other company.

Patnem

Just around the little cape at the south of Palolem Beach, there is a tiny rocky bay, which one can easily walk to through the cliffs. Nicely embraced cove for a quieter scene – yet a 3-minute walk from Palolem’s night-life (such as it is: quiet this time of year!).

Around the next point is the amazingly flat sand of Patnem Beach – the waves, which come in lazily at all of these beaches, take even more sweet time to dwindle in the sands, as they reach and reach and reach their way in over the most gradual beach I’ve seen. A little more upscale in some sense, it is home to a couple of yoga and wellness spas, and is clearly meant less for the partiers, and more for those in search of Enlightened Placidity. Patnem is a little smaller than Palolem, and is broken near the southern end by a rock outcropping, beyond which is built a very large and upscale hotel and event center. We saw this from the sand, not from the road, so the name escapes me.

We have heard that, further to the south, Om Beach is being kept pristine – no place to sleep there, nothing built up (for now). Maybe we make a trip down… but more likely that will wait for another, now better-informed visit to the region.

In any case, the build-out is moving very fast. Visiting a more scenic beach will be similar to catching the wave in body surfing: hit it just right and the infrastructure will be sufficient for a really lovely stay on a really quiet bay. Before or after, you’ll be roughing it, either physically or psychologically.

03-Travel