Sunset Moments from Agonda Beach, South Goa

Agonda Beach is a beautiful beach that is located close to Palolem beach, but it is no way close to Palolem in terms of infrastructure development, facilities and tourism. Instead, it offers a very laid back holiday to the beach vacationer.


Unlike the Palolem Beach, Agonda Beach doesn’t have a lot of beach shacks. May be a couple here and there, but the speciality of Agonda is its row of houses that run parallel to the beach. These row houses give the tourist the ideal opportunity to soak in the pristine beach and Goan sun for a very reasonable cost.


The other thing special about Agonda is the river that joins the sea at one end of the beach. This estuary is a fabulous place for an evening walk with plenty of mangrove forests dotting the banks. This estuary is also a happening place during early morning and late evening for the fishermen.


The sunset at Agonda is also very scenic as it offers variety in landscape. At some places, it is just open beach and blue waters. At other places, it is a river and its estuary. Then, at one corner is a small hill.


Thus, if you take an evening walk across Agonda Beach, you are bound to see the sunset in various shades and forms. Each mood and is surrounding landscape is pretty in its own way.


The sunset views at Agonda are as great as any other beach of South Goa! But, the experience is unique and very special. I recommend that you try it out.

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Cola Beach–The Private River Beach, South Goa, India

A remote beach, a calm river, a lovely lagoon, brilliant sunshine and pristine blue seas is how I would describe the Cola beach surroundings. This is a great place for people who seek privacy. At best, you can see thirty people on this entire beach. The reason being this beach is set against a cliff and entry and exit is not a well paved path and hence avoided by the general tourist.


Even though, the Cola beach is best for folks seeking privacy, it is also great for the holidaying family. The beach is fairly safe, the lagoon offers great opportunities for swimming, fishing and kayaking, the beach offers great options for sports and the surrounding rocks offer a little bit o adventure too.


In terms of accommodation, there are only a couple of options, but they are either log huts or tented accommodation that face the sea or the river. And all these huts and tents are set amidst coconut trees and casuarinas.


The Cola beach is located in the Canancona district of South Goa and is situated between the Palolem Beach and Cabo De Rama Fort. It should be about 15 kilometres from the Palolem Beach. The final mile is a steep un-cobbled path that descends to the beach.


In terms of food and accommodation, one has to rely on the 2 hotels that exist here. But, the best part here is that you can setup an open air barbecue right on the beach after your successful fishing expedition. This is the place if you are looking to soak in the sun, the beach and the water at Goa. If you are interested in such vacations, then do check out these cheap family holidays.


A great value for money place that is ideal for backpacking couples and families travelling on a budget, but those who do not want to sacrifice on natural beauty.

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Rocks and Reflections in the Arabian Sea

If you are travelling in Goa, be ready for some of the fantastic sights that this coastal land throws at you. It is extremely rare for someone not to come across such surreal sights.


And hence in line with the tradition, I saw plenty of these classic moments in time. This reflection on the Arabian sea against the silhouetted rocks on it are one of those pristine moments. I was treated to this sight when I was walking along the Cola beach in South Goa one late afternoon.

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Cabo De Rama Fort, Canacona District, South Goa, India

At first glance, this fort resembles the fort depicted in the Dil Chahta Hai Bollywood movie, but it is not the same. The Dil Chahta Ha fort is the Aguada Fort situated north of Panjim, while this one is the Cabo De Rama Fort situated in the Canacona district of South Goa.


The name though comes as a surprise as most of Goa has Portuguese or Christian names due to its rich Portuguese history. But, this place has a different history altogether and that too dating into ancient times.


It is believed that in the age of the Ramayana, Lord Rama and his wife Sita took shelter inside this fort during their 14 year exile from Ayodhya. And it is this moment in history that gives the fort its name.


This ancient fort is also known as Cape Rama. The Cabo De Rama Fort was first occupied by Hindu rulers who spread their empire all over India. The fort has exchanged hands between Hindu, Muslim and Portuguese rulers and has seen some of the most gruesome battles fought in history.


The Portuguese rulers waged battles against the Hindu rulers and established their right over the fort around 1763. It was abandoned when the Portuguese left this place. Later, this fort housed a government prison till 1955 and was abandoned again. Today, this fort is in ruins, but its natural beauty and scenic setting attracts tourists of all types.


The western side of the fort commands a stunning view of the Arabian Sea. In fact, it is this very view that gives you an idea of the fortress like design of this fort. It is a short 10 minute hike from the main entrance/parking lot to reach this western side.


One can also walk around the different trails to explore the various parts of the fort. There is a chapel that you will discover as soon as you enter the fort premises. This chapel is still in use and its white structure is a stark contrast to the black fort.


If you keep walking around the fort perimeter, you will keep discovering new places and view points. One can also walk right on the fort walls, though this can only be done if you trust the ancient wall structure.


At certain places, one can still see turrets and cannons that were used when this fort was fully functional. At other points, there are more view points that make you gape in wonder. I walked across nearly the entire fort area and found this fort to be mostly in ruins.


Most of the fort area is today covered in trees, but it is the fort walls that give the fort its character. I guess Goan red soil is the key element used in the construction of the fort walls.


Overall, the Cabo De Rama fort is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be holidaying in South Goa. Its fabulous sea views are totally worth the short hike in the warm Goan Sun. I would definitely recommend this place for a half day trip if you are the exploring kind. If not, you can just stop by for a short trip.

Cabo De Rama Fort is situated about 18 kilometres from Palolem Beach. Regular Bus services are available from Madgaon to Cabo De Rama. Cabs can be hired from Canacona or Palolem.

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Galgibaga Beach–The Turtle Nesting Beach, South Goa, India

This is possibly the cleanest beach I have seen on the Indian mainland and am also amazed at its smooth silver sands. These are two traits that you predominantly see on island beaches and very rarely on mainland beaches.


And I guess this is the reason why the Galgibaga Beach is an important turtle nesting site in Goa. And it is for this very reason that tourism infrastructure is not allowed to develop here.


Hence, unlike the more crowded beaches of Goa, it is here that you will not even see a single shack or hut near the beach. There are only three restaurants close by and they are situated a fair distance away.


But, it is this privacy and cleanliness that adds a zing to this beach. If you happen to visit this beach between Dec and Feb, you might be lucky to see some turtle nests/eggs, though it is advised that you do not touch any. At other times, you might get lucky and see the olive ridley turtles making their way across the beach. The entire area comes under the purview of the forest department and they work hard to ensure that the turtles reach the sea safely upon hatching.


This sea is also great for swimming as long as you stay within the stipulated area. Lifeguards are available on this beach to ensure your safety. It is recommended that you don’t venture out close to the Talpona river side as changing tides might bring in under currents.


During weekdays, you will hardly see an tourists around. On weekends, this beach sees some visits from locals. So, if your idea of a beach vacation is a quiet, philosophical, meditative and a great beach, then Galgibaga is the perfect place in the Canacona district of South Goa. All you need is to carry your towels, umbrella, sun shade, etc. and you will have a fantastic time. Please ensure that you carry all your litter back to the city.


Galgibaga Beach is located about 18 kilometres from the city of Canacona (locally called Chaudi) in South Goa. It is best to take the internal coastal and more scenic roads to reach Galgibaga Beach from Palolem Beach. The Galgibaga Beach is to the south of the Talpona river estuary. Though, you can also travel on NH 17 from Canacona and take the winding road to Galgibaga.

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Abstract Photography from Cabo De Rama Fort, South Goa

This is one of the more scenic locations in Goa and the Cabo de Rama fort in itself presents a Dil Chahta Hai like look and feel, though the ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ movie was shot at the Aguada fort, which is closer to Panjim.


And this scenic location presented great nature photography opportunities for me. It was during this visit that I got to indulge in some abstract nature photography.


Here I got to keep a barren tree in the foreground and the stunning and emerald Arabian Sea view in the background. I took this frame in both colour and monochrome and feel that both look equally interesting. What do you think?

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Golden Sands of Cherai Beach, Near Cochin, Kerala, India

Cherai Beach is one of Cochin’s prized possessions and it is a place where nature has been very benevolent.

 
Situated about 20 kilometres from the main city, Cherai offers the perfect combination of golden sands at its beach line and peace and tranquillity at its backwaters.


Locals say that the population at Cherai and nearby has exploded over the years leading to huge crowds at the beach during the morning and evening hours.


But, they also mention that this population explosion hasn’t damaged the beauty of this place.


A short distance from the beach are the tranquil backwaters. One can see fishermen busy on these backwaters during the sunrise and sunset hours.

 
Then, we have the Cherai Beach Resorts that offer tourists the lovely option of enjoying both the backwaters and the beach by situating its property right between the two water bodies. The Kerala ayurvedic massages and the spa sessions are a speciality here and so is Toddy, the local Kerala brew.

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Evening spent on the Arabian Sea!!

My friend and I were elated when our cruise liner left the Cochin harbour and set its course for the Lakshadweep Islands.


Immediately, we raced to the main deck to soak in the sights. But soon, retreated to the comforts of the air-conditioned bunker beds as it was too hot and bright outside.


As the clock struck four, we made our way up to the deck again. This time, the sights took us by surprise. The entire world around us was soaked in blue. I could see blue seas on all my sides. It was a phenomenal experience.


As we made ourselves comfortable on the steps next to the port side, we spotted a lot of flying fish that were trying to save themselves from the huge volumes of water displaced from the ship. Just as we were relaxing our excitement levels, we spotted a group of dolphins in the yonder. Though this sighting was over in a short moment, the glee stayed on our faces and mind for the whole day.

 
In all the dolphin sighting excitement, we hardly noticed the skies change colour and that the sun was about to set. Soon, our cameras got to work in a bid to capture our first sunset across the deep blue seas.

The sunset over the Arabian Sea was truly a surreal experience!!

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Clicking Cochin City from atop a Cruise Liner!!

We had left our baggage at our bunker beds and had finished a preliminary exploration of the ship. The sun was high in the sky and the ship was still moored at the Cochin harbour.


Hunger pangs began to surface, but we were told that lunch would take a while. Hence, in order to divert our attention, we found some shade and decided to click whatever we could see from the ship.

 
The shutterbugs got to work as various fishing trawlers and ships came into view.

 
The shutterbugs went into rapt attention as soon as a large cargo ship made its way into the harbour.


While we were busy capturing this huge smoke coughing ship, two tug boats honed in from either side to assist this large vessel get safely to the port.

 
It was quite an interesting experience to see two tug boats pulling and pushing the large vessel into the shallow waters of the port.

 
It was not just ships and large vessels that accounted for our time.


Colourful local ferries kept chugging from one island to the other. They would move between Ernakulam and Vypeen Island and would touch Fort Kochi and Willingdon Island.


In between these colourful ferries, one could also see the small houseboats that are associated with Allaphuzha and the Punnamada Kayal.


But, the best scene that was presented to us was the sight of the high rises of Kochi in the background and multiple small and green islands in the foreground. These sights would get better when a vibrant boat/ferry moved across our view.

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About: The Lakshadweep Cruise Liner!!

She is the latest addition to the Lakshadweep Government’s fleet and calls herself the “Arabian Sea”.


She, in her shining white armour, accommodates 210 bunker beds, 20 4 person cabin rooms and about 20 luxury cabin rooms all air-conditioned for the tourists. In addition, she hosts umpteen saloons and cabins for the crew.


She has six decks in all. Deck 1 is the engine room and only the ship crew are allowed to enter it. Deck 2 is where the bunker beds are. Deck 3 is where the mess, restaurant, doctor and saloons are. Deck 4 is where the luxury cabins and the caption’s cabins are present. Deck 4 is also the main deck of the ship with huge open spaces. Deck 5 hosts the ship’s control room. Tourists are allowed to the ship’s control room for short durations. Deck 6 is where the controls (radar, transmitter, etc.) are along with extra fuel storage. Deck 6 is also out of bounds for the tourist.


My accommodation was in Deck 2 in the air-conditioned bunker room that had 210 beds in all. At each end of the bunker room, 2 toilets (Indian-style) and one shower were provided. One for MEN and the other for the LADIES.


My friend and I got lost umpteen number of times while exploring the ship. There were so many doors and staircases that we did not know which led to where. There were signboards, but they only helped partially.


We tried to sneak into the engine room to get a glimpse, but unfortunately the crew saw us and asked us to leave. The main deck is a great place to enjoy the vast ocean expanse. Watching the waves, the spray against the ship, the flying fish are all great ways of entertaining oneself.


The main deck also contains the cargo hold and 2 sets of anchors right at the front. Deck 5 has the engine control room that is state of the art with the latest devices and controls – GPS, Radar, Radio, Low frequency transmitter, etc. While I was inside the room, the ship was running on auto pilot mode and was clocking about 20 knots.

The thing that stands out the most is the sheer amount of iron that makes this ship... An iron beauty!

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