Guide to Arambol: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to sunbathe. The most interesting in Arambol: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and beaches.
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| Arambol Goa |
Arambol is the largest and most suitable for tourism coastal village on the north coast of Goa. This resort is mainly popular with "savage" tourists: junkies, trancers, freaks and hippies. During the day, they fly kites, ride kites, meditate in the evenings, do yoga, and train fire show techniques.
According to legend, the legendary Beatles personally came to Arambol to meditate under the local banyan tree. Banyan is a huge tree that plays an important role in Hinduism, and cannot be confused with any other plant: it is a grove tree that takes root in the ground with hundreds of its branches.
Although Arambol is considered one of the most remote holiday destinations in the northern part of Goa, it gets crowded during the high season from November to March. Partially rocky coastline, soft waves, wide coastline and palm groves create a relaxing atmosphere, and despite the large number of tourists, it is very quiet and peaceful here. Only a small number of fishermen and small restaurants, concentrated at the local central "street" almost at the very edge of the water, disturb the calm.
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| Arambol Goa |
An underdeveloped tourist infrastructure, many artists, musicians and other creative citizens, and the lack of supporters of all-inclusive trips add to this place a special charm that is increasingly difficult to find on the south coast.
Emir Kusturica likes to relax in Arambol and Boris Grebenshchikov often performs.
How to get to Arambol
The nearest airport is located in Dabolim, Aeroflot flies here from Moscow. There are two ways to get from the airport to the resort - by bus (at least 2 hours with all transfers) or by taxi (a little over an hour).
By taxi
The most convenient way to get from the airport to the beach is by taxi. The cost of such a trip is 2400-2700 INR. You definitely need to bargain with taxi drivers, as they like to take double or even triple the amount from foreigners. Sometimes you can arrange a trip for 1700-2000 INR, but at night it is almost impossible. If the car is new and with air conditioning, the driver may demand 3000-3500 INR, this is considered normal
By bus
The road from the airport by bus is colorful and cheap, but that's where the pluses end. It is long, inconvenient, crowded, and you will have to make several transfers.
First, you need to get from the airport to the Vasco da Gama bus station, and from there by another bus to the capital of Panaji. From Panaji there are direct buses to Arambol, but there are not many of them, buses to Mapusa are much more frequent - this is also a suitable option. There is also a bus from Mapusa to Arambol, which stops 1.5 km from the beach, on the main road.
The road from the airport by bus will cost no more than 150 INR, including all transfers.
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| Arambol Goa |
Arambol Hotels
People come to Arambol mainly for budget holidays, so the tourist accommodation here is appropriate. There are no expensive hotels and apartments here, a maximum of 3 *. In the local "three rubles" a stone's throw from the beach, you can count on a daily change of bed linen and cleaning, breakfasts, free Wi-Fi and an on-site swimming pool, the cost of living is 950-1200 INR per day for a double room.
An even more budget (and most popular) option in Arambol is bungalows and guesthouses right on the beach. A small hut will cost from 350 to 1000 INR per night, the cheapest ones do not have air conditioning and outdoor showers; those that are more expensive in terms of comfort are no different from hotels.
If you have not booked accommodation in advance and are looking for it on the spot (many here do), be sure to bargain. Otherwise, there is a risk of overpaying twice or even three times.
If you plan to hang out in bars and you are not bothered by the noise from discos and the road, settle in the Main Road area. The most romantic place is in the rocks of Arambol, offering stunning views of the ocean, but there are also disadvantages: you have to climb up every day on foot, and at night there is no lighting and you can’t find your hut without a flashlight.
Those who come with a large company, especially for a long time, prefer to rent houses and villas. The cost of a house on the beach with two or three bedrooms is from 100 USD, a luxury villa with a garden will cost at least 200 USD per day.
Weather in Arambol
The season in Arambol, as elsewhere in Goa, lasts from October to May. In summer it is very hot and rainy here, and in the winter months the air temperature is around +30... +33 °С.
In winter, there is practically no rain, the weather is dry and hot, the coldest month is January, the air temperature drops to +20... +22 ° С. For local residents, these are real frosts, and for most tourists, it is an opportunity to take a break from the heat and go on excursions.
Beaches of Arambol
All beaches in Arambol are sandy, wide and at least minimally equipped, but each has its own peculiarities.
Arambol beach is one of the widest, and the entrance to the ocean is very gentle. There are sun loungers and umbrellas here, and it is also here that there are the most different sports grounds - for volleyball, badminton and basketball. There are also a lot of yogis here, but in this resort they are basically everywhere.
Mandrem Beach is located south of Arambol Beach. There are also many lovers of outdoor activities, mainly water sports, as long waves are always excellent in this part of the coast. There is also a surf school where you can learn to swim on a board with and without a parachute.
Calacha Beach is located between the rocks, it is very small and secluded, but swimming there is quite dangerous - there are too many sharp stones, poisonous moray eels and crabs.
Cuisine and restaurants
In Arambol, as elsewhere in Goa, it is worth trying any fish and seafood. In local cafes and restaurants, many of which are located right on the beaches, it is worth ordering grilled king prawns with vegetables (from 500 INR per serving), fish curry (from 200 INR ) and shark steak. Tibetan cuisine is also presented in many establishments; it is a bit similar to Central Asian cuisine. The main Tibetan hit is momo dumplings stuffed with meat or vegetables (price - from 150 INR ).
There are no expensive restaurants in Arambol - for this you should go to neighboring resorts, for example, to Anjuna. Excellent and inexpensive food is served here at 21 Coconuts Inn Resturant (Indian cuisine, there is a hookah, they accept cards), Restaurant Rice Bowl at Arambol Beach (located on the beach, there is billiards), Hippies Gusto Raw Vegan Ice cream Cafe (a colorful place, here hippies hang out, interesting dishes include vegetarian ice cream in a coconut shell). There are also several Russian establishments at the resort, such as the Pirozhki and Hello Andrey cafes, where you can order herring under a fur coat and borscht.
At the exit from Arambol there is a fish market. Fruit, food and souvenir shops and cafes are located along the main street Main Road. Also, for those who want to save money and are not too impressionable, there are chicken centers where you can choose live chicken, which in 10 minutes will be brought to you in a package in chopped and plucked form.
Shopping and stores
All shopping in Arambol is at the local bazaar. There you can buy souvenirs, Indian incense and clothes. The clothes here are cheap and quite high quality: dresses, sundresses, T-shirts, Afghani pants, scarves and tunics made of natural cotton and silk and handmade embroidery. There is also a lot of silver jewelry with semi-precious stones and various wooden and copper jewelry. Prices are always doubled or tripled, especially for tourists, so bargain without hesitation.
Entertainment and attractions of Arambol
There are many natural beauties in Arambol, the main attraction is the sweet water lake. It is surrounded by a coconut grove, near the jungle, and at the bottom there is a useful sulphurous mud, which has a beneficial effect on the skin.
Very beautiful views open from the Arambol mountain, but it is better to climb it in the early morning. Apart from the landscapes, there is nothing up there, so you need to stock up on at least drinking water below.
100 km from Arambol there is a very beautiful place - Dudhsagar Falls. You can go there with an organized tour or on your own. Tourist bureaus ask for about 5000 INR per person for a one-day trip, negotiate with a taxi driver and ask to take it back and forth will be about 2 times cheaper. There are many monkeys on the waterfall, grab some treats for them. There is an elephant nursery not far from the waterfall, for 200-500 INR you can ride an elephant there or even swim with it if the elephant doesn’t mind.
There is little impressive architecture in Arambol, but the Catholic church Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church built in 1780 has been preserved here. Every second Sunday of January, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Carmel is very pompously celebrated here. Also in the vicinity of the resort is the temple complex Shri Bhumika temple Deul Wadda.
There is a beautiful custom in Arambol: every day the sun is seen off here. Locals and tourists gather on the beaches at 17:00, light bonfires, sing songs, dance and arrange a spontaneous market where they sell everything - from fruits to books and paintings.
Yoga, surfing and other outdoor activities
In Arambol, courses, trainings, master classes, classes in various types of yoga and meditation are constantly held, and there are also professional centers where yoga instructors are trained and certificates are issued. One of the most famous is Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center (HIYC), a five-day course there will cost about 5500 INR, classes are held in the mornings and evenings. The Yog Nisarga yoga school conducts programs lasting from 25 days, if you wish, you can get a teacher's certificate, the cost is from 1800 USD for single occupancy.
In addition to schools, there are numerous yoga spaces in Arambol where you can do yoga, meditate, watch concerts and shows for a very moderate fee or even for free.
Between the beaches of Arambol and Mandrem there is the only surf station in the resort, where you can learn how to stand on the board or rent equipment. The cost of a trial lesson is 2500 INR, the basic course of three lessons is 7000 INR. Also, paragliding and hang gliding classes are held every day, the cost is from 3000 INR.