India Travel
Chaudi in Goa
CHAUDI (aka Chauri, or Canacona), 33km south of Margao, is Canacona district’s charmless headquarters. Packed around a noisy junction on the main Panjim-Mangalore highway, it is primarily a transport hub, of interest to visitors only because of its proximity to Palolem, 2km west. Buses to and from Panjim. Margao, and Karwar in Karnataka ialuka trundle in and out of a scruffy square on the main street, from where taxis and auto-rickshaws ferry passengers to the villages scattered across the surrounding fields. The area’s only pharmacy stands just off the crossroads, handy if you’re staying in Palolem.
If you spend much time in Palolem, you’re sure to nip into Chaudi to shop for provisions, or simply soak up its gritty Indian atmosphere, which comes as a bit of a shock after the dreamy beaches nearby. The small covered market is an essential source of fresh fruit and vegetables; several stalls sell stoves, cooking equipment and other hardware, while the excellent Udipi Hotel, a short way south of the main crossroads, is one of the few places for miles where you can eat pukka South Indian food: try their filling Rsl5 thalis, or spicy fried pakora and samosas - all freshly prepared, and piping hot if you come around jpm.They also do delicious lassis, sweetened with traditional syrups.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Arrival and information in Goa
Frequent buses run between Margao and Karvvar (in Karnataka) via Chaudi (every 30min; 2hr), where you can pick up an auto-rickshaw (Rs50) or taxi (Rs80) 2km west to Palolem. Alternatively, get off at die Char Rostay ("Four-Way") crossroads, 1.5km before Chaudi, and walk the remaining kilometre or so to the village. Regular buses also go all the way to Palolem from Margao; these stop at the end of the lane leading from the main scree: to the beachfront. The last bus from Palolem to Chaudi/Margao leaves ar around 4.30pm; check with the locals for the precise times, as these change
Agonda in Goa
AGONDA, 10km north of Chaudi, can only be reached along the sinuous coast road connecting Cabo da Rama with NH-14 at Chaudi. No signposts mark the turning and few of the tourists that whizz past en route to Palolem PUU off here, but the beach, fringed along its entire length by toddi trees, is superb. Its remote location is not the only reason this three-kilometre spread of white sand has been bypassed by the bulldozers. Villagers here are opposed to arty kind of tourist development. In 1982, when a group of absentee landlords sold offa chunk of the beach to
Travel details in Goa
Trains Margao to: Chaudi (3 daily; 50min]; Colem (2 weekly; 55min): Delhi (1-2 daily; 26-35hr); Emakulam/Kochi (2 daily; 12—15hr 40mm); Gokam (1 daily; 2hr 10min); Hospel (2 weekly; 8hr 40min); Hubli (2 weekly; 5hr 30min); Mangalore/Kanakadi (5 daily; 4-6hr); Mumbai (2 daily; 12hr); Thiruvanantapuram (2 daily; 16hr 15min); Udupi (4 daily; 3hr 40min); Vasco da Gama (2 weekly; 30min). Buses Panjim to.Aramboi (12 daily; 1hr 45min); Aurangabad (1 daily; 16hr); Baga (every 30min; 45min): Bijapur (7 daily: 10hr); Calangute (every 30min; 40min); Candolim (every 30min; 30min); Chaudi (hourly: 2hr 15mm); Gokama (2 daily; 5hr 30min); Hampi (2 daily; 9-IOhr): Hospel (3 daily; 9hr):
Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa
The Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, 10km southeast of Chaudi, was established in 1969 to protect a remote and vulnerable area of forest lining the Goa-Karnataka border. Encompassing 86 square kilometres of mixed deciduous woodland, the reserve is certain to inspire tree-lovers, bur less likely to yield many wildlife sightings: its tigers and leopards were hunted out long ago, while the gazelles, sloth bears, porcupines, panthers and hyenas that allegedly lurk in the woods rarely appear. You do, however, stand a good chance of
Traveling from Goa To Gokarna, Mangalore and southern Karnataka
From Goa, the fastest and most convenient way to travel down the coast to Gokarn is via the Konkan Railway. At 2.10pm, train #KR001 leaves Margao, passing through Chaudi at 3pm en route to Gokarn Road, the town's railhead, where it arrives at around 4.20pm. The station lies 9km east of Gokarn itself, but buses and rickshaws are on hand to shuttle passengers the rest of the way. As this is classed as a passenger service, you don't have to buy tickets in advance; just turn up at the station 30-45min before the departure time and pay at the regular
The far south: Canacona in Goa
Ceded to the Portuguese by the Raja of Sund in the Treaty of 1791, Goa's for south - Canacona district - was among the last parts of the territory to be absorbed inro the Novas Conquistas. and has retained a distinctly Hindu feel. The area also boasts some of the state's most outstanding scenery. Set against a backdrop of the jungle-covered Sahyadri hills (an extension of the Western Glut range), a string of pearl-white coves and sweeping beaches scoop its indented coastline, enfolded by laterite headlands and colossal piles of black boulders. With the exception of the village of Palolem, whose
Margao (Madgaon) and around Practicalities in Goa
Margao s new railway station, the only stop in Goa for most long-distance express services on the Konkan Railway, lies 3km south of the centre. The reservation office (Mon-Sat 8am-4.30pm, Sun 8am-2pm) is divided between the ground and first floor; bookings for the superfast Rajdhani Express to Uelhi are made at the hatch to the left of the main entrance. Tickets for trains ° Mumbai are in short supply, so make your reservation as far m advance as Possible, get here early in the day to avoid agonizingly long queues, and bring book. Several of the principal trams that stop
Arrival and information Accommodation in Goa
Local resistance Co large-scale development explains why - with the exception of the Beach Resort's tent camp, Bhakti Kutir in nearby Colom (see below) and a handful of small budget guesthouses - most of the village's accommodation consists of simple palm-leaf huts. Costing anywhere between Rs100 and Rs35(l per night, they vary in size and standards of comfort, but tend to have shared showers and toilets. The other option is to look for a room in a family home. Most, although not all, of these also have limited shared washing facili' ties and pig toilets. The easiest way to find