Arambol- also known as Harmal in the local language is a long and wide stretch of beach in North goa. This Beach is roughly 32-33 kms away from Panjim. The route from Panjim to Arambol will set the mood to what lies ahead of you in Arambol. En route you will find things quintessentially Goan. Charming narrow streets, soothing greenery all around and peek-a-boo with the beaches. If you are on a bike- even better so! Be sure to go to Morjim beach too en route to Arambol. Its a lovely stretch and one of the lesser known secrets of North Goa!
So what can one really expect in Arambol?
Well to begin with- sun and sand, sun and sand and some more sun and sand! Yes, the beach is long, wide, clean and inviting, fringed with coconut trees. Also on the beach you’ ll witness a rewind to the 60’s & 70’s hippies era as the place attracts many a firang backpacker. And as avid travelers would know- hippies of that era were known to be real "khojoos".Some of the most beautiful places in the world were discovered and brought into limelight by them- be in Goa, Manali, Thailand, Bali and so on. They definitely do have a taste. And so you will see in Arambol. The beach is way, way, better than its better known cousins in north Goa like Baga, Calangute, Vagator etc. However, there are few shacks on the beach and even fewer beach huts making this place kind of exclusive. Cocks town offers some decent beach huts and has a lovely shack. So does Mango tree, but I believe their rooms are not on the beach. The beach has some good waves during high tide and you will find an occasional firang surfer. This is the ideal place to just gaze, ponder, steal sweet nothings and discover your artistic side. You can do so over some great food at these shacks. We tried the schnitzels and grilled fish and they were pretty darn good.Even though with each passing day(and MS review maybe!) the place is getting discovered by people, I guess the beach is still huge enough to let you have the sense of space.
You can spend a good 2 days at Arambol to get in touch with yourself. The nearby beaches of Morjim and Mandrem can also be easily visited. They too are lovely. The beach does not offer any water sports per se. So you ll have to keep yourself entertained. Its really a place for nature lovers, solitude seekers and some plain pondering. However, don’t let me position this place as a bore- It really has a good party scene at night- albeit at a few available shacks.
Some things to be prepared for- There are very few shops around so make sure you have the necessary things for a comfortable stay. Also, since its a relatively remote location, it would help to have personal transportation like a bike, scooty etc. The beach huts are mostly extremely basic; but clean. Some have common bathrooms and some attached- so do make all your inquiries before booking.
So, the next time you are in North Goa and are pretty bored of what the Baga types have to offer, so hop on to Arambol. Its definitely worth the visit- even if for a few hours! Adios!