Arambol Beach has an alternative, laid-back ambience, which attracts many bohemian travellers. Despite its popularity, there are no major resorts in the area thanks to local campaigns to preserve the area’s tranquil atmosphere. There are cafés and restaurants along this stretch of fine, white sand.
Listen to live music by local and international musicians or participate in a yoga or meditation session. Take advantage of the coastal winds by trying paragliding or kite surfing, which can be arranged in Arambol village. Visit the Banyan Tree in the jungle valley away from the beach. It holds a so-called money stone with the engraving: “Give if you can. Take if you have to.” It encourages relatively wealthy visitors to donate coins and notes to the monument so the poor in the area can benefit.
The many small cafés and restaurants that have sprung up over the past decade serve everything from Indian mango lassi drinks to tasty American hamburgers. Haggle for souvenirs or bottled drinks with the vendors who come from all over Goa.
Stay overnight at one of the beach huts with accommodation options and rise early in the morning to walk down to neighbouring Kalacha Beach. Here, you can walk around a scenic fresh-water lagoon and spot monkeys and exotic birds in the adjacent jungle.
It is recommended to bring your own sun cream rather than buying from beach vendors, because some sell fake products. Between May and October the wet season brings monsoonal rains, so plan accordingly.
You can find Arambol Beach on the west coast of Goa, just south of Kalacha Beach and north of Mandrem Beach. It is a 1.5-hour journey by car from Dabolim Airport. The town of Chopdem is a 12-kilometre (7.5-mile) journey from the beach. Arambol Beach is well known throughout Goa for its natural beauty and bohemian atmosphere, so it should not be too hard to find.
