- General information
- Where is Arambol beach
- What is famous for
- How to get to Arambol Beach
- Where to stay
- The beach
- What to bring with you
Seeking a holiday destination to unwind and break free from daily routines? Goa, especially Arambol Beach, is the ideal spot for such a getaway.
In this guide, we are going to take you through everything we got up to during our stay in Goa. Remember to read our post about 10 things to do in Arambol Beach – Goa and our guide on Top Accommodations in Arambol Goa for your stay in this exotic destination!
General information
Goa is the smaller state of India located in the country’s west area. It has the highest GDP per capita while being ranked in the first place regarding the quality of life in India.
The largest city is Vasco da Gama, a sign of the Portuguese presence for 450 years, where the airport is located. The capital of Goa is Panaji. The languages that are spoken in Goa are English, Portuguese, Konkani (the official) Hindi and Marathi. Arambol attracts a lot of visitors from Russia so it is not uncommon to meet locals speaking Russian as well.
The currency that is used in Goa is the same as the rest of India, the Indian rupee. The time we visited Arambol Beach the exchange rate was 80.26 rupees for €1 ($1.13).
Where is Arambol beach?
Arambol, also known as Harmal, is located in the north part of Goa and will travel you some decades back. An old fisherman’s village was transformed into one of the most “chilling out” places around the globe.
You can see the entire village area in the following Arambol map.
What is famous for?
Arambol Beach is famous as the most popular destination for the hippies during the ‘70s and ‘80s. Today remains a popular destination with signs of its tremendous past for multinational tourists. It is a top destination for electronic music lovers because of the numerous nightclubs with bit music and parties.
Arambol Beach is also famous as the best beach in Goa not only because the waters are safe enough to enjoy swimming but for numerous reasons that you are going to find out if you will keep reading. One of them is the New Year party on the beach that we enjoyed.
How to get to Arambol Beach and Goa?
By airplane
The international airport of Goa is located in Vasco da Gama city, only 60 kilometers from Arambol but you will need at least one hour and a half to reach by car. It is better to arrange a cab through the hotel before your arrival. It is not that you will not find transportation but you will save money and not need to bargain. At least not from the first second there. Get Your Guide offers you some affordable options on fixed costs that we, unfortunately, discovered later.
The transportation from the airport costs 1500 rupees (€18, $21). After 2 hours we arrived, it was night 2 a.m. and we left everything for the morning. Our first impression in the morning can only be described with a photo.
By train
India has a huge rail network that permits you to visit Goa from everywhere. Especially if the scope of your travel is to discover India without time restrictions then the train is the option for you.
There are two grand railway stations in Goa, in Margao and Vasco Da Gama. The wagons are usually fully booked, so it is better to book your desired tickets many days before your scheduled departure for Goa and in general to your destinations in India.
Some of the lines are upgraded like Konkan Railway, which offers trips from Mumbai to Goa in high-speed trains making the total travel at 8 hours. Look for trips that will allow you to pre-book your ticket online.
 | In contrast with the rest of India, locals didn’t let Uber and OLA to expand in their territory so be ready and advice the driver to drive safe, especially in the highways. |
By bus
Inside Goa, like in every Indian state, there is a shuttle bus network for every village. The fares are from 5 to 40 Indian rupees (€0.06 to €0.5) and the buses are old and slow.
You can reach Goa by bus even from other states, but the distances are big. If you do not have a problem traveling, for example from Delhi to Goa for 49 hours, then your transportation will cost you as little as 1500 Indian rupees (€18, $20).
By cruise
We are coming from the Mediterranean which automatically makes us lovers of the sea. We want to admire her, to swim and of course to travel through her. Therefore we will recommend you if you live in Mumbai or planning to visit it alongside Goa, to book a luxury cruise.
The cost is 4300 Indian rupees (€53, $60) for a person and is not higher than 7650 Indian rupees (€95, $107) for a couple. It takes 14 hours and you will be able to enjoy both sunset and sunrise of the breathtaking Arabic Sea.
Pools, restaurants, and bars are available on the 7-deck ship.
Where to stay in Arambol Beach – Accommodation?
The accommodation prices at Arambol Beach
Arambol is full of wooden cottages.
Accommodations in the area are primarily budget-friendly, with an average cost of around 2500 rupees (about €30 or $35). However, prices can start as low as 400 rupees (approximately €5 or $6). The luxury choices are limited, and they can cost you around 29.000 (€350, $405) rupees. All the prices are higher during December and January and only for the day of New Year’s Eve maybe even double.
The accommodation culture in Arambol is based 90% on wooden cottages and we recommend going for it. There are options from open-air cottages to luxury. What you are going to choose depends on your budget, your limits, and your taste.
We’ve prepared a detailed post entirely dedicated to the Top accommodation in Arambol Goa. It’s a must-read for anyone planning a visit to this beautiful destination!
Booking.comOur cottage Lotus Sutra
We stayed at Lotus Sutra and that time (highest season – 28 December to 2 January) was costing around 6500 rupees (€80, $92) per night. Lotus Sutra bungalows are 3-star deluxe wooden cottages. It is a relaxed beachfront hotel that among others offers air-conditioned rooms, an open-air restaurant, and a 24-hour reception. The Wi-Fi connection was in very low standards but we didn’t get surprised as this is a case that you will have to deal with everywhere in Goa.
Ok, everything until now but still, we need breakfast. 😊 In purpose, we didn’t book breakfast from the hotel, or any other kind of lunch, as we got to know that it is better to try the many available options in the area which proved as a great tip.
The 2.3 km long beach of Arambol is long enough to accommodate tens of restaurants and beach clubs with a wide variety of choices where you can enjoy your meal having this sandy beach only some meters away from you.
The Arambol beach
We shouldn’t hide behind our fingers. The Arambol beach is the highlight of the area. You can walk it several times, up and down, and each time, every 200 meters you are going to meet something different. People dancing to different kinds of music from reggae to electronic, lessons of yoga, and fire performances are some of the many that we saw.
The “Sweet Water Beach”
If you are looking for a less crowded area you can walk take the path of the market to the north side of Goa you will which will drive you to a small beach called Kalacha. Kalacha is known as “Sweet water beach”.
Officially does not belong to Arambol but as it is 10 minutes away by foot, for sure we have to mention it. It is the perfect place to take that exotic photo with only your bikini and the palm trees.
It is not easy to be approached due to the rocky area that you must overcome, at least not wearing flip flops, but is worth the attempt. Here you can take beautiful photos, chill out, and enjoy swimming in a place surrounded by hills and the sea.
Both beaches are safe to swim and you will notice the 24/7 lifeguard personnel patrolling and advising the swimmers, especially in a couple of dangerous spots.
What to bring with you in Goa – Arambol beach
- Swimwear – bikini
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Mosquito repellent
- 1 bottle of wine from Greece
- Not a lot of money
- Good spirit
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