Out of many activities to do in Goa, visiting beaches is on the top of the To-Do list of the tourists. Though the beaches of Goa are tremendously popular not just in India but also all over the world, this also means that they will be overly crowded, commercialized, in chaos and overcrowded as is the case with most of the mainstream beaches of India.
If you want to stay away from the crowd and spend some peaceful time on the beaches, then one should make a point to visit Grandmother’s Hole Beach.
Where is the Grandmother’s Hole beach located?
Grandmothers Hole beach is located at a distance of 3 kms. from the main city of Vasco near the Marmagoa Port Trust housing colony at the Vasco Sada Headland area. One can reach the beach by local buses from Vasco to the area intermittently. Located close to the beach is the coastal defence battery of the Indian Navy.
The entrance to the beach is just next to the Japanese garden. A flight of steps lead down to the beach along a winding path that goes through a stone arch at the base of the cliffs.
Along the path down to the beach, a small path deviates to the right and leads to the temple. To get to this beach, one can pass through a hole in the fort wall ruins and catch a magnificent and blistering view of the delightful beach. The hole from where one can enter is small, so you need to wedge through the gap in the Fortaleza Santa Catarina Fort walls to gain access to the beach.
This lesser known, but the prettiest beach in Goa, devoid and untouched by shacks and restaurants. One can just find a lone guy selling tender coconuts to the visitants the garden.
Why is it called as the Grandmother’s Hole?
The beach is said to have got it’s name – Grandmothers Hole from a folklore that a grandmother used to sit at this hole waiting for her sons to come back from the sea.
Why is the beach so famous?
As the beach is one that not many tourists are aware of, the beach remains deserted most of the time. There is nothing much that the one can do in terms of dining or water sports on this beach. Nevertheless, the beach is undoubtedly the perfect picnic spot. You can enjoy the beauty and peace of this beautiful beach with your loved ones.
The Japanese garden above the beach is definitely a good spot to have a picnic with the shade of trees above you and the green grass beneath your feet. If beach games and swimming is your thing, Grandmother’s Hole Beach might not be a good idea for you. One must carry their own mat, some snacks, and beach attire as these might not be easily available here. One can go fishing on the rocks of the beach once the scorching noon time passes. One can also visit the nearby beautiful temple of Shree Durgamata Shiv and of course the Grandmothers Hole cave nearby should not be missed.
Besides tranquil picnics, you can enjoy capturing some amazing pictures here of sea showing its majesty in brilliant tides and screeching birds that fly overhead without worrying about tourists obstructing the view.
Tips when visiting Grandmother’s Beach
For those who have trouble with hikes to it is strongly recommended to avoid this beach or to just enjoy it from above the cliff which offers an amazing view. There are a handful of clean beaches left in Go, so do not litter and keep the beach clean.
If beach games and swimming is your thing, Grandmother’s Hole Beach might not be for you. Last but not the least, don’t forget to get your DSLR’s to capture some amazing moments.
