Cola-The hidden paradise of Goa

“Agar firdous baroye zameen ast, hami asto, hami asto hami ast” – Amir-e-Khusru Dehluvi

(If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here) Though Dehluvi wrote this for Kashmir, it won’t be an exaggeration if we borrow his words to describe just how raw the Cola Beach in South Goa is! Mind you, we aren’t drawing any analogy between Goa and Kashmir.

Located about 18 KM away from Canacona in South Goa, Cola often gets unnoticed by majority.  Well if we come to think about it, it being unnoticed is exactly what makes it worth visiting. The cluttered and uneven road to Cola makes it less accessible.  Those who suffer from ‘impatience’ are strictly not advised to visit Cola; there are fair chances of the bad road getting on your nerves big time. Though the approach road leading to Cola Beach is a rough one and ensures that the traveller gets a bumpy ride, the thick vegetation around it and the soothing sound of the rivulet flowing adjacent to it gives a feel of traversing through some rainforest and makes up for the bad ride of about 3 kms from the main road. Once you reach the spot, the trouble just vanishes away in no time and the spectacular sight definitely takes some time to sink in.

We were told that the beach is a naked beach and naturally all our imagination knew no bounds ;); not that we advocate wander and lust to go together ;). Well, the beach was indeed a naked beach in terms of its serenity, its purity and its sheer capacity of detaching you from the chaos of the world. Crystal clear fresh water from the beautiful rivulet formed into a backwater adjacent to sea gradually merged itself into the huge sea waves that splashed the beach. This beach is indeed not very advisable for having a bath in the sea but you can definitely enjoy a bath in the fresh crystal clear water of the backwater while watching the stunning view of the beach. Surrounded by rocks, hills and thick vegetation, this beach indeed offers a variety of terrains for the traveller to enjoy.

And of all the beaches that we have visited so far in Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra and even Gujarat, this one surely transcended all.  Sun bidding adieu for the day, local fishermen tying up their boats, and foreigners assembling wooden sticks and prepping up for a campfire in the night; everything was just too perfect to comprehend.

A small walk along the beach line brought both of us to such an amazingly isolated place that for a while we sat there and enjoyed the sunset with the melodious sound of the waves hitting the rocks and we could feel the life that those moments had in them. This amazing isolation also urged us for a while to do the signature step from Hrithik Roshan and Amisha Patel starrer ‘Kaho na pyar hai’, but we could somehow manage to hold our horses.

Just to add more icing to the cake, the tariff rates available of the cottages at Cola were indeed jaw dropping, for our jaws were dropped to discover that we could actually afford a room with a beach view in what they termed as a ‘peak season’ of Goa.

Cola beach is a beach that you should definitely not miss out on your visit to Goa. And if you can get a booking at one of the cottages/tents available adjacent to the beach, then it’s nothing best like it.

Details:

Precise location: 18 kms from Canacona, South Goa; 40 kms from Madgaon

Food Availability: Yes.

Cautionary note: This is a rocky beach and swimming here is strictly not advisable.  Unless you have an SUV or XUV, just prefer going by a two-wheeler.

Accommodation: Yes. There a couple of cottages/tents available at affordable rates adjacent to the beach.

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