Arambol Beach is located approximately a one hour drive from the Dabolim Airport (GOI) within the Pernem

Pernem

Pernem is a northmost administrative region or Taluka in North Goa. It is also the name of the town of Pernem, which is its headquarters. It has a Municipal Council...

 administrative region of northern Goa

Goa

Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The beach attracts many international tourists, mainly during the winter season between November and March. Arambol has a distinct bohemian feel which is no longer found in other areas, such as Calangute

Calangute

Calangute is a census town with a permanent population of approximately 16,000 in North Goa, in the state of Goa, India. It is famous for its beach, the largest in north Goa, visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists alike. The peak tourist season is during Christmas and New...

 and this inevitably attracts many alternative travellers.

Currently no major hotels exist in this area due to local pressure. Room rates are available at reasonable rates when compared to tourist laden beaches such as Baga

Baga

Baga may refer to:*Bhaga, the Old Persian and Sanskrit for "god"*Baga , a king of ancient Mauretania;*Baga people of Guinea;*Baga , a Part of village Calangute in Goa, India;*Baga beach in Goa, India, an extension of Calangute;...

 and Candolim

Candolim

Candolim is a census town in North Goa in the state of Goa, India. It is situated just south of the famous Calangute beach, and is popular tourist destination.- History :...

. Arambol beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa, amongst many other popular locations including Vagator, Anjuna

Anjuna

Anjuna is a village in Goa, one of the twelve Brahmin comunidades of Bardez.Its church, St. Michael's Church, Anjuna, founded in 1595, is dedicated to S. Miguel, and celebrates the feasts of S. Miguel and Nossa Senhora Advogada . There are three large chapels in the parish: the one to S...

 and Palolem.

A short walk north off the main beach is a smaller beach with a "fresh water lake" close to the sea. The water here is a mixture of fresh water and sea water. The jungle valley, enclosed between low hills hide a spectacular Banyan tree. Adjoining the banyan tree there is a stone sculpture created by an American Conceptual and Land art

Land art

Land art, Earthworks , or Earth art is an art movement which emerged in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in which landscape and the work of art are inextricably linked...

 artist Jacek Tylicki

Jacek Tylicki

Jacek Tylicki is an artist who settled in New York City in 1982.-Works:Tylicki's work is closely related to Land art, Installation, video and Photography...

 Give if you can - Take if you have to also called The Money Stone. It has become a pilgrimage

Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...

 destination.

The majority of the locals are Hindu

Hinduism

Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

, then comes a percentage of people subscribing to the Christian faith

Christianity in India

Christianity is India's third-largest religion, with approximately 24 million followers, constituting 2.3% of India's population. The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings and 14th century Portuguese missionaries created an illusion to convert Indians that Christianity was introduced to...

 and a minority of Muslims

Islam in India

Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....

. The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel serves the religious interests of the many Catholics in the area. Mother Mary is referred to as Saibinn Mai in the local Konkani language

Konkani language

KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...

.

As in many other parts of Goa, both soccer and cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

 are popular sports with the people of this area. Cafés and restaurants have mushroomed all along the shoreline, from the small "Sweet Water Lake" beach all the way to Mandrem. During the season many traders from all over India come to Arambol to sell their goods and merchandise.

Beaches are relatively safe, with only a few incidences of crime reported. The Goa Ministry of Tourism has installed a Life Guard facility just in the center area of the beach (about 3 kilometers South of the main stretch).

Arambol is expanding at an exceedingly fast pace and prices are rising for real estate, rent, foods and services.

External links

• Goa beaches in traveltammna A reference guide to goa beaches.