CYCLING IN GOA - FROM SANGOLDA TO CHORAO ISLAND

Recently I traveled to Goa for an annual sales conference with my company. This was the first physical meet for all the employees after a gap of two and a half years.

With the coronavirus cases drastically reduced, travel restrictions have been lifted. Under the new guidelines released by the Health Ministry of India, one does not have to undergo an RT-CPR test before flying. But wearing a mask is still mandatory.

My last air travel was during my trip to Barcelona in 2018. There, I cycled from Girona to Costa Brava with my office colleagues. In the latest trip to Goa, I booked a guided cycle tour with Cycling Zens – a travel adventure start -up that offers customized cycling tours, kayaking and Yacht rides to tourists.

I knew about Cycling Zens because I had participated in a group ride with them in Mumbai. In fact, my first blog was – ‘Ride with Cycling Zens to Palm Beach Road‘. Thereafter, I started blogging more regularly.

Back in Goa, we were three of us guided by Zurial – our tour guide. We opted for electric bicycles as recommended by the touring company since the route involved climbs. We started our ride from the Cycling Zens bicycle store located at Sangolda, and rode towards Chorao Island.

The narrow roads pass through the villages and farms with several small bridges enroute. We were a witness to the Sunrise with a scenic view of open fields and colorful houses along the village route.

We rode approximately 10kms through the village then took a ferry ride to crossover and arrived at Chorao island. After another 5kms of ride deep inside, we took a stop for water break, tea and local breakfast.

We returned back from the same route and stopped for photos near the Salvador Do Mundo church founded in 1565.

I was the only one who wore a helmet throughout the journey while my co-riders didn’t. The route is nearly car-free with limited scooters and motorcycles passing by. So not wearing a helmet is a personal choice.

We arrived back at the Cycling Zens store after a 2 hour leisure ride covering a total distance of 30kms. Our tour guide Zurial took us to a café ‘Breaking Bread’ located adjacent to the bike shop for a coffee.

The Breaking Bread café in Goa has a Roadster bicycle displayed as a piece of art inside its premises. Customers can click photos while the order is being processed.

Next, to the café is a bicycle rental and service center Cycling Zens. They conduct guided tours for small-medium and large groups – which includes corporate bookings. They have a fleet of electric bicycles which makes cycling easier, helps to preserve energy and explore the beauty of Goa.

They also have road bikes, MTB’s, Hybrids and tandem bicycles for rental. The bikes are decently maintained as they have an in-house workshop for maintenance and repairs.

If you are planning a trip to Goa then contact Zurial +91 9819198901 or write to info@cyclingzens.com and follow their instagram page @cyclingzens for a guided tour.

Cycling in Goa was a refreshing experience and I am looking forward to doing more rides on my next trip.

A day prior, I also cycled in ‘Grand Hyatt’ – a business and leisure hotel overlooking Bambolim bay, in Goa to explore its property. The last two pictures are from Grand Hyatt.

Enjoy the Photo album: