Take this dream drive on Goa’s riverside highway to paradise

A sizeable number of tourists who use the bridge to cross River Chapora –that passes through Siolim and Chopdem – now use the Baddem road that connects Siolim to Chapora High Town. And, the ride is an escapade through a unique riverfront.

Traffic on the Baddem road has increased tremendously, and despite the many potholes, there is hardly a moment when the blissful view of the water cannot be enjoyed.

“This is a highway for tourists. Guests staying in Morjim and beyond, and who come to party in Vagator or Anjuna, use this road more now than the road that led from the Siolim church to Bobby Bar junction, and from there to Vagator,” says Dyneshwar, as he tries to start his bike, stalled by a pothole.

“Initially, the road was used by foreigners travelling to Morjim beach and beyond. The traffic consisted of motorbikes, but now, rent-a-cars and taxis can be seen zipping past the village,” he admits.

The road from Siolim to Chapora or the Baddem road, as it is known, is not just a highway to another paradise for tourists, but an escapade for good cocktails, pan-Asian food and Indian music.

Thalassa was the first bar and restaurant that started off, offering Greek cuisine, but as the numbers increased, the focus shifted from food to music and Russian dancers, and most importantly, cocktails.

The shift from atop the hill, in Vagator, to down the river is hardly noticeable to the crowd of domestic tourists that now forms its clientele.

The road that has the River Chapora kissing it all along, is flanked by an excavated mountain on the other side, but as one drives along, hotels or hostels and more bars and restaurants can be seen dotted along – all selling the undisturbed view of the river.

Kiki by the Sea is a restaurant on the Baddem road that gives guests the feeling that they are on the lap of the river. The view is spectacular, the interiors are modest and the customer service high end.

The food at Kiki’s, however, is not the best. It is definitely not the place for Goan cuisine, but the right place for guests looking for amazing cocktails, sweet, sour or tangy baskets of snacks – all with different dips – that suffice as the drinks flow down.

“We didn’t come here for the food, but for the ambience. The place is crazy for its sunset view. And, as the night gets darker, the atmosphere changes with the music played,” admits Haroon as he tags along with his friend to the car.

Despite its location, Kiki by the Sea starts the evening with Bollywood music that takes on beats of rave as the night gets older, and every sound bite seems to be lapped up by the crowd that mostly consists of domestic tourists. Jazz seems to have been swept away by the currents!

Some distance away is Summer House that still attracts a lot of domestic tourists in the northern coastal belt, once again, more for the view that the place offers.

The food is a mix of Indian and European, and in the evenings, the place could set you back by a few thousands.

All the restaurants are full at sunset, and the crowd hangs on till early morning because of the music. There is a lot of dancing and drinking because to do so, in such surroundings, is a dream for many.

As one drives towards Chapora, one’s attention is drawn to a place called Hofmann Café. This is a place where old foreigners and locals sit, chat, sip beers and reminiscence about the good, old days – times when many opted between Hoffman and Laughing Buddha.

And, the laughter grows louder with memories of the good, old days, along the riverfront, where only the sound of water could be heard lapping the banks.