Arambol (Harmal)

Introducing Arambol (Harmal)

Shoved aside by the consumer age, the hippy ’60s needed somewhere to hide; San Francisco wouldn’t do, Carnaby Street couldn’t cope and the Marrakesh Express was suddenly cancelled in a cost-saving exercise. Eventually reaching Arambol’s sickle of sand and rash of beautiful, rocky bays the ’60s knew it had finally found its never-never land. Ever since then travellers, attracted by the hippy atmosphere, have been drifting up to this blissed-out corner of Goa, setting up camp and, in some cases, never leaving again. In turn, a mushrooming (probably magic) industry of low-key accommodation and facilities has sprung up to cater to these visitors, and in the high season the beach and the road leading down to it gets pretty crowded. For the moment the flower-power guys and girls hold the upper hand, but with all the beaches to the south full up, Arambol is starting to turn developers’ hands sweaty with excitement and it can’t be long until the sweet ’60s are forced off in search of the next Kathmandu.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009