Hidden Gems of Goa - Hollant Beach & Heart Shaped Lake

Goa ...... the small state on the Western Coast of India, facing the huge expanse of the Arabian Sea. The Beaches have been the important reason for Goa to get on the Tourist Map of the World. Goa attracts different people for different reasons, some visit for casinos, some for the beaches, sand & waves, some come searching for tranquility, etc. But it's the combination of beaches and the sunsets which attract honeymooners, romantic Couples to visit Goa again & again.

But the Hollant Beach stood out in Goa as here we can witness the sunrise. Surprised ??? We too were when we heard of this beach for the first time. Sometime in November 2020 in the mids of a pandemic, we shifted to Goa for professional reasons. After settling down we decided to visit few nearby places during the weekends. First we visited Bogmalo beach and St. Jacintos Island. An acquaintance then told us that we should visit Hollant beach, especially during the mornings. Then on hearing this name the Hollant beach we immediately realized that we have seen the road to this beach on our way to Bogmalo Beach. We were also told that there is a Heart Shaped Lake somewhere between Hollant beach and Bogmalo beach. Without wasting any time we finalized the visit to Hollant beach on the coming weekend.

We left on the bike at around 6.00 a.m. and we took the route for Bogmalo beach. A small deviation on the left-hand side took us to the Hollant beach. As we drove we initially saw some bungalows. But the scene changed immediately and we saw the Coconut trees and supari trees followed by small wadis and village huts on either side of the road. This small dwindling road to the beach had all the characteristics of a typical Goan village in spite of it being at a distance of 15 minutes from Dabolim airport.

It being early March the weather was pleasant and we could feel the cool morning breeze on the way to Hollant beach. At the end of this road, we reached the small beach which is around 500 meters in length. This C-shaped beach with a village on one side and a small hillock on the other side was a beautiful sight in the morning. As we stepped on the beach we heard the train Sirens & soon noticed a railway track running on the Hillock.

We reached at around 6.20 am and it was still time for the sunrise. We were the first visitors to this beach that day & were welcomed by few Pond herons who were looking for their breakfast. The beach was clean which was also a pleasant surprise for us. We enjoyed the peaceful pleasant morning by this beach. Soon the sky started to lit up in different shades of orange and yellow colours. By around 6.45 am the red ball of fire gave us the first darshan of the day. It was a sight to watch. The sun peeked from behind the hills on the left-hand side of the beach and slowly lit up the water. Orange ball in the sky became prominent within a few minutes and soon lit up all the surroundings. This is the best time for photography.

After a scintillating sunrise view at Hollant Beach, we decided its time we visit the Heart Shaped Lake.

The Heart Shaped lake is located near the Chicolna Bus stand. The Road towards Heart Shaped lake is very tricky and as there were no signboards, we asked the locals for direction. As per their direction we took a Tar Road which ended at the Navy Colony. But there was no sight of the Heart Shaped lake. Now the road was such that we had to abandon our bike and continue the trail on foot. After a walk of 10-15 mins, we reached a small ridge that had the sea on the left side and the Lake on the right side.

This lake was more of a pit as the water has dried up now. Also the visitors have thrown bottles and garbage making the lake dirty. This place may be worth the visit in monsoons or post monsoons when the lake is filled up to the brim.

But more than the lake we liked the sea view. With the Sun rising from the east, the coconut trees and the sea made a good composition for some beautiful silhouette pictures.

Both these places are just 15 - 20 minutes drive from the Airport and also very near to Bogmalo Beach. These places are less frequented by tourists and maybe the reason why these places are not on the tourist map.

We will be planning to explore a few more such Gems of Goa during our stay here. See you soon with a new Gem destination!!!

- Mohini Nabar