They say third time’s the ‘charm’ and it was our third and probably the last attempt at finding Betul Beach. We had roamed the streets of Cavelossim for three consecutive years, searching for this secret beach, without any success. And you might not believe it but three years ago, Betul Beach didn’t even appear on Google Maps.
In 2016, after days and days of pursuing, I spotted a bus with ‘To Betul’ sign. But upon inquiring, the bus conductor told us there is no beach called Betul Beach and there is nothing to see in Betul, the place.
We came back to Pune, only to return in 2017! This time, Google Maps did assist but mid-way (after crossing Assolna-Cavelossim bridge), it pointed towards a jungle, leading to nowhere. A passerby said he had never heard of Betul Beach and navigating the jungle could be risky. My husband (then boyfriend) and I agreed with him and silently dropped the idea of Betul Beach hunt.
The next year in 2018, we decided to go on a relaxing beach vacation. But Goa had different plans for us. We were staying at a budget hotel near Carmona, owned by a very friendly local. One day, over a casual discussion, we told him about our Betul Beach quest. And to our surprise, the Good Samaritan actually knew about Betul and shared that it is a fishing port and village located south of the river Sal. The major attraction is the Betul Lighthouse which is around 6 km away from the Assolna-Cavelossim bridge, he added.
SUCCESS AT LAST
The route to the lighthouse is available on Google Maps. It is a pretty simple route. Once the Assolna-Cavelossim bridge ends, you need to take a right turn and head straight for a couple of kilometres till you reach a crossroads. Without taking any turn, continue going straight until you see an uphill road on your left which leads to the lighthouse. An easy hike to the lighthouse offers a panoramic view of the Betul village and the stretch of Cavelossium-Mobor beach.
On your way back, after the downhill, you can either take a right and head towards Cavelossim or take a left to visit Betul port/village. This is where the river Sal meets the Arabian Sea, making it a favourite fishing spot amongst localities. The Betul lighthouse can be seen from the port and if you’re lucky, you can even spot dolphins here.
At the opposite end of the port lies a beach known as Betul Beach amongst tourists. It is an extension of Mobor Beach (south of Cavelossim Beach). A long stretch of white sand beach is very common in South Goa but this one offers a lot more. Eagles and kingfishers skimming the sea surface for fish add a flavour of wilderness balanced by the fishing boats sailing in and out of the port. When you see humans and animals hunting for food at this spot, you realise how both are driven by similar needs and yet, act so differently. Animals have learnt to live in harmony with nature while human beings are destroying it to fulfill their desires.
AT BETUL BEACH
We walked into the beach-cum-port to find a group of kids fishing off the shore with basic fishing rods. We approached them to see their catch of the day, but it seemed they were running out of luck. They explained that they would need to catch at least one fish, if not more, before the low tide hits and almost immediately got back to work. We realised what appeared to be a mere game to us meant so much more to these little ones.
On the other side, a couple of fishermen were sailing towards the sea in their medium-sized fishing boats and unlike the group of kids, they had huge fishing nets on board. Eventually, the boats sailed away far into the sea until they became invisible to us. We could not help but wonder what does it take to be able to wake up everyday, even before the dawn breaks and sail in extreme conditions to get the catch that would make someone’s meal while you may not even be able to feed your own family?
In front of us, the mighty waves of the Arabian Sea met the River Sal. This union was pretty evident when the undesirable brownish colour of the river changed into an emerald blue.
Our most memorable moment at Betul was when a water-bird dived into the sea and caught a fish only to be chased by another water-bird which also tried to snatch away the catch. We had seen something like this only on television before and by the time we could get our cameras rolling, the winner had flown away with its trophy!
So if you are willing to preserve the magnificent Betul Lighthouse, acknowledge the hard lives of the fishermen at Betul Port and protect the Betul Beach from plastic pollution, only then go ahead and tell everyone about this secret place.
On your way back, after the downhill, you can either take a right and head towards Cavelossim, or take a left to visit Betul port/ village. This is where River Sal meets the Arabian Sea, making it a favourite fishing spot amongst localities. The Betul lighthouse can be seen from the port and if you’re lucky, you can even spot dolphins here. The place is also home to the ruins of Betul Fort.
(The writers are a traveller couple who blog about their experiences at @the_spirited_travelers)
