Sport, fun and lots of children can be seen on the Arambol beach in the evenings

Arambol, the northmost beach of Goa, is very popular with parents travelling with their children. It's so easy to stay there with children that even single mothers with kids go for this place. The incredible long, sandy (but shrinking) beach is still not overcrowded - at least outside the high-season in December and January. It offers space for a multitude of activities taking place every evening.

Arambol attracts predominantly long-termers, and if you are wearing dreadlocks, piercing and tattoo, you will feel really at home there. Lovers of live-music will enjoy the place, too - every evening you will find at least two different groups playing, and often enough there are children accompanying their parents till late in the night.

Arambol is a small place, everything can be done on foot easily. The busy main road ends approximately in the centre of the beach, from where you can find accommodation and restaurants stretching to both sides.

The main activity in Arambol will always be the beach-life. Children play in big groups with and without parents on the beach or in the neighbouring coconut-groves, whereas the parents hang out at one of the numerous beach cafes. If you want to do things on your own without children, it's easy to find a babysitter. Just check one of the numerous ads on the message boards.

Beachlife: Water and sand and a bulk of fellow children will give enough possibilities for several hours a day. As soon as the heat is dwindling, the children come out to play. map

Child Care: There is a kindergarten in Magic Park, on Mo, We and Sat, for 2.5 hours each day. Allegedly there are two more kindergartens in Arambol. If you know details, please add this info.

Open: Mo, We and Sat. 2,5 hours each

Magic Park: The shady garden of Magic Park is a perfect hangout with children to survive the hot time of the day. There is enough space for children to play and parent to rest in the shade of trees and bushes. map

Spotting dolphins : If you keep you eyes open, often enough you will have the chance to spot dolphins playing close to the coast.

Outside high season in December and January, accommodation is easy to find in Arambol. Basic rooms start from 200Rs. Long-termers prefer to rent apartements with bedroom, attached bath and kitchen and spend between 10.000Rs and 12.000Rs per month.

Ave Maria Guesthouse: Though Ave Maria Guesthouse is housed in a modern, three-storey-building, it makes a good place for children because it is built next to a nice and communicative place. The friendly family there also runs the communicative and shady rooftop-restaurant, where you can get good food. map

Tel: 0832 2297674
Email: avemaria_goa@hotmail.com

Priya Guesthouse: Priya Guesthouse is located next to Ave Maria Guesthouse and very comparable. The restaurant here is of equal quality than the neighbouring one but is not as big. map

Tel: 0832 2292661
Email: zdmello@hotmail.com

Magic Park Guesthouse: Magic Park offers four excellent doubles for 700 Rs. They are expensive, but worth the money and therefore often booked long in advance. map

Price: 700Rs

Savitri Guesthouse: Savitri Guesthouse offers clean, spacious rooms with balconies and attached bathroom. From some of the balconies you even see the sea. map

Price: 500Rs

Residensea Beach Huts: If you prefer staying directly on the beach, these huts could be the right choice. The basic rooms have fan and locker facilities, but you have to manage with outside toilets.

Tel: 0832 2292413
Email: pkresidensea_37@hotmail.com

Half of Arambol is a restaurant, so finding places to eat is no problem. Nearly all of the restaurants cater a similar multi-cuisine menu, so finding less spicy stuff for children is easy, too.

Fellini: Fellini right at the entrance of the main road to the beach serves excellent pizza - some Italians even claim its better than at home! (Because they can afford better ingredients than in Italy) map

Relax Inn: Relax Inn is competing with Fellini for the best Italian food and is also packed with Italians. map

Mohans Chai Corner: Mohans Chai Corner in the bending of the main road is very popular. On two flames only he makes the perfect chai, thali, idly and a decent bhagi for breakfast. Be early to find one of the few seats. map

Sai Deep Restaurant: Sai Deep Restaurant is the place to go, if you are fed up with tourist food. They serve good local food, pakora, thali and a good curd-papaya mixture for breakfast. map

China Garden: China Garden is often full and will be your choice if you head for Tibetan or Chinese food. At least in this kitchen the two get along quite well.

Loeki Cafe: Loeki Cafe is popular for the music, but the food is not worth mentioning. map

Double Dutch: Run by a dutch couple, this place serves German bakery, good marmalade and very tasty homemade cakes. map

Double Trouble: Run by the same dutch couple this restaurant offers equally good standard and a small neighbouring compound where children could play without getting lost. map

La Muella: If you love wooden ambiance, La Muella will be your choice. Everything is wooden there: The chairs, the balustrade, the decoration on the wall. Fortunately the food isn't: It's excellent. Get there in time, because it has only a few seats.

Nick added at March 25, 2009: Owned by a rude balding guy with an annoying new-age ponytail, he actually shouted at people for being loud and a simple Shakshuka came burnt and was returned to the kitchen 3 times. for wanna be white robe new agers who wanna pay a lot of money for shit food and think that "atmosphere" means a wooden place. as for the owner, cut off that stupid ponytail!

The nearest railway station is at Pernem on the Konkan Railway Line. From there you are well connected amongst others to Mumbai, Delhi and Trivandrum.

If you want to visit neighbouring beaches in Goa, the best thing is to rent a motorbike, because public transport is limited. If you take the bus, you will always have to go to Mapusa first (1h, 12Rs) and catch a second bus from there.