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My favorite beach shack in Arambol is Surf Shack Bar & Restaurant

Surf Shack Bar & Restaurant

Among the hundreds of beach shacks stretching from the north of Arambol beach and continues south for many kilometres to Mandrem Beach my favorite shack is Surf Shack Bar & Restaurant. Surf Shake is located 10-15 minutes’ walk on the beach from the north. Where the main road into Arambol makes a 90 degree turn there is a large parking space for people visiting the beach. From there is only five minutes’ walk south. A few days a week I am usually spending my timer at the beach, going early for breakfast and a bed on the beach. When you order from the bar the sunbeds are free for as long as you stay.

Surf Shack Bar & Restaurant have a plateau two meters above the beach making it a perfect place to chill and watch people walking up and down the beach, there are people doing all kinds of performance while walking or exercising, from yoga to juggling. Many of the old hippies that has stayed in Arambol since the 1960s walks every day, exercising, nevertheless, always have time for a talk and big smile on their faces. Surf Shake great and mellow atmosphere makes you feel comfortable, they have a section with floor pillows and low tables for those having a joint with their food, coffee or teas. The shack is soft drug friendly and if you need to fill up your supply of weed be there early around 0800 soon one of the local supplier always comes for a drink, easy to spot.

Around midday Surf Shack starts playing music from a nice sound system, sometimes DJs drop by playing a few records, the guest can plug in their music system (mobile or pad) by asking the friendly staff. Mostly chill, reggae and electronic beats pour of out the speakers.

Their tasty food from Indian (Indian breakfast Rs 170) to Israeli seems to please most guests, a typically English breakfast (Rs270) or plate of fruit with beverages cost around Rs 200, they serve food all day in the restaurant or a table beside your sunbed. They serve and tasty Pizzas from a wooden oven costing around Rs 190. Seafood are served depending on the fishermen catch of the day, a grilled fish Rs350-Rs400.

A good idea is the close the day while having an Indian dinner while watching the sunset and observing the many people playing games or lovers walking hand in hand as the sun goes down over the horizons. is Surf Shake Bar & Restaurant staffs are hardworking people doing their best to keep their guest coming back so do not be surprised when they smile and recognize you the next day or during the stay.

Surf Shack is a clean restaurant, behind the shack they have a clean toilet and hand wash, often many shack have poor toilets facilities, this is a plus especially for girls and those having small children, otherwise peeing in the ocean is better than using the toilet. The water quality is superb around surf Shake and far better than further up near the end of the beach as some dirty pollute particularly the beach depending on high or low tide during the month.

Their closes neighbour is a Yoga school that also provides on the beach huts in bamboo, during the early day they do practice on the beach, it’s entertaining to watch as well an inspiration for people wanting to try it for the first time or for those more experienced. The nice thing about Arambol and Mandrem Beach is the freedom to do as you please, for example in my case I play music on my headphones and dancing on the beach, an exercise that improve my balance and my artificial leg less stiff, recovering from a bad car crash. If I danced at the beach in Europe most people might laugh or shake their heads or worst the police stops you. In Arambol the local Indians wants to handshake or take a photo as they love you for it. The freedom just being yourself is Arambol in a nutshell, people, locals as well tourist are open minded and not judgemental, after all the locals have seen it all from the first hippies arrived with the 60s flower power culture and now the trendy bohemian style, playing guitars on the beach.

Happy Karma Yoga Kenneth

INFORMATION

PLACE: Surf Shack Bar & Restaurant
WHERE: Arambol, Goa 403524, India
PHONE: No
CAPASITY: 200
CATEGORY: Beach shack
ENTERTAINMENT: Music, sun beds
FOOD AND DRINKS: Indian, Continental, Chinese, Israeli, seafood (fresh) and Tibetan (all beverages from soft drinks to spirits
OPEN: 08.00 – 23.00
INTERNET: Yes Wi-Fi
WEBSITE: Facebook Surf Shack
Instagram Surf Shack