The Japanese garden for panoramic sea view and tiny bay beach

Go to Japanese garden, in the locality of the Mormugao Port Trust colony, but not for the garden itself. Oddly, there is nothing even remotely Japanese about the garden. Local hearsay indicates it is a local name that was given because years ago the signboard that was first installed there had some letter or word that either looked or sounded like something Japanese. That signboard along with the actual name of the garden does not exist anymore but the name Japanese garden has stayed around.

As you enter the garden it appears to be quite run down but keeping moving towards the left, you will come to a beautiful viewing point of just pristine sea with the Pequeno (meaning small in Portuguese) island in the distance. The island is also popularly known as Bat Island and is famous for snorkeling.

The walls of the Mormugao Fort go around this area. Some parts of the wall have broken down or is so covered with foliage that it hides the fact that it is in fact a fort wall. The steps from the Japanese garden leading to the beach actually go through a door way cut in the fort wall. There are around 100 steps with no safety railing. The way down to the beach is not so difficult but it could be a challenging task get back up. Most people enjoy the view from the garden itself.

Down below is a stretch of the Sada beach. It is a lovely mini bay of sorts. There is a temple at the beach called the Shri Durgamata Shiv Mandir.

However, a word of caution about venturing into the sea for a swim as there is no lifeguard and no information on how safe the tide is. Neither are there any shops nor shacks for snacks. It is advisable not to go there in the dark for safety reasons.  The beach is clean and people do venture down. And as always, do your bit to keep the place litter free.