Hidden Gems of Goa - Salaulim Dam & Botanical Garden.

We came across the photo of this Dam on internet and instantly wanted to visit the place so we planned our trip to Goa and the first place on our itinerary was Salaulim Dam.

Salaulim Dam is situated on Salaulim River which is a tributary of Zuari River and is around 65 kms from Panjim. Salaulim Dam was the first dam built in the state of Goa. When the dam was built a small village named Kurdi was completely submerged under the water and now just as a magic the said village is seen only once a year in the month of May when the water subsides. The residents of the villages were forced to leave the village and relocate to some other places. The dam provides water to most of the south Goa and is a major source of water.

We visited the place in the month of October but the same gets dry in summers and looks beautiful in monsoon. Since it is not visited by many, the dam and garden is quiet and calm.

We were the only one in the whole garden when we visited, it starts with a large stretch of the garden and you need to climb up around 200 steps to reach the Dam. There is another way which goes directly to the dam and skips the garden for people who don't want to take the steps.

This Dam looks special because of the duck hole and in rains, it looks mesmerizing as the water comes upwards from the duck hole. Railings are built over the duck hole but the same is closed for the public for safety purposes. The Dam is surrounded by the Western Ghats and is a sight to behold.

We caught sight of some birds, dragonflies and a newborn puppy. From above you can see the bird view of the surrounding villages and the botanical garden. The botanical garden is huge in size and is a nice place to relax and it also has basic facilities like a toilet and canteen to buy water, waffers and biscuits.

Overall the place is beautiful and I would highly recommend it to people who love peace and calm but it may be disappointing to visit the place in summer since the view is not that great and the heat is unbearable.

Radhika Thankar