Text & Sketches: Viswaprasad Raju
Images: Srinivas Mantena
Goa has Mario Miranda. Mini Goa, it seems, can make do with a more modest version. So I packed my sketchbook and journal and set off with my cousins for a little trip to Mini Goa in June, just as the landscape was slipping into monsoon mode.
A little beyond Perupalem Beach lies a stretch of coastline now christened Mini Goa. A name that instantly evokes curiosity and recognition. It is a clever piece of place branding: simple, memorable and undeniably effective. Whoever coined it pulled off a masterstroke, amplifying the destination’s allure with the addition of just four letters: Mini.
Our journey began in Bhimavaram, often affectionately called the Las Vegas of Andhra Pradesh—another striking example of place branding. With cousins visiting from the United States, where road trips are practically a way of life, the drive became as enjoyable as the destination itself. Stories flowed effortlessly, punctuated by plates of spicy chicken pakoras and chilled lime sodas. The distance was short, the conversations long, and before we knew it, we had arrived at Mini Goa.
Drive a little farther beyond Perupalem. The road delivers you to a scenic beach that often feels like it belongs entirely to you. You might spot a pre-wedding photoshoot, a group of boys enjoying themselves, a solitary crow keeping watch over the shoreline—and little else. It is the kind of emptiness that feels like a privilege.
The ocean stretches invitingly before you, its waves rolling gently towards the shore. Your feet sink softly into the cool sand as fast-moving monsoon clouds sweep across the sky, painting the landscape in shifting shades that make photographers instinctively reach for their cameras. This is precisely the kind of scene travellers hope to discover, and here it unfolds in abundance.
Soon the picnic chairs appear, followed by blankets laden with snacks, local treats and chilled sodas. By then, our group has naturally dispersed into smaller circles. Some play with the waves as though engaged in a spirited game of kabaddi, timing their dashes between the breakers. Others, inspired by football season, kick around a colourful ball without the need for goalposts, letting the beach itself define the field.
The bright football breaks the monotony of the grey, rain-laden sky until, almost on cue, the sun bursts through the clouds. In an instant, every shade of blue, green and gold comes alive, transforming the beach into a canvas that no photograph—or sketch—can fully capture.
This is the moment when you simply sit and let your mind wander, occasionally reaching for the last crumbs of chicken pakora wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper with its screaming headlines, and watch life drift by, one wave at a time. For a little while, the worries of the world—and its screaming headlines—recede with the tide. We are all, for once, on the same wavelength.
Getting There
Mini Goa, beyond Perupalem Beach, lies approximately 400 kilometres from Hyderabad, making it an ideal weekend escape.
By Road: Around 8–9 hours, on a scenic drive through the lush landscapes of coastal Andhra Pradesh.
By Train: Travel to Narasapuram, about 20 kilometres from the beach, and continue by taxi or local transport.
By Bus: Regular services operate to Narasapuram and Bhimavaram, both offering convenient onward connections to Mini Goa.
