Arvalem Waterfalls

Arvalem Caves: Located near the falls Arvalem Caves are a collection of rock-cut caves just around 1.5 kilometres away. Legend has it that these caves were once home to the five Pandava brothers during their 12 years exile and the five compartments of the cave further strengthened this belief. The middle cave houses the main shrine here, with a Shivalinga - thus making this a place of worship for Hindus.

However, some historians also argue that the caves are Buddhist in origin due to the large statue of Buddha that had been excavated nearby and dates back to the 4th century. It is believed that some travelling Buddhist monks carved the whole cave out of solitary laterite stone. In any case, the Arvalem caves are a must-visit if you are in the vicinity of the Arvalem Waterfalls.

Rudreshwar Temple: Located half a kilometre away is the temple of Rudreshwar. There used to stand an ancient temple in the same vicinity located upon the sites on which the new shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva has been built. The image of Rudreshwar Shiva faces the waterfall directly. When you step out of the temple after offering your prayers, you can descend the staircase to marvel the majestic Arvalem Falls making their way down the slopes.

There are buses available from Panjim or Mapusa to Sanquelim. From Sanquelim, there are rental cabs and motorbike taxis that can take you to the location of the waterfalls in half an hour or so. But you have to be prepared to walk certain distances between transport options.