First Solo Bike Ride: Chaul – Revdanda
Rains this year had prolonged immensely. Almost till first week of November, it was raining profusely and hence the thought of crossing western ghats to visit coastal paradise didn’t come to the mind. But as the December started thoughts of visiting Kokan again started coming to mind.
My friends
were not able to come this time and hence I decided to make it a solo visit. I
was fixed on having my own vehicle and not using public transport through the point
of view of convenience and also my passion for driving. So I finalized on
travelling by bike and hence chose a closer destination as it was my first bike
trip. Chaul Revdanda was one of the destinations that I had never been to and
was easily reachable on bike. As the weekends are often busy and entire Raigad
district is packed with tourists from Pune and Mumbai, travelling on weekdays
was the better option.
Day 1: I left
home at 6:15AM and started by old Pune Mumbai highway. Had my first pit stop at
Hotel Annapurna at Lonavla main road. It is a decently priced good quality pure
veg restaurant and serves South Indian food. After having Mysore Masala Dosa
and Pohe I left towards Khopoli. En route to Khopoli, at Rajmachi Point
Khandala you can enjoy quaint view and fiery winds that push you off the valley
that overlooks the expressway.
 |
| Dukes Nose from Old Highway |
Enjoying the view, I
left again and then took the expressway for 5 km (which is legally
allowed for two wheelers in that patch) after which I took the Khopoli
exit. Once you reach the main crossroads of Khopoli you can keep moving
straight for Pen and then you can reach Revdanda via Alibag. Another
option is to go to Pali which is a religious place having the temple of
Lord Ganesha (Ballaleshwar) which is one of the Ashtavinayakas (8
ganesha temples in Maharashtra). You reach Pali via Durshet. The road
condition is poor with some road construction work going on.
 |
| Somewhere on the Road |
Amba river flows on your left with its banks offering you place for few minutes of comfort. The water is calm and clean.
Once you cross Pali, you reach a place called Wakan where you can connect NH 66 i.e. Mumbai Goa Highway. You can take left and reach Revdanda via Roha or take right and go there via Alibag. I chose to go via Alibag. Once you reach Chaul via Nagaon, you take right for Revdanda beach. One needs to pass through big market road which may give impression of commercialized town. But after the market road ends, greenery begins.
Since I hadn’t booked
any resort I started searching it there physically. I found a place
called Vaishnavi Heritage resort, which had some coconut trees a
hammock, a swimming pool. The resort whose compound was contiguous to
the fortification of Fort Revdanda also has two big rooms with air
conditioning facility. The place is more suitable for groups and
families but a solo traveler can also enjoy as it is at piece from
hustle of the main road. Even though resort is good, none of the
caretakers was there at the resort at the night and I was alone at the
resort. It might cause safety issues as we don't know the place
thoroughly. They should take care of this particular point.
 |
| Vaishnavi Resort |
 |
| Vaishnavi Resort |
Being their only customer that day, the meal was not available and hence went to another domestically run food place called Shri Samarth Khanaval run my Mrs. Mayekar. The fish thali comprised of Surmai Fry, prawns curry, 2 chapatis and rice. Though the quantity is limited food quality and taste were awesome.
 |
| Shri Samarth Khanaval |
Post that I visited the remnants of Revdanda fort and came back to the resort.
 |
| Remains of Revdanda Fort |
 |
| Korlai Fort while climbing up |
 |
| Lighthouse Parking |
 |
| Temple on Korlai Fort |
 |
| A farm on the way |
Post that I went to the
resort and had an hour of rest with book in hand (one of the perks of
being in a solo trip: P). Next plan was to visit Birla Temple and Korlai
Fort.
Once you
touch the main road from resort, take the right turn and after crossing the bridge take
left for the Birla temple or take right for Korlai fort.
Birla temple
is the temple of Lord Ganesha with small idols of Shiva-Parvati, Maa Durga and
Lord Sun surrounding the inner sanctum. At the entrance there are two beautiful
statues of elephants carved in stone. At the end of stairs there are small idols
of Lord Hanuman and Garuda. Main temple is constructed in white marble
surrounding which there is lush greenery. Please note that mobile phone is not
allowed at the Birla temple and for the same reason I could not visit it that
day.
Hence I went to visit Korlai fort and light house. After passing through
maze of homes where all fishermen were preparing for their next trip, I saw a
cement road leading to the entrance of the fort and the lighthouse. After
paying nominal entry fees of Rs 20/-, I climbed up to the top of fort where you
get magnificent view of the Arabian sea on one side and the creek on the other
side. Much of the walls still intact there is a small temple as well as chapel
on the fort as the fort was constructed by a Portuguese officer.
Lighthouse from the top
Once I
climbed down the attendant directed me to the lighthouse top where the
concerned operator explained me the functionality of the light house. Post that
I came back to room with food parcel and went to bed early as I was tired
because of the longer route that I chose.
Day 2: I woke
up leisurely next day and went to Birla Temple again this time without the
phone. Upon returning I went to Revdanda beach and had a stroll over there.
Later on visited Mrs. Mayekar’s food place again for breakfast where I had Poha
and Omlet. At around 11AM I started my journey back.
 |
| Revdanda Bridge |
Retracing the
route to Korlai Fort, I started coming to Pune via Kashid Beach- Murud and
Roha. There are two routes to Roha from Murud. One of them is a shorter one
with Roha 35km sign on it. This route to Roha is very scenic with lush greenery
on both sides and condition of the road is also good except at the end where
the road work is yet going on. The road is relatively lonely with hardly any
vehicles passing you. You can take occasional halts to behold the scenery.
Once you
reach Roha you take exit from the town and join NH 66 (Mumbai Goa Highway). On
NH 66 take left from Meghana City apartments to join the Tamhini Ghat road. Condition
of the road in the first half is superb with no potholes, white belts on both
sides and is lonelier than the Murud – Roha road. Roadside is adorned with
green farms and grazing cattle with tall Sahyadri mountains standing magnificently
on their backdrop.
In the later
half road condition is really poor and one needs to be extra careful in
riding. Once you cross the ghat and reach Mulshi, you will join familiar patch
of Paud – Pirangut - Bhugaon eventually leading to Pune via Chandani Chowk.
Vaishnavi
Heritage Resort:
Rajesh
Potdar: +91 77964 72755
Owner (Name
Unknown): +91 99272 90901
PS: Ensure
your vehicle to be fully serviced and your tyres should be in good condition as
there are long stretches of lonely roads with not much facilities around. Also
Please wear helmet for your own protection.
Thursday, 17 May 2018
Tourist places near Dapoli
Hi Reader, since I had taken a break from blogging
for sometime, I am writing this blog little late. This trip actually
took place in the year of 2017.
The month of May was approaching and a
group of us 4 friends again sat together to plan for another trip. Tired of
daily chores, we planned to make a two night three day trip in the beloved
konkan region. The region being unique and closer from Pune, it was accepted
unanimously. After discussing various destinations we narrowed down on the
Dapoli region.
Considering the popularity of beaches, we
chose weekdays for our trip so as to encounter minimum rush.
Day
1 (16th May 2017):
 |
| Road to Mangaon from Tamhini Ghat |
On Tuesday the 16th we left
early morning at 5:30AM. We took the Tamhini Ghat route and chose Panhale Kaji
caves as our first destination. There are some spots like Mulshi lake that will
evoke the photographer in you. Since we had a professional photographer with
us, we had few photography sessions en route. Once you wind down the Tamhini Ghat,
your take left to continue for konkan. There is a small food joint at the
beginning where you can get decent breakfast items like Kanda poha and Vadapav.
Later on we continued to our first destination of Panhale Kazi.
 |
| Breakfast |
How to reach Panhale Kazi:
From Tamhini
Ghat you reach to Mangaon which is first big town in Raigad district. Take left
once you enter the town and the road leads you to NH 17 i.e. Mumbai – Goa
highway. To reach Panhale - Kazi, continue straight till Khed. From Khed take
right diversion (ask locals for directions) to continue on a road Dapoli. Take
left at a place named Wakavali and you will start getting idea of how the
further travel will be. There is a left turn before Wakavali too which is not
advisable owing to poor road conditions. The road would suit a typical village
route initially which will later turn into a lonely road without much travellers.
Condition of the road is not so good since the spot is not yet a popular
destination. Also, since the connectivity is poor your own vehicle is
recommended. At the end the road goes literally roller coaster with beautiful
towns at its side.
Information
about Panhale Kazi:
These are a
collection of 29 caves that are buddhist and hindu caves. Most of them are in
dilapidated condition. There are some sculptures and idols present but not
enough to deduce the history of caves. These caves are cut through a single rock
thereby emphasizing the skill of the sculptors in those times (approximately
1000 years).
Some history I got from internet is as
following:
Creation of these caves started
approximately at the 3rd century AD, in time when influential merchants were
spreading the teaching of Buddha in India. Many large temples appeared near ancient
trade routes. Panhale Kaji was one of such temple complexes, located at busy
route from inland to Dabhol - one of the most important port cities at Arabian
Sea in these times. Dabhol has been marked even in maps of Ptolemy.
Later, around
the 10th - 11th century AD caves became a stronghold of small group of
followers to Vajrayana sect (Tantric Buddhism). Some of the earlier caves, for
example Cave 10, were adjusted for the worship of deities like Akshobhya and
Mahachandaroshana. Interesting monument of art is five Budha sculptures,
possibly representing Vajrasana Buddha - showing relatedness to iconography of
late Ellora
Buddhist Caves.
 |
| On the Way To Panhale Kazi Caves |
Flowing parallel to caves is river. The name of the river remains unknown to us. Water levels were really low (lower than the knee) and once could easily walk to the rocks at the centre. The rocks and river overall offers a good food for your DSLR.
 |
| Panhale Kazi Caves - 1 |
 |
| Panhale Kazi Caves - 2 |
We left from the caves at around 2:30pm and came to Dapoli for lunch. There is a famous restaurant named Jagadish Lunch Home at Dapoli. Renowned especially for sea food, the place was really crowded. Since we had to move to next destination we had a lunch at another hotel called Chhaya Prakash. The food was okay but the place is not highly recommended.
 |
| Near Anjarle |
 |
| View from Near Anjarl |
There is a light house at the port which is an inevitable part of the port. Area surrounding the lighthouse looks awesome with waves slashing against the rocks.
 |
| View from accommodation at Karde |
From Harne port, we came to Karde where our
accommodation was booked for the first night. We stayed at the New Swapna Sagar
Niwas owned by Jadhav family. Unlike photographs shown on the website, the
resort is not isolated and there is no privacy at all. There is a complete
array of resorts one besides the other with many visitors using loud music and
alcohol. So if you are looking for a serene location this is not the place. The
room was okay but the food was utter disappointment. It is advised to arrange
your dinner somewhere else if you are staying at this place. AC is available.
Day 2 (17th May 2017):
 |
| Entrance to accommodation at Karde |
On the way back to Dhopawe, we visited a
fort named Gopalgad where a famous Marathi film Killa was shot. The fort is a
private property yet available for tourists. This place offers some good
scenery for photography and it still maintains some of its rustic look.
Approach road is very small and there are many twists and turns.
 |
| Gopalgad Wall |
Just before Gopalgad, a diversion takes you
to the ‘Talkeshwar Light House’. It is a lighthouse common to the coastal
areas. Used as a signal to fisherman’s boats this lighthouse is available for
common people to visit between 3:00pm to 5:00pm at nominal fees. You can go to
the top of the lighthouse which offers an awesome panoramic view.
 |
| Talkeshwar Light House Entrance |
 |
| Talkeshwar Temple |
 |
| Talkeshwar Temple |
 |
| View from The Lighthouse |
From Gopalgad we came back to Dhopawe and
reached Dabhol via ferry boat. On Dabhol Dapoli road there is a diversion for a
coastal village named Kolthare where our stay for day 2 was planned. At
Kolthare we stayed at resort named Garwa Beach Resort. This resort was one
pleasant experience. Owned by Bhave family, this resort has spacious rooms,
ample empty space, coconut trees, hammocks, open shower and many more
facilities. The beach was almost deserted except one more group apart from us.
After beach we took stroll around the village. Kolthare still maintains the
traditional konkan looks through its homes and backyards. Mobile networks are
generally not available. The meal cooked by Garwa was really delicious. Three
of my friends had Veg thali while I opted for poplet thali and a poplet fry.
 |
| Dining Area at Garva Resort |
 |
| Backyard at Garva |
Next morning, after having breakfast of
Thalipith and Amboli (both recommended), we spent some time relaxing in the
backyard of the resort. Fortunately there was nobody in the resort except us
giving us the peaceful time. Being there on weekday can avail you this luxury.
We checked out at 10:45am.
 |
| Parashuram Bhumi |
On
the way to Dapoli from Kolthare, there is a spot named Parshuram Bhumi (Legend
tells that it was Parshuram, a sage + warrior, who created the konkan land
pushing the sea back). There is s statue of Lord Parshuram standing on the
earth globe indicating that he had once conquered entire earth. Situated on the
cliff, the spot offers some good view. From Parshuram Bhumi (land) we started
towards Keshavraj which is the temple of Lord Vishnu. One has to take right
turn on Dapoli Anjarle road near Asud village. After descending through a place
called ‘Dabkewadi’, you reach the steps to Keshavraj temple situated at
hilltop. If you want homemade lunch you can book it in advance at few of the
houses below.
Way to Keshavraj:
Way to Keshavraj from Dabkewadi is really
beautiful and full of trees. Depicting the traditional konkan irrigation
system, sakav (bridge on the river) and many trees on hill slope it is really a
beautiful way. Number of visitors is not too high and hence the place has
maintained some tranquility. At the top there is unique water flow system that
runs on the 24*7 underground spring coming to surface. The flowing water comes
from hilltop through this path made of stones and exits through ‘Gomukha’ at
the temple.
View from the top is just awesome.
 |
| On the way to Keshavraj |
 |
| On the way to Keshavraj |
 |
| Keshavraj Temple |
 |
| Keshavraj Temple |
 |
| Water Arrangement at Keshavraj |
Taking the stairs down, we again reached Dabkewadi and had delicious homemade meal. You can get modaks if you order in advance.
We left from there at around 3:00pm and
started our journey back. We decided to take a different route passing through
Mahad - Varandha Ghat – Bhor – NH4 Pune. Take left from Dapoli ST stand to take
this route. On the way we visited Shivtharghal where 17th Century
sage Ramdas Swami wrote his famous scripture that is Dasbodh. Coming back
through Varandha Ghat was an awesome experience. Winding down through the ghat
we landed at Bhor. From there we took NH4 and reached home at 10:30pm.
 |
| View from Varandha Ghat |
 |
| At Shivtharghal |
 |
| View from Varandha Ghat |
Contacts:
New Swapna Sagar Niwas, Karde: +91 92716
59020
Garwa Beach Resort, Kolthare: +91 2358 285
232
Tourist places near Dapoli
Hi Reader, since I had taken a break from blogging
for sometime, I am writing this blog little late. This trip actually
took place in the year of 2017.
The month of May was approaching and a
group of us 4 friends again sat together to plan for another trip. Tired of
daily chores, we planned to make a two night three day trip in the beloved
konkan region. The region being unique and closer from Pune, it was accepted
unanimously. After discussing various destinations we narrowed down on the
Dapoli region.
Considering the popularity of beaches, we
chose weekdays for our trip so as to encounter minimum rush.
Day
1 (16th May 2017):
|
| Road to Mangaon from Tamhini Ghat |
On Tuesday the 16th we left
early morning at 5:30AM. We took the Tamhini Ghat route and chose Panhale Kaji
caves as our first destination. There are some spots like Mulshi lake that will
evoke the photographer in you. Since we had a professional photographer with
us, we had few photography sessions en route. Once you wind down the Tamhini Ghat,
your take left to continue for konkan. There is a small food joint at the
beginning where you can get decent breakfast items like Kanda poha and Vadapav.
Later on we continued to our first destination of Panhale Kazi.
|
| Breakfast |
How to reach Panhale Kazi:
From Tamhini
Ghat you reach to Mangaon which is first big town in Raigad district. Take left
once you enter the town and the road leads you to NH 17 i.e. Mumbai – Goa
highway. To reach Panhale - Kazi, continue straight till Khed. From Khed take
right diversion (ask locals for directions) to continue on a road Dapoli. Take
left at a place named Wakavali and you will start getting idea of how the
further travel will be. There is a left turn before Wakavali too which is not
advisable owing to poor road conditions. The road would suit a typical village
route initially which will later turn into a lonely road without much travellers.
Condition of the road is not so good since the spot is not yet a popular
destination. Also, since the connectivity is poor your own vehicle is
recommended. At the end the road goes literally roller coaster with beautiful
towns at its side.
Information
about Panhale Kazi:
These are a
collection of 29 caves that are buddhist and hindu caves. Most of them are in
dilapidated condition. There are some sculptures and idols present but not
enough to deduce the history of caves. These caves are cut through a single rock
thereby emphasizing the skill of the sculptors in those times (approximately
1000 years).
Some history I got from internet is as
following:
Creation of these caves started
approximately at the 3rd century AD, in time when influential merchants were
spreading the teaching of Buddha in India. Many large temples appeared near ancient
trade routes. Panhale Kaji was one of such temple complexes, located at busy
route from inland to Dabhol - one of the most important port cities at Arabian
Sea in these times. Dabhol has been marked even in maps of Ptolemy.
Later, around
the 10th - 11th century AD caves became a stronghold of small group of
followers to Vajrayana sect (Tantric Buddhism). Some of the earlier caves, for
example Cave 10, were adjusted for the worship of deities like Akshobhya and
Mahachandaroshana. Interesting monument of art is five Budha sculptures,
possibly representing Vajrasana Buddha - showing relatedness to iconography of
late Ellora
Buddhist Caves.
|
| On the Way To Panhale Kazi Caves |
Flowing parallel to caves is river. The name of the river remains unknown to us. Water levels were really low (lower than the knee) and once could easily walk to the rocks at the centre. The rocks and river overall offers a good food for your DSLR.
|
| Panhale Kazi Caves - 1 |
|
| Panhale Kazi Caves - 2 |
We left from the caves at around 2:30pm and came to Dapoli for lunch. There is a famous restaurant named Jagadish Lunch Home at Dapoli. Renowned especially for sea food, the place was really crowded. Since we had to move to next destination we had a lunch at another hotel called Chhaya Prakash. The food was okay but the place is not highly recommended.
|
| Near Anjarle |
|
| View from Near Anjarl |
There is a light house at the port which is an inevitable part of the port. Area surrounding the lighthouse looks awesome with waves slashing against the rocks.
|
| View from accommodation at Karde |
From Harne port, we came to Karde where our
accommodation was booked for the first night. We stayed at the New Swapna Sagar
Niwas owned by Jadhav family. Unlike photographs shown on the website, the
resort is not isolated and there is no privacy at all. There is a complete
array of resorts one besides the other with many visitors using loud music and
alcohol. So if you are looking for a serene location this is not the place. The
room was okay but the food was utter disappointment. It is advised to arrange
your dinner somewhere else if you are staying at this place. AC is available.
Day 2 (17th May 2017):
|
| Entrance to accommodation at Karde |
On the way back to Dhopawe, we visited a
fort named Gopalgad where a famous Marathi film Killa was shot. The fort is a
private property yet available for tourists. This place offers some good
scenery for photography and it still maintains some of its rustic look.
Approach road is very small and there are many twists and turns.
|
| Gopalgad Wall |
Just before Gopalgad, a diversion takes you
to the ‘Talkeshwar Light House’. It is a lighthouse common to the coastal
areas. Used as a signal to fisherman’s boats this lighthouse is available for
common people to visit between 3:00pm to 5:00pm at nominal fees. You can go to
the top of the lighthouse which offers an awesome panoramic view.
|
| Talkeshwar Light House Entrance |
|
| Talkeshwar Temple |
|
| Talkeshwar Temple |
|
| View from The Lighthouse |
From Gopalgad we came back to Dhopawe and
reached Dabhol via ferry boat. On Dabhol Dapoli road there is a diversion for a
coastal village named Kolthare where our stay for day 2 was planned. At
Kolthare we stayed at resort named Garwa Beach Resort. This resort was one
pleasant experience. Owned by Bhave family, this resort has spacious rooms,
ample empty space, coconut trees, hammocks, open shower and many more
facilities. The beach was almost deserted except one more group apart from us.
After beach we took stroll around the village. Kolthare still maintains the
traditional konkan looks through its homes and backyards. Mobile networks are
generally not available. The meal cooked by Garwa was really delicious. Three
of my friends had Veg thali while I opted for poplet thali and a poplet fry.
|
| Dining Area at Garva Resort |
|
| Backyard at Garva |
Next morning, after having breakfast of
Thalipith and Amboli (both recommended), we spent some time relaxing in the
backyard of the resort. Fortunately there was nobody in the resort except us
giving us the peaceful time. Being there on weekday can avail you this luxury.
We checked out at 10:45am.
|
| Parashuram Bhumi |
On
the way to Dapoli from Kolthare, there is a spot named Parshuram Bhumi (Legend
tells that it was Parshuram, a sage + warrior, who created the konkan land
pushing the sea back). There is s statue of Lord Parshuram standing on the
earth globe indicating that he had once conquered entire earth. Situated on the
cliff, the spot offers some good view. From Parshuram Bhumi (land) we started
towards Keshavraj which is the temple of Lord Vishnu. One has to take right
turn on Dapoli Anjarle road near Asud village. After descending through a place
called ‘Dabkewadi’, you reach the steps to Keshavraj temple situated at
hilltop. If you want homemade lunch you can book it in advance at few of the
houses below.
Way to Keshavraj:
Way to Keshavraj from Dabkewadi is really
beautiful and full of trees. Depicting the traditional konkan irrigation
system, sakav (bridge on the river) and many trees on hill slope it is really a
beautiful way. Number of visitors is not too high and hence the place has
maintained some tranquility. At the top there is unique water flow system that
runs on the 24*7 underground spring coming to surface. The flowing water comes
from hilltop through this path made of stones and exits through ‘Gomukha’ at
the temple.
View from the top is just awesome.
|
| On the way to Keshavraj |
|
| On the way to Keshavraj |
|
| Keshavraj Temple |
|
| Keshavraj Temple |
|
| Water Arrangement at Keshavraj |
Taking the stairs down, we again reached Dabkewadi and had delicious homemade meal. You can get modaks if you order in advance.
We left from there at around 3:00pm and
started our journey back. We decided to take a different route passing through
Mahad - Varandha Ghat – Bhor – NH4 Pune. Take left from Dapoli ST stand to take
this route. On the way we visited Shivtharghal where 17th Century
sage Ramdas Swami wrote his famous scripture that is Dasbodh. Coming back
through Varandha Ghat was an awesome experience. Winding down through the ghat
we landed at Bhor. From there we took NH4 and reached home at 10:30pm.
|
| View from Varandha Ghat |
|
| At Shivtharghal |
|
| View from Varandha Ghat |
Contacts:
New Swapna Sagar Niwas, Karde: +91 92716
59020
Garwa Beach Resort, Kolthare: +91 2358 285
232
In the wilderness of Phansad
Taking out
little time from your busy schedule to go on a trip always relaxes you.
Excitement is more if you are a travellophile (:P) and always looking
for
opportunities. We a group of five people, Prasad, Hemant, Vineet, Sagar
and myself Sunil, decided to spend a weekend at a
relaxed place around 4-5 hours drive from Pune. We narrowed down on
Nagaon, a
place near Alibaug. Nagaon is located at around half an hour distance
from Alibaug. Alibaug is also known for Late Kanhoji Angre, a Fleet
Marshal in 17th Century.
Unlike Alibaug, Nagaon still retains the natural beauty and traditional
Konkan
lifestyle to a certain extent. A beach frequented by many tourists, it
has a
clean water and shallow bottom thereby assuring high level of safety.
There are some basic water sports like parasailing and banana ride.
Nagaon provides access to popular spots like Murud-Janjira and Kashid
beach.
 |
| Our i10 |
Day 1: We
left early on 6:45 AM from Pune. Travelling by old Pune-Mumbai highway (NH4),
we took first stop at Lonavla. There is this simple place called Annapurna
which offers a decent vegetarian breakfast items at reasonable price. From
there we left for Nagaon and reached there at around 11:30 AM after covering
around 145 km.
We had
already booked a home stay named 'Dattasrushti' owned by Tarkar family at Nagaon .
The accommodation was located in the midst of coconut and other coastal trees.
The beautiful landscape was highly soothing especially while relaxing on the
hammocks tied to the trees.
Ours was a big room on the upper floor with sloping roof. There was empty space in front of the room with a table. They served us a delicious meal with Konkani flavor. Post lunch we left for Alibaug visit. The beach was very crowded and dirty and not much recommended. We spent the evening on the beach. We missed the sunset because of the cloudy weather.
 |
| Entrance to the accommodation |
 |
| Watering system in the backyard of Dattasrushti |
 |
| A well in the backyard of Dattasrushti |
 |
| A view from Dattasrushti |
Ours was a big room on the upper floor with sloping roof. There was empty space in front of the room with a table. They served us a delicious meal with Konkani flavor. Post lunch we left for Alibaug visit. The beach was very crowded and dirty and not much recommended. We spent the evening on the beach. We missed the sunset because of the cloudy weather.
A stroll on
the beach at night is must. The combination of sea and night sky is beautiful
(spare lights by coast guards).
 |
| Beach in the evening |
Nagaon
hosts few shops that specialize in typical konkan products like kokam, papad,
kadve vaal and many other things.
Mr. Tarkar: +91 96570 61200
Day 2: On
the second day, we traveled to nearby Akshi beach located at 10 min distance
by car from Nagaon. Akshi village and beach is less developed compared to
Nagaon. After returning we had a breakfast at Dattasrushti. Post that left for Phansad WildLife Sanctuary (PWLS) at around
10 AM. It is a sanctuary located at around 20-25km from famous Kashid beach and
around 40 45 km from Nagaon. On the way to Phansad we saw blackened water of
sea because of oil spill. However, the region is very good for photography.
We arrived at Phansad at 12 noon. After completing entry formalities, we started walking into the sanctuary. Bullock carts are also available, but we could not avail the service since there were 5 of us and the capacity of the cart is 4 people. First we decided to go to a place called ‘Phansad Gaan’ where a road lead through the forest. However we lost the way after walking certain distance.
Hence, we changed the destination to ‘Dharnachi Gaan’ located at 3km from the entry point by a regular route. The sanctuary is full of beautiful trees with moderately dense forest on both sides of the road. At a junction after 500m mark, there is a watch tower which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding. Near the tower there are blueberry trees offering few ripped fruits to bite on. Turning left from the junction, we started walking towards ‘Dharnachi Gaan’. On the way, we were continuously being accompanied by various forest sounds.
 |
| On the way to Phansad |
 |
| On the way to Phansad |
 |
| Phansad Map |
We arrived at Phansad at 12 noon. After completing entry formalities, we started walking into the sanctuary. Bullock carts are also available, but we could not avail the service since there were 5 of us and the capacity of the cart is 4 people. First we decided to go to a place called ‘Phansad Gaan’ where a road lead through the forest. However we lost the way after walking certain distance.
 |
| On the wat to Phansad Gaan |
Hence, we changed the destination to ‘Dharnachi Gaan’ located at 3km from the entry point by a regular route. The sanctuary is full of beautiful trees with moderately dense forest on both sides of the road. At a junction after 500m mark, there is a watch tower which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding. Near the tower there are blueberry trees offering few ripped fruits to bite on. Turning left from the junction, we started walking towards ‘Dharnachi Gaan’. On the way, we were continuously being accompanied by various forest sounds.
 |
| The Watch Tower |
 |
| View from the watch tower |
 |
| Blueberry fruits |
 |
| Dharnachi Gaan |
Important figures (In May 2015):
1.
Bullock
cart (3 km): Rs 250/-
2.
Bullock
cart (6 km): Rs 500/-
3.
Veg
meal: Rs 100/- per person
4.
Chicken
meal: Rs 150/- per person
5.
Fish
meal: Rs 250/- per person
6.
Car
parking: Rs 100/-
7.
Camera
fees: Rs 100/-
8.
Per
head entry fee: Rs 30/-
Mahila Bachat Gat for meal: +91 92255 66024
The place can be enjoyed more in the winters owing to the coastal climate. Accommodation in the tents at reasonable prices is also available.
Mahila Bachat Gat for meal: +91 92255 66024
The place can be enjoyed more in the winters owing to the coastal climate. Accommodation in the tents at reasonable prices is also available.
At 4 PM we
started the return journey. Instead of traversing the same route via
Kashid-Alibaug, there is alternate route via Roha-Mangaon-Tamhini which is the
closer route. We reached Pune from our
small ‘Expedition’ at around 7 PM.
South Goa: Silversand of Colva
Somewhere
in the middle of February, a group of we three decided to go for another trip
after successfully completing Kelshi-Diveagar trip chapter in November. The destination we
chose might look odd for the month of March. We chose South Goa where only one
of us had been to.
We
finalized the dates from 12th March to 15th March, a four day period. Having decided to station
at Colva and roam around from there, we did the accommodation arrangements in
advance. GTDC (Goa Tourism Development Corporation) has their beach resort
almost attached to Colva beach. We had a direct view of the seashore from the
balcony of the ground floor room we got (Room 110).
Situated at
approximately 40 km southwards from Panjim, Colva has got one of the best
beaches in Goa. A silver sand beach with cleanest water I had ever seen was
itself relaxing at first sight. Located approximately 5-6 km from Margao (having
interstate bus stand) it is one of the beaches frequented by foreign citizens. The beach is extremely
clean and well maintained. It has shacks (open in the evening) and water sports
for entertainment. Right outside the beach are multiple restaurants, resorts
and hotels. There is a shop selling clothes those are exclusively goan style
:P.
Day 1 (12th
March 2015):
We left from
Pune at 4:00 AM since we wanted to reach the destination on time.
Leaving early,
we got entire evening for a beach walk. Well known route from Pune to
Goa is
via Kolhapur-Amboli-Sawantwadi and then
into Goa. There is an alternate route via Chorlem (चोर्ले in the local
language) ghat. From Pune, we started on
NH4 and continued on it till Belgaum. On the way there is a restaurant
named Hotel Warna near Karad (Approx 170 km from Pune) which offers
excellent
Maharashtrian breakfast items like poha and missal. One must leave the
national
highway and drive on service road for that.
Travelling
on NH4 you will pass cities like Satara-Karad-Kolhapur and get into Karnataka to go to Belgaum
(110 km from Kolhapur). NH4 gives superb driving experience once you enter the
state of Karnataka.
Upon entering
into Belgaum you can ask for Chanamma circle and take right turn there. Going
forward one should continue till Piranwadi from where there is ‘Y’ shaped
diversion. Take the right turn towards Chorlem/Jambhoti. The road ahead is an excellent driving
experience with greenery on both sides and a very good quality road. After travelling for more than 50km the road
winds down in Sachelim (साखळी in local language) in Goa. Ask for Ponda (फोंडा in local language) city and then continue till
Margaon by bypassing Ponda city.
 |
| NH4 patch in Karnataka |
We reached
Colva at around 3 PM and after taking some rest, went to beach at around 6 PM. Ambiance
at sea side tables owned by shacks is really riveting and will recharge you
(with booze the process is faster :P !!). We had dinner at a place named
Lactancia (not the best one for sure) and then had nighttime stroll on the
seashore.
 |
| GTDC Resort |
 |
| View from the resort |
 |
| View from the resort |
 |
| View from the resort |
Day 2 (13th
March 2015):
We started
the day with breakfast at a place called '49ners'. The English
breakfast was the best deal for non vegetarians. Other options like
French omlets and aloo paratha for veggies were also tasty. Post
breakfast we went Miramar beach near Panjim. From there we went to Dona
Paula where a scene in Sigham was shot. There are couple of stops where
one would definitely love to spend time at.
 |
| Dona Paula |
 |
| Dona Paula |
 |
| Dona Paula |
After clicking few snaps we went to Old Goa to visit magnificent
structures of Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se’ Cathedral. Basilica of Bom
Jesus houses famous mummy of St. Francis Xavier which dates back to 16th Century.
 |
| Basilica of Bom Jesus |
 |
| Basilica of Bom Jesus |
 |
| Se' Cathedral |
Day 3 (14th
March 2015):
We had a
morning walk on the beach on the third day. After breakfast we went for what
turned out to be a religious day. Goan temples have huge buildings and
excellent architecture & interiors. One can visit them for admiring their
construction even if you are a not-so-religious person. Start going from Colva
to Panjim and on the way you will find boards for Shanta Durga and Mangeshi
temples. En route we visited multiple temples like Kapileshwari, Shanta Durga,
Ramnath, Nageshi and finally Mangeshi. All the temples have superb
architecture. We finished the day with some shopping we did for home.
Some Temples in Goa:
Day 4 (15th
March 2015):
We left
Colva at approximately 9:45 AM. Retracing the route by which we went, we
arrived at Belgaum first. A dish called tatte idli is quite famous over there.
You can search for ‘Tumkur Mess’ near Chanamma circle to have it. Coming back
there is a restaurant named ‘White House’ before you enter back in Maharashtra.
It has a very good location and view accompanied by decent food.
Travelling
from NH4 we reached home by 9:30 in the night.
 |
| Our Ritz |
Being in there
was a very good experience. Entire Goa is very clean and state highways &
even city roads have quality construction. Liquor and petrol is cheap like
anything. The beach has life guard to
ensure safety of tourists. It is definitely one of the best tourist
destinations in India.
Some
important information:
Link for
booking: http://goa-tourism.com/book-details.php?id=9
Ph No for booking: 0832-2438002/03
Kelshi: The Coastal Paradise
It
was around a month ago, when a thought suddenly struck my mind, that it had
been a lot of time since I last went for a trip with friends. That evening when
we met at our usual meeting place, I proposed a trip. All the three of us i.e.
myself, Devendra and Chaitanya, being highly enthusiastic about travelling and
visiting new places, the idea was picked up unanimously. We finalized the dates
15-16-17thNov 2014 looking at the availability of all and finally it
was the time to decide the location.
We
first decided to go to Kelshi, a village in the Ratnagiri district, located at
approximately 192 km from Pune.
Day 1:
 |
| Plus Valley |
We
decided to leave early in the morning at 5:00 AM, because you get substantial
part of the day once you reach the destination. So as decided we left Pune in
Devendra’s Indica early morning on 15th. It was raining heavily
which was totally uncalled for considering it was mid November. Rain was
affecting our visibility. Connecting to Mulshi Road from Chandani Chowk, we
started travelling steadily. By the time sun rose, we had reached close to
Tamhini ghat. Tamhini ghat is always a beautiful landscape early in the
morning. After having a usual chai+poha breakfast at a just opened snack
center, we started travelling again and had a halt at famous “Plus Valley” in
the ghat. There are four routes to enter the valley, one from each side, form a
‘+’ symbol thereby giving it the name.
Once
we started driving the winding roads of ghat, the scenery was getting
increasingly attractive. The ghat winds down in Raigad district, at Mangaon.
From Mangaon, Kelshi is approximately 80 km by road. Condition of the roads is
not that great, but still surroundings were treat for the eyes. We reached Kelshi
village at approximately 11 AM. We got an accommodation at Hotel Surabhi (PP:
Mr Naresh Vartak), which actually was a part of house modified into a hotel,
located in the Bapu Ali (lane). The room was available at 1000 Rs a night with
a bedding facility for four. Once we got settled and set our bags in the room,
we went out for a stroll and noticed that the lane was entirely untouched by
urban life.
 |
| Our Accommodation: Kelshi |
 |
| Our Accommodation: Kelshi |
Post
lunch we left for Keshavraj Temple located at Asud approximately at 35 km from
Kelshi. On the Kelshi – Asud road we need to turn left for Keshavraj. Once we
start walking through the lane with houses on both sides, you totally enter
into the realm of natural beauty. Once you walk down to the river and cross the
bridge (Sakav: as called in the local term), you start climbing for the temple.
The temple is located at a pretty lonely place and we three were the only
people over there. Following are few snaps of the temple that will explain it
to you better:
 |
| Way to Keshavraj |
 |
| Keshavraj Temple |
On
the way from Keshavraj, we went to Anjarle where there is a famous Lord
Ganeshatemple over the mountain, known popularly as ‘Kadyawarcha Ganpati’.
Enjoying scenic beauty on the way, we reached back to Kelshi at approximately
7:30 PM.
Day 2:
On
the 16thmorning, we left for Dive Agar, a famous destination in the
Raigad district. To experience something different, we had first planned to
travel by jetty. The jetty services are available at Bankot (approx 40km from
Kelshi) to travel to Harihareshwar. It is a travel time of 20-25 minutes.
Unfortunately, due to certain maintenance issues jetty service was not
available.
Hence
we decided to travel by road and reached there by 2:30 PM and had a delicious
lunch at a renowned place owned by Parkar family. Post that we booked a room at
Manas Resort nearby. In the evening, we went to Diveagar beach. That being a
Sunday evening most of the tourists were on their way back home. Beach had just
reasonable crowd.
After
spending some time taking photographs on the beach and taking strolls, we came
back to the resort we had booked. It was a spacious AC room available for 1300
Rs. For dinner we went to a restaurant names ‘Golden Dish’ which is established
just before we enter Diveagar.
 |
| Sunset at Diveagar Beach |
 |
| Starfish at Deveagar Beach |
 |
| Experts !! Please name the bird. |
Sitting in the balcony provided in the
late night with no sound and little light was really soothing.
Day 3:
On
17ththe Monday, we spent some time taking photographs around the
resort. We captured multiple types of hibiscus, a paradise flycatcher and a
purple sunbird. The area around the resort was really a haven for photography
lovers.
 |
| Multicolor Hibiscus |
 |
| Pink Hibiscus |
 |
| Supari Tree |
 |
| Purple Sunbird |
We left for Pune at around 12 Noon. After having a lunch at Mangaon and travelling back through Tamhini, reached Pune by
6:30 PM.
Contact
Numbers:
Mr Naresh Vartak (Kelshi): +91 96231
13162
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