Budget travel | Exploring coastal Konkan: Seafood, forts and water sports

Tarkarli Beach, one of the safest and cleanest Konkan beaches that can give Goa a run for its money. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

A trip to Mumbai and Goa would certainly be in the bucket list of any traveller to India’s Western coast. But ever tried the quaint little hamlets, pristine beaches and the multitude of gigantic fortifications tucked away between the swaying coconut trees along the picturesque Konkan coast between Mumbai and Goa? An interesting way to discover these hidden jewels would be a road trip.

The Alibaug-Murud-Ratnagiri-Ganpatipule belt in Konkan is one such tourist circuit that offers a range of perfect off-the-beaten-track weekend getaways, which are also pocket-friendly for the budget traveller. Quite popular among the Mumbai party crowd or the average Maharashtrian traveller, this exotic coastal offering remains somewhat camouflaged from the average Indian tourist.

Alibaug-Murud-Phansad

Alibaug fort and beach. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

So, the first stop in this journey would be Alibaug — a once-sleepy village, some 100 km from Mumbai by road (and half the distance by sea from Gateway of India), that has, over the years, grown into a busy town. Home to some sprawling farmhouses of Mumbai’s who’s who, Alibaug or Alibag still offers a rustic flavour, some fine beaches with unpolluted air and some quietude — ideal for a short break to rejuvenate after a tiring week.

In and around a 30-km radius, you can go beach-hopping at Kihim, Nagaon, Mandwa, Murud, Kashid, Akshi, Varsoli and Alibaug, which have a mix of sandy and rocky terrain. Mandwa is a name immortalised in the cult movie Agneepath (1990), starring Amitabh Bachchan, and then the 2012 remake with Hrithik Roshan, though both films were shot in different locations in Goa and Diu.

The secluded Akshi beach, a hot spot of migratory birds, is a favourite among both amateur birdwatchers and ornithologists.

Then there are the Kolaba, Murud-Janjira and Korlai forts, steeped in Maratha and Portuguese history.

The Murud-Janjira fort can only be accessed by ferry or boat. (Photo: Shravan Khare via Pexels)

The Kolaba (or Kulaba) and Murud forts, which have been battered by time and nature, lie a little off the shore. The Kolaba fort, a maritime base of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, can be accessed on foot during low tide. But you would need a boat or a ferry ride — for a fee, of course — to reach the highly-fortified and towering Murud-Janjira, which is located on an island, as the name suggests. The mighty walls and rusted canons of both the forts still stand testimony to their glorious past.

Black-legged Kittiwake, or Rissa tridactyla, on Akshi beach, Alibaug. (Photo: Vedant Kasambe via Wikimedia Commons)

The Portuguese-built Korlai fort with a lighthouse, which lies at a hilltop overlooking the Arabian Sea, is nestled amid a serene village whose residents still speak a Portuguese dialect, and can be a hiker’s delight — offering spectacular views of the surroundings.

Remains of the Portuguese-built Korlai Fort, Alibaug.

If you can stretch it a little further, a visit to the Phansad wildlife sanctuary in Raigad district, some 40 km from Alibaug and a little inland, is worthwhile. The sanctuary, once a hunting reserve of the princely state of Murud-Janjira, has nearly 300 species of birds, animals and reptiles, including leopards.

What to do

All these locations can be explored by keeping Alibaug as a base. If you are not driving, state buses are available from Mumbai, Pune, Panvel and other towns to Alibaug, from where you can rent autos, bikes and shared cabs.

Activities include beach camping, water sports, hiking, treks, etc. Budget hotels, guest houses, home stays and tents that start as low as Rs 1,000 per night are available all along the beaches and their neighbourhoods. If you are a foodie, don’t miss out on the pure Maharashtrian delicacies and Konkani-style seafood, apart from the usual street snacks such as misal pav, vada pav or usal pav.

Winter months are the best time to visit but if you are planning a trip for the year-end, it’s better to book a place in advance as it can get quite crowded. Some people, though, try monsoon tourism.

Ratnagiri-Ganapatipule

Ganapatipule Beach, Ratnagiri. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

A couple of days would be enough to explore Alibaug and its vicinity, from where you can head to the next alluring stop along the Konkan coastal belt — Ratnagiri-Ganpatipule, located some 270 km away.

Unlike Alibaug, which gets decent footfall all the time owing to its proximity to Mumbai, the tourist spots in the Ratnagiri belt — the birthplace of freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak — are a little sequestered in comparison but scores several notches higher in beauty with mighty forts, heritage spots, spotlessly clean white sandy beaches, and mesmerising lush-green hilly landscapes. But the isolation is what works in favour of those who would prefer a quieter holiday over a party crowd.

You can park yourself in two spots — either in Ratnagiri city and roam around or go Ganpatipule, a sleepy village of a few hundred houses, right by the sea, around 30 km away. Getting to Ratnagiri via public transport is quite easy as it is a prominent railhead on the Mumbai-Goa route. Buses are available from all nearby towns and cities. Cabs, autos and bikes are available on rent to move around locally.

Key tourist spots around Ratnagiri include the horseshoe-shaped Ratnadurg housing a Bhagawati temple and a lighthouse, quite a common sight along the entire coastal belt, or the 16th century Jaigad Fort, which overlooks the sea. In fact the entire Maharashtra belt — from the coasts to the ghats — is lined up with fortifications — a stark reminder of the region’s military and eventful past.

But the USP of the region lies in its majestic beaches that are flanked by rugged hilly terrain on the one side and the roaring Arabian Sea on the other. Ganpatipule, Bhandarpule, Are Ware, White Sea, Mandavi, Bhatye, Advika, Malgund, and, true to its name, the Senerity Waves beach in Punli — the list is endless.

Prachin Konkan Museum, Ganapatipule. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

But most tourists prefer to stay in and around Ganpatipule as Ratnagiri town is a little towards inland. Bang on the beach in Ganpatipule, MTDC runs a beautiful resort, but getting a room could be a little difficult unless you book in advance.

But the show stealer of Ganpatipule is the 400-year-old Ganesha temple on the beach, from which the place derives its name. During high tide, the waves enter the temple campus, right up to the steps.

Thiba Palace, Ratnagiri. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Other places of interest in and around a 30 km radius of Ranagiri are the Prachin Konkan Museum, Magic Garden, Shree Mahalakshmi’s House of Wax, Jai Vinayak Temple, Kavi Keshavsoot Smarak, Marine aquarium and museum, Velneshwar Shiva temple, Purnagad Fort, Parshuram temple, Bamanghal, Thiba Palace, originally made for the Burmese king Thibaw in exile, etc.

What to do

The entire belt offers a variety of budget hotels, guesthouses and homestays offering Konkani, Malvani and Kolhapuri vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. Specialities are amboli, ambapoli, solkadhi, etc.

Malvani fish thali. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

In comparison to Alibaug, seaside sporting activities are a little limited but at some points, scuba diving, paramotoring, and paragliding are available. For hikers and trekkers, the rugged terrain does offer some serious adventure.

If you are a little laidback, Ganapatipule-Ratnagiri is the perfect destination for you. Just laze around by the sea, read a book, sit beneath the swaying coconut trees, sip a drink, stare at the waves or just sleep.

October to March is the best time to visit but the monsoons are a completely reinvigorating experience for those who dare to get soaked to the bones.

Malvan-Tarkali

The last leg of the Konkan trail ends up in the most picturesque of them all — the Malvan coastline that hosts the Sindhudurg fort and the picture-perfect Tarkali beach, which would give Goa a run for its money — any time.

Malvan town, which is just 5 km from the Tarkali beach, is about 160 km from Ganpatipule and 145 from Goa. The nearest rail stations are Kudal, around 30 km away, and Sindhudurg, almost the same distance.

Activities galore

Because of its clear, blue waters, Tarkali and its surrounding beaches are a haven for water sports activities that are sure to give you an adrenaline rush if you are adventure lover.

Banana ride, jet ski, bumper ride, snorkelling, kayaking, water scooter, parasailing, scuba diving, dolphin watching sea rides, fly boarding, speed boat — you name it. The cost per person would vary from Rs 800 to Rs 2,000, depending on what you choose.

Nivati, Kolamb, Chivla, Achara, Devbagh, Malvan, Tarkarli, Talhasil and Wairy Ubhatwadi are some of the popular sandy beaches in and around 10-15 km.

And if you can find time from the sporting bonanza and still have energy left, you could explore the Sindhudurg fort, located on an island, just like the Murud-Janjira. Built by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the fort — spread over 48 acres, with a 3km rampart — can be accessed by boat, for a nominal fee, of course.

Sindhudurg Fort. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Accommodation is plentiful in Malvan by virtue of it being a popular destination with budget hotels, homestays and resorts offering spicy and mouth-watering Malvani seafood.

A few years ago, Tarkarli and its surroundings were not easily accessible but as Goa gets awfully crowded and more expensive, the Konkan belt offers the budget and family traveller an equally enthralling experience with full value for money. The entire tour from Alibaug to Malvan can be completed within a week — and without pinching your pocket too much.

You can opt for the entire tour at one go or break it up as per your convenience but do not miss out on this fun-filled experience. So, this year-end, be sure to put Konkan in your bucket list.