Murud- Dapoli

So here I am, back with another Beach story. I love beaches and hence, I love exploring them.

What I like about the Konkan beaches is that they are not really known to a lot of tourists. And, as opposed to most beaches in North Goa, which have lately become extremely filthy, Konkan beaches are fairly clean.

Dapoli is a small town situated on the Konkan belt of Maharashtra. The village I visited is known as Murud (not to be confused with Murud- Janjira) which lies in the Ratnagiri district. If you want to go on an exotic vacation, this place is not for you. The simple life here is what attracted me to this small village.

From Dapoli, as you enter Murud, the roads gets narrower and you see a considerable amount of coconut trees around you. As you get further, you see traditional houses, with peculiar roofs, situated close to each other. Once in a while, a cow might come in your way and refuse to move ;)

Dapoli does not offer any exquisite accommodation option owing to it being still pretty unexplored as a tourist spot. There are small hotels offering fairly basic stay options. But I personally love to stay in the home-stays. The locals have basically converted a portion of their home into an accommodation for tourists. It’s here where you get the “Real” feel of being in Murud.

The Home-stays offer home-made food and that too on your request. Be it the traditional fresh fish preparations, the Chicken – Wade or the Modaks, Home-stays offer you great options that are tailor made to your requirement. Whether you are a vegetarian, non-vegetarian or a fishitarian, Murud offers something for everyone.

Coming to the beach, as I said, clean, blue water and if you go in the off-season, you may be the only one on the beach :) There are some water activities on the beach and you might as well feel like indulging in some. The most exciting experience is the Dolphin ride. You are taken into the deep sea and you DO spot dolphins jumping around. OKAY, it may not be like the one abroad, but you get the thrill once in the sea. Oh yes, Dolphin ride is obviously early morning when the sea is considerably calm. What I extremely love doing on the beach is enjoying the evenings on the beach. The changing colors of the sky, the setting sun, the cool breeze and the water waves, it is the most healing thing ever.

There are a number of places to visit around Dapoli. There are other similar beaches like Asud, Karde, Harnai, Dabhol and Anjarle. You can even visit the fort Suvarnadurg which is situated in water.

Murud is a place you can visit with family or with friends. The best time to travel is from October to February when the weather is pleasant. Summers get hot and Konkan experiences a fair amount of Rains in Rainy season

Accommodation: Saaj Bungalow, Lotus Beach Eco Resort

Travel by Road: The most preferred would be a private vehicle. Dapoli is about 240 Kms from Mumbai (NH-17- Mumbai-Goa highway)

Travel by Train: Closest station is Khed. Dapoli is 40 kms away

Happy Peregrination :)

God's chosen Paradise- Ganapatipule

Situated on the coastal region of Maharashtra, in the Konkan region of Ratnagiri district, lies a breathtakingly beautiful town of Ganapatipule. If one wants to sum up Ganapatipule in three words, it would be, Divine, Serene, Unreal.

As one enters Ganapatipule, you know you are in a place unreal. This small town lies between the Blue Arabian Sea and the Sahyadri mountains. As soon as you approach the town, you can see the awe-inspring view of the sea from uphills, and Oh boy!! Is it beautiful or what!

The name Ganapatipule actually comes from the Ganapati temple that is situated on the beach (Yes! Beach). It is said to be a "Swayambhu" temple, that is, the Idol is not man made. Ganapatipule has always been a famous pilgrimage for the people located on the Konkan District, but lately, it has been fast catching up as a tourist destination as well. 

For people who are not so much into the pilgrimage part, the beaches here are extremely clean, unexplored and the sand is actually white. (Amazing, ain't it?). There are three beaches which lie approximately 2 kms apart from each other. The main Ganapatipule beach is slightly crowded owing to the tourists visiting the temple. The other two are Malgund and Arey-warrey. I personally like the Malgund beach. The beach is pretty unexplored. Less number of tourists come to this beach, hence, the beach is clean. There are some water activities as well, like the Banana Boat, Bumpy ride, Jet-Ski and the Quad-bikes. Not very professional, but good enough.

What I extremely love is the sea route that takes you from Ganapatpule to the town of Ratnagri. The road passes through Mountains on one side and the Arabic Sea on the other. Very unlike India!

The food mainly is Maharashtrain coastal food, with variety of fish preparations and Vegetarian options. Remember that when in Rome, do as the Romans. Do not order Chinese or Punjabi dishes over here. You would definitely be disappointed. Go for the traditional Malvani cuisine and make your stomach happy. Try the Kokam preparations and if you go in the season of Summer, don't forget the Alphonso Mango :). Also try the "Khanavals" that is the small home-run eateries. They would not offer you a fine-dine option, but definitely good food at affordable price.

There are an umpteen number of options available to stay in Ganapatipule to suit your pockets. I personally love the MTDC resort and Hotel Abhishek for the sheer view they offer. Both need to be booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Travel: 

By Road-Take Luxury Buses available from Mumbai to Ganapatipule or hire a tourist car

By Rail- Take a train till Ratnagiri and then auto, bus or tourist car till Ganapatipule

Stay:

MTDC resort, Hotel Abhishek,

Happy Peregrination People :)