25 Dec 2021 – 1 Jan 2022
We have done Konkan Coast in different trips.
First trip was Alibaug – kashid, which we had visited 2 years ago, 21 June 2019. Click here to CHECK OUR ALIBAUG EXPERIENCE. This page is dedicated to our 2nd trip to Konkan. Itinerary is mentioned here –
MUMBAI – RATNAGIRI – GANPATIPULE – VIJAYDURG – KUNKESHWAR – TARKARLI.
Where is it located?
- Konkan is the Coastal plain in the West of India, adjoining the Arabian Sea, majorly in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa.
- The Konkan Coast extends from Daman to Goa to South Karnataka as well; though Mumbai to Goa is the most travelled path for tourists visiting Konkan.
- It is a 720 km long coastline.
- The Mumbai – Goa road trip pretty much covers the entire Konkan coastline.
How to reach here?
- It is well connected by roads, use NH 66 and then exit to whichever location one wants to visit.
- Start driving along the coast from Guhagar to enjoy the beautiful ocean view all the way till Goa, taking muliple halts along the way.
- May use the Chipi/ Sindhudurg airport in Malvan.
- Konkan railways is the best way to travel to Konkan – the 2 superfast trains are Tejas Express and Jan Shatabdi express from Mumbai, the latter even offering a vistadome coach with a 360 degree view.
Best time to visit
Konkan can be visited any time of the year. As it is located on the coast, it has a moderate climate. Winters should be preferred if in case you are planning to be out in the sun the whole day. Summer sun can be really hot.
What to do?
Beaches… Beaches ….. and more Beaches.
What and Where to eat?
All along the coast, sea food is very popular. Fresh salt water fish is quite popular. Since we are vegeterians, I can not give you more details about the sea food.
What we did?
After our very successful visit to Alibaug in 2019; now in 2021, we are travelling again to Konkan again. Our itinerary is as follows –
- Mumbai – Ganpatipule, via Tejas express from Mumbai – Ratnagiri (2 nights – 3 days) – stay at MTDC Resort
- Travel through the coastal route from Ganpatipule to Tarkarli, Malvan
- On way stops at Pawas, Vijaydurg Fort, Kunkeshwar temple.
- Tarkarli, Malvan (3 nights 4 days)
On this page, I will describe our Ganpatipule and Konkan coastal drive experience, you may browse through the Tarkarli link for more details about our experience here.
So, as I mentioned earlier in my Alibaug diaries, this Konkan road trip was planned in my mind at that time itself and finally now executing it after 2 years in Dec 2021. Let the journey begin …..
Our Ganpatipule experience.
Mumbai – Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri is located in the State of Maharashtra, India. Ganapatipule is 25 kms away from Ratnagiri, along the Konkan Coast.
- By Air – Nearest airport is Ratnagiri airport
- By Rail – Nearest Railway station is Ratnagiri (approximately 6 hrs from Mumbai)
- By Road – Well connected to all major cities in India. Approximately 5 hrs from Mumbai
We have booked Tejas Express (#22119) from Mumbai to Ratnagiri. It starts from Mumbai CST 5:50 am, another stop being Dadar at 6:00 am. We board the train from Dadar station. The train starts at 6:02 am (Yes !! It stops just for 2 minutes, so be prepared to board the train with your luggage with full velocity), and our coastal journey begins.
The spellbinding view from the train keeps us glued to our windows and time just seems to fly by. The stations we encounter are THANE, PANVEL, CHIPLUN (9:37 AM) and RATNAGIRI (11:00 AM). From Ratnagiri station, there are several ways to reach Ganpatipule, one of them is via the Autorickshaw. We booked an autorickshaw for Rs 250, and took us around 45 minutes to reach our MTDC resort. On the way the driver even stopped at a stall for some unforgettable view of the Aare ware beach (see the picture below), while we gulp down sweet and cooling fresh coconut water here.
What to do here ?
Ganapatipule is popular for 2 things – its pristine beaches and the Swayambhu (self-manifested) West- facing temple. The beach is clean and water see-through, it is one if few white sand beaches in Maharashtra. Ideal for sun bathing and water-sports activities. And of-course, sea food for all non-vegetarians.
There is a very beautiful beach near Ganpatipule by the name “Aare ware”. It is one of the cleanest ones and with lesser crowd and not as commercial as this one. One can see it on the way from Ratnagiri to Ganpatipule.
If you are someone who collects shells for home decor like me, then would highly recommend that you take some shells as memories from this beach. A few beaches in Tarkarli have a fairly good collection of these nature’s wonder on their beaches as well.
What to eat?
Ganapatipule/ Konkan is known for its delicious sea-food. Kokum kadhi (sol kadhi) and Modak are a MUST TRY here. Other Marathi delicacies you should try – Misal pav, Masoor lentils curry, Vada pav, Sabudana khichdi, Zunka bhakar/ Pitla and alphonso mango products (fresh mangoes will be available during April – June, rest of the year you can buy canned mango pulp and other preserved mango products). What I have mentioned here are vegetarian delights as I am a vegetarian.
What we did?
Our rail tickets are booked on Tejas Express – Western Railway Zone of Indian Railways. Tejas express is a super fast no-hassle train, and on schedule most of the times. It starts from Dadar Central station, Mumbai at 6.00 am and reaches Ratnagiri station at 11.00 am. From here we took an auto up to our resort. We have booked the MTDC Resort, it is an amazing beach property with a lot of rooms and strategically located.
We enjoyed beaches to the fullest.
It is a very spiritual experience to watch sunset from the beaches. We would get up early to walk and run; to experience the transition from dark to dawn to twilight and eventually sunlight. Since it would be hot in the afternoon, we would retreat in our rooms and relax. We would hit the beach again after afternoon hi-tea, and stay here till long after the sun has gone beyond the horizon.
REVIEWS OF MTDC RESORT
I will give 5 stars to the MTDC resort in Ganpatipule. The property is located right on the beach. All rooms are beach facing and we can reach the beach just after a 2 minute walk. Both the restaurants here are very good. It is ideal for families as the kids could hop TO and FRO from the beach as per their plans and not wait for parents to drive them.
It is a very big property having different types of rooms. The food here is also very good, they quality of the MTDC resort restaurant has been maintained.
What we did not do, but maybe you could
- We tried booking our tickets in the Jan Shatabdi express – Vistadome coach but they were booked, so try and book in advance if you want to experience that.
- We did the The Coastal road drive from Ratnagiri to Tarkarli, however the route is not as simple as shown on google. Although google will show 4 hrs 40 mins, the condition of the roads will ensure that you take 2 more hours to reach Tarkarli.
- So, to take a break journey I would recommend staying at the MTDC resort in Kunkeshwar. Visit the temple here as well which is very popular amongst the locals. And then the next day proceed for Tarkarli.
Traveller Tips
- The beaches at Ganpatipule and Aare ware are definitely much cleaner than the ones at Tarkarli, maybe because there is a lot of commercial activities like water sports happening at Tarkarli. There are a few beaches at Tarkarli/ Malvan which are clean as well and where we could spend a good amount of time. Visit the TARKARLI link for more information.
- If you are someone like me who has a good intake of fresh fruits throughout the day, then a warning for you – THERE ARE NO FRUIT VENDORS ANYWHERE IN GANAPATIPULE. So, you either buy fruits from Ratnagiri, (we bought from Ratnagiri railway station) or carry fruits and fruit juices from your home town.