MAHARASHTRA: 2010

GANESHGULE is a small beach village in RATNAGIRI district, very close from the town called PAWAS. The village has got 1 to 1 ½ mile seashore and the small, typical Konkani houses are right next to the beach. Ratnagiri disctrict is also famous for "alphonso mangoes" and one can see mango tree spread over acres around the village. Also coconut plantation is very common in this region and the beach's border is lined with the tall trees. From the beach we can see UTAMBER & HARNE which are the 2 villages on either sides of the beach. It is an extremely secluded, clean, beautiful virgin beach, however, it is right to take information from local people if one wants to go swimming.

This area is also known for the "Ganeshgule Temple". The temple is situated on a hill near the beach. It is said that this temple is older than the "Ganapatipule temple", which is also a popular tourist destination in KONKAN. The folklore is that the Ganesha Idol in the temple is "Swayambhu" (i.e. formed naturally). Trunk of the Ganesha in this temple is towards the west. An ancient well from supposedly the Pandava era is near the temple, which is failry deep but there are steps to reach the bottom.

Route from Mumbai

Mumbai to Ratnagiri on the National Highway 17 is 6-7 hour drive for a distance of 360 kms. Ganeshgule is 25 kms from Ratnagiri on the way to Devgad via Pawas. Once Pawas is gone by, take the first right turn. Althought there is board which says "Ganeshgule", it is easy to identify this road because it is narrow path on a wide open ground. Once passed through the open area the road broadens and goes uphill for the next 3-4 kms. Once halfway down the hill, the road breaks into 2 ways. The one on the left is straight for the beach and the Ganeshgule village about 1 km. The one on the right again goes uphill towards the Ganeshgule temple which is about 2 kms from there.

Places to Stay

Rantagiri has many luxury as well as budget hotels, from Rs 500/person/night to 4000/person/night.

Pawas also has guest houses and bed-n-breakfasts. Also, local people offer very tasty Konkani food for tourists at reasonable price.

PICTURES

Kashid is a beach town on the shores of Arabian Sea, in the Raigad district of North Konkan region in Maharashtra. The town is located at the foot of the hills in the Phansaad Wildlife Sanctury which lies in the East, 30km from Alibaug which is in the North, and 25km from Murud town in the South. With mainly paddy fields and rivulets forming most of the town, Kashid beach which is a 3km stretch of white sand tucked in between two rocky hillocks with Casuarina groves all around the seashore is the main attraction.

Although the beach is absolutely deserted on weekdays, the town can attract its fair share of week-end holiday makers. The waves here are unusually high and can be paradise for surfing. Parasailing, Surfing, Scooters and other watersports are available here for enthusiasts. The waves can reach a height 5-6 feet even during the non-monsoon months. However it is dangerously high during the monsoons and surfing is not recommending during the months of June to September. The climate is extremely hot and humid and can reach a maximum temperature of 38+ degrees celsius in the summer months of April & May. The ideal time to visit can be mid-October to mid-March.

There are a few small budget hotels near Kashid Beach within a range of Rs-600 to Rs-1500/person/night/inc. food. However, "Prakriti Hotel" is the only well-known 5-star resort, located right on the Beach, with tariff starting from Rs-3500/person/night. Besides, there are some options of bed-n-breakfast, lodging & boarding in the homes and guest houses of the local people.

While the train connectivity is not very good, the arrival of the Konkan Railway has ensured that this area is now more accessible.

The road access is very good:

140 km from Mumbai
130 km from Thane
110 km from Navi Mumbai (Vashi)
170 km from Pune (via Mulshi)
Around 170-180 Km from Pune (via Khopoli - Mumbai Pune Expressway)

Buses:

Buses plying regularly between Mumbai central - Murud halt at Kashid
Buses plying regularly between Thane - Murud halt at Kashid
Frequent service are available for Alibaug from Mumbai, Thane. From there buses are available for Murud which halts at Kashid village

Route from Pune: The Mulshi route does not have the best of roads. If you go via Khopoli, the distance is more or less the same and you get to use the expressway for better part of the journey. The route goes like:

Pune -> Express way to Mumbai (ask them for Khopoli exit, as you will pay lesser toll money) -> Keep cruising along the expressway till the Ghats -> In the Ghats, locate the Khopoli exit (it comes after the second tunnel) -> Reach Khopoli and from there take the road to Pen (may be marked as Alibaug as well) -> Once in Pen, pass through the town to reach Mumbai - Goa highway -> Keep moving towards Alibaug -> around 500 meters before Alibaug, take a left to a road for Murud or Revdanda -> From there, keep following the road towards Murud at every intersection -> Around 30 km after Alibaug (approx 25 km before Murud) you will reach Kashid

Route from Mumbai: Goa Highway from Panvel to Vadkhal Naka via Karnala -> At Vadkhal Naka take the road on the right towards Alibaug -> Just 500 meters before entering Alibaug town, take the signposted left towards Murud -> Around 30 km after Alibaug (approx 25 km before Murud) you will reach Kashid

PICTURES

View of Kashid Beach from the small hill on the way from Alibaug