Shrivardhan. Our last stop on the Maharashtra Coast.

We visited the beach first when we arrived to Shrivardhan. It was not the cleanest beach we had visited so far but was quiet considering that there were still quite a few people hanging out on the beach and splashing about in the water. It looked like a nice place. People were friendly and helpful. We checked out a few places to stay close to the beach but they were all either closed or too expensive, so we headed towards the quiet village nearby.

Stopping at a huge banyan tree that was growing in the middle of the road leading to the beach.

In the village, the first place we checked was bargained down to a minimum of 800 Rupees (over budget again!) but the room was so nice that we decided to treat ourselves! We had both more or less decided that the time had come to should start moving inland and away from the coast, and Shrivardhan was a good starting point to get onto the highways that would lead us eastwards to the town of Nashik. We unloaded the bike and got settled in before heading for a walk to the beach.

Shriv Shrushti Guesthouse. 4 nice rooms.

Our room.

There was a Betelnut Reseach Institute in the village with loads of Betelnut palms growing everywhere.

Along the way we met some schoolgirls heading home and passed by the fishing village before finally reaching the dark sandy beach. We walked along the shore taking in the sights and enjoying the breeze before watching our last coastal sunset.

Fishing boats on Shrivardhan beach.

A huge fishing fleet just offshore.

Enjoying our last stroll along the beach.

The huge expanse of dark sand at Shrivardhan.

Our last sunset on the Maharashtra coast, western India.

That night we had a terrible experience. At about midnight, we noticed that our window (directly above the bed) was open and someone was there looking at us! Rick shouted and the guy left, but even after switching on the lights and making sure the windows were securely locked, we both were a bit frightened. This was the first time that we did not feel secure since we arrived in India 4 months ago and it felt terrible.

In the morning we both felt a bit strange. We packed up our stuff quickly and left  feeling bittersweet about our last night on the Maharashtra coast that had started so well, and ended so badly. Anticipating the next part of our journey being a completely different one, we set off eastwards and inland to our next stop, Nashik.

On the Road. Karde to Shrivardhan. The Worst Road so far in India!

For a relatively short stretch, the terrible condition of the coastal road made this trip a very long one. We set off late from Karde, after giving the bike a quick wash and eating a delicious breakfast. Little did we know what was in store for us! Rick and i both agreed that although we passed more stunning scenery of shorelines, fishing villages and endless mango plantations, so far, this part of the road in coastal Maharashtra was the worst we had ridden on in India. Although we passed by more of the beautiful landscapes that we had become accustomed to in Maharashtra, the journey was one of our toughest in terms of road conditions to date. In spite of this i was also feeling a bit sad that our coastal views would soon be replaced as we start making our way inland and onwards to Nepal.

Clothes out to dry on the rocks overlooking a massive beach.

Boats getting fixed on a muddy bank further up the river.

Passing by Kelshi town. Unpaved, dusty mud roads. We didn’t even stop to check the beach here.

Bad roads in Kelshi town.

Getting onto our final ferry for this part of the trip.

And off towards our next destination, Shrivardhan, close to the ferry stop.

We didn’t get very far. It was bumpy riding, so by the time we reached the first ferry crossing, we were sore and tired. We had a rest while waiting for the ferry workers to finish their lunch break and after we had crossed over, we were so exhausted that we decided to start looking around for a place to stay in one of the small villages in the area. We had yet another delicious thali in the small town of Shrivardhan and discovered that there was a beach and fishing village nearby which had some guesthouses and home stays. So this little place became our last stop on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.

Picking up some local fruits in Shrivardhan. Ciku and pears.

Shrivardhan beach. Like all the other beaches we visited in Maharashtra, it was a wild, huge expanse of sand.

Karde Beach.

We immediately had a good feeling when we arrived at Karde beach. All of the long-weekend holiday-makers had left by the time we arrived and the village, full of home stays, was deserted. Most of the rooms in the village (on the beach) were around 800 Rupees. Expensive by our standards. So we continued on the road heading inland, and stopped at a Hotel not too far from the beach. Shining Sagar Hotel (the sign was in the local language) was almost empty and its breezy balcony persuaded us to stay when it was clear that we were not going to find a room for less than what we had found in the village. The owner, Shree, could speak a little English too, which was a plus.

Our place, ‘Shining Sagar Hotel’, and its signboard; only in Marathi language I’m afraid.

The view of Karde beach from our balcony.

Our gracious host, a really nice guy who can scrape by a conversation in English!

After a quick shower, we headed for an evening walk along Karde beach, which was almost deserted. It was windy and a little chilly, but we watched the sun disappear before heading back to the hotel for dinner, which was absolutely delicious. We had another Malvani thali and a tasty omelet in the hotel and both meals impressed Rick and i.

A puppy sitting among the roots of pine trees that have been eroded away.

We had a very windy evening walk on Karde beach.

Selfie on Karde beach!

Pretty patterns in the sand left by the waves on Karde beach.

The next morning, we woke up early to give the bike a wash, before packing and having breakfast. Taking our own sweet time, we set off on our way northwards again, bidding our farewell to Karde beach and not knowing where our next stop would be.

Even the omelet we had for breakfast at Shining Sagar Hotel was delicious with just the right amount of herbs.

Giving the bike a quick wash before leaving Karde.

Past Ratnagiri and the Northern Maharashtra Coast.

From Kalvadevi beach, we were not sure how much further north we would be able to reach that day, as we were not sure about the road conditions. The road turned out to be pretty good, but at some point it just came to an abrupt end! We were pleasantly surprised to find that we would be crossing over some parts of the coastal rivers by ferry.

A packed ferry approaches from the other side of the river-mouth.

The ferry rides were pretty inexpensive, with prices of around 70 – 90 Rupees for the two of us and the bike. We took 2 ferries the day we drove from Ganpatipule to Dapoli and both were crowded with vehicles and people, it being the last day of a long weekend. They were professional and efficient and indispensable to the people living and traveling in the area.

Loading a bus onto the ferry.

Getting the bike off the ferry at the same time as the bus.

We passed by countless white sandy beaches that seemed to go on forever, fringed with pines tress and swaying palms interspersed with rivers, mango plantations and fishing villages.

Early morning scenes near Ganpatipule beach.

The coastal road gave us some spectacular views of the white sandy beaches that seemed to stretch on forever.

One of the shops near Ganpatipule absolutely brimming with stuff.

A little beach we passed that was dotted with rocks.

Low tide at one of the many fishing villages we passed by.

Another white sand beach we passed on the way to Dapoli.

Our initial plan was to try to make it past the town of Dapoli to a place we had read about called Kelshi beach. However, all the local people we met throughout the day told us that Murud and Karde beaches were much better with more choices for accommodation. By the time we had arrived in Dapoli, it was too late to try and make it further north to Kelshi, so we decided to check on the information we had picked up during our journey and headed to Murud beach.

We stopped in the town of Dapoli for some refreshments before heading to Murud and Karde beaches.

Murud beach was still pretty crowded in the afternoon although people had already started leaving to return back home after a holiday away. It was large and long but lacked the beauty of the previous beaches we had already visited. Feeling a bit disappointed and beginning to doubt the information we had been given, we headed further along to Karde beach and it was there we decided to stop.

The gorgeous Karde beach.

Kalbadevi beach near Ganpatipule. Working our way up the Maharashtra Coast.

We left Tarkarli feeling positive about what was to come on our trip up north along the Maharashtra coast. The coastal road wound up through rivers, arid inland areas and small villages, and when we arrived in the main town of Ratnagiri, we took a break for some food. After Ratnagiri, we headed to Ganpatipule beach, but the small roads were congested with local tourists (it being a long weekend), so we turned back and stopped at a small beach near the tiny village of Mayekar that we had seen on our way.

Crossing one of the many rivers flowing to the sea.

I’ve never seen this road sign before!

A demonstration (complete with riot police) at a small town we passed by on the way to Ganpatipule protesting against the construction of a nuclear power plant nearby.

Protest painting on the road towards Ganpatipule protesting against the construction of the proposed nuclear power plant.

I enjoyed this delicious Pav Bhaji during our break in Ratnagiri.

The coastal road passes by some beautiful beaches after Ratnagiri.

At 800 rupees a night, Samarth ATC was a bit over our budget for accommodation. However, we had a large clean room with hot water in our attached bathroom and slept so well to the sound of the waves, that we couldn’t complain.

Kalbadevi beach near Ganpatipule. Wild and undeveloped.

The signboard of our guesthouse, Samarth ATC.

Samarth ATC guesthouse along the road to Ganpatipule. A small place with two rooms and two tents.

Our room in Samarth ATC near Kalbadevi beach.

The beach was completely deserted apart from a few locals, the other people staying in our guesthouse and carts being filled up with sand. Kalbadevi beach is not even on our map! The sea was rough and the beach looked wild dotted with fallen pine trees. It was quiet, serene, windy and natural and we felt lucky that we had managed to avoid the crowds in Ganpatipule.

Men filling up carts with sand for construction.

Kalbadevi beach just before sunset, fringed by pine trees and almost deserted.

Sunset on Kalbadevi beach.

We left early in the morning after a quiet walk along the beach, deciding to have breakfast further along the road.

Taking an early morning stroll along Kalbadevi beach

Saying our goodbyes to Mr. Manish, the owner of our guesthouse after a restful night.

Tarkarli.

It was in Tarkarli that we discovered that it was a long weekend for Indians as it was their Republic Day on Monday. Everywhere was full (or fully-booked) with holiday-makers from Mumbai, even the tiniest of guesthouses and home stays. After checking in more than 5 places, one of the guys from the village helped us out by calling one of his friends who had just had a cancellation, and by luck, we had a room in Swati Nyahari Niwas, a Malvani home stay.

The beautiful sandy beach at Tarkarli.

Our basic room at Swati Nyahari Niwas Home Stay.

More rooms at Swati Nyahari Niwas Home Stay.

Spending the afternoon relaxing in a hammock at our home stay. It doesn’t get any better than this!

We had a great time in Tarkarli. Firstly, the family we were staying with were really nice people and even though there was an obvious communication problem, smiles and good vibes ensured we felt welcome and at home. The beach was spectacular. Completely deserted in the middle of the day, the impressive expanse of white sand at Tarkarli is clean and is fringed with swaying palm trees and a pine forest. It was in Tarkarli that we also tasted our first home-cooked Malvani thali, which was absolutely delicious.

Local tourists enjoying boat trips along the mouth of the river in Tarkarli.

A fishing boat on Tarkarli beach near the pine forest.

Fishermen fixing their nets further up the beach in Tarkarli.

Sea birds taking a break on the shoreline.

A simple wooden canoe we found on the beach.

The menu board at the home stay’s restaurant was alien to us but we still managed to enjoy delicious home-cooked meals.

In the kitchen with the ladies.

Enjoying our very first Malvani thali. Delicious!

One night in Tarkarli was definitely not enough, but we had to keep making our way northwards to ensure we had enough time to make it to Nepal before my Indian visa expired. Tarkarli, for us is definitely a place to come back to and maybe stay for a month or two!

Sunset on Tarkarli beach.

A promise to return.

The Maharashtra Coast.

We left Arambol, Goa, after our last breakfast at the popular German bakery, knowing that it would be a while till our next chocolate croissant! We had read that the Maharashtra coast was very different from Goa in terms of accommodation options as well as choices for food.

Blink and you’ll miss it. One of the older road signs that was easy to drive past!

One of the newer signboards.

Stopping to enjoy the view. One of the many bridges we crossed.

This time, instead of planning our next stop, we thought we would drive through the coastal roads, heading north to Mumbai, until we found a place we liked without stressing ourselves out too much. We crossed the border between Goa and Maharashtra without realising it, and passed through some really beautiful scenery. Before long, we reached Vengurla, a sleepy little fishing village, less than 70 kms from Arambol, which was deserted. There were a few accommodation options, but Rick and i decided to keep going as we felt like we hadn’t spent long enough on the bike and the coastal roads were in good condition (compared to the bumpy ride we had around Jalagaon and Aurangabad we had experienced further inland in Maharastra).

Vengurla beach. Unspoilt beauty just a stones-throw away from hectic Goa.

Compared to Goa, Maharastra was wilder, more natural and less built up. The further away from Goa, the less foreigners you see, and as the coastal road winds inland, you drive through acres of mango plantations, which produce the world-famous Alfonso mangoes. The many secluded beaches that cover the coastline and stretch on for kilometers are dotted with beautiful little fishing villages, and in some places, the only accommodation options available are homestays with local families. Along this part of the Konkan coast, Marathi is the main spoken language, with Hindi and English (if you are very lucky) speakers few and far between. As you drive further north, even the road signs in English become scarce!

We rode past an airport under construction near Chipi.

We had read about Malvan and Tarkarli, both close to each other, being comparable to Tahiti (the guidebook said that this was not an exaggeration),  so we continued on our way. Once we arrived at Malvan, we were disappointed. It was a Saturday, but we had not anticipated the number of local holiday-makers on the roads and Malvan was packed! On top of that extensive roadworks were in progress in this booming town so we stopped for a break near the beach feeling unimpressed, before heading 5 kilometers down the coastal road to Tarkarli. We drove down to take a look at the stunning white sand beach and decided that Tarkarli would be perfect as our first stop along the Maharashtra coast.

Stopping for a break at Malvan beach.

Completely deserted in the middle of the day, Tarkarli beach.

Goa Velha / Old Goa.

While we were staying in Arambol, we had to make a trip to the nearby town of Mapusa to service the motorbike and make sure it would hold out for our trip along the more remote areas of the Konkan coast. After we had finished at the Royal Enfield Service Centre, and the bike was back to smooth running order, we took a ride to Goa Velha, or Old Goa, where Portuguese churches and cathedrals still stand today.

The pretty Church of St. Cajetan.

It was a very hot afternoon, so we only explored a tiny part of the city, the most visited by tourists, the Basilica of Bom Jesus (meaning ‘good or ‘infant’ Jesus) and Se Cathedral.

The cathedral was very similar to countless others that i have visited around the Mediterranean.

Se Cathedral, constructed in the first quarter of the 17th century AD.

The Corinthian-style interior and main altar (dedicated to St. Catherine) of Se Cathedral.

A massive incense carrier.

One of the eight chapels inside Se Cathedral.

An altar for Our Lady of Hope, one of six altars inside Se Cathedral.

One of many graves dotted around the cathedral floor.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus was consecrated in 1605 and is one of the oldest buildings in Goa Velha. It is known as the final resting place of St. Francis Xavier, the Spanish missionary who was one of those who spread the Catholic religion throughout Asia. His body (or sacred relics) has not decomposed, and today lays in its silver casing inside the Basilica, drawing crowds of people.

A beautiful statue inside the entrance to the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

The main altar of the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

The area next to the main altar dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, the main tourist attraction in the Basilica.

The sacred relics of the body of St. Francis Xavier are encased in this silver casket.

Some photos of the body of St. Francis Xavier in its present condition centuries after his death.