[abhijosh]

Hi Obsessedbyfiat and comfortblynumb,
Even I have planned for Dapoli from 23rd to 25th. We have booked at Aryavarta. Actually my native is at Murud about 10 kms. from Dapoli, and hence have been visiting this place for last 20 years.
Look forward to meet there.
I might be bringing either my Contessa or accent...not sure.
Look forward to have a short meet there.

With Best Regards,
Abhijeet

[coriollis]

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT

Any idea of the climate there?

Mornings: Chilly but Fantastic.
After 9:00 Am: Hot
12PM -4 PM: don't even think of getting out of your room.
After 4 PM : Extremely Pleasant!

Cheers!

[ObsessedByFIAT]

Hey guys! Sorry could not reply earlier.

Due to unforeseen reasons, I could not start today morning .. :( And I did tell this? Plan A shifted to plan B. We were supposed to head to Daman today morning.

If things are good, I will be starting tomorrow morning.

[comfortablynumb]

Back from the trip. Took the Tamhini Ghat - Mangaon - Veer - Ambet - Dapoli route. Road from Paud village till Vile MIDC [via Tamhini Ghat] is below average, but re-surfacing of the ghat is in progress. Had tea & snacks at Orchard cafe just after Tamhini ghat ends. Decent place with clean rest rooms. Road from Vile MIDC to Ambet is good. Ambet to Dapoli is a mix of good and bad. Stayed at a resort called Silver Sand in Harnai-Murud. Not worth the price they charge. Their only USP is it's right on the beach; otherwise, it's just so-so.

Return trip was Dapoli - Khed - Varandha Ghat - Shirwal - Pune. Dapoli to Khed, good road. Khed to Intersection of NH17 & SH 70 [road leading to Varandha Ghat] is good. Had lunch at a place called Dwarka Garden [5-6 kms after Poladpur]. Food was okay, rest rooms ditto. SH 70 till start of Varandha Ghat is average. Varandha ghat, mix of average and really bad. End of Varandha ghat to Shirwal via Bhor, narrow but decent roads. Shirwal to Pune, the usual crowded chaotic NH4 on a Sunday evening.

Cheers,
Vikram

[coriollis]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Back from the trip. Took the Tamhini Ghat - Mangaon - Veer - Ambet - Dapoli route.
Return trip was Dapoli - Khed - Varandha Ghat - Shirwal - Pune. Dapoli to Khed, good road.
Cheers,
Vikram

I always take Pune- Wai- Mahabaleshwar _Poladpur- Khed- Dapoli rote to and fro. My calculations are straight. 2 Hours for Pune- Mahabaleshwar(Mapro Garden to be precise ) And 2.45 hrs from Mahabaleshwar to Kolthare via Khed- Dapoli.
Time taken at Mapro Garden is not at all in the consideration
Overall drive is enjoyable as I love to drive through ghats a lot.( 5 on onward journey and 4 while returning back)
Roads are excellent throughout Except few kilometers from Pratapgarh Paytha to Ambenali ghat End.

[Figopian]

Hi,

I could not find the discussion on Pune - Murud-Janira road, hence posting the query here.

I will be travelling to Murud from Pune on May 27th. Any recommended road? Last time (a few years back) I had travelled on Pen to EXPRESS-way stretch which was extremely bad. Now the suggested road could be Pune -> Express way -> Pen -> Alibaug -> Murud (Along the coast). Can someone tell me where exactly the exit is to get onto the Pen road and also if this is a recommended road?
Alternate route is from Pen go to Nagothane -> Roha -> Murud.

Any suggestions?

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Figopian

I will be travelling to Murud from Pune on May 27th. Any recommended road? Last time (a few years back) I had travelled on Pen to EXPRESS-way stretch which was extremely bad. Now the suggested road could be Pune -> Express way -> Pen -> Alibaug -> Murud (Along the coast). Can someone tell me where exactly the exit is to get onto the Pen road and also if this is a recommended road? Alternate route is from Pen go to Nagothane -> Roha -> Murud. Any suggestions?

Which Murud? Janjira or Harnai? If it's the latter, you can try Tamhini.

If not, then 1st option is to take the Khopoli exit [where the Khandala ghat ends] and then go to Pen from there. 2nd option is to join Pen connector at the Khalapur toll naka. You don't have to cross the toll naka; just cross the other side of the e-way at the gap in the median before the toll plaza, and join the Pen connector road. Just ensure that you specify that you'll be leaving the e-way at Khalapur when you buy the toll ticket.

Cheers,
Vikram

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Which Murud? Janjira or Harnai? If it's the latter, you can try Tamhini.

If not, then 1st option is to take the Khopoli exit [where the Khandala ghat ends] and then go to Pen from there. 2nd option is to join Pen connector at the Khalapur toll naka. You don't have to cross the toll naka; just cross the other side of the e-way at the gap in the median before the toll plaza, and join the Pen connector road. Just ensure that you specify that you'll be leaving the e-way at Khalapur when you buy the toll ticket.

Cheers,
Vikram

Yes, murud janjira.
Thanks for the details.
Now do I have to go the other side of eway to get onto pen connector? Or it's on the same side?

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Figopian

Yes, murud janjira.
Thanks for the details.
Now do I have to go the other side of eway to get onto pen connector? Or it's on the same side?

Yes, you have to go to the other side of the e-way and then join the Pen connector. There's a gap in the median about 50 metres before the toll plaza for this very purpose. The 2 very right most booths [when you are travelling from Pune to Mumbai] of the Khalapur toll plaza are for vehicles going to & coming from the Pen connector. If in doubt, ask the toll booth attendants. It's not as complicated as my post may have implied

Be patient and careful while crossing over though; if the Mumbai-Pune direction of travel is crowded, it can take a little time before you can cross over.

Cheers,
Vikram

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Yes, you have to go to the other side of the e-way and then join the Pen connector. There's a gap in the median about 50 metres before the toll plaza for this very purpose. The 2 very right most booths [when you are travelling from Pune to Mumbai] of the Khalapur toll plaza are for vehicles going to & coming from the Pen connector. If in doubt, ask the toll booth attendants. It's not as complicated as my post may have implied

Be patient and careful while crossing over though; if the Mumbai-Pune direction of travel is crowded, it can take a little time before you can cross over.

Cheers,
Vikram

It sounded complicated when I read! Then I looked at the satellite picture of khalapur toll plaza and it started making sense
So basically, I will have to cross to the other side of expressway just before the toll plaza and still proceed towards Mumbai on the wrong side of the highway, go to one of the 2 extreme right toll booths and carry on to the road to Pen, which goes as an underpass to cross the expressway again, right?

And yes, I will be patient while crossing the highway for sure.

Thanks a ton, Vikram!

Btw, do you know the road condition of this road till Pen?

I am booked at golden swan resort at Murud. Read good reviews about this and hence booked. Anyone has visited this place before?

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Figopian

So basically.....right?

Correct!

Originally Posted by Figopian

Btw, do you know the road condition of this road till Pen?

Sorry, no idea about the recent road condition. However, I've used this route to reach Vadkhal Naka a few times in the past and it was always quite decent [except 1-2 kms near the Ispat factory]. Btw, you don't have to go through Pen town. There's a bypass that turns right [a couple of kms before Pen] that will take you to the road leading to Vadkhal Naka.

Cheers,
Vikram

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Correct!


Sorry, no idea about the recent road condition. However, I've used this route to reach Vadkhal Naka a few times in the past and it was always quite decent [except 1-2 kms near the Ispat factory]. Btw, you don't have to go through Pen town. There's a bypass that turns right [a couple of kms before Pen] that will take you to the road leading to Vadkhal Naka.

Cheers,
Vikram

THis is what I see if I find the route on google maps -


I will try to see if this exists as well.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by Figopian

It sounded complicated when I read! ...
So basically, I will have to cross to the other side of expressway just before the toll plaza and still proceed towards Mumbai on the wrong side of the highway, go to one of the 2 extreme right toll booths and carry on to the road to Pen, which goes as an underpass to cross the expressway again, right?

...
Btw, do you know the road condition of this road till Pen?
...

As you approach the Khalapur toll plaza, keep to the extreme right lane (near the divider). There is a single booth at the gap that you use to cross the expressway to the opposite side. Show them the toll upto Khalapur and then cross the expressway to join the Pen connector. You really do not travel against traffic while doing this.

I used the road to Pen in March this year and the road is quite good. The Pen bypass is a little patchy but is short. There is some road widening work happening on NH17 around Pen. So there could be some traffic pile up after Pen on NH17.

Originally Posted by Figopian

THis is what I see if I find the route on google maps -
Attachment 927754

I will try to see if this exists as well.

This is one-way and can be used to get onto the expressway to go towards Mumbai while coming from Pen. You cannot use it to go towards Pen as shown by Google Maps.

[Figopian]

^^^ thanks, Biju!

Now I am totally confused, I must say. I now plan to go to khalapur toll naka and take it from there

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by Figopian

^^^ thanks, Biju!

Now I am totally confused, I must say. I now plan to go to khalapur toll naka and take it from there

I hope the following picture removes your confusion. I guess you must have been confused by what I said "you really do not travel against traffic". This is true. You just cross the expressway as shown in the picture below. At the single toll booth, someone will check your toll ticket to see if you have paid toll upto Khalapur or not. There is also a boundary wall seperating the Pen connector from the Expressway.