[Sawyer]

Amboli will have to wait, it is a little out of the way in either direction! Are there decent places to stay there though? If there are, I may have to rethink.
Have booked a homestay at Chivala beach in Malvan for three days, that should allow us some time to explore the area, and will meander back north from there.
Quick question - what is a better place to stay, Guhagar or Velneshwar? Food may probably be better in Guhagar?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Are there decent places to stay there though? If there are, I may have to rethink.

Quick question - what is a better place to stay, Guhagar or Velneshwar? Food may probably be better in Guhagar?

amboli has very good mtdc resort. book it online.


though velneshwar is more scenic than guhagar, it has very little options[ read nil] regarding accommodation front.
better stay at guhagar and explore the surrounding.

[Volt]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Have booked a homestay at Chivala beach in Malvan for three days.

@ Sawyer: Make sure you have atleast one meal at Chaitanya in Malvan, we did last weekend (will put the details in a separate travelogue) and it was awesome. Doesnt matter even if you are vegetarian, even that was great. Also dont miss the Dhamapur lake between Kudal and Malvan. I believe MTDC has a new lake resort there. You could check that out if you have the time.

[Sawyer]

Volt, will do. I hear that Bamboo is another place to eat at. Thanks for the input.

[Sawyer]

Based on the suggestions received here and some research on the net, the finalized itinerary runs as follows:
Pune Velneshwar via Umbraj/Chiplun on day 1, home stay at Velneshwar
Velneshwar - G Pule - Ratnagiri - Malvan on day 2, with three nights in a home stay at Chivala Beach at Malvan, and exploring the region and the cuisine
Malvan to Baga for a 4 day sojourn in Goa
Two night stay at Wildernest at the end of Chorla Ghat on the Goa/Mah/KA border
Head back to Pune from Wildernest via Amboli/NH4. I expect this to be a dreary drive.
I am hoping that by the time we get down to the coast, the high humidity there of October would have dropped down quite a bit.
Thanks to all that have given input and feedback here.
PS: This has grown to a ten day drive, and that is because I could not resist the Goa lure!

[Technocrat]

The Travelogue has been posted by Sawyer Over Here

[Sawyer]

Questions for the next trip, this one a three day quickie next month! Can some one post ideas for a Dapoli centred trip? I would get to Khed via Mahabaleshwar - by the way, if one is just driving through, is there a lesser toll to be paid at the hill station? - Poladpur and then Khed, before leaving Nh17, and perhaps return via Varandha or Tamhini.
I hear that the Khed Dapoli road is good.
From Dapoli, what are the must see/do places? My preference is for scenic drives, clean unspoilt beaches to wander around on, and great seafood eating. What are good places to go to, given the above? I don't want to drive extensively this time around, I will be carrying another couple in the rear of the Gypsy! Is there one place to base oneself at at night? Good home stays preferred, but I'd rather eat at hotels where the choice of food is always wider, and the occassional beer possible.
I know that I must visit Karde beach and have one meal at Kinara, from advice posted already - any other inputs welcome. The trip will be in the last week of December, so I am sure the weather will be lovely.
All your inputs were of great help for the trip that we just got back from, many thanks!
PS: Sagar Savali sounds interesting, what little I could find of it. Any personal experiences? Where is it?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Can some one post ideas for a Dapoli centred trip? I would get to Khed via Mahabaleshwar - by the way, if one is just driving through, is there a lesser toll to be paid at the hill station? - Poladpur and then Khed, before leaving Nh17, and perhaps return via Varandha or Tamhini.

driving to dapoli via mahabaleshwar is always good idea. roads are better than tamhini and varandha ghat. you can cross panchgani and mahabaleshwar by paying toll of just rs 5. you must mention at the toll gate that you are going to dapoli and just give him rs 5 note. he will give you the toll pass to cross the city within next 20 min. that is official pass of rs 5.
if you are going for 3 days trip, then i suggest to make murud harnai as base rather than karde. if it is 2 day trip, then make karde as base. karde beach is clean, very less crowd, good for families, beach drive possible[ i had done it].
places around the area---karde beach, murud harnai port[ fish auction], anjarle ganapati. two days are sufficient for this trip.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

driving to dapoli via mahabaleshwar is always good idea. roads are better than tamhini and varandha ghat. you can cross panchgani and mahabaleshwar by paying toll of just rs 5. you must mention at the toll gate that you are going to dapoli and just give him rs 5 note. he will give you the toll pass to cross the city within next 20 min. that is official pass of rs 5.
if you are going for 3 days trip, then i suggest to make murud harnai as base rather than karde. if it is 2 day trip, then make karde as base. karde beach is clean, very less crowd, good for families, beach drive possible[ i had done it].
places around the area---karde beach, murud harnai port[ fish auction], anjarle ganapati. two days are sufficient for this trip.

Ashish, thanks for toll clarification, I will make use of it for sure! Sagar Sawali is also at Karde, or is it elsewhere? I believe he has two locations now. How far from Karde to the Harnai auction that happens in the evening, I believe.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Sagar Sawali is also at Karde, or is it elsewhere? I believe he has two locations now. How far from Karde to the Harnai auction that happens in the evening, I believe.

sagar sawali is at karde and ladghar.
the owner of hotel kinara is son-in -law of owner of sagar sawali.
karde to harnai is less than than 10 km.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

sagar sawali is at karde and ladghar.
the owner of hotel kinara is son-in -law of owner of sagar sawali.
karde to harnai is less than than 10 km.

So that would be a nice afternoon drive from Karde to see it....of the two locations for the hotel, which one would be better? Karde or Ladghar? I ask because I am hearing good things about Sagar Sawali.
If you were to write down the names of the beaches in the area from south to north, in the order in which they are located, including Harnai jetty in the list based on its location, it would be great. Starting from Murud onwards, if Murud is the southernmost one in the Dapoli area. I have no desire to get across to Guhagar this time.
Thanks for your time and effort to do this. This time around, I shall be a lot more serious about my camerawork, having seen the results that casual shooting gives in the last trip.

[Abhay]

Sawyer,, keeping an eye on this as I have planned a drive/ride to Karde/Murud/Harnai next week-end, Originally was for this week but most hotels seem to be closed.
I am planning 2 nights and plan to shack up at Karde and do a couple of small drives around (Anjarle etc)

Any more suggestions/contacts for hotels in that area, Ashish?

[Sawyer]

@Abhay, do more than just keep an eye! Do write about your experience on your return so I/others can get some first hand recent updates.

[Abhay]

alright, if you insist!

[naren_gs1]

Sawyer,
You might want to give Dive agar a thought. Its a clean, wide, long shallow/safe beach.
Rgds