[Abhay]

Yes, the fog/mist hanging around and the green cover is amazing. Of course all the photos have some shade of gray in the background, and my camera is only a poor point-n-shoot Lumix (though with 6x zoom)

The hike through the forest to the base of the other waterfall is fantastic too (with some risk..you need to cross the slippery stones in the roaring water a couple of times). Lots of leeches, slugs, snails and insects too but if that doesn't freak you too much, you can enjoy nature in all its real and raw beauty.

[harshadp26]

Nice travelogue sawyer..

Am also heading to goa starting from Pune, on 2nd Dec. Can you pls suggest, which route would be the best with scenic beauty all around.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by harshadp26

Nice travelogue sawyer..

Am also heading to goa starting from Pune, on 2nd Dec. Can you pls suggest, which route would be the best with scenic beauty all around.

My recommendation is to make an early getaway from Pune, I would leave by 5 am, with a picnic packed breakfast, get through and past Kolhapur by 8 30 am with just a halt somewhere for tea perhaps, head via Radhanagari for a brunch by the lake that you will come across after you pass Radhanagari. Remember that the most accessible parts of the lake are towards the end of it, on your right as you go to Goa, where you have good car access to its shores. You should be there by 10 30/11 am.
You will come out on to NH 17 after you descend an easy ghat, just 8 kms short of Kankavli, where you can get something to eat before pushing on to Goa to get there between 3 and 4 pm, I imagine. Or consider a lunch halt at Sawantwadi, if you are heading to south Goa.
Enjoy!
PS: The early start is because you can still make good time in the dark on NH4, and there is nothing scenic you will miss. But this will get you into the Radhanagari environs at a good time of the day. And into Goa early enough for a first sundowner by the seaside! Drive safely though, it is a long drive to stay alert for.

[COUGAR]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Also, some of the ferries may not take cars? For instance, the one from Hedvi, is that a car ferry?

Yes all ferries can take cars. I dont think they can take more than 2 at a time though.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Re the Velneshwar you refer to, are there two in the Konkan? The one I visited is next to Hedvi.

No the same one.

[Sawyer]

Just back from another trip to the Konkan, Dapoli this time a lot closer to Pune. While the beaches there are perhaps better, Malvan retains its place as the top sea food place in the Konkan part of Maharashtra! Even the vegetarian food is very good there, with subtle flavours and not spicy hot at all.

[Jayant..B]

Nice writeup and pics, Sawyer. Next time when you visit konkan, do make it a point to visit Vengurla and surrounding places. Beaches there are awesome! Clean, virgin and calm. Also visit lighthouse, the view from there you will never forget!!! :-)

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Jayant..B

Nice writeup and pics, Sawyer. Next time when you visit konkan, do make it a point to visit Vengurla and surrounding places. Beaches there are awesome! Clean, virgin and calm. Also visit lighthouse, the view from there you will never forget!!! :-)

Thanks for the tip - any place that you would recommend in particular to stay at?

[COUGAR]

there are a couple of lodges right at the end of the road, bang opp the jetty. 100-150 bucks fetches you a very decent room! No luxury options here as far as i am aware

[Hudson]

Sawyer; as I am from Sawantwadi; would like to share some thoughts about places in the vicinity:

1. Shiroda beach: 22 kms from Sawantwadi. Also known as Sagartirth, lots of casurina trees. Very calm & quiet, hardly any tourists. Earlier there were no places to stay. Now I think there are about 10 huts(some of them with AC). Food is available on the beach.
2. Tiracol: 6 kms from Shiroda. It is a fort.

3. Keri Beach: 2 kms from Tiracol, lovely beach but crowded

4. Vengurla/Mochemad: 32 kms from sawantwadi, again a very good beach.

5. Aronda, Kiranpani: Boating facilities available.

6. Amboli & Choukul: Hill station with waterfalls

And lastly do visit the cashew factory, kokum factory & wooden toy shops in Sawantwadi!

[deutscheafrikar]

Originally Posted by Hudson

Sawyer; as I am from Sawantwadi; would like to share some thoughts about places in the vicinity:
And lastly do visit the cashew factory, kokum factory & wooden toy shops in Sawantwadi!

Hudson, thanks for the info. And your nickname brings back memories too, of a Hudson Straight Eight which a friends father owned when I was a kid. So we had the car to use on the quiet and a football team by the same name and a gang of daredevils who went by this name too .
Haven't visisted a cashew factory in a long while either. Need to put in in my todo list and pick up some slightly burnt ones from there

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Hudson

Sawyer; as I am from Sawantwadi; would like to share some thoughts about places in the vicinity:

Thanks - any update on beach stays at the other places closer to Vengurla would be welcome! And are there any places that serve the kind of food - taste and quality - that Chaitanya does in Malvan? - I was in the Dapoli area a couple of days ago, and I find that I have been spoilt by Chaitanya and crave for that kind of food wherever I go. Or do I have to drive the distance at least once to there, from Vengurla?! If that is the only option, I will still do it.

[naren_gs1]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

Haven't visisted a cashew factory in a long while either

Nobody visiting Konkan should miss local cashews. Especially the ones with shell - they remain fresh for months. You can peel and eat it whenever you want - would always test fresh. So much so that you would stop buying fron city grocery shops!

Rgds

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Thanks for the tip - any place that you would recommend in particular to stay at?

Originally Posted by COUGAR

there are a couple of lodges right at the end of the road, bang opp the jetty. 100-150 bucks fetches you a very decent room! No luxury options here as far as i am aware

@cougar,
are you talking about sea view hotel near jetty?
It is very basic lodge with no food option.
If one do not get any rooms/resort/lodge in vengurla, then one should keep hotel sea view as last option.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Thanks - any update on beach stays at the other places closer to Vengurla would be welcome!

There is mtdc resort at vengurla at sagareshwar beach.
Its bang on beach with good facilities as good as mtdc resort at tarkarli.

[bhaani]

Hi,
I am planning to travel to Morjim/Arambol over the long weekend. Can you pls help with the route details from Pune-via Kolhapur and approx time for the current condition of the roads?
Thanks in advance!

[Sawyer]

Instead of starting a new thread, I am bumping this one up: On a new drive in - hopefully - the rains to Goa in a couple of weeks, I am thinking of detouring via Konkan. And the southern part isn't something we have seen yet, so I thought Vengurla - Shiroda.

Does anyone have any ideas of places to stay in the area that offer reasonable comfort - my wife will be with me - and excellent local sea food? Those with a view of the sea will be preferred, but not absolutely essential.