[Seeler_Rebeiro]

Beautiful ! Beautiful ! Beautiful !

Makes me long for a road trip to Goa via Konkan.

[rahulvilas]

Nice beach(karde) and good travelogue,Sawyer.

Ashish - Just been to that unspelt beach near Malwan.Spent 2N3D in Nov first week.The stretch of the beach with white powdered sand is simply awesome,the location of the resort in unbelievable.One of the best or i would say the best beach in Maharashtra if not India.I will let the name be a secret.

[s@tan2s@int]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Good input, and I will look to do the parasailing when I am there next, it sounds like excellent value for money. Boat pulled with landing and take off from the beach, I imagine.
All of the Konkan is that, value for money. And the locals are very helpful, polite and soft spoken.
We did see the bridge in your picture in the distance, but did not venture there, and it does look like a nice place to explore and enjoy! Thanks for the feedback.
And because it is always good to have options, how is the resort you stayed at, besides the location which is excellent.
I am also looking forward to see the dolphins in the water - Rs 100 per head for a 40 minute boat ride into the sea for that, again excellent value. A small concern is the fact that no life jackets are provided, and I need to put that out of my mind for the duration!

I would rate Sea Face resort a 9/10 on Value for money, service, food and quality. Found the staff to be very helpful. The food especially was amazing and with the special Konkan touch..

The Paragliding was not done by a boat, but by a Mahindra Jeep that goes from one end of the beach to the other. Its a good 10 min exhilarating ride and yes very much VFM..

The boat that we took for the dolphin sighting did have life jackets, but none of us used it..( Most of us didnt even know how to swim)

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by s@tan2s@int

I would rate Sea Face resort a 9/10 on Value for money, service, food and quality. Found the staff to be very helpful. The food especially was amazing and with the special Konkan touch..

The Paragliding was not done by a boat, but by a Mahindra Jeep that goes from one end of the beach to the other. Its a good 10 min exhilarating ride and yes very much VFM..

The boat that we took for the dolphin sighting did have life jackets, but none of us used it..( Most of us didnt even know how to swim)

Noted thanks! Its good to know that there are other options as well, the place certainly is well located. And the garish colours don't trouble you when you are inside the place!
About not knowing how to swim.....I know merchant navy folk that do not know and are happy to not know, why prolong the agony is the theory behind that thinking!!

[roamer]

Beautiful Travelogue, Sawyer! Konkan is any day pleasing to eyes!

BTW, the Hotel Sagar Sawli at karde, What was the Tariff over there? I am probably going to dapoli in next weekend, so exploring some options. Called up Hotel Kinara, but they are full. Others are available, but since you had a good experience of the hotel, will check this out.

[MX6]

Jolly good. Loved the photos a lot. keep them rolling.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by roamer

BTW, the Hotel Sagar Sawli at karde, What was the Tariff over there? I am probably going to dapoli in next weekend, so exploring some options. Called up Hotel Kinara, but they are full. Others are available, but since you had a good experience of the hotel, will check this out.

Non AC rooms, all you need at this time, are Rs 1200 for the double at Karde. Sea face is also recommended on this thread by the way, and actually has a view just as good as the best, Kinara.

[naren_gs1]

Hello Swayer,
I think it was sometime in Oct that you started seeking infromaton for Konkan/Goa trip. You have already had two trips and looking all set for the third one! Way to go.

Personally, I have already been to Raigad and Sindhudurg beaches - but never been to Ratnagiri. Now your travelogue has added Ratnagiri to be the place at.

Anyways, thanks for sharing snaps. Would also like to know more about the options for water sports in Knokan.

Regards

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by naren_gs1

Hello Swayer,
I think it was sometime in Oct that you started seeking infromaton for Konkan/Goa trip. You have already had two trips and looking all set for the third one! Way to go.

Anyways, thanks for sharing snaps. Would also like to know more about the options for water sports in Knokan.

Regards

Winter is the best time there, so it is a case of making hay while the sun shines. Past early Feb, it gets too humid there for my liking. And in the monsoons, I prefer the hills. Also, the seafood scene is dull in the rains because the fishing is almost shut down.
I am not sure that water sports are a big thing there yet, other than self propelled water sports in the shallow waters of some of the beaches! I don't mind if it remains that way, water sports are a part of the unwelcome "development".

[amit_mechengg]

thanks sawyer for your guidance. it was indeed a wise decision to go via VARANDHA ghats. its amazing experience driving through the beautiful hills.

my frank opinion was that the Poladpur road is worst compared to varandha. yes there are bad patches on both the roads, but on poladpur roads there are pot holes in the tarmac and the suspensions take a banging of lifetime.

varanda also has bad patches but they are soft and not harsh on the suspensions.

[Sawyer]

Maybe I was ok with the Poladpur stretch coming soon after the memory of the last stretch to Karde - how did you find that little horror?!

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Maybe I was ok with the Poladpur stretch coming soon after the memory of the last stretch to Karde - how did you find that little horror?!

i dint find any problem while driving through karde-harne-anjarle-ladghar-dabhol road etc. its better to have a small car through these roads as one out of the two cars crossing each other have to get down from the road.

i had no issue of bad roads anywhere expect the road from poladpur to mahabaleshwar. crappy tar road with deep potholes and hard edges.

my alto runs on soft michelins. the handling on alto is way better than santro or wagon r when it comes to ghat sections. i dont have EPS so i get very precise feel of the road too. zip-zap i managed to climb everywhere at 50-60kmph not a single time i heard the tyres squeak. i dont get that confidence when i drive my bros wagon r or santro.

i guess when it comes to gypsy you have no issues of any potholes at all.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

i guess when it comes to gypsy you have no issues of any potholes at all.

The car has no issues, I do, it transfers all the issues faithfully to me and to my back!

[roamer]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Non AC rooms, all you need at this time, are Rs 1200 for the double at Karde. Sea face is also recommended on this thread by the way, and actually has a view just as good as the best, Kinara.

Thanks. It seems Road to Karde is in bad shape. I also went through your earlier post on Guhagar and Malvan. You had a good experience in Mangalya at Guhagar. Does they offer Non-veg also and what are the overall charges.?

[f1fan]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

If one is driving through Mahabaleshwar one needs to pay only a Rs 5 toll and I checked that at the booth entering the city.

Purely , but wanted to know whether there is anything i.e. seperate drive thru fees for Panchgani bcos when I passed thru Panchgani on my way to Mahabaleshwar, they charged me for the car and for folks inside even though I was just passing thru the town.