Mumbai to Tarkarli by Road
What a tiring and hectic week it was! The pressure of meeting the quarter budget was immense. I was really exhausted and want to rejuvenate my body and soul. I thought of not answering but then I did thinking that he might be calling for something important. And I was right! He called to ask whether I am interested for a weekend trip outside Mumbai.It was group of 5 people including me. They said that will come at 4 am to pick me up. I prepared everything the previous night and was waiting for the alarm to ring. But in all this excitement I forgot to ask the destination.
The Journey....
When they came and we finally started for the trip, I asked them about the destination. They said it's, Tarekarli. The journey from Mumbai to Tarkarli can be opted by rails or by tourist cabs. It was 4:00 in the morning, and soon we joined the fleet of night riders on the highway, but it was too early to cherish the same, we had to reach by the evening, and the rains were keeping an eye on the fast speed.By 9am, we reached the outstanding Western Ghats and zoomed through some of the swirling roads but then we reached a small valley with small fountain flowing by. It was time to really test the nerves and shift the drive from cruise mode to sports mode. It was time to adventure some swift turns and tails so that we could reach the destination as the evening sailed.
The First Sight...
As the sun reached the horizon we reached our resort. The resort manager came out with a beautiful lady with the welcome drink. We checked-in, and went to our room. The first thing I did was to open the balcony. I was ready to again recline myself on the golden sands only to be rinsed off by the cool waves of the ocean.I was starving to capture our moments in the blue horizon, and was looking for someone to click photos for us. But alas! I wondered, "Where are the people? Is Tarkarli undergoing any strike for as long as the eyes roam about the beach, no one is on the shore except us?
Accommodation Options in Tarkarli
We were pleasantly surprised to see the warm service and courtesy given to us by the local village people and were impressed to see that the Tourism Industry is their primary source of sustainability. There are many home stays spread across the Tarkarli Belt from the Wayri till Devbag Sangam.Some of the popular resorts and home stays in Tarkarli are:
Chandrakant Homestay
2674 Waradkar guruji marg, Malvan, Maharashtra 416606
Funtastico Beach Resort
Tarkarli Devbag Rd, Tarkarli, Maharashtra 416606•089567 70162
Rivercoast Resort
Devbag Sangam Tarkarli, Devbag Sangam Rd, Devbag, Maharashtra 416606•094047 40022
Rajmudra Beach Resort
near Dandi Beach, Tarkarli, Maharashtra 416606•084336 95555
Roylee Beach Resort
Road, Tarkarli, Maharashtra 416606•098605 32174
Vijaya Guest House- A Homestay in Tarkarli, Malvan
Vijaya Guest House, Tarkarli, Road, near Wairy Bhutnath Mandir, Malvan, Maharashtra 416606•098609 05656
Sagarika Beach Resort
WAYRI BEACH MALVAN TARKARLI ROAD WALKING DISTANCE FROM CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ STATUE, Malvan, Maharashtra 416606•091361 18544
Ocean heart beach resort, Malvan
Moreshwar wadi, near tikam school Waire beach, Malvan, Maharashtra 416606•083298 94434
Food in Tarkarli
We feasted on traditional Malvani cuisine during our entire stay at Tarkarli. This cuisine is a part of traditional Konkan platter which is only found in the coastal regions of Maharashtra and Goa. Some typical ingredients we sampled in all the dishes that we tasted were coconut (lots of it), kokam (both fresh and dry). Kaccha aam and tamarind.Some of the popular dishes at the resort were Kevda Curry, Malvani Mutton Curry, Bangda Fry and Bombay Duck Fry. We of course were die hard non vegetarians so we tried the Phanasachi Bhaji and Kaaju Chi Aamti. We used to round up our meals with Sol Kadhi; a pretty pink drink made from coconut and kokum. Khaproli; some sort of soft pancake dipped in sweet syrup.
Sights of Tarkali
The journey was mesmerizing with at places the Arabian Sea flushing the foot of the Western hills and deep notch valleys being the gateway of inland marines. However, by noon after testing my skills of mountain driving, we reached the blue heaven of Amboli Waterfall, and behold, the water was gushing out from the hills like a roar and wrestling down the rocks to the lush green forest below.The evening greeted us with some special Malwani dishes like Paplet Saar and Solkhadi specially made for us by the restaurant.
Water Sports at Tarkarli
Tarkarli has one of the best scuba diving facilities in India and it is also one of the most popular hubs for other kinds of water sports. All the water sports activities like parasailing, banana rides, water scooter rides, kayaking are included in holistic water sports packages.The Devbaug Coast and Dandi beach are two points where these activities take place. The commercial dives (oxygen supply of diver is placed on nearby boat) and Cylinder dive (for experienced divers who can carry their own oxygen cylinders).
The region near the Sindhudurg Fort near Tarkarli had amazing coral reefs and had developed as one of the best snorkeling points in India.
Nearby Attractions to Tarkarli
On the second day however we had rented a car to go and visit Devbagh (God’s own garden) which is a picturesque village between the Karli River and the great Arabian Sea. There was a beautiful place called Devbagh Sangam where the beach ends and the eerie silence of the lovely spot was only broken by the crashes of the waves from the sea and the gentle lapping sound of the Karli backwaters.The Karli backwaters are said to be one of the loveliest backwaters in the world as the confluence of the Karli River and the Arabian Sea make a lovely sight. We heard about the amazing loveliness of the swirling river that flows between verdant forests. The lush green on the way home ensure that the travelers come back once again and taste the feel of fresh air, sooth the eyes with the beauty of green and blue.