Konkan, the coastal district in Maharashtra is one of the few places where commercialization has still not taken place. Well, at least in some places. That’s what makes it an enticing place to visit. While its major portion is in Maharashtra, people usually skip it. They directly go to the famous tourist destination Goa.
But, not me, the cyclist blood in me wanted to explore and take in the beauty of the whole route before going to the hustle and bustle of Goa. So, what next, it was December, I figured out to take 7 days to leave, roped in two of my cycling buddies. The next thing you know, I gave a call to “Cycling in India” to organize a Mumbai to Goa tour for us, and here we were, 7 days before the new year waiting at Gateway of India for the ferry to arrive. Our Mumbai to Goa cycling adventure starts.
Day1: Mumbai to Diveghar (105 km)
Living in Mumbai for all these years, I had experienced this Gateway to Alibaug ferry ride only during my childhood once. It was like a deja vu experience looking at seagulls and to my luck the dolphins bouncing out from the water. Anyway, all three of us reached the other side and met our cycling tour guide from Cycling in India here. He was going to pedal along with us all the way to Goa.
Our aim was simple, to stick to the coastline as much as possible to truly experience the Konkani culture, Sahyadri ranges, and the historic forts we were going to pass by. There’s something about the smell of the beach and seawater that drives you towards it. We started pedaling slow and steadily towards Alibaug. I remember we were right on time that gave us the opportunity to explore the magnificent Murud -Janjira fort. Listening about its history from our guide gave us goosebumps.
Passing few temples along the way and going through Alibaug, we caught our first ferry at Dighi. The first thing I noticed is the clarity of the water here. Just a few hrs drive from Mumbai and look at the water!! Simply amazing. On the way, we passed Kashid beach, where we had a sumptuous Konkani Thali. The climbs after Kashid were tiring but reward us with mindblowing views of the fishing villages of our descents. In no time, we were now waiting for the 5 pm ferry. After which we would reach Diveghar. I was glad, we reached on time, or else we would have had to cycle in the dark to reach Diveghar.
Day 2: Diveghar to Dapoli (80km)
After yet another Kokani thali at our guest house stay at Diveghar and a long day yesterday, all of us slept like a baby. The next morning was magical. The sound of sea waves, the smell of the beach, and the cool sea-breeze supercharged me for the day ahead. We started our cycling early today and our first visit was the famous Ganesh temple at Diveghar. The idol here is made of gold!! As we reached the ferry to Vesavi, we saw a number of cyclists pedaling along the route as this is the peak season for the tour.
We crossed Harihareshwar fort and my memories of the trek here flashed in mind. After Vesavi, our guide told us to get ready for a spectacular view ahead of the Harnai Fishing village. He was not wrong. It was a treat to the eyes to watch hundreds of colorful boats parked there in the evening. The view from the top of a small climb was simply picturesque. Fishermen were selling fresh fish here. So, fresh that they caught them in the morning and were selling in the evening. The route after Harnai was flat and breezy until just after Aravi beach we hit our first and probably only the bad patch of our journey until Srivardhan.
By this time, I was convinced, that Coastal Maharashtra is much better than Goa. Each village we were passing by had a refreshing feeling. Moving towards Dapoli, we passed through one such village called Kelshi. It is famous for its annual turtle festival. I’ll plan to come to and experience it sometime during February to March where many turtles come to the beach to lay their eggs. Must be an amazing experience. We ended the day, with yet another Kokani thali. I must mention that the Solkadi served here was heavenly. We couldn’t stop ourselves from refilling it at least 5 times!!
Day 3: Dapoli to Ganpatipule (93km)
Last night I was a bit restless. Somewhere inside the climber in me was not letting me rest peacefully. I knew today’s date has the most number of climbs on the route. With yet another early morning start, with vehicular noises, we started pedaling towards Ganpatipule. It is a highly famous temple town for devotees of Lord Ganesha. Talking about the climbs on the route, we faced the Tamastirth climb followed by a short one just before the ferry at Dabhol. To no one’s surprise, the water was getting cleaner as we moved south.
Later in the day after a fulfilling lunch, we were grinding up the long climb of Guhagar. But, were treated with a beautiful view of the mango orchards in our descent. Ganpatipule was just around the corner by the time the sunset and we crashed into our stay dreaming about the memorable experience we had so far in our cycling adventure.
Day 4 Ganpatipule to Kunkeshwar (117km)
I was awakened the next day with the sounds of temple bells which reminded me of where I am currently. Staying close to the beach, we swam in the sea near the temple, took blessings from Lord Ganesha, and continued our journey ahead. Today’s route was going to be almost parallel to the sea all the way up to Kunkeshwar. As we passed Ratnagiri through the well-maintained yet desolate route, we couldn’t stop ourselves from taking numerous breaks to click hundreds of photos. The land here looked super fertile because of the plantations along the road.
Passing Ratnagiri, we rode up and down a series of hills and finally climbed up to the top of the plateau reaching Pawas village. Later we passed through the newly constructed coastal road which connected the famous Aare -ware beach and the road ahead. As we were moving downwards, we could tell the change in culture because of the influence of the Portuguese on the people here. We reached Kunkeshwar a bit early today and took a dip in the sea near our guesthouse enjoying the sunset on the beach.
Day 5: Kunkeshwar to Vengurla (85km)
Can’t believe it, we had cycled almost 500+km in the last 4 days! This is probably the effect of the picturesque landscape, culture, tasty food, and welcoming people that we had met along the way. This is why I think, physically we might be tired but mentally we were not. We started pedaling after a typical Kokani breakfast of “Nachni chi Bhakri” and some cooked vegetables, we started pedaling southwards. Nachni is a type of grain grown just like rice and wheat. It is much more nutritious than the former especially when grown organically like it here.
Today, we were going to pass through the famous tourist destination of Malvan. It’s famous for its water sports, culture, and the Konkani food available here. We had plans to stop here and enjoy some water sports. I tried snorkeling and scuba diving for the first time here. The silence around me and my feeling of gratefulness towards nature was on the next level after I got out from the water. All thanks to Cycling in India’s excellent planning we were able to spend time in Malvan. Now, only with only 46km to go for Vengurla, we reached there comfortably before sunset in 2.5hrs. What a day it was!!
Day 6: Vengurla to Goa (60km)
Vengurla is the last town in Maharashtra. We were already missing the 500+km of the journey we had done so far. Anyway, moving ahead, a few km into our ride, we saw the bridge on the other side of which is our destination Goa. As soon as e crossed it, suddenly all the road signs that were in Marathi were now written in Russian and English. It’s surprising to see so much of their presence in the northern part of the state.
Slowly and steadily the rice plantations and paddy fields started to disappear and hotels and churches started coming up. But, whatever you say, entering Goa is very pleasant. You can feel the vibe of entering one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. We reached our destination Panaji during lunch time itself and took some rest in the hotel. The evening was spent on a nearby beach thinking and discussing the memorable journey we just completed. Would love to cycle again and again on this route. Tomorrow was our flight back to Mumbai. Our cycles were neatly packed by “Cycling in India” all we did was explore Goa during the new-year eve and catch our evening flight to “Aamchi Mumbai”
Every cyclist should at least pedal on this route at least once in their lifetime. The hilly terrain, pristine beaches along the route, mount-watering cuisine, and the warmth of the people all make it worthwhile. Also, I would highly recommend taking the guidance of a cycling tour company like “Cycling in India.” Without their help, we would not have known the less-traveled routes and the sightseeing destinations along the way. They also give you peace of mind as all your lunch spots, snacks, and hotel stays are planned in advance for a hassle-free experience.
