If it is not Goa this time, then what? Away from the busy fast paced life of Mumbai, on the same route to Goa is a small village called Tarkarli. My preference as usual is to drive. Driving through the western ghats and enjoying the scenic beauty itself is such a good feeling.
On the way, you can stop at specific spots to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. That ghats overlook these and its a sight to watch.
Once you hit Tarkarli, trust me you would find it as a replica of Goa. The streets give the same feeling there. It is just that Tarkarli is not commercialized that much and does not get too much attention either.
By the time you reach Tarkarli, it should be evening. Without wasting any time head out to a beach, we went to Chivla Beach.
The view at Chiva beach is really good. You can also enjoy the beautiful sunset there.
There is a Sindhudurg Fort in Tarkarli, which is a fort of Shivaji Maharaj and one should make sure to visit it. So next morning get up and catch a ferry ride to Sindhudurg Fort.
The ferry rides are always fun and you would like the beautiful scene the fort appears at the backdrop of ferries.
As you approach the Sindhudurg fort, it appears more and more mesmerizing.
The jetty that you see is also open for you to walk around and click photos.
The view from top of the fort is just spectacular.
You just cannot afford to miss those different view and angles that the fort offers for photography.
The endless existence of the Indian Ocean and when you look at it, you would get a feeling of being at a location which one could mistake with a romantic location in a foreign country too.
Just when you would be wondering that you had enough of the visual scenic beauties from the top of the fort you would be in for more surprises.
On your way back from the fort you would come across flamingos which are relaxing on small rock in between the ocean.
Post your visit to the Sindhudurg fort, you should move on to enjoy another beach. A beach named after the place itself called Tarkarli beach. The beaches in Tarkarli are very clean, white sand and clear waters.
The water of the beaches here are so clear that you can literally see through it. We found star fish, crabs at the river bed.
Tarkarli is also known for the amazing water sports it has to offer. The water sports are not only cheap but also super fun to do. But remember the best water sports in Tarkarli happens only in Tsunami Island. Make sure you do your water sports there.
To reach Tsunami Island one needs to take a boat ride to the island. There are multiple options that they would offer you. We took the offer of Rs 700 boat ride which covers 4 points.
- Seagulls Island where you can watch the beautiful seagulls.
- Sangam Point where the Indian ocean & Karli river meet
- One more small beach were you cannot go as its rocky and the boat cannot harbor there.
- Lastly, Tsunami Island.
Seagulls Island is an island located right in the middle of the ocean. It is not only scenic & beautiful but also very peaceful. You can get down there and watch the seagulls fly all around.
At the Sangam point you can actually differentiate the two different water colors. Its a delight to watch the merging of Karli river & Indian Ocean.
Once you complete the four point trip on the boat ride. Get down at Tsunami Island and hit the water sports straight away. There a multiple rides available
- Jet Ski
- Water Scooter
- Bumper Ride
- Banana Ride
- Speed Boat
The best we loved was the Banana ride, we did it twice.
Next you should move on to do the Parasailing. It is so much fun if you take the option of making him dip you into the ocean.
Before you end your trip, you should rent a two wheeler and drive around Tarkarli alongside the backwaters and get lost in nature. You can also try your hand at fresh coconut water.
Also do not hesitate to enjoy the yummy Malvan food. Though they cook in coconut and also add coconuts to the dishes but for a change you are gonna enjoy it.There are these small small outlets which will serve you food, snacks, tea etc any time.
And then head back to Mumbai through the same beautiful western ghats enjoying the scenic beauty yet again.
A long weekend is approaching. Don’t think twice, pack your bag and head out to Tarkarli.
For people who have visited Tarkarli, do let me know about your experience in the comments section.