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Friday, November 11, 2016

Tarkali/Malvan-Achare-Tondivali-Scuba-Vijaydurg-Ratnagiri-Aarrey-Ware-Ganapatipule-Jaygad-Velneshwar MSH-04 sea road trip

Planning phase:

Original plan was to have 5days trip spending each day in one destination. Here is detailed plan for 5days which we didn't make due to limited time.

Places to cover:
  • Day1:Start from Pune
Satara, Kolhapur
via Radhanagari NH179+NH116, Gaganbawda NH277, Amboli NH134+180 to Talere, Kankavli or Sawantwadi
Opt1: IMO: skip if no time.
Goa evening drinks and optional. ?
Anjuna/or in northen Goa region.
Opt2:
Vengurla - should go. red beach
stay@ Goa/Vengurla/Devgad
  • day2:Scuba - must do if haven't - 3hrs from Malvan beach
Tarkarli / Tsunami island. / Dolphin arc view - good to go - local tour
stay@ Tarkarli beach homestay/
  • Day3:Sindhudurg - take a day. Not worthy for time. To/from jetty and round to fort takes 3-4hrs day time from Malvan ferry. IMO: skip
Tondavali - Must visit
Vijaydurg fort - SH115 dead end. Ferry to Madban beach? bypass this if go SH04 . IMO: skip
Devgad = mithbumbari / Tarabumbari IMO: skip, dont know
Jaitapur bridge -
Purnagad - fort
stay@ Bhatye
  • Day4:Bhatye beach - Titanic point IMO: Go
Kurli beach
Ratnagiri
After Shirgav mangroves, Basni, Are. Take left via Arrey-Warrey road. Joins SH04 later.
Aare-warre beach IMO: Go
2-3 resorts and enter in Ganapati-Pule
Ganpati pule -
stay@ Ganapati-Pule/ Jaigad
  • day5:Malgund beach - lot of resorts nearby
Anamik beach,Kachare - lonely. near JSW plant.
Jaigad fort
For ferry ref: http://goindia.about.com/od/maharastra/ss/Mumbai-to-Tarkarli-Motorcyle-Road-Trip-via-SH4-Coastal-Route.htm#step5Jaigad to Vijaygad by ferry/ to Tavasal Jetty SH04 cross Jaigad river ===> take exit via NH105 to Sawarde -> Chiploon --> Koyananagar. -> Patan -> Umbraj , Satara.


Its typical to see actual execution differs from planning. Same happened in our case. Time was limiting factor as one of us had to join office on 8th.


Who?
  • Manoj - Main driver
  • Anoj (its not typo of Anuj :P) - Adviser
  • Mahen (blog writer) - Navigator and technical. 2nd driver.
You will notice Anoj is part of Manoj but don't get confused with names, they are fairly opposite.


When?
05th to 07th Nov'2016 . Just after Diwali.

Route?

  • Pune to Malvan: via Satara, bypass Kolhapur, Kagal, Radhanagari, Kankavli, Achare.
  • Malvan to Pune: Tarkali/Malvan-Achare-Tondivali-Vijaydurg-Ratnagiri-Aarrey-Ware-Ganapatipule-Jaigad-Velneshwar-Kaynanagar-Patan-Umbraj-Satara.

Note: Google map Route

Google acts weird sometimes, it doesn't allow to show road joining from Dajipur/Radhanagari to Phondaghat. May be becasue, its reservered area and is open in specific day hours for travelers. Gaganbawda-Vaibhavwadi is another route. FYI: Both routes are more or less bad to drive but scene if you go in rains.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Pune,+Maharashtra/Kagal,+Maharashtra/Radhanagari,+Maharashtra/16.3379053,73.8880724/16.3581839,73.8285079/Malvan,+Maharashtra/@16.4019811,73.5374229,9z/data=!4m43!4m42!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bc2bf2e67461101:0x828d43bf9d9ee343!2m2!1d73.8567437!2d18.5204303!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bc0fbe3ea86aacf:0xed8af5a130723d95!2m2!1d74.3099863!2d16.5884342!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bc044eec90c1d15:0x8490ce131b11435!2m2!1d73.9976946!2d16.4151164!1m15!3m4!1m2!1d73.8656074!2d16.3509818!3s0x3bc040c00694ad47:0x778e342ef907103c!3m4!1m2!1d73.8637817!2d16.3837853!3s0x3bc0474810886c1f:0x51c6bc2beeb2c52e!3m4!1m2!1d73.8614381!2d16.3880418!3s0x3bc04746ba399d2f:0xd03c24cebe15b3c0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x3bc01d5bb3176f0d:0x7400dce0b3eaa2aa!2m2!1d73.471054!2d16.0630693!3e0


Refer google maps for details.

Bag packing?

I always prefer to start bag packing early so I can keep adding stuff which I might forgot. Well, that doesn't stop me from forgetting things ;)
Must carry:

  • - Water bottle: 2 liter per head. So, you dont have to buy so called "packaged drinking water"
  • - Enough clothing: 4 shorts, 2 3/4th ie larger short, T-shirts, casuals, innerwares, etc.
  • - Shoes if planning to trek. Floaters/sleeper is good in sands.
  • - Towel, hankies. Hotels usually provide towel but better keep your own.
  • - Swimming goggles, cap, costume short. Sea water is salty and cause eye irritations. Better be prepared.
  • - Sun goggles, thin cloth for humid and sunny weather. Konkan is mostly humid.
  • - Warn cloths- Jacket or sweater is good. Other side of mountains is pretty cold. (optional)
  • - Hat/cap (optional)
  • - Camera (optional)
  • - Mobile and mobile fast charger (optional Joking, its mandatory these days. ;) )
  • - Navigation system. Dedicated or app on mobile is OK.
  • - enough cash
  • - suns cream. If you have very sensitive skin, better stay home :P 


However, in packing i forgot to take: waterproof camera from one of my friend, goggles (it was all sunny in route) and water bottles.

Tools and navigation?

Its always better to have reliable navigation system with below features:
  1. Offline maps functionality - No range in many parts of route
  2. Route finding and voice announcement in route
  3. Less power usage
  4. with GPS but without network need.
  5. No need of real time traffic like google maps. Sometimes its hard to find a single vehicle on road.

I had this wonderful tool called HERE maps which I have been using since few years. https://here.com/en 
Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.here.app.maps
You may find similar apps for iPhone or other OS. Better have good battery life and charger. This thing really saved lot of time and energy for us during traveling. Which turn to take right or left and after how much distance. :) . It worked like charm!

Let's get to trip execution. Manoj was ready to drive his Fiat Punto for long drive. Let me clarify, he alone wanted to drive the whole trip, which he indeed did with all fatigue he had got in driving. Believe me, even hired driver would have taken some extra rest. Other two of us enjoyed the route and scenery :) !