[dicor]

On Friday, a buddy from Mumbai called to ask if he could see me on Saturday. We thought of taking a coastal road trip as soon as he arrived and I realized he had two days to spare.

I don't particularly appreciate driving on crowded national highways/expressways, and my wife and I enjoy taking unconventional routes that go through little towns & small villages when we travel. However, the wife of my friend loves to choose national highways over narrow roads. I had to choose a path that would work for both families.

I've chosen to go by my XUV5OO from Pune to Ratnagiri. Three routes are available to go to Ratnagiri from Pune.

Recommended by Google as a top priority
Route 1: 315 KM - 7 hours
Pune > Satara > Karad > Narayanwadi > Malkapur > Ratnagiri

Recommended by Google as an alternative route
Route 2: 315 KM - 8 hours
Pune > Mulshi > Tamhini Ghat > Mangaon > Mahad > Poladpur > Chilpun > Navadi > Ratnagiri

My custom route
Route 3: 336 KM 7.5 hours
Pune > Sarola > Bhor > Nira Deoghar Dam > Varandha Ghat > Mahad > Poladpur > Chiplun > Tavsal Ferry > Jaigad > Ganpati Pule > Aare Ware > Ratnagiri

I chose my custom route 3 due to its scenic beauty and on my way back, I chose route 1

The Plan

Things to see en route - (Pune to Ganpati Pule)
Deoghar reservoir, Varandha Ghat, Kashedi Ghat, Shri Parshuram temple Chilplun, Ferry ride from Tavsal to Jaigad, Jaigad lighthouse, Jai Vinayak Temple, Udayyansh Beach

Things to see at Ganpati Pule
Ganpati Pule Temple, Malgund beach, Magic garden, MTDC resort

Things to see en route (Ganpati Pule - Ratnagiri - Malkapur).

• Bhandarpule View point
• Aare Ware sea view
• Thiba palace at Ranagiri
• Ambaghat

What to eat in Konkan? (I am vegetarian)

• Ukdiche Modak
• Akkha Massoor
• Kulth Pithla
• Kadve Baal
• Raw Kaju Curry (Cashew nuts)
• Jackfruit recipes
• Gharge

Where to eat?

• Tulsi dining hall, GGGC+48 Chiplun, Maharashtra. The taste is okay but it's very clean and hygienic.
• Hotel Reelaz, GGFH+5W2, Ravtale, Chiplun, Maharashtra 415605. Good if you want non-veg options.
• Adarsh Upahar Gruh, Bazarpeth, Chiplun. Try Ukdiche modal here.
• Khau Katta, Ganpati Pule
• Hotel Yashodhan. Ganpati Pule. Though Google ratings are bad, I found it good.
• Mehendale's Swad Dining, Ganpati Pule
• Hotel Sameer, Ganpati Pule
• Chhaya Uphar Grah, Ratnagiri

Preparations
Nill; my 7-year-old Cheetah is very trustworthy. 75K on the odometer. I am still using the original tyres and batteries. In my car, I already have a dashcam, tyre inflator, compass, maps, water bottles, soap, hair oil, and a comb. enough to allow me to roam for months.

Trip begins

Day 1 :
06:00 AM: Departure from Pune
06:43: Diesel Tank full at BPCL Coco Varve (Pune Kolhapur Rd). The washrooms were very dirty. The tank guy refused to accept Rs 2000 note.
08:00 AM: Stopover at Deoghar Bridge from photoshoot
08:15 AM: Stopover at Hotel Selfie Point for breakfast. We carried our sandwiches.
09:17 AM: Stopover at Waghjai mata mandir, Varandha Ghar for photo shoot. The photos can not do justice to the beauty of this place.
11:45 AM: Visited Shri Parshuram Temple, Chilpun
12:27 PM: Stopover at Tulsi Dining Hall at Markandi, Chiplun.
03:07 PM: Reached Tavsal Ferry Point
04:00 PM: Ferry reached Jaigad Ferry point,
04:30 PM: Reached MTDC Ganpati Pule
06:00 PM: Visited temple and explored the beach.
09:30 PM: Eat and Sleep.

Day 2:
06:00 AM - Visited Malgund beach
09:00 AM - Check out and explore the entire resort. It's spread around 50 acres.
10:00 AM - Breakfast at Khau Katta (the overrated restaurant, mostly publicized by b/vloggers) :(
11:00 AM - Bhandarpule View Point
09:00 PM - Pune

Observations:

• I felt calm the entire way. The streets, Ganpati Pule, and every other location I had visited were all devoid of people. In fact, as a result, 80% of the businesses (hotels, restaurants, and shacks) were not open, leaving us with very few options for food.
• I had chosen a route that was surrounded by beautiful greenery. One of the most enjoyable drives I've taken in a long time, I suppose.
• The Route 3 road is in far better condition than the shortest path suggested by Google, which is the most important factor.
• On the way home, we experienced heavy rain in the Western Ghats, but this turned out to be a blessing because it was the first time we saw a full, semicircle rainbow. It was magnificent.
• Highway traffic has made driving painful because of how many cars and trucks are now on the road, but speed limits have at least brought order to ego battles. However, these days the focus is entirely on how quickly you can go from 0 to 80.
• Two days ago, the Kashedi Ghat Tunnel was made available for a pilot run. The 7 KM ghat road is now only 2 KM long, and Google Maps cut down my travel time by 40 minutes when the tunnel ended.

Now let images speak for themselves.

Deoghar Bridge



Varandha Ghat, remember camera can never render justice to this place.


Kashedi Ghat newly opened 2000 mtrs tunnel


Notice that my speed is 0.0 KMPH. Not because I had stopped over there, but it's due to lack of GPS signals.


Way to Parshuram Temple



Bramondra Swami and Parshuram Temple at Chiplun. Sorry I could not take more photos here.


Veg thali at Tulsi Dining Hall at Chiplun


The ferry ride between Tavsal & Jaigad


Malgund Beach and MTDC resort at Ganpati Pule. The beach is directly accessible from the resort.





Aarey Waarey Road and enjoying kokum sharbat at a shack.



Somewhere before amba ghat.

[vijayols]

Lovely photos.So when you say coastal drive do you get to see the ocean while driving or do we have to take a detour to reach the ocean?

[turbospooler]

Thanks dicor for capturing the beauty and suggesting a new route for me to explore.
In Ganpatipule, you can add "Bhau Joshi Bhojanalay" to your list of restaurants (I am also a vegetarian). The taste is amazing and the service is also homely.

[dicor]

Originally Posted by vijayols

Lovely photos.So when you say coastal drive do you get to see the ocean while driving or do we have to take a detour to reach the ocean?

Not all of the time, but we do get some spectacular views along the way.

The road runs alongside the Arabian Sea, sometimes just above sea level and sometimes 10 metres above, providing us with an aerial view.

I took the Alibagh-Vengurla coastal route in 2016 and had a fantastic time.
In fact, I'd like to travel the coastal road from Dwarka to Kolkata someday.

[ashwin1224]

Great pics! I've never seen a rainbow that bright.

The stretch of land between Harnai/Dapoli to Aare Waarey is simply heaven. MSH-4 there is narrow but decently maintained and it provides one of the most scenic drives you'll ever experience in India. During summer and winter there are several points where you'll be confused whether the blue back drop in front of you is the ocean or is it the sky and all of it will be framed by hills covered in golden grass and black rock. During the monsoon its almost always gray skies, muddy angry sea and emerald green hills which are devoid of all people. Even though the sea remains inaccessible during that time, I would highly recommend taking a monsoon trip there.

Thanks again OP for the pics, you're trust right that the camera doesn't do justice to the place but they're still gorgeous pictures.