Never Miss a Sunset : A Road trip across Konkan

Starting from Pune, our first stop was Malvan; a small town placed perfectly between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. We were looking forward to this offbeat destination famous for its seafood, Tarkali Beach and water sports. Our hostess at the Konkan Villa served us fantastic sea fish and was more than happy to get us in touch with a local tour operator. He gave us an amazing discount on the water sports package, and we like broke college students grabbed it with gratitude. We left for the beach at 3 pm, and the moment we left sand under our feet we rushed to the water, and it didn't disappoint. We were then taken into the sea along the beautiful Sindhudurg fort and geared up for Scuba Diving. It was indeed a lovely first-time experience with the instructors using fish food to make sure we got to see a variety of colorful fishes. It wasn't exactly ZNMD, and we were in shallow waters, but I loved the experience enough to make sure to go deep-sea the next time. We then had fun on the beach with a bunch of fun stuff like jet ski, banana boat, and making sandcastles. Then came the best part of the day when we went parasailing. It is a stunning sight, watching the sunset on the horizon, sailing over the water. We then rushed to the sunset point at Rockgarden. This was a suggestion from a local, a hidden gem, where you can just lay on the rocks and enjoy the shades of the setting sun.

The next day we headed further south, relishing the long roads and the sea breeze. We stopped in Goa for lunch, wandering the streets of Panjim, and enjoying one of the most exquisite cuisines and stuffing ourselves with cheesecakes and lemon tarts. We then headed to Karwar, a must-visit for those who want a Goan beach, but not its crowd. We were in time for sunset, watching the sun set in the horizon, splashing shades of all colors. We then headed to Gokarna, where we had a dorm booked in Hostel Lit, one of the best places we ever stayed.

The next day, we headed out to explore Gokarna, to hop the beaches and trek around the hillocks. We started out at the Kudle beach and walked all the way to Om beach. Shaped in the shape of Om, we spent hours in the clear water splashing and playing, reluctantly getting out for lunch. We had lunch in one of the shacks before continuing on the beach trek to Half-Moon Beach. We did lose our way and stumble upon the wrong places, but this stretch is undoubtedly the most brilliant way in which the sea and the rocks come together. Then came the Paradise, rocky beach with sand in between. The sun was long set by the time we got out of the water to dry ourselves. The moon had risen, and its reflection in the calm waters of the horizon was indeed a sight I will never forget.

The next day we planned on going to the Yana caves, but we fell in love with Gokarna and its beaches that we decided to stay there, once again ending up in the Om beach before heading to Goa. We stopped at Majorda Beach near Goa, enjoying one last Konkan sunset. We stayed on the beach hoping the day never ends, and realizing that even after days of beaches and sunsets and more beaches, the Konkan still surprise you in ways beyond imagination. Each beach is different; the wind smells different; the sunset feels special. We also made it a point to have some of Goan cuisine's best and, of course, get drunk!