I love the vast expansive shots in James Bond movies, where the action is set on coastal roads in foreign locales. Never did I imagine that India too has a similar coastal road. The roads in Konkan, may not be as smooth as the ones shown in Hollywood, but the views here are indeed as spectacular as ones you see abroad.
The coastal road in Konkan falls on the Maharashtra SH-4. We only covered the road between Diveagar and Velas Beach. The road, however, extends all the way from Alibaug to Goa. On the way, the road cuts through Ghats and rivers that flow from the Sahayadris into the Arabian Sea. There are ferries that are used for river crossings. Almost all vehicles including huge buses can be driven onto the ferry at one end, and driven off when you reach the other end of the coast. For me, this was a unique novelty, even though for the locals here it is just a way of life.
If you are planning to travel along the coastal road from Diveagar, then head towards the Diveagar Beach Road. The road is surrounded by coconut orchards and at the end of the village, we came upon a beautiful old bridge.
From the bridge, one sees the Diveagar village on one side and the fishing community getting ready to sale ashore in their trawlers on the other
On crossing the bridge, one moves up a ghat to cross the hills and get on the other side. The roads are not quite good, and the steep inclines and curves make going over 40Kmph an impossible task.
Once on top of the hill, enjoy the expansive views of the Arabian sea, peppered with fishing trawlers from the nearby Bhadrakhol village. We could hear peacocks in the nearby forests, but the thick cover of greenery didn't allow us to spot any.
Once we passed the Bhadrakhol Fishing village, the coastal road is right along the beach. When we were driving by there was high-tide, so the sea water was quite near to the edge of the road.
We visited the Aarvi beach next. It has a long stretch of near secluded beach that is frequented mainly by the fisherfolk.
After Aaravi beach, we halted at Harihareshwar MTDC Resort.
The next day, we decided to explore all the way upto Velas beach along the coastal road. We reached the Bagmandala village, once we crossed the hills of Harihareshwar.
Bagmandala is a tiny village, It holds an important place in Maratha history. The Peshwa (Prime-minister) of the Maratha empire lived here for many years. There is also a Peshwa Smarak in the village.
However, the prime attraction of the Bagmanadal is the jungle jetty that is is used to carry people and vehicular traffic on the other end of the mighty Savitri river.
The ferry ride of ~20 minutes takes you on the other side to the Vesavi village. From Vesavi, one can continue driving on the coastal road to reach Bankot and Velas Beach.
Do check out this space for more, as we post detailed photos and updates on Bankot fort, Velas beach, and Harihareshwar beaches. If you plan a travel on this road then don't hesitate to message/comment below for any tips or directions.
This blog was originally published on 'Shoe Bytes'
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