Malvan is the coastal region in western India just above Goa. It's characterized by the red sand houses on beaches and turquoise water shimmering through this town. The experience it offers is still quite virgin in comparison to all the other frequently traveled beaches. It’s opened the doors to tourism in last 5 years with every house offering homestay. What got me really excited about this place is the number of times I have heard about Dolphins, white sand beaches, serene clean coast and spectacular sea food, not to forget the proximity to Mumbai. It indeed was nostalgic and we enjoyed our trip in Feb 2019.
How to reach:
How to reach:
You can drive down here.. It's a long journey.. But, for those who are not fans of driving, the best way to reach is taking the beautiful Semi-fast speed train Tejas express from Dadar, Mumbai and reach Kudal station in about 8 hours.
There are many trains going to Southern India that halt at Kudal and thereby offering multiple train options for travel.
There are many trains going to Southern India that halt at Kudal and thereby offering multiple train options for travel.
Our train, Tejas Express was just fantastic. Newly launched, it had more legroom in chair car train than any airplane I have been (of course Economy class). Clean and swanky new, good breakfast, comfortable seats, minimal halts and perfect timing. Its airline on wheels.. Kudos to Indian Rail Govt.
Malvan is 1.5 hours from Kudal Railway station. So on the next leg of our journey, we took an auto ride ! They can drop at any of the hotels in Malvan / Tarkarli / Dandi / Chivla beach regions at approximately 600-700 Rs. per ride.
Those who have time at hand and don’t mind real Indian ride (bus) at even more of a budget cut, can take the S.T. Bus from Kudal to Malvan. The frequency of bus is at intervals of 30 mins. and all you need is a good book on the trip !
Those who have time at hand and don’t mind real Indian ride (bus) at even more of a budget cut, can take the S.T. Bus from Kudal to Malvan. The frequency of bus is at intervals of 30 mins. and all you need is a good book on the trip !
Location :
The journey from Kudal to Malvan is through rice paddies, beautiful river crossings, villages on the hills, flat lands and narrow lanes.
As you can see the map below Trakarli is 20-30 minutes further south from Malvan. The beaches are all at short distance from Malvan and you can hire two wheeler or an auto rick to reach your hotel from the bus stand. I have marked the beaches
As you can see the map below Trakarli is 20-30 minutes further south from Malvan. The beaches are all at short distance from Malvan and you can hire two wheeler or an auto rick to reach your hotel from the bus stand. I have marked the beaches
Where to stay:
Tarkarli / Deobaugh / Chivala / Wayari - pick any ! All are just amazing .
Home-stays with proximity to beach by 10 meters to the beach are aplenty. The place is catching up on tourism so websites don’t exist for each of the them. Owners share pictures via Whatsapp.
They have a canopy of coconut trees surrounded by cashew, kokum, betel nut, chikoo and mango trees in almost every house. The red soil mixed with the sand gives the real essence of Malvan.
Each homestay also will offer cooked breakfast and meals which need to be pre-ordered. Most of the times they can manage for a couple but not for larger groups.
Home-stays like the name suggest basic accommodation at a reasonable price. Facilities wise they give you a room with working shower and a private bathroom. Toiletries to be brought in.
If you want a more luxurious stay, there are many hotels and resorts, very few are on the beach front. Govt. run hotel near Tarkarli is a good choice. The cost of these will be almost double of homestay.
Home-stays like the name suggest basic accommodation at a reasonable price. Facilities wise they give you a room with working shower and a private bathroom. Toiletries to be brought in.
If you want a more luxurious stay, there are many hotels and resorts, very few are on the beach front. Govt. run hotel near Tarkarli is a good choice. The cost of these will be almost double of homestay.
We stayed at Mr. Nana's Morning Star Homestay at Wayari beach with 24 hour open access to the beach !
Wayari beach has many fishing activities going on as well, if timed with fishermen taking out their nets, one can see the variety of their catch.
Wayari Beach , photo credit: Shweta Desai
Wayari beach has many fishing activities going on as well, if timed with fishermen taking out their nets, one can see the variety of their catch.
Wayari Beach , photo credit: Shweta Desai
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