Hug the Clouds & Kiss the Beaches

Every trip of ours in Maharashtra reinforces MTDC’s marketing byline ‘Maharashtra Unlimited’. Be it treks, road trips or backpack trips. Numerous options that emerge from the combination of the long coastline and the Sahyadris running parallel to it, in fact gives one an unparalleled experience. Not to mention about the options in Central Maharashtra, which we are yet to touch.

Last Christmas, we did a road trip that featured kissing the beaches, then climbing the hills, and hugging the clouds. A 4-day road trip with spur-of-the-moment detours, searches for a place to stay, warm hosts at homestays and much more…

It helps that many from Mumbai knows only beaches such as Kashid, Ganpatiphule, and of course, the ones in Goa. The lesser-known ones such as Guhagar, Harnai, Velneshwar, etc, are left for those who take the roads less travelled. Yes, Guhagar is turning touristy. And for the hill stations, Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, and Lonavala are good enough to vet the appetite of many. Koyna Nagar hardly appears in any one’s itinerary.

On the Mumbai-Goa highway, take a detour at Khed to Dapoli and get into the coastal road. Harnai is a few kilometers away from Dapoli. The Dapoli-Dhabol road breaks at a jetty and a boat will ferry your cars to the other bank, where the road continues to Guhagar. More pristine beaches and villages within 15-20 km of Guhagar and we are off to Chiplun. From Chiplun starts the climb to Koyna Nagar. A few hours of drive with breathtaking views on both sides, and our homestay in Koyna Nagar waits for us at the top of a hill.

Click here for the photo story of the journey.