Malvan, Tarkarli, Devbagh

Think about beaches, seafood, and water sports at Maharashtra, one can name a number of beaches; but add to it SCUBA diving and only one name would surface your mind, TARKARLI... the pristine, white sand beach, with clear waters.

Place:  Tarkarli, Devbagh, Malvan

Where:  Malvan town/taluka, Sindhudurg district

How to reach:  Accessible by road and train.  Few trains plying on the Konkan Railway route have halts at Sindhudurg and Kudal stations, and Malvan is some 30 odd kms from Kudal station and fewer than that from Sindhudurg.

Stay options:  Resort, hotels, home stays.

Things to do:  Main attraction is SCUBA diving and snorkeling.  Water sports include Parasailing, Bumper Ride, Banana Ride, Jet Ski, Kayaking, etc.  Then you have Dolphin safari.  There are number of beaches in and around Malvan and almost all of them boast of cleanliness; some of the prominent ones are Chivla beach, Kolamb beach, Devbagh beach, Tsunami Island, Tondavali Beach, etc.  The white sand beaches are in perfect contrast to the turquoise sea water so clear that one can see many feet deep with naked eye.  The corals and fishes are so lively to watch.

 If one is fond of forts, then exploring the Sindhudurg Fort is something one should not miss.

Banana  Ride

Parasailing

Dolphin Sighting

Jet Ski

Kayaking

The Water Fort - Sindhudurg

Season:  October to March are the months when SCUBA and snorkeling activities are carried out.  Else, you can enjoy other water sports and beach the year round.

Food choices:  Both veg and nonveg options are available aplenty, but sea food is their specialty.

Tarkarli is the ONLY place in Maharashtra where you can experience SCUBA diving.  Did you know that SCUBA is an acronym and not a word by itself? We too did not know till our friend Vaibhav told us. It stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

What follows is more like a diary of events of the three splendid days of our lives.  There would be more, but this would be the firsts.

So you see, somewhere in September, our ever-enthusiast friend Vaibhav suggested SCUBA diving as a possible adventure and we did not waste any time giving it second thoughts; we all simply jumped at the prospect. Soon enquiries were made about the sport, its potential cost, and stay options.  We learnt that SCUBA started only in January that year and since we were anticipating the Goa season to start too around that time, bookings were made well in advance.  We had an enormous response of 16 friends, which later due to varied reasons dropped down to eight.

Vaibhav did overtime this time for arranging everything perfectly.  It so happens that he has plenty of relatives at Devbagh and we were super lucky on that part.  We decided to take the Konkan Kanya Express on the night of January 20^th, 2017.  It was the first time we were taking a trip of three days with friends and add to it the fun of traveling in train.  Endless messages and chats on Whatsapp ensued.  We planned to have a Barbecue Party and duties were delegated accordingly.

After a nervous count down to the hours and minutes left, we finally all met at Thane station, where we learnt sadly that our friend Lovelyn could not join us due to her husband’s health, but Anagha came with her warm smile and chocolates to wish us a safe journey.  A word of appreciation for Lovelyn is a must here as despite her personal situation, she fulfilled her responsibility of getting the things she had promised to get for the trip.  The biggest surprise was Amit and Sunaina’s last minute decision to join us.  Hats off to the couple, who decided at the last moment to come; they just got hold of a bag with bare minimum belongings and simply landed at CST station to take the train.

Vaibhav was the first one to come and soon gathered Amok, Ashwini after her dental treatment, Poonam, Sumedh, and me.  After talking for a while and switching platforms, we bid adieu to Anagha and her sweet daughter, Anushka; but not before Ashwini grabbed Anagha’s jacket that was presented to her by Anushka.

Train came and we had to adjust our seat bookings.  An older couple agreed to switch berth with us and then began the beautiful journey of friends and friendship.  All wanted to sleep, but no one could due to the excitement.  So we all took photographs and some funny and different ones too.  One exciting part of the journey is how we would get down at all stations and take selfies along with the names of those stations.  Poor Amit had to sleep down as we couldn’t arrange a berth for him due to his last minute decision, but Sunaina was accommodated on Lovelyn’s seat.  We had a memorable time talking, playing, sharing, late night snacking, et al.  Since we all had a working day that day, we thought of sleeping for some time.  But it would be right to say we took naps, rather than slept, apart from Amok, who just could not sleep and was watching a movie on his cell phone.  We got up early around 5 am and again started our photo sessions from Ratnagiri and so on.

Morning dawned and slowly people woke up.  There were lot of picnickers and it was so energizing to watch so many happy people.  Around 7 am, we had a breakfast of bread that Poonam brought along with the variety of spreads brought by Amok and handed over by Lovelyn.  We tried all sorts of combinations with the spreads and dips.  I even had the opportunity to fulfill one of my desire to sit at the door and enjoy the breeze and observe nature as it passed by, with Sumedh for company.  Village after village, mountains after mountains, tunnels after tunnels, rivers, roads, people all reeled away and the movie continued.

Our train was delayed by an hour and finally came our destination, Kudal.  We packed our bags and alighted from the train.  Amit revealed to us that Kudal was his native place.  Vaibhav had arranged a pickup for us and we all hopped into the vehicle, a Xylo.  Some slept, like Ashwini, Amok, Poonam, Kavita, and Sunaina.  Vaibhav and Amit were chatting with the driver and Sumedh was busy with his favorite hobby, photo/video shooting.  Vaibhav and Amit introduced us to the local things and how they were called.  Kudal is a beautiful village, very clean with neat, well-maintained roads.  The local trees and plantations were a delight to the eyes.

Fun clicks in the train..

Before we said Good Night...zzzz

The Good Morning click

Just how bright our morning was!

The Warmth of Friendship.. our random clicks on stations

Happiness Brings Positivity

The Bliss of Togetherness

Positive Energy is Infectious

Kitna bhi nikalo mann hi nahi bharta!!!

Managing to capture all in one frame!!  Well done Sumedh!!

Hello Kudal! Here we come...

Midway into our journey, we came across this picturesque river that we learned is the Karli river, a silently flowing river with green water.  Though the sun was hot, we could not resist from clicking few pictures.  The driver told us that there is also the Dhamapur Lake at a short distance, but since we were pressed for time, we left it for another day.

The Karli River.. how calm yet so bountiful.. mesmerisingly beautiful..

How can we miss a shot here.. the travel look

Our stay was arranged at J P Lodge, Malvan, by Vaibhav’s uncle, Hari kaka.  A cozy hotel equipped with kitchen, a small lawn, and a small swimming pool.  The rooms were spacious and hence we all accommodated ourselves in one room, which further had a living room, bedroom, and some free space.  VB, Sumedh, Amit, Amok, and Ashwini went to the market with Hari kaka to buy groceries for the barbecue mentioned earlier while Poo, Sunu, and me stayed back in the room as I had no intention of braving the hot sun.

J P Lodge... we stayed at the upper corner room

The Lodge's Kitchen.. Only Fish.. Serving yummy sea food.

Once we all gathered back in the room, we had our lunch of fish thali with a variety of fishes; we had squids, pomfret, dry prawns, mackerel, king fish, little crab gravy, chicken with lots of rice and chapati and finished it off with a super yummy, humble, heart warming, tummy filling sol kadi.

We lathered ourselves with sunscreen and spent some time in the lawn enjoying the hammock and more pictures followed.  Then we all proceeded to Tsunami Island for the water sports.  We had to wait for quite some time for the bus to come to take us to Devbagh.  Poor Hari kaka waited in the sun as he was the only person who knew which bus to take.  Meanwhile, we played with a couple of kittens.  The bus took us to Devbagh from where we took a ferry to Tsunami Island.  The villages were so neat and clean, the roads all lined up with an array of trees.  It was a marvelous experience to admire the village in its raw form.

Amazing shot by Amit of the Coconut tree

The Beautiful Village of Malvan

We saw the Sangam point en route, so called because that is where the Karli River merges with the Arabian Sea.  One of the attractions of this trip and the wonderful part for me was the boat rides; it was the first time I had done so many boat rides in a span of two days.  Malvan is surrounded by the backwaters, rivers, and sea, so boat rides are a thing that you can really look forward to and enjoy to the fullest.

From Devbaug to Tsunami Island.... the first boat journey!!

We got down at Tsunami Island which is the hub for the various water sports.  The water sports are available individually and in packages too.  This island cum beach was supposedly formed during the 2006 Tsunami when tons of sand was lashed by the furious sea thus giving birth to this awesome scenic island. When high tide flows in, part of the island gets submerged in the water, hence ensure your footwear is stuffed high in the shacks that line the beach.  If you leave them on the beach, it will get washed away and you might not find them again.

We rode the Jet Ski, wherein you ride a high speed water bike.  Just don a life jacket and experience the exhilarating ride as it cuts through the waves.  The instructors use some tricks and make it even more exciting by swaying it randomly from here to there and give it a bumpy effect.

Next was Kayaking.  Unlike the Jet Ski, this is a lazy ride on the river and can be done by a single person or two people.  We chose the double option as every fun is doubled when enjoyed with a friend/partner.  No instructors or life guards accompany you.  It’s just the kayak, water, oars and you.  Oar yourself on the waters and soak in the village beauty as the soft wind plays with you.  Vaibhav had fun hitting my head with the oars and we had so much fun with Ashwini and Amit on the other kayak as we bumped into each other and had fun rowing each other’s kayak.

Then our group enjoyed the Bumper Rides.  Here, you relax on a sofa-like inflatable which is attached to a speed boat.  Feel the speed and bounce along the waves as you are tilted and turned about; and if you are sitting at the edge then the bumps are large enough to throw you off the sofa for a second or two.  But this was the most we enjoyed of the four.

Finally, we all ganged up for the Banana Ride, where a long cylindrical inflatable is towed with a speed boat again and you are taken for a ride in the sea.  The highlight of banana rides is that at the end of the ride the inflatable simply overturns you in the sea and from there you have to find your way back to the beach. Of course, you have the precious life jacket on and you can swim or wade through the waters playing with friends.

Looks so Majestic.. Ashwini on the bike..

Getting a feel of the Kayak.. Ash Amit, spot urself!!

The Bumpy Bumper Ride

The speed boat towing the Bumper

As far as Sunaina could click.. Thank you Sunaina..

A tough task for the speed boat or a joy ride for the bumper?

The Banana Ride

Wading through the water after the Banana boat threw us in water..

The day’s highlight sport was Parasailing.  If you ever have this desire to fly, then this is a must do.  Parasailing is what I enjoyed the most and longed to go again and again.  A small boat picks you up from Tsunami Island and takes you to a bigger boat which hosts the parasailing sport.  Here, again you can opt for flying single or double (with partner).  We all opted for the doubles for obvious reasons.  You are fitted with a harness that is attached to the parasail with a long rope and the entire action is controlled on the boat.  One can also avail “dips” for a slightly extra cost, where you are dipped in the sea a couple of times alternating with flying in the air.  I have ridden in aeroplanes but parasailing gives a totally different feel as there are no confines and the view is splendid from the top. 

I recommend parasailing with a partner as it is so calm and quiet up there and having a partner alongside simply makes the experience more pleasurable and you have the confidence that you are not alone.  You can express your feelings and know that your partner is feeling the same things and viewing the same scenes.   We were so awestruck by the view atop, the strong sea breeze, the water below, and the distant places we could spot.  Since we had asked for dips, they dunked us in water neck deep a couple of times, and again we soared the skies before descending to the boat.  Once your turn is over, you can enjoy the sea while others finish parasailing.  When all were done, we were again brought back to the smaller boat and further to the island.  The amount of time you spend in the boat and parasailing is totally worth the money you spend.

Moving on to Parasailing... A small boat takes you to the bigger speed boat for the Adventure

All ready to Parasail..

The dips in the sea during the flight.

When we returned to the island, it was partly submerged in water due to the tide.  We waded through calf and knee deep water and got into the boat that dropped us at Devbagh beach.  Devbagh would translate into God’s garden and a garden it was of coconut trees, cashew trees, and other local produce.  The sand was so white and shiny.  Fishing boats were returning with their catch. We walked lazily as the waves kissed our feet gently.  We watched the distant parasailors and the villagers as we walked to the main entrance to the beach.  Here, we had hot tea and modaks, which are sweet rice flour dumplings stuffed with mildly spiced coconut and jaggery and steamed to perfection.  Then we took a bus to Malvan back to the lodge.

Devbaug Beach.. check out the colour of sand... White sand, Green plantation, Brown huts, Blue waters. Do you need more colours?

The sun sets at Devbaug

A fishing boat returning home with their catch

A perfectly timed shot by Amit; how much he waited for the right time!!

We were all lulling with exhaustion from all the sports and walking we did when the bus conductor jolted us awake.  He confused us with the stops and dropped us a couple of stops before our scheduled bus stop.  Our tired feet had to walk again, but no activity is tiresome when you have Ashwini’s songs to give you company.  We played Antakshari as we walked to the lodge.  Once we showered and changed, it was time for preparing for the Barbecue.

Sunaina, Sumedh, and me marinated the chicken, paneer and capsicums which were brought by Hari kaka while Vaibhav, Amok, and Amit set up the chulha for grilling.  Hey, Ashwini and Poonam, what were you both doing?

The paneer and capsicums getting smoked in our first ever chulha..

The Barbecue Party is on..

It was a first time experience for almost all of us and an unforgettable experience at that.  Vaibhav had bought a metal net which we placed on the chulha (built with stones) on which we smoked our dinner.  Amok threw in whole potatoes, onions and tomato into the fire which were so tasty.  We initially struggled to keep the fire burning as the wood was not totally dry and it was very time consuming, but the efforts paid off as we indulged in the yummy smokey chicken, paneer, and capsicums.  But fatigue was engulfing us and it was nearing midnight.  Our patience gave way and we fried the rest of the chicken in the lodge’s kitchen.  The owner and the lady were considerate to not just let us use the kitchen, but stood with us the entire time and helped finished the chore.  After finishing off our barbecue, we put off the fire, smoothed the sand with no traces of the chulha left behind and we were all ready to call it a night, but not before we danced to a few numbers.  Amok meanwhile readied up the bedding; the poor chap had not slept a wink since the previous day.  Thus, our first day came to a fulfilling end.

Our second day started with our alarms waking us up.  Today was the day for the main adventure we had come for, SCUBA diving.  We freshened up soon and Vaibhav feasted us to his special Maggie breakfast.  As we strolled through the village we were once again blown away by the simplicity and beauty of the village and its sparkling cleanliness.  Coconut trees lined up the way and more descriptions followed about the village.  Hari Kaka escorted us to Malvan Beach. Plenty of fishing boats were lined up and we saw quite a few fishes, crabs and shells on the beach.  We walked through the market area and got into the boat that was to take us SCUBA diving.  After loading in the passengers, the boat took us near Sindhudurg fort where the diving was scheduled to take place.  The water was very clear and we could see lot of fishes and marine life with naked eyes.  The marines plants and reefs and the turquoise water seemed like a perfect painting.

The fishing boats at Malvan

We had lot of questions and doubts, which were patiently answered by the diving instructors.  Later, heavy weight belts with lead blocks were tied to our waist.  Mask and jacket were donned which was connected to the oxygen cylinder.  A short trial was given on how to breathe inside the water.  One has to forget you have a nose and breathing is exclusively done through your mouth.  You have to tightly clench the mouth piece and inhale and exhale through the same.  They have one instructor per diver.  The instructor then holds your hand and takes you under the sea where big coral reefs greet you and tiny colourful fishes are dancing about.  The marine world is so marvelous and you cannot stop reveling in the beauty and charm of the underwater world.  Be prepared for a little ear pain as it adjusts to the pressure differences and a little fear is inevitable, but slowly you will relax and enjoy the picnic of fishes.  After 20 minutes of enchanting journey and underwater pictures, the instructor brings you to the top where you will be freed of the gear.  The boat has a small changing room for you to change to dry clothes.  Refreshments can be bought from boats that bring in juice and snacks to beat the heat and wait till all the divers have had their turns at diving.

SCUBA diving boats

The action begins

Fighting off all traces of fear

Energetic Expectations

Just one more.. so many boats in the backdrop!!

Vaibhav all geared up for the Dive

Getting ready for being scuba'd.. No, no I am not scared or am I?

Amit under water, playing with the fishes among the reefs

The boat then dropped us at Sindhudurg fort which was next in our agenda.  The fort was built by Shivaji Raje in the 16^th century in the middle of the sea and you will be surprised that it still houses a small village inside the fort.  You will find a shrine of Shivaji which treasures some of Shivaji’s artifacts like his sword and crown.  You can also see the hand prints of Shivaji.  There is a secret underwater exit inside the shrine.  A trip to the forts always gives you a chill down the spine mixed with reverence for the warriors of that era.  It is almost a devotion to walk the walls surrounding the fort, seeing the watch towers and bastions lining the fort.

 Exploring Sindhudurg fort is an altogether different experience as it is indeed very different from all the forts we had seen so far.  The limestone walls are well preserved, perhaps due to villagers still staying at the fort. Since it is covered by sea on all sides, beauty greets you in every direction.  You can even relive your diving experience as you can see the spot when diving takes place.  The water as I mentioned earlier is so colourful with different tints and tones of blue, green, and grey.  The view is simply splendid as your eyes are treated to a collage of colours and marine beauty.  You can even spot the fishes from the top of the fort.  At one side is the flag pole where you can see the saffron flag hoisted.

Sindhudurg.. The fort as we approach it

The jetty leading to the fort

The flag hoisted at the fort

Beach adjoining the fort

Fort from the SCUBA spot

Fort Entrance.. Hurray we arrived..

Magnificent sea fort

Striking a pose with Bestie

Climbing up to a monument in the fort

Atop the monument

A candid shot

As we climb down the monument

An up close front camera shot... 

Plantation inside the fort

Colour palette in the water

Water so clear that even fishes can be spotted

View inside the fort. People can be seen walking the fort walls.

The SCUBA spot as seen from the fort

Beautiful collage of colours

The blue green water.. turquoise

Walking the limestone walls.. spot Amok, Ash, n Poonam

Trying a few group pics

A frame inside a frame.. Superb photography by Amit

An aerial shot

Kitna bhi nikalo kam hai

Beauty asks for more

Some formations to compliment the structure

Maharani Ashwini and her Sena

And we felt like dancing

Some moments spent soaking up the beauty around.

No age for bacchagiri

Beating the heat with sherbet, kokam, kaju, and chaas

Bubbye Sindhudurg; we'll come again..

We reluctantly had to cut short our exploration as it was late afternoon.  Hari kaka explained that it would take 8 to 10 hours if  you want to patiently explore the fort, but we could spend only about 2 hours.  The blazing sun allowed us an excuse to indulge in the cool local drinks of kaju sherbet, kokam sherbet, aam panna, and chaas.  They were so yummy and pleasing to the body, makes you wonder why our government does not endorse more of these products as opposed to the aerated drinks we find in abundance.  We clicked pictures in as many places we could and finally boarded the boat to take us back to Malvan beach.

There, we had a lazy lunch of butter chicken and kaju curry (a local delicacy) with chapati and chaas.  We followed it up by pot ice cream, tasty golas, and sodas.  We then strode through the local market and bought savouries and souvenirs.  We returned to our rooms and packed our belongings.  We bid adieu to Hari kaka, thanking him for all the help he extended and got into the Xylo once again as we all mentally decided to come back to Tarkarli again.

We were running late and it was a race against time as the Xylo sped along the winding roads to Kudal station.  Vaibhav bought biryani parcels for our dinner.  We were lucky the train was late and we even got to sip tea at the station.  We boarded the train and again we were lucky to get our seats exchanged so that we all were together in the same cubicle.  We had our parceled dinner and exchanged photos via ShareIt.  After recounting all our experiences and making laidback future plans, we all retired for the night.  After a fitful sleep, the train reached us at around 5 am at Thane station.  There, we all bid warm, loving good byes and hugs to each other and got into our respective local trains to take us home.

We all reached home with lilting memories of the sea, boat rides, fishes, parasails, and most importantly the warmth of friendship.

In spite of a lengthy essay, it is still incomplete with so many memories still tugging and wanting to be written down. So I know I am going to revisit this again and again and write down more.  Waiting for more inputs from my friends to complete this exciting diary of our first such journey.

Good Bye.. till we meet again