Budget-friendly weekend getaway in Konkan

You can book yourself a seat on this beautiful carriage through redbus. Don't get heartened by the look of the carriage. If your lucky enough to book the first two seats (literally, the only seats where you wont be bothered with the flood of on-boarders), its going to be a cheap and beautifully adventurous journey.

As soon as we got off our stop, we took a rickshaw to our bnb. The host Mr. Abhjit is a very humble man who guided us at every turn. His family and him are devoted at making their guests feel at home. Since the ride to the place was quite a dusty one, we decided to freshen up and order ourselves some local food. We got to know from our hosts that a neighborhood aunty could prepare a steaming meal for us.

In the evening, we walked over to the beach to enjoy a serene sunset. 22nd March 2019, being holi, we were informed by residents that the beach would be full of groups celebrating on the beach and not a safe place for 2 female travelers. The rest of the night was spent exploring the streets of the village and later calling it an early night.

Day 2:

It was the day of the festival. The event we were thrilled to witness, since it happened only twice a year. It was the day to embark on the breeding process of sea turtles that take place in a sleepy little village of Velas. Since the festive was to begin in the evening, we took to the morning to visit the very famous Harihareshwar Temple.

Mr. Abhijit very happily offered to give us a lift to the temple. The temple is a half an hour drive from Shrivardhan(19 kms).

Other than being one of the most ancient and renowned temples in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, the temple is beautifully designed. After a soulful experience at the temple, we took to the beach to spend the afternoon.

Who needs lunch when your afternoon is stuffed with amazing conversations. This full of life and heart-warming smile lady at the beach brightened our day with her childhood stories and this delicious bowl of maggi.

Post lunch, we decided to hit the road again. The Velas beach is a Jetty(ferry) ride away from the Harihareshwar beach. You can easily get a rickshaw/tum-tum to the Jetty pick up spot. Book yourself and your vehicle(if any) a seat.

The ferry ride is a refreshing and breath-taking ride. As soon as we got off at our spot, there were rickshaw drivers ready to secure their passengers. The got in on the last rickshaw available. The driver demanded a sweet lumpsum of INR 200/- to take us to our destination. The over-smart duo that we are thought it was too much and got off. It was just a combination of gujju and marvari on the road trying to bargain our way to the top. Only to find ourselves strangled. 2 girls in the middle of nowhere rambling up a hill to attend a festive.

Finally, after half an hour of loitering around and finding another ride to the top, we jumped our way onto a tum-tum. The trails to the beach don't leave you mesmerized or awestruck, although the warm and humid afternoon air does make you feel a lot calmer to just be witnessing the sounds of waves crashing. Away from the hustle bustle of the city, being there just felt like soul for my soul.

After the uncalled for mini trek, 2 minute tum-tum ride and again a bite size walk to the beach later look what was awaiting us.

The Turtle festival, also known as Kasav Mohatsav, is when a few sea turtles ramp-walk their way into the water to start the natural breeding process. If you are a photographer, add this to go-to list. Don't forget self-protection gear. You're going to have your fellow buddies are going to be looking for the best spot to get the shot just like you.

We had only heard 'Its the journey that is more rewarding and full filing than the destination', until then. It wasn't the little legs of the turtles slowing seeping through the wet sand or the sweat smell of our fellow travelers or the sun burns on my nose that mattered to me. After a minute into the chaos, I turned to experience the most beautiful sunset I had ever witnessed.

Day 3:

Since we had missed our wada pav and poha breakfast the previous day, we decided to stroll to the beach and bid our last day at the beach a warm adieu. Coconut water to beat the march heat is a must!

You could also explore through a number of water sport activities available for tourists.

3 reasons you want to take this trip:

1. The beach is as clean and welcoming as its locals. You want to interact and know the history of the place.

2. If your are anyone like me who loves the beaches but is always travelling on a budget, this is gold. The solitude of the place, earthiness and connectivity to the more commercial beaches is the best.

3. The local food is fuel for the soul.

Couldn't have asked for a better companion for this trip! Go breathe in the beaches and thank me later!