Visiting Guhagar, Ganpatipule, Dapoli and Ratnagiri.

Guhagar is about 5&1/2 hour drive from Mumbai via National Highway 66 (the road to Goa from Mumbai). One has to take a right turn and leave the highway at Chiplun to reach Guhagar. The distance from Chiplun to Guhagar is about 40km.
People travelling from Pune have to come down to Satara, from where they have to travel to Patan, Koyna nagar and then reach Chiplun via Kumbharli Ghat.
Those who intend to travel from Dapoli can take a ferry ride from Dabhol to Dhopave and then travel by road to Guhagar.

Ganapatipule can be reached by a ferry ride across Jaigad creek after about one hour drive from Guhagar. By road, Ganpatipule is about 375 km from Mumbai. One has to take National Highway 66 and travel to Sangameshwar and take Nivli phata to reach Ganpatipule.
Pune to Ganapatipule via Satara distance is about 330 km. Nearest airport for Ganapatipule is Kolhapur airport. Kolhapur by road is at a distance of  about 144 km.

The journey to Dapoli from Guhagar is via another ferry ride across Vashishti river to the north. Ferry ride starts at Dhopave and reaches Dabhol in 15 minutes. From Dabhol, one has to travel by road to reach Dapoli. The time taken to reach Dapoli from Guhagar is about 1&1/2 hours approximately.

Karde beach is less than 1/2 hours drive from Dapoli. It is one of the longest beach in Konkan region along with Murud  to its north. Anjarle is about 1/2 hours drive from Karde.

The road from Dapoli to Mumbai takes about 4&1/2 hours by road via National Highway 66. It is at a distance of 240km. The road from Dapoli connects NH 66 at Khed. Pune is about 180 km from Dapoli.

Ratnagiri can be accessed by road from Ganpatipule by Aare Ware road which runs parallel to the Arabian sea.
Ratnagiri can be accessed by road from Mumbai by National Highway 66. One has to come via Nivali and Hathkhamba to reach Ratnagiri. The distance is about 330 km and it takes about 8 and 1/2 hrs.
There are many trains connecting Ratnagiri to Mumbai.
Ratangiri can be accessed by road from Pune by National Highway 4 to reach Karad followed by National Highway 166 to reach Ratnagiri via  Shahuwadi, Pali and Hathkhamba. It is about 6 hours journey.

For more information on Ratnagiri, CLICK HERE.

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Anjarle, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Anjarle Beach is located about 20 km from Dapoli. It is a small port located at the begining of Jog river. The beach at Anjarle is one of the most beautiful beaches in this part of Konkan.The sand of the beach is white coloured.

                                                                                Anjarle Beach.

Kadyawarcha  Ganpati temple: This is the most favored place in Anjarle. It was originally constructed using wooden pillars and was later renovated. The Ganesha idol here is believed to be a live deity and is known for bestowing the wishes of his followers. The Ganesha idol has a right sided turning trunk, which is rare.There is a pond in front of the temple which has a number of large fishes and turtles. The tourists enjoy feeding them.

                                                          Ganesh Temple (Kadyawarcha Ganpati).

                                                                                  Shiva Temple.
This temple lies next to the Ganesha temple. Anjarle has a rich vegetation of Alphonso mangoes and cashew nuts. The area has numerous coconut and beetle nut trees.

Anjarle is connected to Dapoli by tourist buses, auto rickshaws and MSRTC buses. There are no hotels for accommodation here and the locals provide accommodation to the tourists on rents in their houses.

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Harnai fishing harbour and Suvarnadurg fort, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

Suvarnadurg is a sea fort, whereas Kanakdurg fort is its land counterpart. These forts were built by the Adil Shahi  dynasty and later conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. They were once upon a time connected through a tunnel, which does not exist now. One has to hire a ferry on land to reach Suvarnadurg fort.
Kanakdurg fort has a light house. Broad steps lead you to the way to the lighthouse.
The two forts are at a 15 minutes( about 11 kms) drive from Dapoli, the nearest town.

                                                              View of Suvarnadurg from Kanakdurg fort.

                                                                              Suvarnadurg Fort.

Walls of Kanakdurg fort.

                                                                               Harnai fishing harbour.

Harnai port is a fishing village. Here, fishes which are caught during the day are auctioned by evening so as to sell them to distant places. One can participate in such fish auctions. Fishes such as Pomfret, mackrel, prawns and lobsters are auctioned here. Kanakdurg fort lies at the end of Harnai and presents a picturesque view of Harnai port.
Places to visit close to Harnai village, in addition to Kadyavarcha Ganpati and Anjarle beach which are mentioned in details in this blog, are Durgadevi temple, Wakali Unhavare hot water springs and Palande beach.

Karde Beach, Dapoli, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

 Karde beach is about 13 kms from Dapoli town.
Karde beach is the longest beach in Konkan, extending upto Murud Harnai. It is one of the most beautiful virgin beach in Konkan and is not very crowded unlike beaches in Goa. The beach has white sand. Dolphin watch rides are very popular here. One can see dolphins early in the morning, more so in the winter season. The beach has numerous tourist hotels right opposite to the beach. There is only a narrow strip of road separating the hotels from the beach. Ladghar beach is another popular beach close to Karde, about 20 kms. by road.

                                                            View from Hotel Sagar Hill Resort.

                                                            Dolphin watch rides in the morning.

Karde beach is a great place for water sports. Speed boat rides and para sailing is fun here. Swimming in the beach is pleasurable. Evening walks on the long stretch of road are pleasant. The sunset  is an event to watch. Suruche Ban(Sheoak plantations) is a place at the end of the beach for tourists to relax and have a nap for one day tours from Mumbai and Pune.

 Nearest Railway station is Khed railway station and the nearest airport is Ratnagiri airport (about 3 hours drive). The road connecting Karde(Dapoli) to Guhagar is through Vashishti river at Dabhol - Dhopave and is traversed by ferry boat which carries vehicles. The view is panoramic. The famous Dabhol project is close by.

 Places to visit from Karde:
1. Harnai Beach.
2. Suvarnadurg Fort.
3. Anjarle Beach and Kadyavarcha Ganapati (Lord Ganesh Temple).
4. Ladghar.
5. Unhavare hot springs.
6. Ade beach and temple.
7. Asud temples.
8. Murud

Recommendations for Karde tour:
I would like to recommend a three day stay at Karde beach. One should spend the first day on the beach and walk along the road-which is very pleasant. Early morning dolphin watch on the second day. One should get up early in the morning to see dolphins. The same day can be utilized to play water sports and a short trip to Dapoli town in the evening. One can even make a short trip to Lord Parshuram's statue at Burondi on the same day. Visit to Harnai beach, Suvarnadurg fort, Kadyawarcha Ganapati and Anjarle beach on third day is recommended.

I stayed at Sagar Hill Resort. The resort is bang opposite the beach. They serve veg as well as non-veg food. They served us buffet as our visit was in Diwali vacation and the hotel was completely full. The food is a real treat. Fried fish and fish curry rice are delicacies. The owners of the resort are extremely friendly and in spite of the rush, made it a point to chat with everyone in the resort and gave personal help when needed. One should ask for air-conditioned room facing the beach.

                                                                                       Sagar Hill Resort

Dabhol-Dhopave Ferry Boat Service, Ratnagiri.

Dabhol-Dhopave jetty service connects Guhagar to Dabhol. It is the nearest way to reach Dapoli from Guhagar. Dabhol-Dhopave journey lasts for about 20 minutes across the Vashishti river. The ferry boat carries cars, two wheelers, etc. along with passengers across the river.Vashishthi river which flows from Chiplun, joins the sea at Dabhol, forming Dabhol creek.

 Dabhol town is famous for Dabhol power project. It has a small black sand beach. Chandika mandir is a famous temple in Dabhol. Ferry boats take you to the deep sea for Dolphin watching here. Dabhol also has an old port which had a lot of importance during the 14th and 15th centuries.
Click Here to watch my video on Dabhol-Dhopave ferry boat service.
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Anjanvel, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Anjanvel is a small coastal village in Guhagar Taluka, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. It is located at the confluence of Vashishti river and Arabian Sea.  Gopalgad fort is a coastal fort in Anjanvel. It was originally built by the Siddhis, captured by Marathas and finally lost to the British who controlled it till 1947. Half of it is on top of a hillock whereas the rest of the half is near the close by Arabian Sea. Gopalgad fort has a lighthouse in its vicinity, which attracts a lot of tourists. The lighthouse is open between 3 pm and 5pm for tourists. It presents a beautiful look of  the nearby Vashishti river and ancient port city of Dabhol, across the river.

                                                                                  Gopalgad Fort.
      Tolekeshwar Shiva Mandir is an ancient temple close to Gopalgad fort and lighthouse. The temple has  old fashioned brass bells. There is a Shiva lingam inside the temple.

                                                                         Tolekeshwar Shiva Temple.

                                                           View of Dabhol creek from Anjanvel hilltop.

         Anjanvel has a small sea port. Fishing is the main occupation here. Tolekeshwar temple is a place worth visiting for people who have a liking for old monuments and architecture. There are very few tourists visiting these places. View of the creek from Gopalgad fort is amazing. It takes about an hour to cover up both these places. The best time to be here is in the evening when you can watch the sunset.

Ganapatipule, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Ganapatipule is famous for temple of Lord Ganesh. The Ganapati idol is about 400 year old. The temple is situated at the base of a hillock, facing the beach. Tourists visit in large numbers to worship the idol which is a Swayambhu (self originated). 

Ganapatipule has plenty of restaurants and hotels for tourists which serve both veg as well as non-veg food. MTDC Resort near the beach is most popular amongst all. Best time to visit here is from October to February as the weather is cool. Nearest rail stations are Ratnagiri and Bhoke. Nearest airports are at Ratnagiri and Kolhapur.
 By road from Mumbai, one has to take a right turn at Nivali on Mumbai Goa highway. To reach Ratnagiri from Ganapatipule, one has to go through Hathkhamba.

                                      Ganapatipule temple of Lord Ganesh.

                                                  Ganapatipule beach.

 Ganapatipule offers some of the best variety of local preparations such as ambapoli-made of alphonso mangoes and phanaspoli-made of jack fruit. Devgad alphonso mangoes are available in summer. Fish curries, Sol Kadi made of coconut milk are famous here.

Places to visit:
1. Malgund Beach.
2. Jaigad fort.
3. Prachin Konkan Museum.

Recommendations for Ganapatipule:

Stay at MTDC Resort is highly recommended. The resort is very close to the temple. They have bar and serve multi cuisine veg as well as non-veg food.  Another good place to stay is Fern Greenleaf Resort. This resort is at a distance from the temple. The resort is neat and well maintained, has a swimming pool (small) and serves veg as well as non-veg food. Stay for a couple of days and make a trip to Jaigad fort and lighthouse. Do make a trip to Aare Ware beach and  Malgund beach.

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Tavsal to Jaigad ferry boat to Ganpatipule.

The best way to travel to Ganpatipule from Guhagar is through Jaigad creek. There is a ferry boat service from Tavsal village to Jaigad, which carries vehicles along with passengers across the creek. Jaigad creek is actually meeting of the Shashtri river and Arabian Sea. Jaigad creek is lined with beautiful palm and coconut trees along its course. Jaigad port is situated within the creek. For protecting Jaigad creek, two forts were built-Jaigad fort to the south and Vijaygad fort to the north. There is a light house and a Ganesh temple in the premises of Jaigad fort.

                                                                Bridge across Jaigad creek.

                                                   Ferry boat from Tavsal village to Jaigad is available every hour.

Watch beautiful Jaigad creek video here.

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Guhagar, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Guhagar is located about 45kms from Chiplun, which lies on Mumbai Goa Highway. Guhagar has a beautiful white sand beach.One can enjoy water sports, sun bathing and swimming here. It has two famous temples, Vyadeshwar and Durgadevi temples. Guhagar is famous for alphonso mangoes, coconuts and betel nuts. A variety of fishes are available here.There is a flea market close by.


                                                  Guhagar beach.

Velneshwar Temple is located less than half an hour's drive from Guhagar. It is located in Velneshwar village and has a beautiful serene beach called Velneshwar beach which is a tourist spot enjoyed by swimmers. Velneshwar temple is an ancient Shiva temple. The temple is visited in large number by devotees during the Mahashivratri festival.

                                                  Velneshwar Temple.

Hedvi Dashabhuja Ganesh Temple is located close to Guhagar. The name Dashabhuja stands for 10 hands which this Ganesh idol has. The idol is made of white marble brought from Kashmir region. The idol is 3 feet tall. The temple was built during the Peshwa rule in Maharashtra.  Hedvi also has a black sand beach.

                                                      Hedvi Temple entrance.

                                                  Hedvi Ganesh Temple.

Other nearby places to visit near Guhagar:
1. Vyadeshwar temple and beach.
2. Gopalgad and Talkeshwar temple.3. Dabhol Enron project-now renamed Ratnagiri Gas and Power.

Click here to see video of beautiful Guhagar beach.

Recommendations in Guhagar:

I recommend a three day stay in Guhagar. An evening walk on the beach and visit to Vyadeshwar and other temples in vicinity of the beach on the first day. A visit to Velneshwar temple, Hedvi Ganesh temple along with their beaches, on the second day. A tour to Gopalgad fort and Talkeshwar temple and visit to Anjanvel village on third day.

I stayed in Nisarg Guest House at Guhagar and found my stay very comfortable and relaxing. The hotel is approved by MTDC and is reasonably priced. The owner and his family stay in the premises of the hotel and are very warm and helpful people. The hotel has a typical rural look with a lot of trees in the compound. The hotel serves veg as well as non-veg food. Fish thalies(King fish and Pomfret) are their specialities. The place is clean and well maintained.

Hotel Annapurna close to market and beach is another highly recommended place for fish lovers. They have a wide variety of fish dishes.

Watch beautiful Guhagar beach video. Click here.

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