Alibaug- Kashid- Nagaon- Korlai March 25, 2024

Route map: Palava- Pen- Dolvi- Alibaug- Nagaon- Korlai-Kashid (~250 kms drive)

Places of interest:

• Alibaug Beach and fort (inside water)
• Kashid Beach (softy sand)
• Korlai fort (the last 1-2 km drive is not for weak hearted)
• Nagaon Beach (driving beach)

Beautiful Sunrise- Nagaon Beach

Driving Experience:

The whole drive experience has improved over years, but still not up-to the mark. The national highway (Mumbai-Goa) is concrete, but safety features are missing. Diversion from highway to Alibaug road was freshly laid and hence my experience was good (pretty sure, it will be wiped out in next monsoon).

Korlai Fort: The 1-2 km road behind is a single lane road, creating a jam with two vehicles in opposite direction. The sea view is fabulous (mini California beach highway road)

Google map accuracy: Was very good.

Mobile Network: Jio network was patchy, south of Alibaug. Better carry some cash and not reply completely on UPI.

Amenities: All road side amenities are there. The area is populated and hence no shortage of vehicle and stomach filling stations.

Activities to do:

• If accessible, go to Alibaug fort, few 100 meters inside sea.
• Take sea bath in Kashid beach.Changing room in beach shacks are there. Beach shacks are there, but donot expect Goa kind of amenities.
• Water sports in Nagaon, Kashid beach.
• Sur rise, Sun set drive in Nagaon beach.
• Drive and hiking to Korlai fort. Light house is also there. (Rs 20/pp entry)

The view from Korlai fort (Portuguese fort, build on Estuary) top. Fabulous.

Hotels:

• Being close to Mumbai, Pune: the place is dotted with hotels and resorts from budget to high end.
• Nagaon, Alibaug and Kashid are main places.
• Prices can double to triple with season and long weekends.
• Tent stay for adventurous ones in Nagaon. Famous among young couples and friends groups.

Others:

• For South Mumbai, M2M ferry service is a good option.
• Do try fish meals, Konkani meals.
• Best time to visit: November to March
• Monsoon can be scenic, if one can tolerate heavy rains.

Sunset in Kashid beach

Alibaug Beach

Korlai Fort: In noise of Alibaug and Kashid, this place is bypassed/missed/unknown. But is a must visit place, for many reasons:

• Last 1-2 kms drive right on coast, is a single lane (freshly laid)concrete road. 2 vehicles from opposite direction and you are stuck. One has to back off.
• The light house has well maintained garden and view from lighthouse top is fabulous.
• The 5-10 mins stepped hike to Fort is worth the effort. ,View of river estuary , explains the importance of fort and why Portuguese build it 500 years back.

Fort top and Lighthouse-Korlai

A weekend trip to Alibag & Kashid…2nd & 3rd Feb 2013 February 5, 2013

Matru ka mandola at Kashid Beach

Alibag is fort cum sea destination, just ~70 kms from Navi Mumbai’s Airoli. It is Mumbaikar’s THE destination for the weekend & holiday’s.

Kashid is again a sleepy, but beautiful beach town further south of Alibag & is perfect for a peaceful weekend.

HOW TO GO ? 

Route (1): Mumbai or Navi Mumbai- Vashi- palm beach road-hit JNPT road (Uran Road)- Chimer- NH-17-Pen- Vadhkhal- (Alibag road) Poinad- Alibag-Kurul- Nagaon-Revdanda-Wandeli-Kashid

Approx driving time: 2/2.5 hours. Toll: two times: Rs 25+15

Alternate route (2): Mumab/Navi Mumbai- Thane Belapur road- Panvel expressway- Nh-17- Pen- Vadhkhal- (Alibag road) Poinad- Alibag-Kurul- Nagaon-Revdanda-Wandeli-Kashid

Approx driving time: 2.5/3 hrs Toll: Rs 25 + 15

Navi Mumbai to Alibag-Kashid

Route-2 will have traffic for most of the part, so route-1 is a preferred route, as traffic will be least with some descent quality of roads, only exception being the 17kms stretch of NH-17, which frequently have traffic jams.

But for route-1, you need Google map app in your phone for guidance (or need to ask localites : very few in numbers), as there is hardly any civilisation is some 30 Kms stretch. Also guide boards are missing in critical junctions.

For route-1, it’s better to get all necessary supplies like water, light snacks & fuel for vehicle.

 Best & the most convenient way is own personal vehicle. Road is quite good for a bike trip as well.

– Public transport (buses) is few & not the best for a holiday mood. Trains are there only till Pen & so from there one has to hire taxi.

What to take along with you?

– Bathing/swimming costumes (with spares) for sea bath.

– Ball, volleyball, football for sea sports.

– Sun screen lotion for beauty conscious people

– Sunglasses, cap for style.

– Polythene for carrying wet clothes or saving valuable from getting wet.

– Extra polythene (in good numbers) to segregate your garbage

– Camera, money & some vacation spirit.

ALIBAG: 

A sleepy town which gets hyperactive on weekends & holidays because of tourist traffic coming from Mumbai & Pune. There are two main attractions of the town: beach famous for sun set & fort which stands in middle of sea, but still is quite accessible by foot. Many Bollywood films have been shot here.

There are quite a number of hotels & resorts, but booking in peak season (& extended weekends) starts months before.

Facility available:

– Town has all that would be a needed a tourist town, but all in short supply.

– ATM, restaurants, hotels are there. Sanman restaurant is famous for local Malwani cuisine (fish is staple food)

– Public toilet & bathing facility is absent in beach

 What to do in town?

– It’s good for a day trip. Besides beach walk, one may enjoy a horse ride on beach (Rs 100 per person on sharing basis)

– Sunset is what Alibag is most visited for. So beach is crowded in evening.

– It has got few water sports option, but it’s not worth.

– In low tides, beach recess by some 2 kms, leaving wet solid sand, with photogenic sand patterns. This is when one can walk to fort Colaba.

– Fort Colaba is some 400 years old fort built by Marathas to defend against enemies coming from sea. It is some 1 km inside the sea & is assessable bare foot or by horse ride during low tides. The fort is worth spending few hours.

– Alibag beach water is not for bathing, first because of pollution & second because it is very silent. The sea got hardly any powerful waves coming.

– Magnetic observatory (2 kms from beach) is another place to visit, if time permits.

– If want to get away from crowded Alibag beach, just head north or south wards & you will get less crowded sea shore.

– Eat in Sanman restaurant, famous for Malwani cuisine. For non-vegetarians, sea food is must here.

 Alibag-Kashid stretch:

– Explore Revdanda fort

– Korlai fort

– Wandeli beach

KASHID:

Rocky part of Kashid Beach

– Just head 32 kms south of Alibag & you get a beautiful & very pleasant Kashid beach.

– The Alibag to Kashid stretch is dotted with sea resorts & sea facing hotels. Roads is descent, but only when it is not crowded.

– Kashid also gets filled up in weekends & holiday season. So booking in advance is good.

– Kashid has got relatively more options (& better) for stay, compared to Alibag, so it is better to do a night halt in Kashid, rather in Alibag.

– ATM is rare & credit cards mostly un-acceptable for obvious reasons.

– There are many beaches in Kashid & one can easily avoid the more crowded beach. The best one is one near Kashid Beach villa.

– We stayed in Sai krupa guest house (rating: 5/5), near Kashid beach Villa. It was neat & clean with excellent home-made food & service. They charged Rs 1200 for 5 people in one big room. It has got parking, hot water & eating facility. 

Hotel Sai krupa, Kashid

What to do in Kashid?

– Water sports, Bullock ride (Rs 100), Camel ride(Rs 100), Horse ride(Rs 100)…it’s all there on menu.

– Water sports like water bike, Banana ride (150per person) etc. are available.

– Dirt bikes are also available.

– Do Bargain all these sports & rides.

– Eat on local Malwani cuisine & sea food.

Further south of Kashid, is another beach resort called Murud, whose details will be given, once I visit. So till then happy vacation & safe journey.

OUR TRIP (2nd & 3rd Feb-2013):

Who all: Me, Manish, Ganesh, Abanish & Shivraju.

In? : Ganesh’s horse: Tata Indica

Trip Meter: ~250 kms.

Driving time: Saturday-4:00 pm to 6:30 pm: to reach Alibag. Then 8pm to 9:15 pm to reach Kashid.

– Night halt in Kashid (Hotel Sai krupa near Kashid beach Villa)

– Ate (not me) some mouth watering fish (Pomplet & kasturi) & Malwani thali.

– Next day played Beach volleyball (rented ball for Rs 50 per hour) for 3 hours & then bathing. The beach was neat & clean with relatively calm sea waves. Biggest advantage, it was less crowded & so very peaceful & neat.

– Lunched again on Malwani thali & started towards Mumbai by 2:30 PM. Reached our destination in Airoli by 5:30PM.

– Overall it was a very relaxing weekend with friends, with only one regret: I couldn’t avoid littering by my friends.

– Overall 8/10 to this vacation (would have been 10/10 had we not done littering). THANKS YOU friends, wish such more in future.

The troupe relaxing in Kashid

URGENT REQUEST:

 1) Alibag is getting dirtier n dirtier because of our Littering habits. Please avoid littering. Segregate & use dustbin.

2) Roads are narrow with frequent patches, so drive responsibly

3) Boozing is okay, until you are on your own. Littering after boozing, creating nuisance is not a sign of a civilized person. Please avoid. It is a big problem in whole of this stretch.

4) Please respect local food, customs & traditions.

So at last, BE A EXPLORATIVE & NOT EXPLOITIVE TOURIST. WISH U A HAPPY & SAFE VACATION.