So here’s the deal! And a piece of advice; if you’re a nocturnal, hardworking, arse grinding, 9 to 5ing person, and come across a long weekend; say for about 4 – 5 days straight, DO NOT LET IT GO TO WASTE!
In this era of nightclubs and bars, what other options does an awesome, “last man standing” kind of drunk like me, have?
Well, the answer was right around the corner when I had a little chat with our friend, Bijoy, a travel enthusiast and the founder of Next Wanderlust.
I was invited on a trip to Tarkarli, Malvan, with his team, during the Thanksgiving holidays. At first, thinking about the hectic travel and my motion sickness, especially in a Bus, made me reluctant about joining the gang but decided to tag along anyways as they were my very good friends & colleagues and I didn’t want to miss out on all the fun and of course, the longing desire to visit Maharashtra’s one of the most glorious destination.
Thursday, 28th Nov 2019.
On the first day of our Thanksgiving holiday, 15 of us gathered near Eternity Mall, Teen hath Naka, Thane at around 5:30 pm. The bus was a regular 32 seater Non-ac travel bus that often carried passengers to and from Malvan. The traffic was terrible during peak hours due to which the bus was about an hour and a half late. Although I’d say, the train is a better option but… Whatever floats your boat.
Total Travel time: 11 – 14 hours
Halts: 4
Remember to make a checklist of the travel necessities like a couple of body warmers, sanitizers, etc. for it gets really chilly, tiring and uncomfortable. Though the bus stops every 3 hours, it is not advisable to control nature’s call which becomes a horrendous task with the bone-chilling cold outside during that time of the month. There will be a halt for dinner at about 10:00 pm, you will have a half-hour to chow down whatever you can.
Friday, 29th Nov, 9 am
Reaching Malvan bus stop the next morning, allowed us to get an Auto to the nearest beach i.e. Chivla, a jewel among them all, took about 15 mins to reach there. Peaceful yet breathtaking. To my surprise, the shore was exceptionally clean, unlike the beaches of Mumbai.
Bijoy had arranged an amazing double-storied guest house for us that had the vibe of a Villa and a spacious beach facing balcony.
You can either unwind, have a couple of drinks, or get right into the action. We preferred to chill and breath in the beauty of the place. As the sun was making its descent, the group decided to visit Sangam Point at Devbaug Beach.
Situated across the far end of Tarkarli Beach, with a travel time of about 40 mins from Chivla; Devbaug Sangam Point is a must-visit for Sunset admirers. It is said that the Sunset looks its best there, and truly, the sight of a setting sun accompanied by the sound of waves can untangle your thoughts and emotions in ways you cannot think of while staring at your computer screen in the office. The soothing colors almost clairvoyant, the mellow sound of the waves hitting the shore, and friends capturing memories in the background was everything to die for.
The night followed with drinking, dancing and a party that made each one forget their anxieties.
Saturday, 30th Nov, 8 am
I’d usually pop a beer and skip breakfast when I’m out and about, but that isn’t the case at Malvan. You just cannot miss out on the scrumptious and amazing seafood. The fish curry, prawns, and Chapati was like a gift from Heaven.
The itinerary was in place for the rest of the day and the first task in the list was watching dolphins. You can get a ferry to a location further from the shore where the dolphins can be usually seen. Unfortunately, luck didn’t favor us. Due to reasons unknown, the dolphins didn’t surface. If you come across such a situation, don’t fret, there are other beautiful things to look at. The sight of an unending waterbody and floating above it is more than enough to make your senses tingle. Small pieces of land like mini islands will make you want to get stranded with your lover, a school of little fishes jumping in and out of the water like mini dolphins. You just cannot get enough of those wonderful things.
Next was Scuba Diving, the experience of a different world. You need to inform the watersports manager of the number of participants and they provide you with a couple of Oxygen Cylinders. We had 5 OCs enough for 15 people. The instructors trained one person at a time. Breathing through the mouth with the mask on, and underwater is a task but not impossible. I, for one, have a respiratory disorder and thus, couldn’t complete the training. I gave up and was absolutely disappointed. However, I was happy with the fact that my friends got to try and tell me about the experience.
* When you’re underwater, you will feel as if your eardrums were bursting. Do not panic, as it is normal due to the pressure.*
Bijoy had lined up an array of adrenaline-pumping water activities like Jet Ski, Banana Ride, Donut ride and Parasailing. All of which were easy on pockets and high on fun. The relentless entertainment left everyone drained and exhausted to the core.
The evening went by in a tranquil ambiance with the guys and girls chatting, star gazing and playing soulful music.
* P.S. I slept in a portable tent that Bijoy had put up in the balcony, listening to the sound of waves like it were a lullaby. I urge you to try it.
Sunday 1st Dec, 9 am
This was the last day in paradise and the bus was about to leave for Mumbai at 3:30 in the afternoon, but there was one last place to drop by. “SINDHUDURG FORT”, a colossal structure, the glory and the resting place of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the pride of Marathas. If you decide to visit the fort, keep a backup of 4 – 5 hours, well in advance because it takes one and a half to two hours to enjoy it completely.
The most crucial part is to hire a guide. Our guide was an amazing speaker, well equipped with the knowledge and loved his job. As he was informing us about the wonderous history of war, peace and ancient India; my mind raced back to that time like there was a mini theater in my brain. Some places inside the fort brought terror, some gave goosebumps and some just left me in awe.
I won’t go in-depth with the details of the fort because you have to be there to know & experience it.
With that ticked out from the checklist, and the colors lifted, it was time for us get back to our monotonous life. Hope to visit this gem again, soon.