Wonderful trip to Ladghar, Dapoli

After 3 years we were planning a trip for 3-4 days as Aaravya being so young we had only a few day trips to the outskirt of Pune and Ahmednagar as my parents stay there. After searching a few places we agreed(as usual) to visit Konkan as it was being a season of mangoes. After a couple of discussions, it was settled to go to Dapoli and decided to take in-laws with us to celebrate their 39th anniversary which is one day ahead of our wedding anniversary. 

 

I checked on few resorts at Dapoli but unluckily could not get 2 rooms available as it was peak vacation time due to summer vacation and I started looking for accommodation just 3 days ago as was not sure about the plan until my leaves get approved and it got approved on last minute. I checked almost all good resorts at Dapoli but no luck!  And I thought to check at Pears Beach Resort, Ladghar as it is near to Dapoli and before 4 years ago our plan to visit Ladghar got cancelled due to sudden work at the office, so I called Mr Pednekar and I was happy to know that they have few rooms vacant, and I booked 2AC sea view cottages. Kiran had some work on Saturday (26th May) hence we had to leave on Sunday. So our plan was Sunday-Tuesday as I got only 2 days leaves and we were accompanied by my in-laws, they were also very excited as this was our first outdoor with Aaravya. 

Pears Beach Resort is a beachside resort with well-appointed AC –Non AC rooms and cottages.  You can enjoy the view of the Arabian Sea from most of the rooms. 

Date – 27th May 2018

Our journey started @6am towards Dapoli, the route followed is Bhor-Varandha-Mahad route. My mom in law made Dadpe Pohe and got it packed with us for breakfast as our wish was to have breakfast on the farm near Bhor as there are some beautiful farms roadside. We were all set with a mat and some dry snacks including Khakra, rajgira wadi, peanut laddoos, sonpapdi, jam, pickle etc, as the first time we were taking Aaravya(My son, 3 years)  on such long drive. After having breakfast in one of the farms near Hirdoshi village, we resumed our journey towards Ladghar. Had a pit stop at Varandha ghat for tea and some sightseeing could see lots of monkeys there. Luckily didn’t have traffic and were able to pass ghat by 10 am. We missed the road near Karanjwadi and went towards Khed. The road condition was not at all good but on our way there was a small ghat and by the roadside, there were few Jamun and Mango trees so we stopped and enjoyed eating Jamun and followed the route Khed-Furus-Nargoli-Dapoli-Ladghar and reached the resort on 1 pm. We all were exhausted so took some rest and then went to their restaurant for lunch. We ordered veg thalis, the food was good but not so great. It was very hot so went to the cottage and enjoyed tv time and playing cards as Aaravya was sleeping. All were eagerly waiting for the evening to walk to the beach. 

Pears Beach Resort, Ladghar

Our cottages were just in front of the beach, it was very clean and neat. Cottages there is a typical Konkani style kaularu room. The hotel staff was very polite and cooperative. The hotel had ample space for relaxing. Kids can enjoy playing there. There were lots of hammocks in the premise and two swings exactly at the beach. The drawback that I could observe was the food price was a little expensive compared to the other hotels nearby.  But it was an awesome stay at the hotel, recommended for every family who want to enjoy a peaceful beach resort.

Around 5.30 pm we went to the beach, surprisingly there was no crowd we were only a few (around 15) people there. Aaravya was seeing the sea first time and he was super excited, he enjoyed few water sport activities including a bike ride and camel ride at the beach. Maybe it was the wrong time of the year, the water was not so clean compared to other beaches nearby. So did not play in the water but enjoyed watching the beautiful sunset and walk at the beach. After sunset, we just sat there chatting and came back to the room by 8 pm.

Sunset at Ladghar Beach

Date – 28th May 2018

After getting up @7am, everyone was ready by 8am and headed towards restaurant as wanted to visit Tamastirth and ParashuRam bhumi before the sun gets brighter. We skipped a boat ride for dolphin watching. There are special boats with fishermen and sail into the sea to enjoy jumping and flipping dolphins in the water.  

Our order included delicious poha, thalipeeth and ghavane. Ghavane and chutney were too good, I liked it very much! 

We went to Parashuram bhumi which is approximately 10kms from Ladghar. There a Statue of 21 feet standing Lord Parshurama over earth sphere is placed at scenic hilltop from where u can get a panoramic view of Tamastirth seashore.  Inside the globe, there is a meditating area so the atmosphere is quite positive and cool.  From there you can see Red colour seawater of Tamastirth, we should have visited the place in the evening to get an orange-red shade of sunset. 

Parashuram Statue at Tamastirth 

After spending an hour we started to return to Tamas tirth and reached there within only 10-15 minutes.  Beach was extremely dirty so directly headed towards the resort, on the way we picked up a few boxes of mangoes. After reaching the resort, we took a short walk here and there. While the bullock cart was going on the road, Aaravya took a ride of it and he had a lot of fun. We went to Cottage and relaxed a bit and came back out for lunch, wanted to try another hotel. Coming from Tamastirth, on the way to Ladghar beach we saw a restaurant as ‘The Kitchen’ and decided to go there. 

After reaching to the restaurant, we ordered 4 veg thali. The thali included okra sabji garnished with grated coconut, black dry peace (kalya vatana) usal, dal rice and rice bhakri. It would take them a while to make bhakri so ordered dal rice and papad for Aaravya and finished his meal first. They took almost 20 minutes to prepare bhakri and rice and finally got our meal. The food was awesome, black dry peace usal and bhakri were amazing. We all loved the meal and decided to have the rest of the meals there. 

After enjoying such a delicious meal, you need a nap! After 2 hours of a deep sleep, we had tea at the Pears restaurant and headed to Karde Beach, which is situated between Murud and Ladghar. Karde Beach is a broad and beautiful shoreline and great for water sports, the beach is safe to swim, there was a moderate crowd that day. We played cricket and had great fun. It is a beach to spend your evenings to enjoy the gorgeous sunsets.  An amazing place to relax and detox yourself! There are few small shacks selling coconut water, sol-kadhi, misal, chat etc. after tasting Panipuri & Bhel, we headed back to the resort. Preferred kadhi-khichadi for dinner and after dinner, took a walk on the beach and had a nice chat while enjoying swings. Our day ended at 10 pm as arrived back at the resort. Next morning we had to go back to Pune so went to bed early.

Date – 29th May 2018

Kiran and I got up early in the morning and went for a morning walk on the beach, the atmosphere was very fragrant so walked for about an hour. After going back to Cottage, we packed our bags and went to the restaurant for breakfast. Kiran informed the resort manager about the wedding anniversary of in-laws and requested them to arrange a cack on which they agreed and arranged a delicious chocolate cake for us. We celebrated their anniversary by cutting the cake and everybody there wished the old couple. Surprisingly there we met Aaravya’s friend and his family. Aaravya and Shourya go to play on the same ground every day. I didn't know them but my mother-in-law knew them and they had a good chat. After checking out @9.30am, out return journey started towards Mahad, because we wanted to buy Aamsul, Mirgund, Pohe, Kadwe Wall, Kokam Agal etc. there. We reached at Mahad around 1 pm and did some shopping and had lunch at Samruddhi Veg. OUr order was Kaju masala, paneer butter masala and at the end sweet & thick lassi; the food was very good. 

We started our back journey from Mahad to Pune via Varandha. Just before the Varandha Ghat gets started, saw a board for Shivthar Ghal and were debating whether to go or not and finally, we decided to go there. Shivthar ghal is also known as ‘Sundarmath’. It is 35km from Mahad, it’s a beautiful cavern with dense green forest and delightful surroundings in Varandha Ghat. 

In monsoons, a waterfall falls in front of the cave looks splendid. The ghal can be approached directly from Varandha Ghat (by those coming from Pune-Bhor) by a not so good 7-8 km road via Parmachi village, through a good jungle.

There, Samarth Ramdas Swami dictated Dasbodh to Kalyan Swami. Inside the cave are two very beautiful statues of Samarth Ramdas Swami and Kalyan Swami. It is believed that this is where the first meeting between Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas took place. A place of great religious, spiritual and cultural significance. It is also the location of one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Maharashtra. The best time to visit the cave is during monsoon when the waterfall and the lush green surroundings are at their glorious best. 

Beware of monkeys there as they tend to snatch snacks or anything from your hands. So do not carry anything in hand and do not feed them as they might trouble you later. After spending an hour there we headed towards Varandha and had a pit stop in a ghat for a quick tea. 

We stopped at Neckless Point in Bhor for 10 minutes for photography and left for Pune. Had some traffic near Khed-Shivapur Toll Naka and reached home safely at 8 pm. 

Contacts - 

1. Pears beach resort - 

Phone number -  8108055579

Website - http://www.pearsbeach.in/

2. The Kitchen Restaurant -

Phone number - 7066884885

Konkan Paradise: An amazing trip to Diveagar

Diveagar is famous for the Suvarna Ganesh Temple. Lord Ganesh idol there was 400 years old which was made up of pure gold and weighed around 1.5Kg. Unfortunately, 2 years back, the idol was stolen by thieves which they allegedly melted, since then the idol has been replaced by one made with Silver. Diveagar is almost 160 km from Pune, and need 4 hours travelling via Tamhini Ghat, a mountain pass between the Mulshi and Tamhini, and is known for its scenic viewpoints & waterfalls in monsoon, Mulshi dam and lake, Kailasagad fort, etc.

Due to our hectic schedules and workload because of year(FY) end, we could not visit any of the places in last 5 months but before joining a new workplace I got a week for the much-needed trip. But one of my cousins was getting married during the same week hence had to plan only 4 days trip. We did not want to travel far and were looking for a convenient getaway. After hearing from my colleague I wanted to explore Diveagar and nearby places, I shared my wish with Kiran and he immediately agreed. 

Date – 12^th May 2014

I booked a room at ‘Aai Resort’ at Shivaji Chowk, Diveagar; which was recommended by my friend so decided to go with his suggestion. Our journey started in the early morning as wanted to avoid traffic and reach by 11 am. We were at Tamhini Ghat around 8 am, the road through the Tamhini ghat was not very good, and in monsoon, it gets worse. We had a quick stop at Restaurant Vitthal Kamat for breakfast and enjoyed soft spongy idli, chutney, spicy Sabudana Wada and hot coffee. When reached a resort around 11.30 am, it was extremely hot in the afternoon. I know summer is not the right time to visit Konkan but can’t help as we love the beaches there and for the trip, our focus was on relaxation rather than exploring the new places. We took some rest as were tired due to travelling and the hot climate. We did not have any suggestions for a veg hotel so picked the one which is in front of the resort, food was average. After going back to the room, enjoyed the TV time till 5.30 pm.

In the evening we went to the beach which is a clean & beautiful picture-perfect, white sand beach. The forestation of coconut groves and beetle nut trees is a treat for the eyes. There are various water sports activities to indulge in and relish the pleasant atmosphere. We enjoyed parasailing which was a very exciting and thrilling experience, which can make one realize his potential. In the beginning, I was very anxious, but once it started gliding smoothly in the air I felt overjoyed and had a lot of fun. This was one of my best experiences, Awesome!!

Diveagar beach

Diveagar beach

Diveagar beach

I tried to capture the sunset on my camera, the breath-taking view of the sunset at Diveagar is something never to miss.

Breathtaking view of the sunset

I am going...bye for now...see you tomorrow

Shrivardhan(16Km) and Harihareshwar(35Km) are nearby tourist places from Diveagar. The next day, decided to visit only Harihareshwar as we have already been to Shrivardhan and seen the beach. 

Date – 13^th May 2014

We got up at 5.30 am and went for an early morning walk on the beach which gave a special experience. It was a very peaceful and pleasant environment. After coming back to the room @ 7.30am, getting ready to visit the next coastal avenue.

We left for Harihareshwar around 9.30 am after finishing our breakfast. Most of the road is parallel to the seashore which offers a scenic view of the sea, avoided pit stops due to the temperature and reached there within an hour. Harihareshwar is surrounded by three hills named Harihareshwar, Harshinachal and Pushpadri. The Temple of Lord Harihareshwar(Lord Shiva) is a major pilgrimage that has ancient Shiva Linga. Adjacent to the main Harihareshwar Temple, there is the smaller Kalbhairav which is expected to be visited first, before entering the main temple. A pradakshina route goes around the temple, along the seashore. It is not advisable to go on this route during high tide. It’s an incredible place which offers panoramic views of the sea. But the beach is not considered safe for swimming, we anyway did not want to enter in the sea and after spending 2 hours there, we returned back to Diveagar.

Pradakshina Route

The Arabian Sea from the Pradakshina route 

Harihareshwar beach

We were exhausted due to the hot & humid climate and were eager to enter our AC room and ensure 3 hours long sleep post-lunch. Preferred to stay at the resort in the evening and explored the surrounding, played swings, hammocks to relax…sometimes a peaceful walk in the village gives you extreme satisfaction. 

Date – 14^th May 201

As a result of getting up late, we missed a morning walk on the beach. Went to a small stall like a snacks centre for tea and breakfast, till the time food was getting ready we went to their wadi which was full of coconut, beetle, kokum and lots of other local trees and a small well too. We had interacted with another tourist family who came from Kalyan, they were travelling towards Ratnagiri, and had a halt at the same resort as ours.

We spent the day in a resort by watching a few movies on TV and of course some headlines of the Konkan region. In the evening went to take a blessing from Suvarna Ganesh and came to know that Sundar Roop Narayan temple nearby which is on the way to the beach from Ganesh temple. This temple is pretty old but has great architecture, red stone construction is amazing. Idol is very beautifully carved in black marble. The temple was not much crowded as it is not much popular, at least we were not knowing it before our visit. You can enjoy peace and calmness there.

Roop Narayan Temple

Sundar roop Narayan

 

After enjoying some tranquil moments on the beach we returned to the room around 9pm and finished checking out formalities, as the next day was travelling back to Pune. We decided to leave early morning to reach before the sun gets brighter.

Date – 5^th May 2014

We left Diveagar around 5.30 am and reached Pune @10.30am, had only one quick stop for breakfast at the same Vitthal Kamat restaurant in Tamhini Ghat.

Diveagar is an incredible place. Worth visiting again (but preferably in winter)!! This would qualify to be a perfectly awesome cessation.

Contact: -

Aai Resort, Shivaji Chowk, Diveagar - Mr Surve (9422463066)

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