Camping near Panshet Dam - Under the twinkling sky

If you are looking to escape the city life somewhere near Pune or Mumbai in Maharashtra? Need a much needed break from the traffic and crowded streets. Camping near Panshet is the place to head off to for a weekend break or even mid-week outing. Enjoy the experience of sleeping under the open sky by the Panshet Lake. Panshet is a beautiful night camping site in the open, under the twinkling sky. Panshet is quite close to Khadagwasla dam, and approx 50 km from Pune, and approx 150 km from Navi Mumbai. 

The travel from Khadagwasla to Panshet itself is one of a kind where most of campers and photographers don't sit inside the vehicle but prefer to stop at time to time due to amazing surroundings. We started from Pune and reached here in 3 hours including multiple breaks. We choose Panshet Eco Village camp-site near Surya Shibir resort, which is still developing. This itself was a great experience. As soon as we reach the place, we had splendid views of the lake. Soon we got set up our camping tents, mats, and started the bonfire for the night camping. 

Soon after sunset, the real fun begins around 8 pm. We got our evening snacks ready and temprature started to drop. Everyone free to enjoy the evening as we want. Sanjay also bring his Guitar along-with him, and Chanchal his open-air speakers. We sing and dance at time to time and prefer playing music from our phones as per choice. We also had time to photograph at times, and enjoyed star gazing and bonfire till midnight. Everyone had dinner as and when we feel hungry. We also see few shooting stars during the night. If you have your telescope with you, This place is good to observe the constellation of stars and planets. Please note that it becomes quite cold in night, and during winters temprature drops a lot, so carry  woolen clothes and blankets is very important. The tents we got were new, and good quality. We have nets inside, so we opened few zips of tents, that keep flowing fresh air all the time. 

Few of us just slept for 2-3 hours and wake up early to adore the beautiful sunrise by the lake. We enjoyed it fully and had few clicks as well. Later we had our breakfast, and stayed there till 11 AM. The best time to do camping at Panshet is October to March. Avoid during the monsoon. Panshet is also very safe place to camp out in the open since there is no wild animals or even snakes around the place. But still be aware of surroundings, for your own safety. Swimming in lake is prohibited, but boat tour can be enjoyed after the sunrise. Our full group was full of energy. Really enjoyed the night and day throughout. Looking forward to more of these adventures to come. 

There are many other camping sites in Maharashtra, which can be enjoyed with trekking:

Bhandardara Camping

Konya River Camping

Krishna River Camping

Rajmachi Trek and Camping

Karjat Trek and Camping

Kolad Camping

Sahyadri Camping

Panchgani Camping

Torna Camping

Dapoli Camping

Alibaug Trek and Camping

Pawna Trek and Camping

Murud Camping

Kaas Trek and Camping

Lonavala Trek and Camping

Pune Trek and Camping

Mumbai Trek and Camping

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Aguada Old Lighthouse and Sunset Point Goa

We have already visited Aguada Fort in our earlier Goa visits, we wanted to visit Aguada Old Lighthouse which is nearby, but couldn't because of short of time. This time we don't want to miss that. After Aguada beach visit, we decided to enjoy  Aguda old lighthouse (please note old) and sunset point. If you are near Calangute or Candolim beach, this place is not too far. The drive to this place is really awesome with winding roads and green tree branches, even if you are driving on 2-wheeler.

Its worth to visit Aguada old lighthouse specially during sunset. This place can also be visited during sunrise. It is advisable to visit the place during evenings as it can be very hot during the day time. Carry enough water with you along with essentials like sun screen, hand-kerchiefs, caps during afternoon and umbrella for the monsoon chasers. This place gives amazing views of the Arabian sea and harbor. During sunset amazing photography can be explored.

Sunset point can be accessed two-ways: One way by the Taj hotels route and the other way by the actual road leading to the fort. Both the routes have something great to offer. From parking, If you take the left route towards the jail you can find footsteps trending down towards a beautiful rocky patch and the view is really scintillating from there. This is the place I came for during sunset. 

Clean, neat, nice photographic, gives you few great angles to click great pictures. You will love to capture these moments, and enjoying watching sea-side activities from top. I stayed here for 2 hours and also clicked few photographs. I wish to stay longer if sunset time just paused. There are narrow pathways which will lead you to down the sea-side to explore further. There were many couples which came here to enjoy their special moments. Don't forget to visit this place. Just be extra aware that few points are really dangerous and heart-pumping.

“When in Goa, do as the Goans do”. 

Other places to visit in Goa:
Nightlife and watersports at Calangute

Goa in a day: The Bom Jesus Church, Tropical Spice Plantation, Shree Mangesh Prashanna, Dona Paula-Panaji, Princesa Cruise

One day visit to North Goa: Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach

Aguada Fort, North Goa

Goa Carnival: Viva Carnival

Things to do in Goa

Best Beach curves of Goa

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An evening at Ganpatipule Beach

In our endeavor to explore the coastal belt of Arabian Sea, we travelled Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid - Murud - Shrivardhan - Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli - Velneshwar - Jaigad - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri - Tarkarli (Malvan, Sindhudurg) - Devbag (Devbaug) and many other nearby places, but we didn't mind visiting Ganpatipule once again.

We started from Devrukh, and reached Ganpatipule within 2 hours. The route was full of fields of Rice, Cashew and Alphanso (Hapus) Mangoes. After that we visited Ganpatipule temple. We were lucky to get the darshan quite fast, surprisingly there were no queues! And then it was the time for our Pet-pooja (Lunch) Nearest best place for food is MTDC and there we were, for all our meals.

Ganpatipule beach is one of the most beautiful white sand beaches amongst the Konkan beaches. With the Ganapati temple on the shores rendering a peaceful atmosphere, Ganpatipule is as close as you can get to a perfect holiday destination in Konkan. Meenal and Smrati went for jet skiing at Ganpatipule beach. An evening spent at the beach gives a feel of Chowpati, a little too crowded over weekends and vendors lining the shore. The day was little hot and the best thing to beat the heat was coconut water!

Sunset at Ganpatipule: If you love watching sunset, This is one of the best place. This time we relaxed at this clean beach till sunset. The water and beach is so clean that we could take few reflection photographs as well. When the sun was about to set, I setup my tripod, and could manage a few beautiful clicks. You can explore this beach quite long by walk both sides from the temple.

Aare Ware Beach (Arey Warey Beach): We have been to this place during our last visit to Ratnagiri. The views across seaside is amazing, and you will love the drive following the seashore all the times. This route is highly recommended. Seaside Ratnagiri - Ganpatipule route passes through the twin beaches of Aare and Waare and the Aare sunset point. It is the best place to enjoy splendid sunsets, pulsating palms and wonderful waves in Ratnagiri ranges. We followed the same majestic views along-with sunset at Aare in our last visit. Many celebrities own land properties near to this beach. Certainly this beach will be a star attraction for tourist in near future.

Don't forget to visit Prachin Konkan Museum, if you are with kids or family or interested in conch. We also get to see India's biggest conch (Shankh).

Few other beaches/places to visit nearby Ganpatipule:
Malgund Beach
Nandivade Beach
Kunbiwadi Beach
Jaigarh (Jaigad) Fort and Lighthouse

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Trip To Tarkarli - Malvan

Quote of the Post: "Trip to Tarkarli is not complete without visiting Sindhudurg Fort and deep dive in the sea. " - Quote about 'Tarkarli' in Malvan, Maharashtra - Sachin Kumar Gupta

It was a nice trip to remember with Meenal, Pooja and Pankaj. We saw many bikers and groups travelling to Goa and other travel destinations over the long weekend. We travelled Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid - Murud - Shrivardhan - Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli - Velneshwar - Jaigad - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri, and now was the time to move to the next destination --- Tarkarli in Sindhudurg district.

Tarkarli: If you are coming from Pune or Mumbai, you have to reach Kankavli. Below map will help you reaching from Mumbai and Pune. 

Mumbai - Pune - Satara - Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Phonda - Kankavali - Kasal - (Malvan - Kasal Road) - Tarkarli Road - Turn to Tarkarli Beach.

Tarkarli - Rock Garden - Chiwla - Malvan Map

We paused at a bridge near Phonda, where many birds were flocking together. It was nice photography point to stop by. As soon as we reached Tarkarli, Kingfisher bird welcomed us, and let me click some photographs quickly.

Things to do at Tarkarli, Malvan: Magnificent Tarkarli is well known for its natural beauty, and there are many prime places to visit in and around Tarkarli that attracts visitors:

Here, It is an experience to see the auction of fish catch in the evening when all the trawlers return after day’s fishing. The catch is then sold to the highest bidder. You will love to see many colorful fish. 

Go Snorkling and Scuba near Sindhudurg Fort - 05 KM 

Sindhudurg Fort - 05 KM

Devbag Sangam - 06 KM

Rock Garden, Malvan - 06 KM

Chiwala Beach - 07 KM

Kunkeshwar Temple - 40 KM

Goa - 75 KM

Tarkarli Beach: On a fairly sunny day, one can see the sea-bed up to a depth of 20 feet, This place has gained prominence because of its transparently clear seas. At Tarkarli beach, we also saw some sea-birds flocking around. We found the birds flying at the seashores at many places at Tarkarli. There are newly built M.T.D.C. cottages with accommodation and recreation facilities nearby, which you'll have to book well in advance. Now a days, MTDC also has luxury houseboat facility available at Tarkarli. There are 2 famous houseboats, named- Hiranyakeshi (a deluxe houseboat) and Karli (a standard houseboat). We will plan for the same sometime later in Jan or Feb.  

Sunset at Rock Garden: This is no doubt to enjoy the sunset at Rock Garden point, if you are at Tarkarli. The Rock garden is situated near the Arase Mahal and on the Rocky Shore of Malvan. As soon as sun goes down, you will see the crowd increasing to enjoy the sunset glimpse. Many couples pick-up their rock stones to enjoy their loving moments. There is also a toy train, which runs till 7 pm. It is kind of 16 seaters which takes small round charging 10 INR per person. 

Chiwla Beach (Chivla Beach): If you really want to enjoy more cleaner beach, move Chiwla beach, which is just 1 KM away from Rock Garden. You will feel like being at cleaner Marine Drive of Mumbai. There are many cone shaped stones are being placed at the beach side for longer stretch. Sea and sand blending in enchanting natural harmony, gracefully cruising boats in calm and cool waters add to the beauty of this beach. 

The best time to visit Tarkarli is Dec and Jan, Though it is magnificent most of the months other than monsoon season. It is also a seafood lovers place. Coconut, Rice and Fish assume prime significance in the Malavani cuisine. Seafood containing fish, especially Bangada (Soloman) Paplet (Pomfret), Prawns, Bombil (Bombay Duck) and Tisrya (Mussels) is very popular. Sol Kadhi (A preparation made of Sol (Kokum) and coconut milk) is famous drink, We enjoyed it many times. Varieties of Alphonso Mango (Hapus Aam) are particularly popular here. We took approx 2 boxes (5 KG) of Hapus mangoes in quite reasonable rates while returning back to Pune. 

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Destination Beaches near Devbag Mobar Sangam in Malvan

Quote of the Post: "Friends Together..Check! Lovely Drive..Check! Awesome Beaches..Check! Tasty Food..Check! Fun filled trip..Check! Rejuvenated..Check! - What else can u ask for!!!" - Quote about 'Devbag' in Malvan, Maharashtra - Sachin Kumar Gupta 

In our endeavor to explore the coastal belt of Arabian Sea, We travelled Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid - Murud - Shrivardhan - Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli - Velneshwar - Jaigad - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri, and now was the time to move to the next destination --- Devbag (Devbaug) in Sindhudurg district.

Tip: If you are planning to visit Tarkarli or Malvan, Book hotel at Devbag area, you will feel like enjoying private beach. Much awaited trip to Tarkarli, finally came our way and here we scoot for our weekend get-away. After much of hastles and multiple discussions, we finalized our stay at 'Sea Pearl Beach Resort' at Devbag, which is considered to be one of best region in Malvan (Dist. Sindhudurg). 

Don't confuse with Devbagh in Karnataka. If you are coming from Pune or Mumbai, you have to reach Kanakavli (Pronounced as Kan-Kavli). Below map shows the route to Devbag from Mumbai and Pune. 

Mumbai - Pune - Satara - Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Phonda - Kankavali - Kasal - (Malvan - Kasal Road) - Turn to Tarkarli - Devbag Mobar Road. 

Devbag - Malvan Map

Devbag Mobar Sangam: This famous place is surrounded by water mostly and is at the confluence of river Karli and Arabian Sea. While driving from Tarkarli, you will enjoy the beautiful scenary of Arabian sea at one side, while tranquil backwaters of Karli river at the other side. It was just 5 minutes drive from our hotel, however we chose to explore this place on foot. Some of the major points can be easily seen from here. 

Mobareshwar Temple: This small temple is located at the tip of this Sangam. There is a boating point nearby named - Mobareshwar Boating Centre. You can book the boat and traverse multiple points with 6-8 people. To your luxury, Houseboats are also available in backwaters! There are so many colorful boats, your eyes will simply love those, and capture the moments. 

The same place is also the origin for the outset of boat rides covering below places. 

1. Sangam Point 

2. Island Bed (Seagull Island) 

3. Tsunami Bed: You can enjoy many water sports here.  

4. Bhogwe Beach [700 INR for 1-4 points]

5. Dolphin Point --- Must see, if you are getting up early in the morning.

6. Sea Travel [1000 INR for 1-6 points]

7. Nivati Beach 

8. Nivati Fort [1700 INR for 1-8 points]

9. Lighthouse [3500 INR for 1-9 points]

Sunrise and Sunset at Devbag Beach: It was a treat to eyes...to adore magnificient sunrise from the Karli river and eye-catching sunset at Arabian sea. Fishermen carrying their traditional boats & nets daily into the sea, is an interesting feature to watch on this beach. The first morning, we saw many colorful fishes and crabs being captured in the nets by local fishermen. Next day, I wokeup early in the morning and captured many pics with Sun rising from the horizon. Some sunrise pics taken from the hotel top. Evening was funfilled with tea/snakcs at beachside of the hotel, and later beach bath and sunset. We spend some time together in beach-swing. 

Devbag is an ideal spot for refreshing the mind and soul. The best time to visit Devbag is Dec and Jan, Though it is magnificent most of the months other than monsoon season. Magnificent Devbag is well known for its natural beauty, and there are many prime places to visit in and around Devbag that attracts visitors: 

Go Snorkling and Scuba at Tarkarli - 10 KM

Sindhudurg Fort - 10 KM

Chiwala Beach - 12 KM

Rock Garden, Malvan - 11 KM

Kunkeshwar Temple - 45 KM

Goa - 80 KM
Ratnagiri - 150 KM

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