Sun & sand-Harihareshwar & Shrivardhan. Review on Harihareshwar Beach, Raigad

Harihareshwar was the place we decided to go this summer vacation. Just got back so thought I’ll let you in on a few facts. If you are a beach lover then you would probably enjoy Ganpatiphule a stifle better, cause of the golden sandy virgin beach.

Harihareshwar has its own charm though. We started off from Pune on the 7th of June and after months of browsing decided to take the Pune-Paud-Mulshi-via Tahmini ghat-Bhile-Mangaon-Goregaon-Mhasla-Harihareshwar. I was real glad I took this route, and not the expressway from Pune to Khopoli cause that route I heard is bone jarring up to Pen. This route is much more scenic and after the monsoons it’ll be a real feast for the eyes. The beautiful ghats all around with nothing but greenery and deep gorges and valleys. Real treat I tell you. It took me 1/1/2 hrs to reach Mulshi where we had a stopover for coffee and sandwiches. The drive from Mulshi to Bhile(Bhira) was breath taking. Winding broad roads through the tahmini ghats with not a single vehicle in site. You can easily touch 140 and maintain a cruising speed. This drive would have to be my focal point of this trip. It takes about an hour to do this stretch up to Bhile(97km). Here the road bifurcates to Kolad and Mangaon. You have to take the Kolad road if you choose to go to Murud/Kashid etc. But for Harihareshwar and Shrivardhan you got to go towards Mangaon which is 25 km from Bhile. This road is a little narrower and little bumpy though I saw the road repair fellows so should be ready in about a month.

While on this road you pass Nizampur before you come out to the national highway and turn left towards mahad and Goa. Drive cautiously here cause you would have turn to the right towards Mhasla with a kilometer or two. This road is not as pleasant, bumpy and smooth alternately right up to Harihareshwar. This stretch of 60 km took me 1 ½ hours as you cannot cross 50 average. You have to turn left towards Harihareshwar(16km), If you turn right you land up at Shrivardhan(4km).

We landed up at Harihareshwar at 10:30 in the morn, checked into MTDC’s Konkani a/c hut. As usual they have the best spots on the konkan coastal line, closest proximity to the beach. I had booked these huts from pune a month before(1250+taxes), the other choices are deluxe tents a/c(1450+ taxes) which are closest to the beach and the Grasshopper Inn(grub joint). Though these are very convenient and fitted with new LG a/c’s, they have a water problem so I recommend you take the a/c or non a/c konkan huts.

We unpacked and popped open the chilled beer, changed into our costumes and headed straight for the beach. As I said the beach has blackish sand but once you get into the water it does not make much of a difference. The grasshopper inn is a little expensive but their food is well prepared and the best choice for food. Take their veg/chicken/seafood thalis which are real good price at 60/90/90. From the huts the private beach is towards the left, this is the south beach of Harihareshwar. Towards the right of the restaurant there is a rocky area which is real pleasant and apt for watching the sun go down with the waves lapping onto the rocks at dusk.

The other beach is on the northern side, near the temple. This is 10 min drive from MTDC. Pick up your mineral water and daily supplies from here as they are reasonable here. Around the temple you get private homes serving all sorts of vegetarian food the authentic konkan style. Try these places for a meal to give you the variety. Through the temple you climb onto a cracked rock crevice which has stairs going right down to the seas(quite tiring), basically a rocky face open to the open seas. Lovely to see the toll these rocks have taken over the years by waves thrashing on them, each rock has a story to tell. You will see the floor of these rocks move as they are homes to hermit and rock crabs. While the tide is low then you can go around this jagged rock to the northern beach of Harihareshwar but be real careful cause if one wave comes up you will be history.

The northern beach seems real inviting but the sandy beach is real loose and sinks in at all times. The other problem to swim here is you do not have any places to change until you reach mtdc so we skipped the swim here as kids can make a real mess. They do have a washing area in the temple complex incase you do decide to soak up the water here.

The one thing which I missed is the seafood which is a problem I face at all konkan coastal beaches. This time I was adamant, so next morn I found out a bit from a local joint and headed for Shrivardhan(20 min drive). Headed straight for the market bought my seafood supplies (pomfret, chandi fish, prawns) real cheap, some potaoes and corn.

Picked up a case of beer and a chicken. The town of Shrivardhan reminded me of a Goa, typical Portuguese settings and beautifully tree lined roads. The beach disappointed me here as it is real dirty and shows that it is merely used by fishermen who have left it in shambles.

Got back to Harihareshwar all ready for the feast which we planned to have that night.

Still had time in our hands so we took the road past MTDC, beautiful drive along the creek, backwater area takes you up to Bagmandala beach and further, past the fishermens homes. Lovely drive and you get to see the local life here. Men throwing their nets and women drying fish on the roadside. Assortment of small fish, eels, prawns and all sorts of seafood.

Got back and after a bit of a snooze(siesta) we got geared up for the bar-b-que. I carried charcoal and kerosene and my portable bar-b que which I got from Wellington close to Bangalore from an army friend of mine. The bar –b-que was a grand success and we had roasted sweetcorn, jacket potatoes, tandoori fish and tandoori spit fire chicken. Mmmmmm. Brought back some tandoori fish for my folks at home.

Mtdc did not mind the bar-b-que but we did take permission prior. Next morning we were on our way back. All in all a satisfying holiday.