That's it. Review on Tarkarli

We had been to Tarkarli( Maharshtra, around 600 kms from Mumbai) during Diwali vacation but the best time to visit this place would be during December/January as the sun  here is very strong so carry Umbrella, scarfs and lot of sunscreen. We had a overnight  journey and reached Kudal, which is the nearest station, at around 8 am.

From Kudal either you hire an auto to go to ST stand( which is 10 minutes away) for a bus to Malvan( 40 kms/ 1 hr journey) and thereafter an ST to Tarkarli( 7 kms) or you take a direct auto to Tarkarli from Kudal Station which would charge you around 400( after negotiation).

We had not done any advance booking but got a decent accommodation at Soham Resort at Tarkarli which is MTDC approved through our Auto driver( 1500 for AC accommodation). Vacation is the peak time and you wont get any rooms for lesser amount over here. The room was basic but neat and clean and just behind is the beach which is visited by very few people.

Just ahead of this resort is MTDC resort which is generally booked much in advance and the beach over here is quite crowded but the location of the cottages are to die for. All the resorts on the right hand side have access to beaches. Very few resorts over here would provide you 3 star/5 star amenities and all others are basic accommodation run by the locals where you will get homely feeling and food on prior order.

Here I would suggest that instead of staying at Tarkarli its better to stay at Deobagh which is 3 kms ahead and end of this village as all the water sports activities takes place at Deobagh. There is nothing at Tarkarli except the beaches and for all water sports you will have to visit Deobagh. Please carry sufficient cash as in spite of so many tourist visiting this area there is not a single ATM and for cash you will have to go to the nearest city i.e, Malvan which is 10 kms from Deobagh.

It is like a sleeping village where leave aside cybercafe, you wont even get a decent shop or chemist or a single shop selling souvenirs or dry fruits. I repeat, please carry sufficient cash for water sports though they are quite cheap comparatively. Water scooter, bumper ride, jet ski, banana boat, dolphin viewing etc. and para-sailing is done here. For scuba diving and snorkeling you will have to visit Malvan city. Food at all the places is superb especially seafood and that too at reasonable rate. We went for a stroll on the beach which is so clean as if almost untouched.

Even the sea water is totally clean without any floating debris either in the water or deposited on the beach. We got totally drenched without any hesitation as the sea here is shallow and hence very safe. There are hardly one or two camels for ride near MTDC and just two shacks for cold-drinks and ice-creams. We made inquiries about the water sports with the agents who generally loiter around MTDC resort.

Remember there is no proper office and you will have to ask for these agents at some shack selling cold drinks and water.  We spoke to an agent who promised us a boat ride for dolphin viewing early in the morning along with Bhogwe beach, tsuname island and sangam. He agreed for Rs.1300/- for a boat exclusively for my family for all these spots. We set out  at 6.30 in the morning to Deobagh from where we took a boat but which was already occupied by another family.

Since we had the option to pay after we visit the tsunami island we chose that option to negotiate and finally settled at Rs.1000/- instead of Rs.1300/-. The boat takes off from the backwaters which view is nothing short of any Kerala backwaters and the place where the backwaters meet the Sea is called sangam. He took us further ahead in the sea for dolphin viewing but in-spite of waiting for 20 minutes we could not get even a glimpse of the dolphin while people visiting the earlier day were lucky enough.

While returning he showed us a small beach on the opposite side which is called Bhogwe beach.  They do not take you to that beach but just show you from a distance and from there we visited Tsunami island which is within the backwaters.  It is actually a very small beach surrounded from all sides with  water but submerges up to waste length during high-tide.  All the sports activities in Deobagh happens here. We saw the MTDC house boat which was sailing across. MTDC gives you an option to book these houseboats for a entire day during which time it keeps on moving on the backwaters.

At Tsunami island there are various shacks made where they provide you all homemade snacks, no burgers, no pizzas but delicious Vada Pav, Dosas, Pohas and Sweet Modaks. You are not going to stop at just one dish as they taste so good. You can opt for various water rides and if para sailing( Rs.1200/-) is required you have to inform them and you would be picked up by the speed boat on which para-sailing is done. This option is only available during morning as later on the boat enters the sea and people are carried to and fro by separate boats. Negotiate at every places and you would definitely get a good deal.

Even though we had  a good breakfast we were hungry by lunch time after para-sailing. But even at such a place there is no proper restaurant for having at least a decent lunch. We searched all over the area but even at very small places we were told to wait for 45 minutes as the lunch was not ready. We knew that even at our resort we would be asked to wait after placing the order, we visited Gajanan Resort which was near our resort for food. Here we had to wait for 30 minutes as it was peak lunch time. Evening we went to Malvan city for withdrawing cash by calling for an auto as it is difficult to get an auto on the road. They charge you Rs.100/- one way.

Only Scuba diving and Snorkelling is done here and you can visit the Sindhudurg( Fort in Ocean) Fort. Next day morning we went for a stroll on the beach at 6 am and the feeling of peace and the freshness of the cool breeze is incomparable. With fisherman almost done with emptying their nets and the sun about to rise the white sand of the beaches got a golden hue. We checked out early and on the way stopped our auto to buy cashew nuts from Laxmi Narayan factory where you can see people de-shelling the cashews.

Rates are almost the same as the Malvan market but you are certain of getting fresh cashew nuts. After making some inquiries got a room at J.P. resort which was a big one but just OK. We just dumped our belongings and went to the Malvan jetty which is just a 10 mts walk through the fish market and through the beach where auctioning of the heaps of fishes were going on. Here too no good option for breakfast so we had no option but to have it at a roadside stall   We registered for commercial Scuba diving which is Rs.1500/- p.p.( without cylinder) plus Rs.200/- for a CD of your video  underwater+ Rs.50/- for the visit to the Fort.

With cylinder the charges are Rs.3, 500/- for which they take you to deep waters to separate location. Snorkeling is charged at Rs.400/- p.p. Commercial Scuba diving and Snorkeling is done at the side of the fort where the water is quite shallow and for diving you need to change in black skin tight gear( changing room provided on the boat) and lowered into the water. Here no hygiene at all is maintained as you may be wearing a gear which was just recently worn by somebody and even the oxygen tube end which you  need to put in your mouth to breathe through your mouth would have come out of somebody’s mouth before you. Said and done the first experience of diving was great especially when we did not know swimming.

Don’t panic give yourself 5 minutes to absorb what the instructor with you says and does and you are ready to view the corals and colored fishes near the seabed for 20 minutes. At the end of it you would not want it to end and go on. Thereafter we were taken to visit the fort.

It would have been better if we visit the fort.