Mumbai to Goa scenic coastal route itinerary

Mumbai to Goa series is a detailed itinerary plan. It's an adventurous 'no hurry' leisure journey along the west coast of India starting from Mumbai and ending in Goa.

Itinerary for the most scenic route from Mumbai to Goa

TABLE OF CONTENT

Day 1- SOUTH MUMBAI

DAY 2- ALIBAUG

DAY 3- REVDANDA, KORLAI & MURUD

DAY 4- MURUD-JANJIRA, VELAS AGAR, DIVEAGAR

DAY 5- SHRIVARDHAN, HARIHARESHWAR, VELAS turtle beach

DAY 6- KELSHI, ANJARLE

DAY 7- ANJARLE -  next day

DAY 8- TAVSAL, JAIGAD

DAY 9- GANPATIPULE, RATNAGIRI

DAY 10- VIJAYDURG, MALVAN

DAY 11- MALVAN- next day

DAY 12,13,14- VENGURLA, SHIRODA-VELEGAR BEACH

DAY 15- TIRACOL : Maharashtra Goa border

DAY 1- South Mumbai

One of the most populated cities in the world, Mumbai is indeed overwhelming. You will need more than a few days to explore this city. If that is what you would like to do, then check this link below :

Things to do in Mumbai : Area-wise plan 👈

A leisurely day spent here preferably around the Colaba - Fort areas will give you a sense of Mumbai, plus it is convenient enough to get the earliest ferry to Alibag on DAY 2.

 

DAY 2- ALIBAUG 

The excitement of my dream ferry ride from Mumbai to Alibag was far too much- as odd as it may seem, but nevertheless. Moreover, I wanted to get the earliest ferry at 5.45 AM which leaves from the Gateway of India jetty.

Mumbai (Gateway of India) – Alibaug Ferry Timetable

Ferries ply practically every hour starting 6am till 6pm. except monsoons & rough weather. The fare ranges from Rs.120/ 250. You can buy your tickets when you reach the jetty itself. 

For latest timings and fares, please contact the respective Ferry operators at this link- alibagtourism ferry info

Excited and sick due to lack of sleep, I dozed twice, almost falling off my seat. What a shame!

The early morning ferry gives you a chance to witness the gorgeous Arabian sea at sunrise, and seagulls as they keep you company throughout the 45 minute ferry ride.

Alibaug is yet another 1 hr drive from Mandawa jetty, but the good part is that the bus fare is also included in the ferry ticket.

Being a weekend destination for Mumbaikars, can be good and bad at the same time. But I'll come to that after I've ordered my breakfast- plain dosa & sambar was delicious with some tea. Ok then; let me tell you this- There are many hotels in the range of Rs.700 and above, so if you are traveling as a family or as a group you are welcome here. Alibag is quite hostile to solo travelers and backpackers and although I did see many homestays, not a single one offered me stay. And that goes down in my list of Most Challenging places for a solo female traveler in India.

Finally, I was lucky to find suitable accommodation at the only 1 dormitory (backpackers hostel) on Booking.com. Later on a hot shower refreshed me. 

 

Word of Advice :

Please book your stay in advance  (Alibag 1N) to avoid any inconvenience. In case you're a backpacker, make double sure they will accept solo travelers.

Things to do in Alibag

Explore Kolaba fort

The fort is located 2 kms from the Alibaug Beach into the sea. At low tide, there are horse carts that take you to the fort, but then I noticed the horses instinctively pulling away as if being forced to go, so I decided to wade through the waters. It's quite an experience. The water is so clear with snails usquirming around.

horse carts to Alibag fort- Alibag

You will need to hire a boat at high tide.

Spend some time at the beach and enjoy the sunset with butta, pani puri bhel and ice cream (vendors around).

The local market opposite the bus stand is quite good, and I was able to buy some fruits for my onward journey tomorrow.

 

DAY 3- REVDANDA, KORLAI & MURUD 

The Mumbai to Goa coast is dotted with sea forts, and Day 3 will give you the golden opportunity to witness 3 more sea forts and beaches : Revdanda, Korlai and Murud-Janjira. So grab your glares & let's head to the forts and beaches.

Getting there : Public transport i.e.. tum tums (like autos) are available frequently & also buses. If you have your own vehicle; this journey will obviously be smooth and hassle-free.

view of a jetty from Revdanda to Korlai

 

9 AM Revdanda Fort

This fort and beach is close to the road and easily accessible. The Revdanda fort was built by the Portuguese, and changed hands between the Portuguese and Marathas a few times.

Revdanda Beach- Is An isolated beach with black sand, Its picturesque locales consist of a bunch of towering coconut trees & betel nut trees.

 

11 AM- Korlai fort

5 kms ahead of Revdanda. How to reach the fort from the main road : The road from Korlai bus stop ends at the Lighthouse. 

The fort has three entrances. The entrance from the western side is the easiest way (Lighthouse side). You need to climb a few steps to reach the middle of the fort. The entrance from the eastern side is a tedious walk of 20 minutes. This route is the main route and the entrance is through the main gate. The entrance from the port side or northern side is a good one. One can reach there by walking along a path from the lighthouse.

 

Korlai fort, Mumbai Goa coastal road

You will easily get swayed by the Korlai fort. It was built on an island (Morro de Chaul) which guards the way to the Revdanda Creek and meant to be a companion to the fort at Chaul. At this strategic position the Portuguese could use it to defend their province which stretched from Korlai to Bassein. Traces of the Portuguese occupation can easily be found in the distinct dialect of the Korlai villages inhabitants which is a Luso-Indian Portuguese Creole called Kristi.

The view from the fort opens out to the amazing sea, as it is covered by sea on three sides. The enclosing wall is 5' 3" high and has 305 battlements for guns. It is entered by eleven gates - four are outer and seven are inner. At the north point, within pistol-shot of the main battery is the water cistern named Santa Cruz - major source of water. The area within the fort walls is divided into three enclosures by two lines of bastioned fortifications. Each of the seven bastions bears the name of a saint.

 

1.30 PM~ Kashid beach

It's almost lunch time and there are a couple of decent food shacks on the beautiful Kashid beach. There are also homestays which I thought were expensive (similar to Alibag)

 

4 PM Murud town

You're sure to find cheap & clean rooms close to the beach. I was delighted to find one with a shower, balcony and a comfortable bed to sleep on. I promptly stood under the tepid warm shower and felt completely relaxed. 

Then a funny thing happened; I met this guy who started a nice friendly chat, and promised to show us some toddy early tomorrow. So toddy is basically the sap extract from palm trees. It's quite popular along coastal regions especially Kerala, has a nice slight tangy taste and is mildly alcoholic. So I'll dream of toddy tonight... 

 

DAY 4- MURUD-JANJIRA, VELAS AGAR, DIVEAGAR

The Toddy tappers of Murud

After an early morning walk on the beach; I went along with the plan of getting to see some toddy tapping and tasting.

Toddy tappers along the Konkan coast at Murud

We had toddy from two different trees. Then we got some more bottles, strained the toddy and drank to our heart's content.

It was nice to see the positive vibe of the homestay, with a group of picnikers as neighbors- so I decided to just chill at Murud today.

drinking toddy (palm tree extract)

Murud-Janjira fort

 

In order to get to Murud-Janjira fort, you need to head to Rajpuri jetty which is about 2 km ahead of Murud town. The fort itself is accessible by boat.

The interesting thing about the Murud-Janjira fort is that- it has never been conquered, despite several attempts by the Portuguese, British and even the Marathas, who failed to capture this fort from the Siddhi rulers.

The fort itself is a mighty mess (at least I felt that way) by families supposedly from the line of Siddhi's soldiers. Almost every piece of artifact like the antique doors and windows have been taken out from the fort and used to adorn their own homes outside the fort- i.e.. the inhabited areas surrounding the fort.

looking out at the sea from Murud-Janjira fort

Velas Agar

Longing to go Ahead!? Then right next to the Murud-Janjira fort is Rajpuri Jetty. Hop onto a ferry and get to Dighi jetty on the other side.

Incase you have a car/ vehicle, then there is a car service from Agardanda jetty ( 4 km south of Rajpuri jetty ) to Dighi. It costs 140rs for car plus driver and 20rs for every extra person. Its a nice service which runs every hour, takes around 20 min, and saves driving time. The advantage of this ferry service is that, you get directly connected to NH -17 

You may contact: +91 8550999886 / +91 8550999887 - for further details visit CarFerry.in

Diveagar beach

7 km ahead of Velas Agar is DiveAgar beach being more popular & has better stay options than Velas Agar. Many local homestays are not listed in hotel booking websites, so you need to just look around for one that suits your liking.

With beautiful white sand. You will find some water sports activities, horse riding.

DAY 5- Shrivardhan, Harihareshwar, Velas

With a combination of idyllic beaches and ancient temples Harihareshwar and Shrivardhan is a popular weekend destination for the spiritually inclined and fun-loving crowd. After visiting these 2 places, head to Velas across the Savitri river. Bankot fort : a brief history The fort was under the control of Adilshahi, and later in 1548, the Portuguese took control over it. Later Marathas under Kanhoji Angre, took control over Bankot; it was renamed as ‘Himmatgad’. In the year 1756 the British army took this fort from Kanhoji Aangre, it was again renamed as ‘Victoria’. Velas beach - not to be confused with 'Velas Agar beach' is where we end the day. Being frequented by tourists, Velas has many homestays.

DAY 6- KELSHI, ANJARLE

My next destination is Kelshi beach, across the Bharja river on the opposite bank. There are 2 ways to get across - the simple but longer 30 km/ 1 hour ST bus ride and the second is the less-known small boats that ferry this creek.

Kelshi is a small sea-side village, with its konkani ambience and slower pace of life; it’s a good idea to take up suitable lodgings here. There are homestays like bed & breakfast. 

Or you can keep your bags, and explore Kelshi for a day, and then continue your journey. Don’t miss the konkani style fish thali, that needs to be ordered in advance.

What to see in Kelshi

Hire local transport and explore : kelshi sand dunes- the world’s oldest tsunami-created sand deposit in the world, the beautiful and clean kelshi beach, yakub baba dargah and swayambhu mahalaxmi temple. All these places are within 5-6 kms.

 

Head onward to Anjarle beach. Here you can visit - Kadyavarche Shree Ganapati mandir, before continuing onward to Harnai where we shall halt for the night. Harnai is very touristy, as it’s close to the nearby town of Dhapoli and you will surely find a hotel/ homestay in all ranges.

At this point, I thought it a good idea to take a break for a day or two, and just relax.

DAY 7- ANJARLE

When at Anjarle, visit the Suvarnadurga fort and lose your way in the hustle bustle of a fish auction at Harnai fish market. I thoroughly enjoyed the local coastal cuisine, bought some necessities and watched a movie on my laptop. Shopping - buys cashews, is cheaper than Goa.

DAY 8- TAVSAL, JAIGAD

I started the day early to make up for lost time and got a bus to Guhagar, which was all fine. As I stood on the road suddenly I felt so confused, not sure what to do next- when a local guy approached me and said ‘aapko kidhar jana hai, I told him. He then asked me to join him for chai, so we stopped at a small local restaurant for a bite and chai which he paid for. Later he offered a bike ride ahead. It didn’t seem much to me- but the road was so lonely with hardly anyone in sight that I panicked. All I can think of now is that- I’m sure he must be an angel in disguise 👼. Not only did we cover quite a distance, but it was a smooth and safe ride till Tavsal jetty. 

All I had to do now was to cross the ferry to Jaigad.

Tavsal Jaigad ferry ride

ferry service from Tavsal to Jaigad : Mumbai to Goa coastal route

Once at Jaigad, it felt that I had overexerted myself, after the S.T. bus and a 30 km bike ride- I needed a place to relax.

Tavsal Jaigad ferry service

Jaigad is a lone and forlorn sort of place, with a jetty, another historic sea fort and nothing else.

Jaigad ferry ticket counter

I promptly entered, what seemed like the only restaurant around for some refreshments. After a good meal, the proprietor was kind enough to direct me to a lodge which again seemed like the only one around, and an expensive one at that.

I later thought of visiting the historic Jaigad fort which is closer to the jetty. Stepping into the fort felt like being transported to a different time and place. I walked and sometimes ran along the fort's outer walls and ramparts, and peered thorough almost every gap for a glimpse at the turquoise blue ocean below. The fort has a truly commanding view of the sea.

a glimpse of the sea from Jaigad fort- Mumbai Goa coastal adventure

DAY 9- GANPATIPULE, RATNAGIRI

Before leaving for Ganapatipule, I made up my mind and had no intention to stay here- given my bad experiences at places of pilgrimage. I dropped my bags at the luggage counter and went straight to the temple.

The 400-year-old Swayambu Ganpati idol at Ganpatipule is said to have sprung up from the soil. This deity faces the west, so as to guard the western gates, unlike deities in other Indian temples who face the east.

I waited eagerly for the khichdi prasad (served here daily) between 12.30 - 2 pm. It was ample and delicious, followed by nariyal pani to quench my thirst. Leaving the temple, I had a strange positive feeling- this trip was the best decision I had made, and today is going to be a beautiful day. 💖

Swayambu Ganpatipule temple

Being a model for the day

A tourist photographer offered to do a photo-shoot, as many photos and poses that I want for just100 rs. I felt that close to being a model at least for a day, so I handed over my camera and we both set our swag in motion.

enjoying a photo-shoot at Ganpatipule beach

Later, a stroll on the beach proved to be just right, and the farther I walked from the temple the more enjoyable and relaxed it felt with the soft sand and warm salty sea against my feet. I just sat there on the rocks enjoying the solitude and the beautiful beach.

 

Ganpatipule beach farther down from the temple

Aare Waare marg drive : a sight to behold

In case you are driving or taking a bus from Ganpatipule to Ratnagiri- make sure it’s by the ‘Aare Ware marg’ as most buses go the other way. You will be astounded at the number of lonely beaches out there, and having your own car gives you the privilege of stopping by and admiring the beauty of the coastline. I couldn’t blink my eyes for a moment even from a S.T. bus.

uninhabited beaches as you drive along 'Aare Ware Marg' (Ganpatipule to Ratnagiri), Maharashtra 

Mumbai to Goa scenic coastal route - 'Aare ware marg', Maharashtra

Word of advice :

The Konkan coast is not exactly a backpacker’s haven- a rare thing to find a hostel that specifically caters solo travelers. Homestays (like bed and breakfast) are more common and definitely worth it for its konkan dishes. 

Nilraj Lodge is a comfy AC hostel at 250 rs/ dormitory (Booking.com)  located at - Tilak Lane, 2nd Floor, Ratnadeep Apartment,  Above Canara Bank, Opp. Congress Bhavan,  Ratnagiri.

It was almost 3 pm. After checking-in at the hostel in Ratnagiri and settling in, I decided to check out the Thebaw palace. This is where the exiled king and queen of Burma (now Myanmar) spent their last years. It  is now an archaeological museum (10 am- 5 pm) which showcases some belongings of Burma's exiled leader King Thebaw. I managed to scrape in just 45 min to 5 pm. The furniture, artifacts and photos exhibited within the palace museum made me feel like a guest of the exiled Burmese king. The museum interior structure surely needed maintenance. 

Thebaw palace and museum- Ratnagiri, Maharashtra

A short distance from Thebaw palace is Thebaw point looking dramatic under the glow of the setting sun. From here you can get a bird’s eye view of most of Ratnagiri, Kajali river estuary with mangroves, Bhatey bridge and the Arabian sea.

A view from Thebaw point, Ratnagiri

DAY 10- VIJAYDURG, MALVAN

After a quick breakfast, I will move ahead to Vijaydurg and onward to Malvan where I plan to stay, but had no booking as yet. Both Booking.com and MMT have some expensive listings.

Apparently Ratnagiri has 2 different bus depots a few kms apart from each other. I don’t remember now, which one got me a bus to Vijaydurg. The bus took many turns and halts along the way, The journey was long, but quite engaging with cliffs one side and glimpses of the sea oft and on. I fantasized how awesome it would be if I knew how to drive and had my own car. I'd probably take small detours here and there for explorations along the way. 

Vijaydurg - ‘durg’ means ‘fort’ 

was the naval base and dry dock used by Kanhoji Angre, Admiral of the Maratha navy from 1698. The fort was originally built by Raja Bhoj in 1208 and has an entrance hollowed out in it to accommodate entry of a vessel from the sea.

Vijaydurg (sea fort) Mumbai to Goa coast route

the pristine beach across Vijaydurg (sea fort)

ST buses on Vijaydurg Malvan route are fewer and have certain timings, thus adding to the crowd. Finally the bus arrived and everybody rushed like monsters to get a seat for the long journey (including me). Again so many halts along the way, we passed by Devgad and more coastal villages; it was almost evening when I decided to book a stay for tonight.

Sunita Nivas, Nearby Bhumi Abhishek Karyalay, Somavar peth, Malvan- I think it was 750rs. The room was really comfy, with a large bed, tv, 2 balconies and a bath of certain standards - it felt so damn awesome! I had to catch up with my laundry and a good night’s rest.

DAY 11- MALVAN- next day

Sindhudurg (sea fort)

This fort was built by the Maratha warrior king Shivaji. Its main objective was to counter the rising influence of foreign (English, Dutch, French and Portuguese) merchants and to curb the rise of Siddis of Janjira. The chief architect was Hiroji Indulkar, and it was built over a period of 3 years from 1664 to 1667.

There are boats that ferry tourists to the fort, which is located on an island off the coast in the sea.

Sindhudurg (seafort) along Mumbai Goa coastal route

Sindhudurg (seafort) along Mumbai Goa coastal route

Later, I decided to check out the food scene, explore the surrounding area and beaches, the possibilities of water sports and click some photos in that order.

The food scene went well- I tucked in prawn rava fry with chai. The market area has plenty of shops selling cashews, kokum etc.

I also found many cheaper stays options around (none listed on booking.com or MMT). e.g..

The surrounding areas was nothing too great, and water sports was an expensive deal, so I skipped it altogether.

Then later I took a local bus that dropped me at the much hyped Tarkali beach. After spending some time here - what seemed like a regular beach, I was lucky to get a bike ride back to Malvan.

DAY 12,13,14- VENGURLA, SHIRODA-VELEGAR BEACH

Much has been written about the beauty of Vengurla’s powder soft, white sand beach and blah blah, that I longed to stay here at least 1 night. But after walking around the town, I discovered just 1 resort which was super expensive. Finally I gave up, and thought maybe I’ll just look around Vengurla market, which was quite good. 

I located a small local homestyle place offering konkan meals (unlimited for 150 rs), so I ordered pomfret thali, another fried pomfret and had more of the delicious kokum kadi. It was the best meal of my entire trip.

Later I asked an auto guy to show me around. And he drove till Vengurla table point, which seemed to be a jetty. The sea breeze was so strong here. 

Shiroda - Velegar : have you heard of this beach?

If you haven’t - then it’s a shame! The Russians have already discovered this part of the coastline, to escape the chaotic beaches of Goa.

The only way I found out is by zooming in google maps. 15 km south of Vengurla is Shiroda, The bus dropped me at a point. After  checking with some people- I walked through the thicket path. (maybe 2 kms)

And this is what I saw. A clean beach with soft sand- it was awesome!

After checking with some locals for the cheapest place possible, I found these beach huts. I knew at once this was to be my Xanadu for the next 3 days!

Shiroda beach, Maharashtra- Welcome Paradise resort rs 400/ Beach hut. Aaju Amare ph: 9423305243

For the next 2 days; I woke up to the sound of sea waves hitting the shore, spent the rest of day having long beach walks and swimming in the sea, Drank chilled beer with fried rice at the shacks for lunch, hot tea and  garma garam kandabhajj at the seaside stalls in the evening. and soaked in the glow of the sun set.

DAY 15- TIRACOL: Maharashtra Goa border

Tiracol is a cheeky part of Goa, within Maharashtra just 7 kms from Shiroda.

There are still shores I may have missed out for a later time, but our journey ends here for now...💞

I do hope you enjoyed this blog and it serves your purpose. Your comments will be appreciated. If you have questions again do comment and I shall reply.

A special thanks to :

Maharashtra S.T. bus seva, due to which the journey was considerably cost-effective.

the efficient ferry services, and the angels in disguise local bikers who made this journey possible.

Next blog - Top 10 places to visit in North Goa 👈