Bhogwe Beach: Two Wheels, Two Nomads, One Thrilling Adventure

Day 7: Dec 28, 2007

Early morning full of vigor and zest we started for Sindhudurg. The excitement was building up since the exhilarating destination of Goa was near and we targeted to reach there today. However, while we wanted to have more of Goa, we could only reach Kille Nivti, next to Bhogwe Beach. 

Sindhudurg

We reached the shores of Sindhudurg around 9 am and parked the bike on the sands. We were all set for Shivaji’s very own Sindhudurg fort. As we were approaching the jetty we learned MTDC has recently started snorkeling for the tourists who visit Sindhudurg. Our excitement knew no bounds and we decided to try out the same. But the registration took quite a long and we decided to go over to Sindhudurg first.

The strong colossal walls of the fort had been inviting us for a long. We got into the boat and sailed across. A 10 min boat ride and we were dropped at the entrance of the fort. It is a huge fort built by Shivaji on an island near Malvan. It houses the only temple of Shivaji Maharaj, a Bhavani temple, with 3 wells containing portable water viz. Dudhbav, Dahibav, and Sakharbav and a Shiva temple from which is a secret route to the shore of Malvan. The fortification is strong and stands intact to date. One gets to see the beauty of the vast sea from the fortified walls.  The foot and palm imprints of Shivaji can be seen on one of the bastion walls. Another unique thing about the fort is that it has a palm tree with branches.

snorkeling

When we came back to the jetty the excitement for snorkeling superseded all thoughts. We registered ourselves and the boat left immediately. We were taken to the other side of the fort near the rocks in the sea. With a snorkel on our eyes, we got into the water. Each one had a guide who helped us wade far into the sea and witness the aquatic life. This was our first-hand experience and it cannot be described in words. We saw lovely giant-sized corals and a variety of colorful fish. One must experience this when he is here and for just 250 bucks it’s a steal.

Sarjekot

After the mouthwatering lunch, we were to visit Sarjekot fort. It was just a few km away on the road which we used to approach Sindhudurg. So we headed back to check out the same.

Sarjekot is completely in ruins and all we can see of the fort are a few fortifications that remain here and there. The entrance is somewhat intact & inside the fort are fields yielding various crops. There are a few hutments too which serve as the dwelling place for the farmers. The most beautiful thing about the fort is the sea. One can get a magnificent view of the sea which touches the fort walls at one end.

Tarkarli

A mere 7 km ride from Malvan and we reached the paradise called Tarkarli. Soft sands of silver, verdant suru corridors, clear waters of the vast sea, and a glorious view of the Sindhudurg fort – Tarkarli indubitably deserves to be called the jewel of the Konkan. To top it all MTDC has a comfy beach resort here and now a few boat houses too. That adds to the delight and makes it a perfect getaway.

Tarkarli has beautiful backwaters too – undeniably comparable to the ones in Kerala. The clear waters with coconut palms on both banks definitely invite you for a ride. MTDC recently started with boat houses similar to the ones you see in Kerala to wade far into the interiors of these backwaters.

We were to now reach Bhogwe beach and we were told that we could ferry across the bike from where we could easily reach Bhogwe in no time. Unfortunately, the boat was late and it had loads of passengers. So the boatman denied to ferry the bike across and unfortunately we had to take the longer route.  We enquired about the route and one of the guys suggested a dirt track for a few km before we hit the highway. We were a little skeptical but we followed the same and enjoyed another dirt track ride. With fields on the left, the waters on the right, and sand below it certainly turned out to be a joyride and we were happy not to take the longer route.

Bhogwe BEACH

A 45-minute ride took us to another jewel of the Konkan – the Bhogwe beach. It resembled Tarkarli in all respects except that there was no beach resort and it was quiet and secluded. With nature showering all its blessings on Bhogwe beach, this proves to be the ideal destination for those who seek solitude.

There was a small shop at Bhogwe Beach and we grabbed a few tidbits from there. We also ask for the Kokam juice which he got over to the beach. It was an overwhelming experience to sip on the luscious Kokam juice in the company of nature.

Kille Nivti

We reached Kille Nivti around 6 pm when the sun was about to go down. We parked our bike, and kept our bags packed at the only store we found there. As we began to climb the fort, we thought it was it was wise to not be over-ambitious and stay back here. So we got back promising the fort that we would return tomorrow morning and headed back to the store to enquire about a place to stay. Mr. Sawant the store owner was a generous man and he offered to lodge us in the verandah. We happily agreed and hurried to the beach not to miss the daily dose of saline bath.

a beautiful evening at the beach

Nivti was a serene beach with soft silver sands. It was enclosed by rock structures wading deep into the sea on both sides making it a private beach for just the two of us. When we came here the sun was about to set and its light had spread a golden stratum over the clear waters of the sea. We were able to capture a few romantic moments between the sun and the sea.

We then got into the sea and drenched ourselves in the saline waters which dissolved our fatigue. We enjoyed the dip for an hour or so and unwillingly got out of the waters. It was dark. We walked out of the saline water and walked back.

We felt at home at Mr. Sawant’s place. It was a delight for us in all possible ways. They served us a delicious meal for dinner. The Bangda fry we had here was one of the best-fried fish we had ever had. After having the lip-smacking delicacies we spent a while talking to Sawant. Then we were off to sleep with Goa on our minds.

Continued… Day 8