Fast facts
State: Maharashtra
Location: On the Konkan Coast, in Raigad District, amid the low hills next to the Arabian Sea, just south of Alibaug and just north of Murud-Janjira
Distance: 139 km S of Mumbai Travel
Time: By road 4 hrs; By sea 50 mins + 1 hr by road; By rail 3 hrs + 1 hr by road
Route: NH17 to Vadhkal Naka via Pen; SH to Kashid via Alibaug and Revdanda
When to go: November to February is the best time. But, you will find tourists in Kashid throughout the year, even though May is hot and June-August is recommended for only those who do not mind the rain and choppy seas
Tourist Office: MTDC, Main Reservation Office, CDO Hutments, opp LIC Building, Madame Cama Road, Mumbai
Tel: 022-22044040, 22845678
Web: maharashtratourism.gov.in
STD code: 02144
Getting there
Rail: Nearest railhead is Roha (43 km/1 hr). Taxis (`1,500) and ST buses run from Roha to Kashid Best option TO 50105 Diva SWV Passenger (dep: Panvel 7.05am; arr: Roha 9.00am) Best option FROM 50106 SWV Diva Passenger (dep: Roha 5.15pm; arr: Panvel 7.00pm)
Road: Take NH17 to Vadkhal Naka via Karnala and Pen. At the point where NH17 turns left to Goa, take the straight road to Alibaug via Poynad and Khan-dale. From Alibaug, take the coastal road to Kashid via Revdanda. Taxis charge about `3,500-3,700 from Mumbai to Kashid. Bus there are ST buses to Kashid from Mumbai Central and Borivali
There aren’t many taxis around Kashid. Try Kavita Travels (Cell: 09325444581, 09422494506) or Sahara Travels (Tel: 02141-227711) from Alibaug
Sea: Frequent boats and launches for Mandwa Jetty leave from the Gateway of India (50 mins to 1 hr) 6.00am-6.30pm, except during the mon-soon. Tickets, INR 85-135, include a bus drive to Alibaug (19 km/30 mins). Kashid is 26 km from Alibaug. Taxis cost INR 1,200-1,500 (drop)
You can cut an hour’s drive by taking the Mandwa ferry from Gateway of India. Note that these services do not play in the monsoons. En route halts McDonald’s, Hotel Peace Park and Hotel Garden at Panvel
The Kashid Beach is a daylong play-ground, populated with Frisbee enthusiasts or groups of young boys enjoying a game of cricket. Most tourists are weekend runaways from Mumbai and Pune, or day trippers and picnickers from nearby towns. Still, the beach is usually sparsely populated and is ideal for those looking for a solitary communion with the sea.
People do begin trickling in to the seaside right from the morning, but there is never a rush. On weekends, of course, there is a considerable increase in the number of visitors, but the crowds are never bothersome. The tall trees close to the beach provide an opportunity to alternate between the sun and the shade throughout the day. As evening approaches, more people gradually venture into the warm waters of the Arabian Sea to splash around, and they enjoy the swell till it gets dark, and home Ð or in some cases, the hotel Ð beckons.
Orientation
Kashid is a small village on the Alibaug-Murud Road close to the Arabian Sea. The village and the hotels are spread along the highway south of the beach. The beach itself has only a few shacks selling eatables, drinks and coconut water. There are no taxis in Kashid and only a few autos and shared tempos (`20 or more) pass by.
Beach watch
Notice boards on the beach reiterate warnings: Treacherous sea. The beach is dangerous; do not go far into the water. People have lost lives by going in too deep. The sea is deep’s Heed these warnings, even if you are a strong swimmer. Do not wade too far out. Swimmers need to be especially cautious during low tide. Carry your swimwear; you will not be able to buy it here.
Things to see and do
Kashid Beach is not a bustling place with lots of activities. Those who want to participate in activities or play sports will have to look for other like-minded souls. Most people are happy to simply be away from wherever they have come from, and spend the day on the beach watching it change its character with the movement of the sun. The beach shacks provide snacks, and chairs and hammocks. They also rent out volleyballs, foot-balls and Frisbees. A couple of days are sufficient to have a peaceful, relaxed holiday in Kashid.
Korlai Fort
Chadhai karna, in Hindi literally means to climb’. Its other meaning is, Conquering or attacking a forte. At Korlai you know why. A narrow strip of a hill juts out into the Arabian Sea at the edge of the Revdanda Creek, and on the ridge-like top of the hill are the remains of the Korlai Fort. To get to the fort, turn west on the Alibaug-Murud Road and go through the Korlai Village, past a network of grey lanes made of concrete reaching for the beach, where fishing activities go on in full swing. Towards the north is a hill, and a bumpy road curves around it to reach a lighthouse. Behind the light-house, a steep flight of steps rises up the hill to the Korlai Fort on the top.
The fort was built by the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar towards the end of the 16th century during a power tussle between the Mughals and the Portuguese to control this area and its sea trade. The views from the fort are amazing you can see the Revdanda Creek and fort extending to the north, and the tiny Korlai Village and beach to the south. The Arabian Sea envelopes the fort on all three sides.
ULocation The fort lies 13 km north of Kashid Entry Free Timings 9.00am to 6.00Ð7.00pm Connection An independent auto from Kashid will cost `600-800 for a return trip
The Portuguese in Korlai
The few people who visit Korlai go there to see the impressively located fort and the amazing views it affords. However, the Korlai Village below the fort has another bit of history hidden among its people. The less than thousand people who inhabit Korlai speak a language unique to them, a Portuguese Creole called Kristi that is spoken nowhere else. They call it No Ling, i.e., Our Language.
The Portuguese left Korlai in 1740 after having been there for more than two centuries. Kristi developed during this interaction between the Portuguese and the local population. Till the 1980s, when the Revdanda Creek was bridged by a road, the small peninsula of Korlai was relatively isolated from the surrounding communities, and thus the language survived the last few centuries. Now the tongue is fast disappearing under the influence of Marathi and Hindi. But if you roam around the streets of Korlai and visit its small church you can still hear snatches of Kristi.
Where to stay
For a small village, Kashid has quite a few staying options. However, none of the hotels are on the beach. Prakruti Resorts (Tel: 02144-278651; Tariff: INR 10,000-55,000) is a spacious resort on the hillside facing the sea. It offers all facilities and comforts. The higher tariff is for its 4-room villas.
Kashid Beach Resort (Tel: 278501-04; Tariff: INR 5,000-6,600) is a popular and nicely laid-out resort, green and clean, but again, not on the beach.
Sarve Huts (Cell: 08655189880; Tariff: INR 2,200-2,400 per person) have a tie-up with MTDC. They offer 5 huts and also have a swim-ming pool. Hotel Sai Palace (Tel: 278629, Cell: 09226934248; Tariff: INR 2,200-3,500) is next to Prakruti Resorts and has a beautiful garden and decent rooms.
Friends Holiday Home (Cell: 09270371274; Tariff: INR 1,200-1,800), Sagar Tourist Home (Cell: 09422692463; Tariff: INR 1,500-2,000) and Kashid Beach Villa (Mumbai Tel: 022-26408955, Cell: 09820191822; Tariff: INR 4,000-22,000) are more homely. All these are clean places set on the main road, and all have gardens.
Where to eat
Kashid, unfortunately, boasts no stand-alone restaurants. Mostly, visitors will need to have their meals in the hotel they stay in, and it is advisable to not expect too much from these kitchens too, the food is decent, but not great. Kashid Beach Resort has a multi-cuisine restaurant serving Indian, Continental, Chinese and Konkani dishes. For weekends, though, they have a buffet system. Their menu has everything from veg-au-gratin and mutton stew to dal and noodles. Guests of the hotel, as well as outsiders are also welcome here. Prakruti Resorts also has a multi-cuisine restaurant with an extensive menu. Kashid Beach is lined with shacks that sell basic fare including packaged snacks such as chips, cold drinks, tea, coconut water, Maggi, omelette and such.