I have travelled a lot since I came to live on my own. I have visited many famous places and some places so exotic that no one knows about them. I have sampled cuisines, culture, music and everything else, which is a refreshing change when compared to stagnant city life. And in all such adventure, only my mp3 player and my  back-pack have been my stable companions. It is very important to have a sturdy backpack whenever you go out on these trips. Besides being tough, the Backpack needs to be very well organized so that contents can be reached without having to empty the entire thing to get something. Thankfully my backpack is awesome, so this has never been a problem. The primary reason for carrying a backpack Is that it leaves your hands free to manage various other things without having to resort to ardous means.

One of the earliest trips I can remember is to the beachside area of Malvan, in Maharashtra. It is in my opinion a better place than Goa, if you want complete peace of mind and a seamless sync with nature. It is still something of a virgin area and many people don’t know about it. The beaches are magnificent and the food is epic in its goodness. For those of you who are into simple cuisine which is robust and tasty as hell, this place is for you. And the best part is that it is so ridiculously cheap to stay there as compared to other beach spots. A couple of my close buddies had joined me there and we had the time of our lives. Also if you want to extend your vacation, Goa is a mere 50-60 km away! Malvan has breathtaking scenery, lush forests, beautiful beach front and also a rock garden. The best time to go there is during the month leading up to winter. Here are a few tourist attractions which may interest you.

Sindhudurg – A sea fort. This impressive Sindhudurg (meaning Ocean Fort), was built in 1664 by the great 17th century Maratha King, Shivaji on “Kurte” island to the glory of the Maratha Empire. The construction of a sea fort is a stupendous task, and at Sindhudurg, no efforts were spared. Over 4000 mounds of iron were used for casting and the foundation stones were laid down firmly in lead. Even today, as one approaches the fort past a rocky reef, navigable through a narrow channel, one marvels at the transportation of such heavy material through such choppy waters.
Tarkarli – A serene beach located 8 km off Malvan town. It has a Cottage Resort around the beach developed by Maharashtra Tourism (MTDC). This beach is a favorite with sand particles devoid of any red tinge and sky reflecting waters. Further north about another 6–7 km, is the Tarkarli creek and a lovely estuary. A boat ride on the Tarkarli creek is a pleasant way to spend some time.

 

Rock Garden – The Rock garden is situated near the Arase Mahal and on the Rocky Shore of Malvan.
Chivala Beach: There are 5 to 6 beach stays gives an excellent accommodation, “Vasanti” House being one of them. Mr. Prasannakumar Mayekar, the owner of Mayekar’s Holiday Home, also provides good service to the tourists visiting to Chivala beach. Another option for budget traveller in malvan is the Sonchafa Motel situated in the heart of the town at a distance of 200 meters from the Pimpal tree.

I hope you all have an awesome trip there, if you decide to go and also please tell me about any other such places.

 

 

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