When you walk across a beach, you can feel the calmness ooze into your mind. There's a surreal vibe in the breeze of the sea and the sound of waves along the shore that takes you home, a home inside your body. It's true that there is no place like home, except for the beach. A beach is the home for your soul.
SEASCAPES, the Panoramic Vistas, is the place where you can experience such a vibe.
Seascapes is located near Harnai Beach, which is north of Dapoli.
Let’s explore some of the beaches around Dapoli Town.
Beaches North of Dapoli
1. Velas Beach
For many years, the female Olive Ridley Turtles come to the Velas beach to lay eggs in the breeding season. After ensuring the safety of these eggs the villagers celebrate the Turtle Festival every year. Each year, the tiny village of Velas, in Maharashtra, bears witness to a truly heart-warming sight as thousands of newly hatched Olive Ridley turtles take their first steps towards the big blue sea. Every year from February to May, the conservationists arrange Turtle Festival to create awareness in people. The Kasav or Turtle Festival has led to open up new opportunities for nature tourism in Velas and a positive wave in Nature lovers.
It was the Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra Organisation that identified the uniqueness of the Velas beach. Their observations noted that many female turtles come to the beach of Velas to lay eggs and that they needed to be protected. The villagers joined in the movement voluntarily with equal gusto to pledge to protect the turtles. This literally brought the otherwise ignored beach of Velas and the village on the world map.
This Eco Tourism in Velas is offering a good source of income for the local villagers and also the turtle conservation activity.
The team effort of the Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra organisation and the villagers have ensured the safety of over 75,000 newborn turtles in the last 15 years and have created a secure passage for them to go back to the sea. This one of a kind, the unique festival is something one shouldn’t miss in Velas.
2. Kelshi Beach
The Kelshi beach lies to the south of Mandangad on the way to Dapoli. Kelshi is around 35 km from Mandangad. A 3km eye appealing stretch of a sandy beach welcomes the visitor to the Kelshi beach which is ornamented with the huge forest made of slender and tall Casuarina trees, and a dense cover of coconut tree tops. A calming walk under the dense foliage leads one to the wide and beautiful beach of Kelshi
You can see native flora and fauna, as one moves along the beach. Sea-shell connoisseurs have something to look forward to at the Kelshi beach. A trace of marine life like sea urchins, cucumber, sea anemones are found here on the rocky shore beside is nothing short of a treasure, as it is unique to the location.
3. Anjarle Beach
As one heads north from Dapoli, a beautiful turn on the road to the mountain takes you towards the Anjarle village. Once you cross the mountain, a riveting view welcomes you with all its pomp and serenity. By taking this same road, one land on the Anjarle beach, which till date, has earned and maintained its reputation of being one of the cleanest and unpolluted beaches in Ratnagiri.
At the beach, one can see a dense cover of coconut trees to one side with little tops of local Konkani hutment, as though they are hidden in the security and under the foliage of the green cover, where local birds greet every visitor with their sweet twittering. One must lose oneself to find serenity at such places of natural richness on the narrow Konkan strip.
On the left, you have the sea stretching up to the horizon and also featuring the quaint border of small boats sailing in the far away water. In front, you are greeted by the long stretch of the beach with winding, twirling and writing tides. Every year from February to May, Anjarle beach bears witness to scores of tiny heads of turtle hatchlings, with twinkling eyes, suddenly pop out of the golden sand beach, take a precautionary look around and breathe the fresh salty air of the Arabian Sea nearby. And then, at top 'turtle speed', they embark on their mission - to the inviting cool sea waters, even as over a couple of thousand excited nature lovers and foreigners witness this miracle of Nature.
4. Harnai Beach
Harnai beach is a tourist destination known for its serenity with an extended rocky coast and clean black sand. It is the best weekend getaway for residents of Mumbai and Pune, as it is just within the range of 200 kms. The beach belongs to the small town called Murud Harnai, which in turn belongs to the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
Major attractions of this beautiful place are the Harnai beach itself together with a very ancient temple of Goddess Durga that has huge pillars with extensive carvings on them. This temple belongs to the 18th century.
There are quite a few places of interest close to Harnai beach. Suvarnadurg Fort is a huge fort with a fascinating architecture and extends up to 8 acres, which is worth a visit. It’s renowned for its unique carvings. Anjarle beach and Burundi beach are other places of attraction that are very picturesque and unpolluted. Pahale Khazi is yet another place you must visit to admire the huge mountain rock, cut and carved to form a fort. This is about 30 kms from Harnai. Another major attraction is the Wakali Unavre, which is a hot spring with medicinal power to heal ailments.
5. Murud Beach
After you travel through the mountain ranges near the Anjarle backwaters, you are greeted by the Murud seashore. The Murud coast which is lost in the pure white flocks of seabirds is famous for the ‘Dolphins’ seen here. You can see a lot of white colored ‘Seagulls’ flying in the sky in the background of the giant waves.
It’s a memorable experience to watch the flock of Dolphins jumping in between the waves. The experience of dolphin rides, by going into the sea in a small boat during the winter season as the sea is calm, is truly memorable. Enthusiasts can also enjoy many water sports on the coast in the evening. It is a thrilling experience to try the different types of water rides through which one gets to experience the beauty of the deep sea. There are many beach resorts available on the Murud seashore for the tourists offering good amenities and delicious local food.
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