Day 1 - Konkani Food Exploration, Ferry Ride, Beach Visit.
You can explore the below options for your stay:
- Hotel Durga Pearl: This is a low-budget hotel and the room tariff starts from Rs 1800. It is located at a 1.5 km distance from the bus stand.
- Hotel Seawind: This is a medium-budget hotel and the room tariff starts from Rs 2500. It is located at 1 km distance from the bus stand.
- Shantai by The Lake: This is a deluxe resort property and the room tariff starts from Rs 5500. It is located at 4.5 km distance from the town.
Explore more Hotels in Guhagar
- Start your day by having breakfast at one of the eateries given below. which are popular breakfast joints.
Recommended dishes are Misal Pav, Usal Pav, Ghavane, Burji Pav, etc.
After having breakfast you can start the tour by visiting the below-mentioned places.
Enjoy a ferry ride that connects Guhagar to Dabhol and back, there are two options for this:
- Dhopave Jetty: Located at a 20 km distance (one can board vehicles as well) from the bus stand.
- Veldur Jetty: Located at a 14 km distance from the bus stand.
Enjoy the boat ride crossing the Vashishti river. One can see the Dabhol Power Company along the way to Dhopave/Veldur from the town.
- Chandika Mata Mandir: An ancient cave temple, considered sacred among locals, located at a 5 km distance from Dabhol jetty.
- The idol is Syambhu (naturally formed) and to reach the deity you have to pass through a low darkened passage. There is no electricity in the cave and the entire temple is lit with earthen lamps giving a divine experience.
- One can spend around an hour here soaking in the peace here and exploring the fruit trees around the temple.
Gopalgad Fort: Return from ferry ride and visit the fort located at 10 km distance from Dhopave, located at 8 km distance from Veldur, located at 14 km distance from Guhagar town.
This fort was conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1660 and he later built a dockyard/shipbuilding dock and renamed the fort as Gopalgad.
The fort is not well maintained.
Anjanvel Lighthouse: After seeing the fort, you can visit the lighthouse at Anjanvel, which was built in 1966, located at 2 km distance from the fort.
Entry is allowed between 3:00 pm and 5:00 and the entry fee is Rs 20 per person.
Tolkeshwar Temple: You can also visit the temple at walking distance from the lighthouse.
After the lighthouse visit, come back to the town (15 km) to have lunch.
Lunch options in Guhagar town:
- Hotel Kinara: This eatery is famous for its Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Thalis. It is located near Panchayat Samiti in the town.
- Hotel Annapurna: This eatery is famous for its Prawns Biryani. It is located near the Bank of India.
- Hotel Suruchi (Pure Veg): This eatery is famous for its Thali-pith (flatbread prepared using a combination of flours), Solkadhi, and Modak (steamed dumplings with an outer covering of rice dough stuffed with coconut and jaggery filling). It is located in Bajarpeth.
Hotel Annapurna
After lunch spend the rest of the day by following the below itinerary.
- Shree Vyadeshwar Temple: This temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is right in the centre of the bazaar and is considered as the Kuldevata of many Chitpavan families from the Konkan region.
- Shree Ufarata Ganpati: Walk around 500 meters from Vyadeshwar temple, to visit a 300-year-old Lord Ganpati temple.
The white-coloured idol was found by local fishermen around 300 years ago. According to legend, to protect the town from the water the idol was turned facing west instead of east. Hence the name Ufarata.
Guhagar Beach: Walk another 500 meters from the temple to reach the famous Guhagar beach.
This is a stretch of the pristine white sand shore of around 6 km with a few rides available for kids. There are also a few stalls selling chaat and ice creams on the shore. An excellent sunset can be viewed from here.
Guhagar beach
Spend the evening visiting the bazaar to purchase the local food products. Shop for cashew nuts, betel nuts and Konkani Meva at the bazaar.
You can purchase cashew nuts, mangoes, mango products, aamras, jackfruit chips, fruit squash, kokum, kokum juice, khaja, aampoli, ambavadi, fanaspoli, fanasvadi, khadkhade ladoo, etc.
Recommended shops are Apratim Konkan Products and Kokani Meva near the bus stand.
You can have dinner at one of the below places:
- The Lagoon: This eatery is famous for its seafood. It is located opposite the bus stand.
- Hotel Yogeshwari: This is a pure vegetarian eatery, famous for its Dahi Wada and Dal Kichchdi. It is located near the police station.
- Shinde Hotel Ani Khanaval: This eatery is famous for its sol kadhi and snacks. It is located near the bus stand.