Bombay to Goa Cycling Tour

The beach town of Murud is one of the most unassuming and relaxing destinations off Mumbai. We take a short ferry to Murud (don’t confuse this with destination) and then hop onto to the bikes. Enjoy the paddy fields, green countryside mild hillocks on the distance.You know you’ve hit Murud when you can see thickets of tall trees and a brilliant open view of the sea. If time permits, we head out to see the local highlights like the Janjira Fort, Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, an old Jewish synagogue, the wonderfully clean and untouched beaches and a few temples in the vicinity. This is also a great place to try the local Konkani food. Brilliant seafood awaits you in Murud.

This morning we start early and reach the Harnai beach through a classic coastal route. Gentle waves and the warm waters of this beach are largely untouched by the tourist rush. After settling down at the resort, head out for some local sight seeing, if you prefer. The Harnai beach, Burundi Beach, Suvarnadurg Fort and the Durga Devi Temple are few of the places that we can visit in the evening. Harnai is a fishing village and the most spectacular scene here is when hundreds of bright colorful boats come in with the catch in the evening – give them a hand pulling in the heavy nets or use this as a great photo-op to capture the flurry of activity.

Another scenic ride along the sandy stretches. Enroute we come across fishing villages speckled with large drying nets, crammed colourful houses under casuarina stands and pristine clean beaches. If you want, we can stop for a short dip into the sea. Malgund is a beautiful seaside village with intermittent green patches on a large rockscape that surrounds the beach. This is particularly beautiful in the monsoons. Once we settle into out hotel/guest house, use this day to relax. You can choose to walk along the beach or stay in with some fresh juice/ tea and enjoy the view from your stay.

Coconut palms, fishing villages and sections along the coast keep us company till we reach Ambolgad. The village is known for its easy going ‘do nothing’ aura. Another day of relaxing by the rocky beachside punctuated by large flat rough sandy patches. This beach is safe for swimming though one should not venture in too deep.

We hit the road early on this day to reach the gastronomically famous town of Malvan. Known for its famous coastal cuisine and natural beauty, it sits at the edge of the Arabian Sea. The town has a few sight seeing options like the Sindhudurg Fort, Tarkarli Beach, the Vetal Mandir, rock garden and snorkeling facilities. Food wise, coconut, rice and fish will take over the palate on this day. Adventure enthusiasts can opt for snorkeling with experts here. The water is pretty clear here and one can see corals and colourful marine life near the edge of the Sindhudurg fort.

Today we head to 17th century Tiracul Fort which commands spectacular views of Arabian sea. The Fort is now converted into a fine luxury hotel.