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State: Maharashtra
Distance: 177 km N of Mumbai
When to go: Between June and September. November to end-February are also pleasant. Avoid October and the summer months Bordi is too hot then
Tourist Office: MTDC Mumbai
Web: maharashtratourism.gov.in
STD code: 02528
The waters come in gradually over the gentle slope of Bordi Beach and retreat even more leisurely, raising bubbles from the air trapped in the sand. Often they leave behind a tiny creature of the sea, and the dogs go for it. Besides their barking, the beach is quiet for most of the day. You'll be alone with your thoughts during those warm hours, with just the wind and the sea for company.
The sea retreats the farthest late evening, and you can easily walk up to the mangroves on the left tip of the beach's crescent. That's also the time when Bordi's adolescents transform the beach into a dozen cricket pitches and fill the air with their shouts. Unless you are visiting on the weekend, you will be the only one watching the sunset.
You can do a lot in Bordi without moving a limb - soak in the sun, take in the sea breeze and give yourself a break from the cacophony of the big city. All this makes Bordi a fine weekend escape for Mumbaikars.
Bordi Beach, stretching over 17 km, is ideal for those who enjoy walking. Depending on the time of day, you can walk under the tall casuarina trees or out under the sun. The water isn't deep enough for swimming but it's alright for splashing around with friends. On weekends, horses and their caretakers appear somewhat mysteriously to offer rides. Away from the beach, you can explore the chikoo orchards or spend time at Anand Resort's water park. You can also go for walks in the village and look out for the old houses with tiled roofs and shaded verandahs.
Bordi has its own little railway station called Bordi Road Station but it's so far out of town that Gholvad Station, just 2 km away, serves as the village-town's chief link to the world. The short drive to the station is lined with chikoo orchards - Gholvad is known as the "Chikoo Bowl" of Maharashtra. There are several old houses of wealthy Iranians here.
Spelt Zai but pronounced Jhai, this is the northernmost village on Maharashtra's coast, and is 3 km from Bordi. You'll find small fishing boats on the sea all the way from Dahanu to Bordi, but never as many as at Zai there are hundreds of boats here.
Photography is prohibited at Asvali Dam, which is 6 km east of Bordi, but nobody comes away without clicking a picture or two. The green lake formed behind the 1,160-foot-long dam is too pretty a sight and the complete absence of guard is too good an opportunity to be missed. There are fields below the dam and Warli villages. This also makes a lovely spot for a leisurely picnic.
Also Read: Into the Coastal Tranquil Land
Visit the impressive Kalpataru Botanical Gardens in Umergaon, 10 km from Bordi. The famous Vrindavan Studios are also in Umergaon, where the bulk of the TV epic Ramayana was shot. You can also pay your respects to the gods at the Mallinath Jain Tirth Kosbad Temple.
Rail: Nearest railhead Gholvad Station.
Road: Take NH8 to Kasa Khurd (Charoti Naka) via Shirsad and Manor. Turn left onto the Dahanu State Highway. Dahanu is 26 km from here via Ashagarh. Turn right and drive another 24 km along the coast road to Bordi, via Chikhala and Gholvad
Tapovan Retreat's (Tel 02528-254649 Tariff INR 1,100-1,500 www.tapovanretreat.com) rooms face the beach and while they aren't luxurious (some of them are air-conditioned), they are more than functional and offer a peaceful retreat.
Anand Resort (Mumbai Tel 022-24941618, Cell 09823766695 Tariff INR 1,100-1,600 www.anandresort.net) is a Gujarati watering hole, which means veggie meals at their Chikooland Restaurant. So if you don't mind theplas for breakfast and undhiyo for lunch, Anand is the place for you, with good rooms that overlook a garden, attentive service and a homely atmosphere. Drinks and pets are not allowed.
Goolkhush Resort (Tel 254182, 254336 Tariff INR 1,800-4,500 www.goolkhushresortbordibeach.com) is part-home, part-hotel, with a swimming pool. The Parsi family, which runs the resort, is friendly. They serve Parsi food.
Located close to Gholvad Railway Station, Orchard the Resort (Cell 09923443799 Tariff INR 900-4,900 orchardsresort.com) is surrounded by chikoo orchards. The restaurant serves good seafood, a bar and a swimming pool.
When you get mountain views at a place that is supposed to be primarily beach, it can be a very pleasant surprise. Hill Zill (Tel 249050, 249119 Tariff INR 1,600-5,500 www.hillzillresort.com) has the largest grounds in the area, so your kids are sure to have a good time. The hotel is approximately 3 km from Bordi town, which means you can't hop down to the beach when you feel like it. Recommended only if you have a car.
People come to Bordi expecting a seafood platter for every meal. If you come during the rains, the fish stay firmly in the sea. Post monsoons, you can pig out here. Try the surmai, pomfret and Bombay duck with cold sol kadi.
The only places to eat are the hotels that allow non-residents and these are few and far between. Parsi-born, Parsi-bred, Goolkhush Hotel serves the usual Parsi goodies patra-ni-macchi, lagan-nu-bhonu, sali boti &ndash provided you give the owners a good 3 hours notice. Hill Zill offers seafood, Parsi, Indian, Chinese, Punjabi, Gujarati and Jain meals right up to 11.30 pm. Tapovan's restaurant serves Indian, Punjabi, Parsi and South Indian food. Orchard The Resort's Crazy Crab serves tandoori, Mughlai, Chinese and seafood dishes. Their chicken tikka masala and crab masala are must-tries.
