FAST FACTS
State Maharashtra
Distance 312 km S of Mumbai
When to go November-February
Tourist Office MTDC Holiday Resort Ganapatipule
Tel 02357-235248, 235061-62 STD code 02359
Getting there
Rail Nearest railhead Chiplun (45 km/1 hr)
Road Route from Mumbai -Take the route to Panvel, after which you are on the Panvel-Pen Highway. Continue on NH17 up to Chiplun via Mangaon and Mahad. Guhagar is 41 km away from Chiplun on SH78. Route Vashi Bridge to Panvel NH17 to Chiplun via Pen, Mangaon and Mahad SH78 to Guhagar via Marg Tamhane
All day long, the waves crash against the shore, relentlessly pounding the sands. No one&rsquos there to listen to their loud rhythms &ndash the beach is mostly empty, and the casuarinas lining its clean stretch shut out the din of the world almost entirely. Sitting on the cool, quiet sand, you find it easy to imagine that Guhagar is a tiny village and not the bustling town-in-the-making that it actually is. And indeed, till Enron came, Guhagar was just another blip on the endless Maharashtrian coastline. As the taluka headquarter and the site of the Wyadeshwar Shiva Temple, it was considered more important than most other villages nearby, but was nowhere close to being a tourist hotspot. The controversial Enron project brought people to the town, and with people came the other tourist trappings hotels, lodges and eateries. Today, Enron is gone but Guhagar has shaken off its village image. Nearby Velneshwar, with its quiet beach, fishing village, an old temple and bobbing boats, now holds claim to that worthy title.
Things to see and do
The main thing to actually &lsquodo&rsquo here is laze on the beach. Those with a spiritual bent of mind can visit the Wyadeshwar Temple, but besides this, the beach has enough to keep you occupied.
On the Beach
Guhagar beach&rsquos chief attractions are the peace it offers and its unique tapering shape its structure resembles a dune, sloping towards both the village and the sea. It is also rather clean, barring the portion located closest to the village, where there are a few eyesores like a garbage heap. Past this is the Chowpatty, with about a dozen shops that come alive around sunset, when kulfi and camel rides are on offer. As you keep walking toward the sea, ascending the beach&rsquos curve and thereafter descending its slope, you come across its cleanest stretches. Carry a book, a picnic and a chatai to sprawl on and you&rsquore sorted for the day.
Other Attractions
The Wyadeshwar Shiva Temple looks newly built, with its cement plaster veneer, but locals claim the underlying structure is made of stone. The temple uniqueness lies in its panchayatan style of architecture, meaning that four subsidiary shrines surround the sanctum sanctorum. Guhagar&rsquos favourite deity, however, is Ufarata Ganapati, a Ganesha idol found by fishermen three centuries ago.
From Guhagar, you can make an excursion to Gopalgarh Fort (13 km), and visit the Anjanvel fishing village while there. The village&rsquos beach always has a number of fishing boats under construction, usually a fascinating sight.
Where to stay
Just two minutes from the beach is The Durga Pearl (Cell 09421705350 Tariff INR 1,000-2,500), in Varcha Poat near the Durga Devi Temple, with spacious AC and non-AC rooms. Also in Varcha Poat is Mody Villa (Mumbai Tel 022-65343394, Cell 09892091313 Tariff INR 1,600 per person, with meals www.modyvilla.com).
Nisarg Resort (Cell 09423373834 Tariff 800-1,800 www.nisargresortguhagar.com) is a lovely Konkani home in Shivaji Chowk. Perched on a hillock, it is a 10-min walk from the beach. The rooms have great views of the countryside. They serve delicious homemade vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Shantai by the Lake (Tel 02359-205139, Cell 09833273449 Tariff INR 3,500-7,500 www.shantairesort.com) is by the Modka Agar Lake. On offer are elegant cottages, rooms, an in-house restaurant, a swimming pool and amazing views. Hotel Annapurna (Tel 240412, 240512, Cell 09833424268 Tariff INR 800-1,350 www.hotelannapurna.net) in Khaakha Poat is located close to the beach. Kismat Residency (Tel 240686 Tariff INR 700-1,200) is a short walk away from the bus terminus. The corner rooms have balconies.
Where to eat
The best food in Guhagar is available not in hotels but at small roadside eateries. Most eateries here serve only vegetarian meals. The best place for vegetarian food in Guhagar is Suruchi, just a minute away from the Wyadeshwar Temple. Try the thalipeeth, which is made from a mixture of lentil flours. The sol kadi is also recommended.
Nonvegetarians can head straight to Shamkant Khatu&rsquos Annapurna, which serves spicy chicken and mutton dishes, apart from regular coastal specialties like pomfret and prawns. Yogeshwari near the police station and Vainateya located near the Wyadeshwar Temple, serve vegetarian Konkani food.
