If you are fond of slow travel, love to spend time in a natural setting or want to bond with your kids through some outdoor activities, then Vengurla in Maharashtra may be the place for you. Lying cosily on the Konkan coast, tucked between the verdant Sahyadri hills and the Arabian Sea, it is over 500km from Mumbai. So while a road trip from Mumbai or Pune is not ruled out, you may find flying into Chipi Airport (Sindhudurg, 35km away by road) or Dabolim Airport (Goa, 90km away by road) or taking a train to get down at Sawantwadi (20km by road) or Kudal (25km by road) a more comfortable option.
Off the popular tourist grid, Vengurla is the gateway to several uncrowded beaches. Head to the sprawling white sand beach at Sagareswar, screened from sight by rows of casuarina trees. The place takes its name from a temple by the beach dedicated to Shiva. However, cars will not go up to the beach. The final stretch has to be covered on foot. To the north of Sagareswar, lies the old port of Vengurla. The port was much used when the Dutch used this a trading post in the 17th century. There is also a lighthouse here (check if visitors are allowed to enter). The lighthouse used to guide ships along the treacherous rocks known as the Vengurla Rocks in maritime annals. Sagareshwar is about four km away from town. A little further away from town, are the beaches named Kondura (about 10km away) and Shiroda (about 20km away). You may also visit the Fruit Research Centre in Vengurla (woth permission of course).
The best part about these beaches are that they are unspoilt (though during winter holidays, Sagareshwar Chowpatty does get crowded and local people have reported about the littering of the beach by visitors) and are ideal for walking and cycling. Vengurla town has a limited number of hotels, some with sea view rooms. There are also tented accommodations available during tourist season. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation runs a resort at Tarkarli (about 50km away) but you may contact them for information about homestay at Kondurwadi.
A word of caution The beaches are lonely so do be careful about going far into the sea and during high tides.
