Coastal Maharashtra Road Trip: Mumbai To Goa Itinerary Via Konkan

I’ve done the Coastal Maharastra Road Trip, otherwise known as Konkan Road Trip, twice: once in 2018, and once in 2020. The 2018 trip was done in a car with friends and the 2020 trip was done on a motorcycle, solo. Though I followed the same route, the itinerary was different. Both journeys took 4 days to complete.

This blog on the Coastal Maharastra Road Trip Itinerary has been, therefore, written based on the learning from both trips, with updated road conditions as of 2020.

Also, read these Motivational Travel Quotes I’ve handpicked for you.

Now, let’s get started with the topic at hand…

Mumbai to Goa Coastal Maharashtra Trip

So far I believe that India has everything to offer but a scenic coastal ride, and to get the best of a road trip in India your options are limited to the Himalayas, with Spiti Valley and Leh Ladakh topping the list.

To make it even more ironic, every time someone asked me about my favourite coastal route in the world the first thing that came to my mind was the Great Indian Ocean Drive in Western Australia or someplace in Italy. Though I am certainly not comparing the coastal roads of Australia or Italy with Maharashtra’s, the fact that I never explored my backyard that I didn’t know what beauty it had to offer.

And then, the Konkan Road Trip happened, and I realised that it’s not just one of the best road trips in Maharashtra, as often claimed, but one of the best in the world.

Note: Mumbai to Goa Coastal Maharastra and Konkan Road Trips are both the same. The coastal region of Maharashtra is otherwise known as the Konkan region, hence the same thing. Now let’s start with the route map…

Mumbai to Goa Coastal Maharashtra Route Map

Before you go on the route and start Google navigating, let me tell you that Google will keep navigating you from the main Mumbai to the Goa highway route. But since we are talking about the Mumbai to Goa coastal route, you will have to stick to the coast. Just have your wits about it and stay as close to the coast as you can.

For your reference, here is the Mumbai to Goa Coastal Route by car. The same route is accessible by bikes too…

For those who love road trips and beaches, the coastal Konkan region, in Maharashtra is certainly a no-miss.

From roads running parallel to beaches to ferry crossings to an ever-changing landscape — that, at every 50 km, shifts from high cliffs to beach-side drives to isolated hilltops barren with red laterite soil — the coastal Maharashtra road trip has all highlights.

For an intrepid, there is more to explore on this route than just the scenic beauty. This includes a 16th-century Jaigad Fort, a 17th-century Ganesh Idol at Ganpati Pule, adventure water sports at Tarkarli, many flourishing Konkan villages, strange regional delicacies, and much more.

Coastal Maharashtra Road Trip: More About Journey Than Destinations

Though the entire 600km stretch between the Mumbai and Goa coastal route is a highlight, the three highlighted places that deserve a little more time include Harihareshwar, Ganpati Pule and Tarkarli (or Malvan).

For the most of the trip, you will be driving on the state Highway 4 (or SH4) which, in reality, is more like a narrow trail than a highway, but the natural beauty and the experiences it has to offer will make it up to you.

I mean imagine it this way… if you’re doing Mumbai to Goa taking NH 48 you can do the journey in about 12 hours. But if you’re doing the Konkan road trip, it takes at least three days (even if you’re driving throughout the day, every day). There must be something great and offbeat about it!

SH4 is known as the coastal route due to its proximity to the ocean. On several occasions (six times in total) it ends up in the ocean or a massive lagoon, forcing you to take a ferry to get to the other side.

From moment to moment, the Konkan road trip also offers dramatic backdrops of the blue Arabian sea from atop a cliff, before taking you downhill for a close hug with the coast. As the journey nears Goa, the highway starts going inland more frequently, over surprisingly isolated and barren hills, with pleasant villages showing periodically for a change.

Though for most the part, the SH4 remains a poor country road, at times, it turns into a well-marked and well-sealed highway too. Yet, doing more than 200km a day is quite a challenge and makes it impossible since the idea is to cherish a good road trip experience and grab the scenic beauty en route.

Tip: Since National Highway 48 is a better alternative to the coastal State Highway 4, Google will keep rerouting you to 48. So just have your wits about going parallel to NH48 and sticking closer to the coast. Wherever there’s a diversion, take the one taking you closer to the coast and that’s the scenic route. At times you may have to deviate and go a little inland too, but starting from Mumbai to to Goa, there are a few different (though for the most part the SH4 only) highways running right next to the coast.

The Coastal Maharashtra route is off the tourist trail. Most tourists doing Mumbai-Goa or Pune-Goa take the better version of the roads and follow NH 48.

Coastal Maharashtra Or Konkan Road Trip Itinerary

1. Mumbai to Harihareshwar (1 ferry crossing)
2. Hariharshwar to Ganpati Pule (4 ferry crossings)
3. Ganpati Pule to Tarkarli (1 ferry crossing)
4. Tarkarli to Goa (no ferry crossings)

As it happens that once you witness someplace comparatively more beautiful you stop appreciating the beauty of less beautiful places, I will recommend you do the journey from Mumbai to Goa and not the other way around because that way, you will let the beauty of this place slowly unwind.

Day 3 of the journey, i.e from Ganpati Pule to Tarkarli, remains the highlight of the journey with the most spectacular stretch of the whole trip starting right after Ganpati Pule. As you leave Ganpati Pule, the road climbs around a cliff with Aare Ware Beach appearing at a distance below, on the right, providing gorgeous views. A perfectly carved road further compliments the experience.

From Ganpati Pule to to Ratnagiri (a 25km stretch) you get periodic glimpses of the Arabic Sea shimmering on your right as the roads wind uphill and downhill regularly.

The three ferry crossings on Day 2 (at Bagmandala jetty, at Dhabol and Tawsal) were also quite an experience and offered great photo ops.

Tip: The Bagmandala ferry (to Bankot) departs every hour and starts a 6 in the morning. The ferry from Dhabol to Dopave departs every 45 minutes, starting at 6.30 a.m. The last one leaves at 10 p.m. From Tavsal to Jaigad too the ferry runs approximately every 45 minutes, but this one’s the longest of all rides (around 20 mins) with the last ferry, again, leaving at 10 in the night. Cars, motorbikes, and even trucks can be transported on all three ferries.

The entire stretch has more than five ferry crossings all operating during the daytime only. Visit CarFerry.in to check the schedule for each ferry point and save yourself from some needless waiting.

Coastal Maharashtra or Konkan Road Trip Highlights

Though there’s enough to see and do on the way, and one can easily spend a week slowly driving and still not get bored with the journey, for those doing it in the minimum time, yet enjoying a good share of stop-overs, here are my six suggested stops en route Mumbai-Goa following the coastal Maharashtra of State Highway 4:

Harihareshwar Beach

The highlight of the pilgrimage town of Harihareshwar, the Harihareshwar beach is ideal for those looking for a clean and soothing beach where one can spend some unhurrying time and forget their bustling life in the cities.

The beach assures a noise-free ambience with no watersports and no loud tourists around, as most people visiting Harihareshwar come here to pay tribute to Lord Harihareshwar. There’s moreover only one shack available throughout its half-a-kilometre expanse.

Anjanvel Village

One of the many villages en route, Anjanvel village offers an ideal rural escape. During our stop at Anjarle and a few hours of strolling and eating in the town, I found people in Anjanvel being very hospitable, with most of them eager to share smiles and engage in a happy conversation with tourists.

A noticeable highlight was the local Malvan food we had in the town, which was more of a food tour experience.

Harnai Fish Market

Though you’re going to find quite a few fish markets on State Highway 4, Harnai Fish Market just happens to be one of the largest and busiest. The eclectic atmosphere at Harnai Beach with women clad in bright sarees screaming and yelling for their best prices and the men catching and bringing fish from the ocean to the land is quite a sight. It’s amazing to see how as soon as fresh fish hit the beach, the action starts.

Aare Ware Beach Road

A 10 km stretch of road the Aare Ware Beach road — that starts right from Ganpati Pule beach to the next T-point junction — is the most beautiful highlight of the entire Coastal Maharashtra route. With its many twists and turns, the road frequently goes uphill and downhill, sometimes offering a distant view of the mighty blue ocean from up a cliff, and sometimes, a closer shrug.

Devgad Fort & Ananvadi Fishing Village

If deserted forts and dramatic sunsets overlooking an infinite ocean is your thing then you’re going to fall in love with coastal Maharashtra. Starting Mumbai to to Goa, we came across a few dozen abandoned forts, but the one we stopped by to capture the sunset was the fort of Devgad and I can’t recommend it more.

The adjoining fishing village of Ananwadi was moreover a great place to capture some village life.

Tarkarli Village

Out of all the villages we explored, I particularly loved the setting of Tarkarli village.

Though the highlight in Tarkarli is the adventure water sports (including Scuba diving, Jet skiing, Banana Boat Ride, and Parasailing, among others) for a photo buff, Tarkarli had much to offer. Just walk across the many intermingled bylanes and capture the essence of rural coastal Maharashtra.

Have you done the Konkan road trip? How was your experience? Would you rather take the Coastal Maharashtra Route or Mumbai to Goa highway?

Also Read: What To See And Do In Lonavala