The sunset strip

Sanjiv Valsan

There was a time, not too long ago, when the only people you’d find here on a weekend were a handful of topless sunbathing foreign tourists, let in on a little secret called Kashid beach - a clean breezy white sand beach surrounded by cliffs and gentle hills on three sides, a sunset on the fourth. With water clean enough to swim in, it’s less than four hours away from Mumbai.

What kept it so unvisited and pristine for so long might have had something to do with the absence of hotels, which has apparently changed now. Kashid is no longer the secret it once was, but is still the closest beach near Mumbai that’s clean enough to swim in, and if you land there on a weekday, you still can see it as it once was.

Getting there: Bicycle/motorcycle: The most enjoyable and adventurous way. Ride your bike upto Ferry Wharf, near Dockyard Road station, load it on the boat to Rewas, and then it’s an enjoyable ride to Kashid on a truck-free road. Again, follow milestones to Alibag, and the coastal road leading to Murud. Evenings and early mornings are great for this.

Ferry: From the Gateway of India, take the ferry to Mandwa (cost normally includes onward bus trip to Alibag). From Alibag, take bus/ rickshaw/ shared rickshaw to Kashid. Check timings first.

By car: Take the Mumbai-Goa road, divert to Alibag and follow milestones indicating the route to Murud. Four hours if you drive after midnight.

Nearby attractions: The Janjira island Fort and Siddhi Nawab’s Palace built by the Siddhis from Africa, Korlai Portuguese Fort and lighthouse, Revdanda Fort and the old forts and temples near Alibaug. A ferry from the nearby Rajpuri Jetty goes up to Dighi, from where southern beaches like Shrivardhan and Harihareshwar become accessible

Note: Do not join the new wave of litterbugs plaguing the beach. Carry a separate plastic bag for your waste.