The Poor Man’s Goa: Kashid, Maharashtra
Located around 30 km from the town of Alibaug and 135 km from the commercial capital of Mumbai is the very beautiful beach village of Kashid. This is also dubbed as the poor man’s Goa on the Alibaug coast. The reason for this name is the beauty of the beach and the pretty laid back attitude of the villagers in Kashid.
Kashid
There are multiple ways of getting to Kashid from Mumbai. The first option is to drive or take a bus from Mumbai. Maharashtra state transport buses ply regularly from Mumbai Central and Thane to Kashid. All Murud buses stop at Kashid. Driving down from Mumbai or Pune is also a good option. The most economical way of getting to this Konkan coastal town is by taking a ferry from Gateway of India to Madwa jetty and then a bus from Alibaug.
The Kashid village beach has become popular mainly because of its white sand, blue sea, green hills, paddy fields, and rivulets. Kashid has a 3 km stretch of beach tucked in between two rocky hillocks with Casuarina groves all along the seashore and is by far the best beach in this part of the Konkan region and, though absolutely deserted on weekdays, the town can attract its fair share of week-end holiday and picnic makers.
Kashid has only become a tourist hotspot since the mid-1990s when travellers started breaking their journey to Murud at this pristine village beach after noticing the untouched beauty of the place.
Today, Kashid boast of a variety of water sport and beach activities which include a banana boat ride, para-sailing, horse and camel rides, etc. There are even sand buggies which are rented out. These are a big hit with the family crowd.
The waves at Kashid beach are unusually high and can be a paradise for surfers. The waves can reach a height of five to six feet even during the non-monsoon months. However, the waves are dangerously high during the monsoons and surfing is not recommended during the months of June to September.
At the entrance of the beach, there are plenty of small beach shacks which serve snacks, fresh coconut water and also sell beach shorts, balls and other beach games. Nearly all these shacks have hammocks for people to lie on and chill till their food is ready or just to take a mid-afternoon nap under the shade of the coconut tree. The Maggi and omelets are a must have for everyone.
Kashid has a handful of accommodation options which are not really very light on the pocket. The home stays are also pretty expensive over the weekend. Most of the home stays also serve food which is generally Poha or Misal Pav for breakfast and fish, chicken or vegetable thali for lunch and dinner. There are also a few restaurants which serve some really tasty sea food. Surmai, Prawns and Pomfret are a must-have while in this laid back village. The seafood in this village is simply mouth-watering.
An important thing to keep in mind while in Kashid is that power cuts are a daily occurrence, so while venturing out in the night always have a torch in hand. Also, avoid going to the beach after sundown.
Kashid is a must-visit village and beach for everyone who travels to the Alibaug coast and is a perfect place to spent time away from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
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