Konkan Calling – Part 3:
Boats, Bullock Carts & A Fort in the Sea!
“Naye din, naye safar… aur naye kisse Konkan ke!”
Before we dive into today’s adventure, let’s rewind for a second…
Part 1 took us from Mumbai to the soul-soothing beaches and temples of Velneshwar, Hedvi, and Guhaghar—a journey wrapped in serenity and scenic beauty. Click here to Read Part 1
Part 2 picked up the pace with temple hopping, local delicacies, and sunset madness at Murud Beach, complete with some filmy panic about high tide and our beach-parked car. 😅Click here to Read Part 2
And now, welcome to Part 3, where our Konkan road trip itinerary gets fishier, Fortier, and definitely more fun!
Harnai Bunder – The Fishy Affair (Quite Literally!)and an Unwanted Drama 😅
Our day kicked off before the sun had fully stretched. The plan was to catch the sunrise at Harnai Beach and visit the iconic fish market at Harnai Bunder. But of course, Konkan had its own idea for some morning drama.
It turns out that the regular route to the beach was closed. So we were graciously forced to take a narrow bylane. And by narrow, I mean the kind where if you breathe too hard, the car door might scrape the wall. With every inch, my car crawled like it was tightrope walking. I swear, if anyone had a drone camera above, they would’ve titled the clip:
👉 “How to age 10 years in 10 minutes.”
But the struggle paid off. The beach opened up and welcomed us with a glorious morning and a scene straight out of a documentary. Boats bobbing in the waves, fishermen unloading crates of fresh catch, and bullock carts lined up right there on the sand, ready to transport the day’s bounty.
The open beach market was in full swing (and full smell!). 😅
Needless to say, my daughter wasn’t thrilled with the fishy fragrance and spent most of her time trying not to breathe. Meanwhile, I soaked in the madness with absolute joy.
Talking about Harnai Bunder, let me tell you—this was hands down one of the biggest, craziest, most happening fish markets in Konkan I’ve ever seen! And the wild part? It’s right there on the beach.
Yep, sand beneath your feet, salty breeze in your face, and hundreds of fish being sorted, auctioned, and loaded—straight from boat to bullock cart, Konkan-style!
Now as for the fish… arre bhai, I was honestly speechless. The sheer variety of fish lying there was next-level. I always thought fish meant pomfret, surmai, and maybe bangda—bas itna hi syllabus tha humara. But here? It felt like I had walked into some live-action episode of National Geographic – Konkan Edition!
And let’s be real, my knowledge of fish is zero. Jab se hosh sambhala hai, vegetarian hi rahe hum. But I still found myself staring in awe at these giant, shiny creatures with names I couldn’t pronounce and eyes that looked like they could stare into your soul.
In fact, some of those massive, majestic fish? I swear, I had last seen them in Taraporewala Aquarium, back in my school days. And now here they were, lying right on the sand, fresh from the Arabian Sea, and ready for the morning auction.
If you’re a seafood lover, this is one of the best places to visit in Harnai and an absolute must on your Dapoli travel guide.
Now comes the incident.
After witnessing this blockbuster fish auction live—like, literally, fish flying off boats onto carts faster than hot samosas at a railway station—I was all pumped up. The sea was calling, the light was perfect, and the camera in my hand was itching for some reel magic.
And then… I spotted it—a low wall along the beach road, giving a fantastic vantage point to capture the Arabian Sea in all its early morning swag. Being the ever-enthusiastic me, full josh mode activated, I leapt onto the wall, ready to frame that perfect shot of crashing waves and golden sun. Cinematic level setting tha, bro!
Just when I was getting into my Karan Johar slo-mo zone, suddenly—
“Aye! Hatt na yaha se!”
I looked around and saw a bunch of local ladies waving furiously at me, gesturing like I’d committed a crime. My first thought—“Arre kya hua? Protest ho raha hai kya? Ya maine kisi devi-devta ki jagah pe toh nahi pair rakh diya?”
Bas fir toh facepalm moment.🙈
Turns out, woh bechari log were just trying to finish their morning ka natural business, and here I was, happily shooting videos like I was making a tourism ad for Konkan. Oh Bhai, unintentionally sting operation ho gaya! 🙈
Kuch pal ke Mujhe samajh nahi aaya—main sharminda hoon ya darr gaya hoon.( mai rou yeh hanso karu mai kya karu ) Without blinking, I did a quick 180, stuffed my camera into the bag, and sprinted back to the beach like a school kid who got caught bunking during PT period.
That’s when I realised… even that overpowering fish market smell suddenly felt like sweet perfume compared to the social awkwardness I had just marinated in. 😅
Suvarnadurg Fort – History, High Tides & A Tempo Tyre Swing!
Post the beach buzz, we headed back to the hotel, freshened up, checked out, and made our way back to Harnai Beach for our next adventure—a boat ride to Suvarnadurg Fort, the majestic sea fort in Konkan built by none other than Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
You may like this
https://www.lifeofaash.com/torna-fort-trek/
Generally, the boat ride from Harnai to Suvarnadurg Fort costs ₹200 per person, but since we were the early birds that morning, there were no other passengers around to fill the boat. So instead of waiting, we decided to hire the entire boat. The quoted rate for a full charter was ₹1,400, but after some friendly negotiation (and perhaps our morning charm 😄), we settled on ₹1,200 for a round trip.
The boat ride was short and scenic, with the waves gently rocking our little vessel like a Bollywood dance number. In no time, we were cruising toward the fort, wind in our hair, jackets flapping, and the “reel banta hai boss” energy at full power!
Soon, we reached the shores and stepped onto the stone beach in front of us. And there it was—standing tall and proud—the gates of mighty Suvarnadurg Fort.
Without wasting a moment, we started climbing the stone stairs, and within no time, we found ourselves inside the fort walls, ready to soak in centuries of history and Konkan charm.
We began exploring the ruins and walking along the fort wall, catching breathtaking panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. The feeling of being surrounded by crashing waves on all sides, with ancient walls whispering tales of Maratha glory, was truly surreal.
And just when we thought the experience couldn’t get any better—bam! Oye Oye (la Tridev movie style) We stumbled upon a delightful surprise. Tucked in one corner, we spotted a makeshift swing made from an old tempo tyre, rigged up by a few local kids who live within the fort premises.
Naturally, we couldn’t resist. One by one, we took turns swinging like carefree children—laughing, striking poses, and yes, capturing those perfect slow-mo reels for the ‘Instagram!
That moment—sun on our backs, laughter echoing through the fort, sea breeze in the air, and a tyre swing swaying—was pure, unfiltered joy.
This is why Konkan forts like Suvarnadurg are more than just ruins.
They’re stories in stone, filled with history, wonder, and yes… unexpected tyre swings. Akir dil toh bacha hai ji 😃
The Road Back – Goodbye Konkan, Until Next Time
With Suvarnadurg Fort’s mighty walls behind us and hearts overflowing with Konkan memories, we returned to shore, gave one last longing look at the sea… and hit the road back to Mumbai.
As the coastline waved us goodbye and the hills rolled past like sleepy giants, I couldn’t help but smile. This wasn’t just a road trip—it was a full-blown Konkan rollercoaster ride!
Beaches that whispered peace, temples that blessed us with calm, fish markets that assaulted the nose and dazzled the eyes, and forts that told stories (and gave us tyre swings!)—Konkan had thrown everything at us, and we loved every bit of it.
Even the wrong turns, narrow lanes, and morning wale misadventures added their own quirky charm to the ride.
But as they say—every ending is just a pause in the journey.
So, until the next highway calls and another beach sunrise tugs at our hearts…
To be continued… kyunki safar abhi bhi baaki hai, Mere Dost !
📍 Catch all episodes on: www.lifeofaash.com
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