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Kashid is a beach town on the shores of Arabian Sea, in the North Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is located 30km from Alibag and 135km from Mumbai on the Alibag-Murud road.
Kashid is popular mainly because of its white sand, blue seas, green mountains, paddy fields, and rivulets. Kashid has a 3 km stretch of beach tucked in between two rocky hillocks with Casuarina groves all around the seashore.
This 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 makers. There are a few of small hotels in Kashid as the rest of the area is privately owned.
The waves here are unusually high and can be paradise for surfing. The waves can reach a height 5-6 feet even during the non-monsoon months.
Getting There
For Mumbaikars – The route to Kashid is an extension of the drive from Alibag. Many might have crossed Kashid on way to Murud-Jinjira from Alibag. Take the Panvel-Pen route to Vadkal naka, bypass Alibag town and head straight towards Revadanda Bridge. At the Revadanda Police post, meet the State Highway#60 from Pune. However the crowd traveling to Murud-Jinjira directly from Mumbai might have missed Kashid if taken the alternate route on Goa Highway via Kolad, Roha and a left diversion just beyond Roha town through SH 92.
Alibag – Kashid : 37 Kms Kashid – Murud-Jinjira : 15 Kms Roha – Murud (SH92) : 48 Kms
For Punekars - If you wish, you can utilize the Express Highway to the maximum by take a longish route via Khopoli – Penn – Vadkal naka. Although, not only does the route turns out to be longer, what you miss is the beauty of Mulshi-Tamhini region True, the state highway does not offer the luxury of cruising speeds as the Express Highway, but the savings in time is more than offset by the longer route. After crossing the Tamhini Ghats on SH60 always keep an eye on the Kolad milestone and head towards the Goa Highway. Be careful not to take the Mangaon detour near Vile. Once you reach the Goa Highway T-section, turn right and head a KM to a left turn towards Roha at Kolad. This is the only break in stretch of SH60. From Roha, religiously follow SH60 again till you reach the Revadanda Bridge.
Milestones from Pune (Kothrud, Paud Road) :
Paud (25) – Junction near Vile (87) – Goa Highway,NH17 (108) – Left turn at Kolad (109) – Roha (122) – Vikram Ispat, Salav (156) – Police Post, Revadanda (157) – Kashid (170)
Best Season
There is no season-offseason as Kashid is protected by the hills. You would however do better to avoid peak summer, unless the govt. obliges you will excess power supply. Rather than non-AC, too much of candle light dinner might be boring.
Resources
Do not expect to walk into the roadside shop for your daily supplies. They still cater mostly to the villagers. Rather go with a fully loaded dickey (trunk) instead. One PCO/STD booth is however available. A couple of restaurants churn out popular delicacies, but you would most probably end up having food at your place of stay. Do not miss the tea and narielpani at the beach though.
Stay
Kashid Beach Resorts, Prakruti, Suman Resorts are the ones that give you urban comfort and simultaneously charge for that. Even if you have a fortune to blow away, consider staying in one of the many homely villas owned by the local people. You get enough homeliness, comfort and good food to make you stay memorable. With increasing discovery, Kashid is inviting weekenders and filmy crew with more rigor nowadays. It would make sense to make a prior booking.
Eat
While you are traveling in coastal Konkan, make it a point to sample culinary delights of the region – kurkuron bombeel (crispy fried Bombay duck), surmai / Pomfret fry, Kombadi-Wade with Chicken, sol-kadhi (a tangy smooth appetiser), kelyache panchamrut (a sweetish medley of bananas and vegetables), tisrya-che kavlan (clams in thick spicy masala), kelphoola-chi bhaji, (a Konkan favorite, made of banana flower), Jackfruit bhaji, Kaju Usal, Ambole (like Appam or thick sada Dosa). Especially ensure that you try Lord Ganesha’s favorite steamed delight, the Modak (made up of sugar / Jaggary and rice floor)!
Nearby Places to Visit
Murud-Janjira are situated near Kashid. Murud is an old fisherman town with a nice beach. Janjira is a famous fort in the middle of the sea near Murud. The tourists can also visit the Nawab’s palace, Ganapati Pule temple and the beautiful Birla temple nearby. About ten km from Kashid beach is the Phansad bird sanctuary.