Kashid is one of the best beaches close to Pune and Mumbai, in fact it is my favorite weekend destination. I am professional and love to run away from the city as much as possible.
How-to get there: The best way to get to Kashid is to drive from Mumbai or Pune. The roads are ok and in the winters, it feels great to drive there. You can also go to Kashid on steamer to Mandwa Jetty and then by bus.
Places to Stay: Stay in in Kashid Beach Resort. Though expensive, it has all the luxuries that you are used to.
Places of Interest: The beach ofcourse! The beaches are clean, not at all crowded and very’pure’. However, be careful if you are tempted to swim - the water is dangerous and many people have drowned over the years.
BUT the reason why I like Kashid the best is the isolation;) . In college, I went there with a gang of friends and we were hanging out at the’off-the-beaten-track’ beach really early in the morning. This was about 5-6 yrs back and the beaches were even more empty and deserted. We saw a few young foreigners(May be 2-3 girls and 3 guys) hanging out on the beach and bathing in the water without ANYTHING on - No swimsuits at all! We could not believe our eyes and kept watching them atleast for 30-40 mins! This is a memory I still discuss when I meet my ex-college mates!:)