We visited Harihareshwar during the long summer weekend of April 30, 31 and May 1st. We along with another family of 3 went in our car.
Note: If you are a beach lover, and love to play in the water, then this is probably not the place you are looking for. The sand is black and a little sticky. This said, I would still say that Harihareshwar has its own charm. If you are looking for a relaxing gateway, to walk along the beach, or sit on the rocks and enjoy the natural music of the water spraying on the rocks, and listen to the water music, this is the right choice!
Travel from Pune
Traveling from Pune? We started off from Yerwada. From here, it took us about 1/1/2 hrs to reach Mulshi where we stoppedf or breakfast. Had tea and Pohe. Quick Point, on the way to Tahmini is a good place to have breakfast. It is a vegetarian restaurant. It also has a clean toilet. So if you have kids with you, better stop here for sometime. As the person gets the breakfast ready for you, you can stroll down to the river (the bank is rocky and muddy, yet you can take a walk).
This route is abeautiful stretch till the end of the Tahmini ghats even in the summer. It will be far more beautiful during and/or after the monsoons. The winding broad road through the beautiful green ghats and deep gorges is breath taking. It is a real treat to people like us who see greenery only in the pictures!
Paud – Mulshi -Tahminighat – Bhile – Mangaon – Goregaon – Mhasla - Harihareshwar.
The drive fromMulshi to Bhile (Bhira) takes about an hour to do this stretch up to Bhile(97km). Here the road bifurcates to Kolad and Mangaon. Don’t take the Koladroad---it will take you to Murud/Kashid. To go towards Harihareshwar and Shrivardhan take the Mangaon route (25 km from Bhile). This road is a little narrow and bumpy. While on this road you pass Nizampur before you come to the national highway. Turn left towards Mahad and Goa. Look around as youdrive as you have to turn to right towards Mhasla within a kilometer. This road is crowded in the initial patch (probably runs through a market), and then it is pleasant and smooth right up to Harihareshwar. This stretch of 60 km might take you about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Now it is your turn to choose: Turn left to go to Harihareshwar). Turn right to go to Shrivardhan(4km).
Accomodation
I read many reviews which said that the MTDC resort is the best place…. Well, we did not have a good experience with them. A few days before we were to visit Harihareshwar, we called up from Pune to check the availability of the rooms. We were told that the place was FULL and there are no rooms available.
After reaching Harihareshwar, we took a big room in one of the houses (named Krishnai). When you reach the point where the road bifurcates into two---to take you to the MTDC (and right to take you to the temple), look left and you will see Krisnai just on the road side. It has a lot of space to park the vehicles in the compound and they have 4 rooms, one of which is large and can accommodate about 6-7people. Since no other rooms were available, the kids decided that we should all spend the night in the big room, so that we all could play UNO, chat, and talk till late. It cost us 350/- per family (700 for the room). The owner said that the helping hand was away for a week and so they were not in a position to provide food (which was OK with us).
After keeping the baggage in the room, we decided to have food at grasshopper inn (at MTDC). We just decided to check out if rooms are available at MTDC (just a feeling to do it). When we asked at the counter, we were told that rooms and huts are available. We wanted to be sure if there had been any recent cancellation… it seems that the rooms were available and it did not have 100% booking! Then why were we told that there was 100% booking when we called up?
We saw people waiting for food. After checking with them and with the authorities, came to know that we might have to wait for another half an hour or so to get place to sit…the kids were hungry and so we went out hunting for another place (OK since it was the peak time in the afternoon).
Keep in mind
The mobile network will not be available, and it is difficult to locate a STD booth. So make the necessary calls before you reach this place.
Small kids may not enjoy Harihareshwar as much as you would!
Have your lunch/dinner a little early. Else, you will have to go around the whole place in search of food just as we did.
If you have kids (and even if you don’t) it is a good idea to along a first aid box and some sacks.
These houses have ants---so check the beds before you lie down to rest/sleep.
The temple
The Harihareshwar temple is a must visit. After the darshan of the deity, don’t forget the parikrama. From behind the temple (or the side of the temple), you can climb the steps on the hill (the temple is just at the foot of a hill). After climbing the steps a bit, you reach a crevice which has steps that take you right down to the seas....and you reach a rocky space facing the open seas. In the evening, you can watch a beautiful sunset from here---the red ball of fire about to plunge inside the Arabian ocean.
Food
Unfortunately, we had a bad experience at the grasshopper (not just us, there were about 6-7 families). We reached there at about 7.45 pm (because the kids were hungry and we did not want to wait just as we did in the afternoon). After taking the order, they made us wait for an hour. When we went to check why the food was getting delayed and they tell us that only 5 items were available. No fish items avialable. They also told us that we could either leave or wait for an hour for food. Needless tosay, we all left the place.
We went around hutting for a place for dinner till10.00pm…. we finally started having dinner at 11.30 pm. As we were having dinner about 3 families came up asking if they would be served food, but then the kitchen was closed!
General
While the tide is low then you can go around this jagged rock to the northern beach of Harihareshwar. But be extremely careful of the rocks—my friend had a bad cut on her thumb as she held on to some stone for support, and I cut my toe.
We did not really visit Shrivardhan in the real sense because we just drove across to a beach which was a massive disappointment. It was short stay, but a memorable trip (with the good and bad things). I did not enjoy the beach much probably because I have practically been to all the nice, lovely, and exotic beaches in Goa and Kerala.