Tarkarli’s a hot favorite among beach goers and vacation makers, not only for the golden gritty sands or the rippling foamy silvery blue waves, but also for the variety of adventure sports that you could enjoy at the beachside. Yes, Tarkarli has some of the best options of water sports that would have you asking for more.

There’s a mixed bag of things that would keep you on your toes in that little beach village. If you are not trekking up the forts or going off on birding tours, watch the fishermen haul in their fish or chase the scuttling crabs up and down the soft sands. What’s more, picturesque towns in Maharashtra and Goa lie just within a hundred kilometers and you could enjoy a bus ride or a drive up the winding seaside roads on a weekend. We will give you a list of things you can do while in Tarkarli.

Tarkarli is one place whose clear waters have an abundant variety of aquatic living things, for besides fields of coral reefs there are colorful exotic fishes, sea plants and of course the friendly dolphins. You could contact Tarkarli’s scuba diving clubs that organize shallow and deep sea scuba diving and snorkeling that are experiences of a lifetime. Amateurs are given instructions on diving, so that should not pose a trouble for you.

Relax in the golden shimmer of the sun that dips into the clear waters on a hot summer day, as you cool off underwater watching exotic fish and turtles dart by. Scuba diving is one of the most popular water sport in Tarkarli and it is something you can look forward to. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in Malvan conducts PADI certified training for scuba diving and aquatic sports and you can check out this place as well.

If it is just a serene ride on a boat you need than an adrenaline pumping tryst with the waves, hit the backwaters of Karli River which gives a beautiful view where it meanders along the hamlet to join the Arabian Sea. The backwaters are fringed on either side with a densely packed undergrowth of bushes and tall coconut and mango trees. It’s a quiet place, with just the chirps of the birds and the gentle rippling sounds of the waters to keep you company.

This is one perfect place for a boat ride and the other one is the Dhamapur Lake near Bhagawathi Temple of Dhamapur. This is a manmade lake that was built in 1530 by King Nagesh Desai and this is yet another picturesque place you would love to visit. The MTDC offers boat rides along the lake that is surrounded by hills and lush orchards and has a variety of fauna as well.

There are clubs and organizations in Malvan that could arrange for a group beach camping and trekking trips in and around Tarkarli. You could go on trekking tours to Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg Forts and camp at Tarkarli beach at night, swapping stories under the stars, warmed by a campfire and charmed by music.

The camps are usually organized with treks, scuba diving and beach camping so you could enjoy just about all of them before nightfall and of course sign off with a delicious dinner and a bed in a tent. If you would rather have a relaxed day, most tourists would love a peaceful stroll along the beaches where photography and picking up seashells are so much fun.

Vengurla is a picturesque little town you could visit for its beautiful Shiroda and Nivati beaches and Aravali village where you could visit the Sateri temple and Shri Vithoba Mandir. Then there’s the famous Lighthouse that sits on the top of a hill that can be climbed up through a flight of steps. Once up there, you get a great view of the Arabian Sea and the beaches dotted about, including the beaches of Goa and the Terekhol river on whose banks lie the 17th century Terekhol Fort.

One of the greatest delights of driving to Vengurla from Tarkarli is travelling through Sagari Mahamarg, a coastal road route that connects Mumbai and Goa. Vengurla is about 50 km from Tarkarli.

The proximity of the hills, the tiny fishing hamlets enclosed within lush cashew and mango groves and vast open seas, what more would the birds ask for? The regions around Tarkarli, if not the whole of Konkan has some cool opportunities for birding. You will find several species of sea birds clamoring over the shallow creeks off the beaches and on the Bird Island if you would love to see more avian.

Near the creeks and backwaters that meander along the dense coconut and mango groves, you find paddy fields and fruit plantations where there are more birds like the exotic Red Whiskered bulbuls, Asian Paradise Flycatchers, Malabar Pied Hornbills and Common mynahs aplenty. A quiet walk, armed with a camera and binoculars would make a birding trip a delightful experience.

A trip to Tarkarli is never complete with a trip to Goa, the land of beaches. Goa too can be visited in the months between October to February when it is winter. You can visit the secluded Baga and Arambol beaches as well as the Querim beach on the northernmost part of Goa. Vagator and Anjuna beaches are oft visited for the flea markets and the shacks selling delicious Goan food. Tourists never miss a trip to the gloriously picturesque Dudhsagar Falls or Fort Aguada whose lighthouse gives a spectacular sweeping view of the Arabian Sea.

Visit the Bogdeshwara Temple in Mapusa, where an annual jatra in December lights up the town in joy and color. Goa is about 116 km from Tarkarli and you could take a bus ride to Goa, though most tourists even opt for a drive or a two wheeler journey.

Scuba Diving is not about all there is to water adventures in and around Tarkarli’s beaches. You can go snorkeling, parasailing, kayaking or jet skiing or enjoy a bouncy rode with your family on a brightly colored banana boat way up on the high seas of off Tarkarli, Malvan or Devbagh beaches. Take a boat ride to Tsunami Island for more fun in the waters.

One of the best rides you could get is a sail up the sea to spot the schools of friendly dolphins. Not only are the big fish the most gentle, but you might want to keep your camera handy for the perfect shot as the dolphins scoot up and above the waves. Dolphin spotting is one favorite water sport activity in Tarkarli.

Head up to the mountains, once you have had your fun at the beaches. At a height of about 2,260 ft. Amboli at the southern end of Maharashtra is one great hill station you ought to visit. One of the hottest eco spots of Maharashtra, Amboli looks a beautiful fertile land of verdant greenery through the year, more so during and after the monsoons.

Drive up to Amboli past the spectacular touristy Amboli ghat and visit the Hiranyakeshwar cave temple for Shiva and the enchanting Amboli and Nangarta Waterfalls. You might check out the amazing viewpoints like Shirgaonkar View Point or visit Madhavgad Fort that, though in ruins offers an amazing view of the Arabian Sea and the hills and valleys around.

TAKA as the Thakar Adivasi Kala Angan is known as, is a museum and art gallery that showcases most captivatingly the visual, craft and folk art mediums of the Thakar tribes of Sindhudurg. Get immersed in the ancient mythological tales of India through puppet shows that include both visuals in the form of beautiful paintings called Chitrakathi and music, for the Thakars are talented in the creation and use of musical instruments like ekatari, tuntune and tal.

The gallery that was founded by Parashuram Vishram Gangavane to preserve the cultures and art forms of Pinguli, holds displays on Chitrakathi paintings, shadow puppetry, Radhe nrutya dances, kalsutri or puppet shows and pangul bael or Bullock shows etc. You could attend the workshops on puppetry, craft and paintings. TAKA is in Pinguli in Kudal Taluk, about 32 km from Tarkarli.

A day trip to Malvan, just about a few kilometers from Tarkarli should just about complete a day’s activities. Indulge in snorkeling or scuba diving, visit the forts of Sindhudurg and Padmagad, and spend a pleasant evening watching the sunset from the Rock Garden near Chivla Beach or escape to the secluded Talashil Tondavali beach, one of the most charming beaches of Malvan.

The Dhamapur Bagawathi temple that sits on the banks of the Dhamapur Lake, Satteri Devi Jal Mandir and Jai Ganesh Mandir are just some of the significant temples in Malvan frequented by pilgrims and tourists. Finish off a day’s trip to Malvan with shopping for the succulent Alphonso mangoes and check out some of the best places for the traditional Malvani cuisine.