Beaches and Ellora!

Iamnotbob · Feb 25th, 2009, 16:40

Hi,

I was hoping to get some info on trips from mumbai to ellora. We're hoping to do it in as little time as possible since we appear to be running out of time (6months seemed like such a long time when we started). Is it possible to do a day trip or will we end up killing ourselves?

I was also wondering if anyone out there had any strong opinions on the beaches in Southern Maharashtra versus the beaches in Karnataka (particularly below Gokama). I will also accept ambivalent but informed opinions. We probably won't have time to properly explore both and hate rushing from beach to beach if we don't have to.

Cheers again,
Keo

steven_ber · Mar 5th, 2009, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by santosh_1212

if u need anu more information u can mail me at santosh_1212@indiatimesmail.co m
happy travelling

Hello Santosh

Asking people to contact you is not the way we work on indiamike, we generally share information on the open forums.

If new members ask for others to contact them in private, we sometimes just assume they're a travel agent.

Amanda in India · Mar 6th, 2009, 06:37

Hello 'iamnotbob',

Not sure if this is too late or not (as I wasn't sure whether you meant that time was running out with planning your trip or whether you were actually on your trip and time was running out....)

Getting to Ellora - from Mumbai to Amedebhad (sp?) in an overnight-ish train trip (or a good full day). So you could either catch the train in the morning stay overnight, check out Ellora during the day and then catch the night train back. If memory serves anyway...t'was a long time ago for me!

Gokarna is great but a bit of a pain to get to. And actually I never really saw THE beach. I forget it's name...Om beach??? Anyway, I stopped there on my way back to Mumbai to catch my flight home and unfortunately it was the very beginning of the monsoon and was told that everything on Om beach had closed up (and had this confirmed by another tourist who had trekked over there and there wasn't much open so came back). So I just stayed in town for a few days but I have to say I really loved it! I just spent every day walking around, the people were really friendly. However, on an earlier trip to India my travelling companion and I went different ways and she went to Gokarna (and the beach) and loved it. There is a beach in town and it's pretty fun to hang out on - more of a mini-Chowpatty beach experience. The beach (again, I'm guessing at the name Om) is a bit of a trek to get to so I'm told (and you actually do have to walk it, there's no other way in - at least when I was there 6 years ago.

If you aren't crazy about getting too far South because of the the limited time, Palolem is really lovely and apparently it's still pretty laid back - though I was there 7 years ago. So check out the Goa thread and see what folks have to say.

rajered · Mar 27th, 2009, 01:12

You need to catch a train to Aurangabad to go to Ellora. If you are visiting Ellora then visit Ajanta also. Aurangabad to Ellora is 18 kms. Aurangabad to Ajanta is 110 kms.
These are the train numbers that are available to to go Aurganabad from Mumbai. 2071, 7057, 7617, 1401, 7605. More information on train timings can be obtained from www.indiarailinfo.com

As for beaches there are some great beached in south Maharashtra.
You need to reach Malvan and make it a base. To get to Malvan the nearest rail head is Kudal or Sawantwadi.
From Malvan you can visit the Sindudurg Sea Fort, Tarkarli Beach, Devbaug Beach, Chivla Beach, Bhogwe Beach, Tondivali Beach, Dhamapur Lake, Sagareshwar Beach in Vengurla. Some of these beaches are better that Goa. In Malvan you can stay at Hoter Sagar Kinara, or at the MTDC resort in Tarkarli.

Merchant · Mar 27th, 2009, 02:23

Aurangabad is too far from Mumbai for a day trip. The train journey is pleasant, though. You leave Mumbai in the early evening and arrive just before dawn.

Ellora is just outside Aurangabad, so you need transportation. I hired an autorickshaw driver when I was there a few years ago. In addition to the Ellora caves, you can tour the Daulatabad fort, which offers a good hike to the summit of a hill it used for defense.

Ellora and the fort make for a good full day.

Aurangabad also has the "mini Taj," the Bibi Ka Maqbara:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bibika.jpg

You can really spend a few days in Aurangabad and be fully entertained.

Feb 25th, 2009, 16:40	#1
Iamnotbob Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 2	Beaches and Ellora! Hi, I was hoping to get some info on trips from mumbai to ellora. We're hoping to do it in as little time as possible since we appear to be running out of time (6months seemed like such a long time when we started). Is it possible to do a day trip or will we end up killing ourselves? I was also wondering if anyone out there had any strong opinions on the beaches in Southern Maharashtra versus the beaches in Karnataka (particularly below Gokama). I will also accept ambivalent but informed opinions. We probably won't have time to properly explore both and hate rushing from beach to beach if we don't have to. Cheers again, Keo

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Mar 6th, 2009, 06:37	#3
Amanda in India Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 29	Hello 'iamnotbob', Not sure if this is too late or not (as I wasn't sure whether you meant that time was running out with planning your trip or whether you were actually on your trip and time was running out....) Getting to Ellora - from Mumbai to Amedebhad (sp?) in an overnight-ish train trip (or a good full day). So you could either catch the train in the morning stay overnight, check out Ellora during the day and then catch the night train back. If memory serves anyway...t'was a long time ago for me! Gokarna is great but a bit of a pain to get to. And actually I never really saw THE beach. I forget it's name...Om beach??? Anyway, I stopped there on my way back to Mumbai to catch my flight home and unfortunately it was the very beginning of the monsoon and was told that everything on Om beach had closed up (and had this confirmed by another tourist who had trekked over there and there wasn't much open so came back). So I just stayed in town for a few days but I have to say I really loved it! I just spent every day walking around, the people were really friendly. However, on an earlier trip to India my travelling companion and I went different ways and she went to Gokarna (and the beach) and loved it. There is a beach in town and it's pretty fun to hang out on - more of a mini-Chowpatty beach experience. The beach (again, I'm guessing at the name Om) is a bit of a trek to get to so I'm told (and you actually do have to walk it, there's no other way in - at least when I was there 6 years ago. If you aren't crazy about getting too far South because of the the limited time, Palolem is really lovely and apparently it's still pretty laid back - though I was there 7 years ago. So check out the Goa thread and see what folks have to say.

Mar 27th, 2009, 01:12	#4
rajered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 1,184	You need to catch a train to Aurangabad to go to Ellora. If you are visiting Ellora then visit Ajanta also. Aurangabad to Ellora is 18 kms. Aurangabad to Ajanta is 110 kms. These are the train numbers that are available to to go Aurganabad from Mumbai. 2071, 7057, 7617, 1401, 7605. More information on train timings can be obtained from www.indiarailinfo.com As for beaches there are some great beached in south Maharashtra. You need to reach Malvan and make it a base. To get to Malvan the nearest rail head is Kudal or Sawantwadi. From Malvan you can visit the Sindudurg Sea Fort, Tarkarli Beach, Devbaug Beach, Chivla Beach, Bhogwe Beach, Tondivali Beach, Dhamapur Lake, Sagareshwar Beach in Vengurla. Some of these beaches are better that Goa. In Malvan you can stay at Hoter Sagar Kinara, or at the MTDC resort in Tarkarli.

Mar 27th, 2009, 02:23	#5
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,213	Aurangabad is too far from Mumbai for a day trip. The train journey is pleasant, though. You leave Mumbai in the early evening and arrive just before dawn. Ellora is just outside Aurangabad, so you need transportation. I hired an autorickshaw driver when I was there a few years ago. In addition to the Ellora caves, you can tour the Daulatabad fort, which offers a good hike to the summit of a hill it used for defense. Ellora and the fort make for a good full day. Aurangabad also has the "mini Taj," the Bibi Ka Maqbara: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bibika.jpg You can really spend a few days in Aurangabad and be fully entertained.