Velneshwar

MTDC is the best place to stay in Velneshwar. The resort is set on a hill which has a private way to the beach. It has comfortable cottages which have a scenic view of the ocean. The cottages have all the basic amenities like a bed, LCD Television, Hot and Cold running water. There is an in-house restaurant which serves mouth-watering Konkani cuisine. Besides MTDC, one can also put up at the Kinara Beach House of Navneet Thakur. Jeevan Sugandh hotel is one more option for an affordable stay. The locals also provide residing options at nominal rates.

The main attraction at Velneshwar is the 1600 year old Shiva temple and the Hedvi Laxmi Ganesh temple famous for the Dashabhuja Ganpati mandir. A trip to Hedvi village down south which is 5 km away through the winding and bumpy road full of greenery is worth the time. Hedvi is known for the temple of Dashbhuja Ganesh. On the outskirts of Hedvi there is a place known as Baman Ghal, which is a valley from which sea water streams out during high tide to make a fountain about 20 ft. high. Apart from these the Veleneshwar beach is not to be missed.

Velneshwar is a small village and there are not many activities one can do except for relaxing, swimming in the sea, watching dolphins and relishing the delicious Konkani cuisine.
The area is largely populated by the fisherman community. The local villagers are friendly and very hospitable. Marathi is the most widely spoken language. Hindi and English are also understood and spoken by the locals of this place. Although there are not many markets nearby, one can always visit Chitni Bazaar, Mahaveer Market, etc. for a more local experience. 

Food choices are minimal at Velneshwar with typical home-style Konkani cuisine being popular. You can enjoy seafood like prawns, mackerel, salmon, Pomfret, kingfish and black pomfret and non-veg. dishes like chicken curry or saute along with Bhakri (bread made from rice) and the Solkadi. Vegetarians can enjoy the delicious Pithla Bhakri, Valachi Usal, Amboli, Ghavne, Modaks. There are plenty of good hotels at Guhagar. For seafood, the best hotel is Shamkant Khatu's Annapurna Hotel and Hotel Shraddha. For vegetarians, Hotel Suruchi and Hotel Musale will be a decent choice.

You can get around the place by auto-rickshaws and taxis. You can visit the nearby villages and local markets by auto-rickshaws.

Reach Velneshwar and check into a resort of your choice. After this, hire a taxi to visit the Velneshwar Shiva Temple. You can spend the rest of your day relaxing at the beach swimming and looking at dolphins. After spending quality time enjoying the beauty of nature at the beach, you can check out the good restaurants of the place to enjoy delicious Konkani food. Go back to your hotel to spend the night. You can head out the next morning to visit the nearby town Guhagar. Alternatively, with the new breakwater at Tavsal which is 15 kms from Velneshwar one can easily take a trip to Jaigad to see the British era cast iron light house and the Jaigad fort. Further 20 odd kms from Jaigad you can visit the Ganapatipule temple.

1. Know about all the temples before you visit them.
2. Beware of burglary and keep your belongings safe.
3. Keep your swimming costumes with you and carry sunscreen with you.
4. Keep yourself hydrated as it might get quite hot during summers.

• Air: Mumbai Airport is the nearest airport to Velneshwar. It is 330 km away from Velneshwar. You will have to take a taxi from the airport to reach Velneshwar.

• Rail: The nearest railway station is Chiplun (65 Kms). From Mumbai, it takes 4 hours to reach Chiplun by Konkan railway. From Chiplun_Ñés Central State Transport Depot, buses run to the town of Guhagar. From Guhagar bus depot, you can take an Auto-Rickshaw to Velneshwar.

• Road: State transport buses run from Mumbai, Pune and Kolhapur up to Guhagar. From Guhagar, local state transport buses for Narvan and Tavsal have a stop at Velneshwar. Auto-rickshaws are also available from Guhagar.