Road trip to Baguran Jalpai Beach by Sudip Paul with family in Maruti Alto on 2022-03-22

Road trip to Baguran Jalpai Beach in East Midnapore district, West Bengal by Indian Roadie Sudip Paul with family on Sunday, 2022-03-22. 

It was originally planned to be a 'Holi 2022 Junput Beach Drive' of Indian Roadie group members and followers. However, due to certain exigencies the group drive had to be postponed at the last moment. 

Sudip's family was totally geared up for the group drive. With school exams over, his daughters were particularly excited. Postponing the drive to the sea beach would have saddened the little girls. Sudip decided on continuing with the drive with his two daughters and wife. 

The family left home at Dumdum, Kolkata in their Maroon beauty (Alto LXI 2006 model) sharp at 5:15 am. First stop was at Azad Hind Dhaba, Uluberia at 6:00 am for an hour for breakfast. They reached Baguran Jalpai Beach at 9:15 am via Kolaghat, Nandakumar, Contai. Road was excellent all throughout. 

Sudip has advised us fellow roadies not to enter  Contai town but drive to the planned destination via Rupasi bypass. 

The Baguran Jalpai Beach has still retained its serenity with thousands of red crabs 🦀 playing hide and seek all over the wide expanse of clean sand. Since there is only one resort for stay and the beach is still not accessible by public transport (as in March 2022), the sleepy fishing village has retained its virginity and is yet to become popular with noisy tourists from Kolkata and adjoining locations. 

Roadies visiting Baguran Jalpai Beach can enjoy a swim in the cool waters of this particular stretch of Bay of Bengal. However, one shouldn't expect the luxury of any dedicated changing rooms/ washrooms. 

The family decided to drive ahead to Mandarmoni Beach 🏖️ as Sudip's daughters wanted to wet themselves in the sea. 

There is a bridge under construction on sea dyke road which in the next few years will shorten the intermediate distance between the beaches from Contai to Digha thereby avoiding the hassles of driving via NH116B. 

Since the road along the beach is still under construction, Sudip Paul had to return to Contai and follow NH116B until Chawlkhola to reach Mandarmoni Beach (Dadonpatrobar). 

They reached Mandarmoni Beach at 12:20 pm, took a room at one of the sea side hotels for 3 - 4 hours for resting and changing of wet clothes. After a quick lunch they spent 2 hours frolicking in the sea at Mandarmoni.  

After freshening up the family started the return journey at 4:45 pm via Chawlkhola, Nandakumar, Kolaghat. They reached the intersection of NH16, Kolaghat only at 9:10 pm due to unprecedented traffic jam for almost 7 - 8 kms in between Nachinda and Henria.  Over 2 hours were wasted because of pathetic traffic management on a day when thousands of vacationers in cars were on their way back to Kolkata and surroundings after Holi. 

After dinner at Express Dhaba, Kolaghat, they started the final lap of drive of about 70 odd kms at 10:00 pm and reached home in Dumdum at 11:15 pm. 

Although it was a hectic day, but at the end of it everyone was mighty satisfied. 

Total distance traveled - 390 kms.
Total toll paid - Rs 250 outward, Rs 155 while returning. 

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* Indian Roadie Beach Drive 

* Beach Drive 

* Drivelog 

East Coast drive in Tamilnadu in Tata Nexon by Kartik Kannan in early February 2022

Kartik Kannan (a member of Backpacking India On Road) took his red Tata Nexon on a coastal drive in early February 2020! A first for him to find beaches that one could drive the car on. He rode it in Vedaranyam Beach and Kodiyakarai Beach. 500 kms from Bangalore. 350 kms from Chennai. 

Weekend Drive to Tamil Nadu’s famed East Coast drive  .... 
A) Tharangambadi Beach (Trankebar). Has a museum in a fort by the sea. Beautiful quiet village roads to drive by and spend time in peace. 
B) Temples of Tirukkadayur and Tirunellar Saneeswara Bagawan. 
C) Night stay in Velankanni by the point where estuary and ocean meet.
D) Drive on the fertile Kaveri rice belt lands of Velankanni-Vedaranyam. 
E) Visit Vedaranyeswarar Temple and Drive in Beach in Vedaranyam. 

About Vedaranyeswarar Temple: 

Origin of Vedas
Shiva Temple
Maragatha Lingam- Shiva lingam in emerald
Nearby food. 7 Idlis + 3 vadai + 2 Coffee = 80 Rs. Tasty food! 

Vedaranyam Beach: 

Flat beach. 515 kms from Bangalore. Can use the opportunity to drive the car on a beach. Very peaceful to spend an evening with no one around. 

F) Drive further till you hit the sea at Kodiyakarai. Sri Lanka’s northern most place (Point Pedro) is 40 kms from here. Also present is a wildlife (Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary) and bird sanctuary. Just before Kodiyakarai is Raamar Padham (footprints of Lord Rama). Apparently he had come here to absolve his sins after killing Ravana. 

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All of these experiences in a vlog. Watch it here  .... 
(https://youtu.be/0XC_EfaeXD4) 

Watch the first part which talks about Puducherry, Natarajar Temple Chidambaram and the Pichavaram Mangroves  .... 
(https://youtu.be/4p3D2_VCXLQ) 

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* Indian Roadie Beach Drive 

* Beach Drive 

* Tamilnadu Trails 

Road trip to Uppada Beach Road, near Kakinada

 

Uppada is 11 km away from from APTDC Haritha Resort near Kakinada Beach, Andhra Pradesh. 

Uppada Road. 

One can join Kathipudi Junction or Tuni town through the Uppada beach road and some internal roads. 

Uppada is well known for fine quality Uppada silk sarees, too. 

During a drive out Kakinada and Uppada, do visit Coringa mangroves in Kakinada. 

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* Andhra Pradesh Trails 

* Road Trip To Andhra Pradesh 

Kolkata to 5 states of South India, Goa - 19 days (2015-03-18 to 2015-04-05) - 6800 kms Indian Roadie Beach Drive by Deep Banerjee

The 6800 kms - 19 days mega drive from Kolkata wef 2015-03-18 (Wednesday) to all five South Indian states, Konkan coast, Goa in my VW Vento TDI with wife, daughter, brother-in-law & his wife concluded on 5th April 2015. 

I was the sole driver. 

18th March 2015 - (872 kms) (4am - 8.15pm) - Kolkata - Visakhapatnam 
via Kharagpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Ichapuram, Tekkali, Srikakulam. 

19th March 2015 - (1003 kms) (6am - 1.15am of 20th April) - Visakhapatnam local & Vizag - Puducherry 
via Rajamundry, Tanuku, Vijaywada, Nellore, Gudur, Naidupeta, Chennai Outer Ring Road, Tindivanam. 

20th March 2015 - (51 kms) - Puducherry and Auroville. 

21st March 2015 - (501 kms) (6.30am - 6.30pm) - Puducherry - Madurai Meenakshi Temple (12noon to 1.20pm) - Rameshwaram 
via Villupuram, Tiruchirapally. 

22nd March 2015 - (338 kms) (7am - 4pm) - Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi (7.45am to 10.30am) - Rameshwaram - Pamban Bridge - Kanyakumari & Kanyakumari local 
via Tirunlveli. 

23th March 2015 - (114 kms) (12noon - 5.45pm) - Kanyakumari local & Kanyakumari - Thirparappu Waterfalls - Poovar backwater boat ride - Kovalam 
via Nagercoil, Choozal. 

24th March 2015 - (42 kms) (10.35am - 6.30pm) - Drove around Kovalam & Trivandrum. 

25th March 2015 - (315 kms) (6.50am - 6.15pm) - Kovalam Beach - Varkala Beach - Allepey backwaters - Kumily/ Thekkady 
via Trivandrum, Kallambalam, Kollam, Allapuza Medical College, Allepey/ Kalarkod (turned right immediately after Sanatan Dharma College), Changanacheri, Ponkunnam, Mundakayam, Kumily (Thekkady). 

26th March 2015 - (120 kms) - 
Thekkady/ Periyar Lake 3 kms away for boat ride & back (8.40am - 11am). 
Thereafter, 12noon to 4.30pm slow but very enjoyable hill drive through lush green tea estates from Thekkady to Munnar 
via Harrison Malayalam Tea Gardens at Poopara. 
Also drove around for 6 kms around Munnar. 
Stayed at Hotel Green Ridge @ Munnar. 

27th March 2015 - (185 kms) (10am - 8pm) - Munnar - Kochi - Fort Kochi - Ernakulam - Angamaly 
via Adimali, Kolenchery, Prathapnagar, Aluva. 

28th March 2015 - (260 kms) (9am - 6pm) - Angamaly - Kannur (Baby Beach) 
via Thrissur, Choodal, Kunnamkulam, Edapal, Kottakhal, Calicut University, Kozhikode (Calicut) bypass of 21 kms, Atholi, Mahe. 

29th March 2015 - (377 kms) (8.30am - 8pm) - Kannur - Bekal Fort (10.50am to 11.45am) - Kappil Beach - Murudeshwar - Gokarna 
via Pariyaram, Payyanur, Nileshwar, Kathargod, Kasargod, Mangalore, NIT Surathkal, Udupi, Shiroor, Bhatkal, Shirali. 

30th March 2015 - (215 kms) (9am - 8pm) - Gokarna (Om Beach) - Karwar (Tagore Beach) - Colva Beach & entire South Goa - Candolim in North Goa 
via Pollem, Cancona, Bom Basillica, Panjim, Verem, Nerul. 

31st March 2015 - (76 kms) - Drove around Goa. 

1st April 2015 - (50 kms) - Drove around Goa. 

2nd April 2015 - (997 kms) (5.35am - 11.30pm) - Goa - Vijaywada 
via Chorla Ghat, Belgaum, Bagalkote, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Sedam, Pargi, Chevalla, Hyderabad ORR Exit 11. 

3rd April 2015 - (592 kms) (9am - 6.45pm) - Vijaywada - Baruva Beach (near Sompeta) 
via Tanuku, Rajamundry, Vizag, Srikakulam, Palasa, Tekkali. 

4th April 2015 (Saturday) - (5 kms) - Baruva Beach. 

5th April 2015 (Sunday) - (687 kms) (5.50am - 6.30pm) - Baruva - Kolkata 
via Ichapuram, Brahmapur, Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Kharagpur Uluberia Azad Hind Dhaba (2.45pm to 4pm). 

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* Indian Roadie Beach Drive 

* Beach Drive 

Aurangabad to Goa, Aurangabad to Konkan - Indian Roadie Preferred Route

Rahul Choudhari of Aurangabad, MH went for an exciting beach drive to Konkan region and Goa in his Tata Nexon in December 2019. 

The Indian Roadie Preferred Route/ Motoring Route was: 
Aurangabad - Pune - Satara - Karad - Ratanagiri - Ganpatipule - Malvan - Goa - Kholapur - Satara - Aurangabad. 
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* Beach Drive 
* Indian Roadie Beach Drive 

* Indian Roadie Preferred Route 

* Motoring Routes Of India 

Pune to Ganeshgule Beach (Ratnagiri district, MH) - Indian Roadie Preferred Route

Pune - Karad - Kokrud - Malkapur - Amba - Sakharpa - Pawas - Ganeshgule Beach (Ratnagiri district, MH)

* Indian Roadie Preferred Route
* Indian Roadie Beach Drive
* Beach Drive

Kumta, Kumta Beach, Baada Beach, Vannalli Beach are must visit locations for a fascinating Indian Roadie Beach Drive

Kumta in North Karnataka, Kumta Beach, Baada Beach, Vannalli Beach are must visit locations for beach lovers who are always game for a fascinating Indian Roadie Beach Drive.

Indian Roadie Preferred Hotel brands in Kumta:
Stay at Aura Ecostay, Kumta and enjoy access to their private beach. Roadies might get lucky to drive on the beach, too.

Beaches in and around Kumta:
Kumta Beach, Baada Beach, Vannalli Beach are in the near vicinity of this small town of 15.34 sq.kms only.

Food to cherish in Kumta:
While at Kumta, enjoy local cuisine and lots of fresh seafood.

Temples in and around Kumta:
Shri Mahalasha Narayani Temple constructed in 1565 AD is in Kumta itself.

Gokarna is just 30 - 35 kms from Kumta.

Mirjan Fort is on NH66 (old number, NH17) enroute to Gokarna. The fort spread over an area of 10 acres, is 11 kms from Kumta.

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* Beaches of India
* Karnataka
* Beach drive 

Road trip to Dhanushkodi from Rameshwaram

Dhanushkodi, the once flourishing trade centre, 18 kms from the holy town of Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu was declared a ghost town after the entire town was flattened, rail link snapped and thousands killed by a dreaded cyclonic storm which made a landfall on the intervening nights of December 22 and 23, 1964. 

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the missing link of 9.5 kms long stretch of NH49 (new, NH87) from Mukuntharayar Chathiram to Arichamunai. 

Pilgrims and tourists flocked the strip as part of their pilgrimage to the Rameswaram island. They never minded taking the rough ride in the sandy and marshy terrain in four-wheeled SUVs and vans.

As more and more pilgrims started visiting the land strip, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways came forward to lay the road after obtaining the ‘Gabion boxes’ technology from IIT-Madras to protect the road from high tidal impact.

Overcoming many hurdles, the National Highways began the work in 2014 and completed the 9.5 kms long road – 5 km from Mukuntharayar Chathiram to Dhanushkodi and 4.5 km from Dhanushkodi to Arichamunai, the eastern tip in October 2016  at a total cost of ₹ 70 crore.

Even after completing all works and laying rotary at the end in Arichamunai for vehicles to turn around, the road remained closed for traffic as high tides dislodged the gabion boxes in November 2016. Later, the NHAI built a 1.5 km long sea wall at Arichamunai point and a 500 metre long sea wall at Dhanushkodi point and made the stretch ready to be opened for traffic. 

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* Dhanushkodi 

* Must Visit 

* BeachDrive 

* Indian Roadie Beach Drive

Must visit, must see beaches in coastal Maharashtra

Must visit, must see sea beaches in coastal Maharashtra:

Alibaug Beach,
Dapoli Beach,
Karde Beach,
Bhogwe Beach,
Tarkarli Beach,
Ganpatipule Beach,
Ganeshgule Beach,
Veleneshwar Beach (scenic sea facing MTDC resort),
Malgund Beach,
Kunkeshwar Beach,
Mithbav Beach,
Devgad Beach,
Achare Beach, 

Dreaming of vanlife while on a long beach drive within India

'Days together on a long beach drive within India and make my ride the ideal home for the entire duration' ..... That's the life I dream of.

I wonder if there are there more dreamers with the same desire in India?
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* vanlife
* Vanlife Stories Worldwide