A day trippers guide to Dahanu

Fresh seafood. Secluded beaches. Acres of chikoo plantations.

If you’re looking for a quick day trip from Mumbai, then look no further than Dahanu, a sleepy coastal town less than 150 km to the north of Mumbai.

Located on the western coast of India, the Dahanu – Bordi belt is historically known for two things: the large Parsi community that settled there before World War I and its fruit plantations.

How to reach there?

Dahanu is easily accessible by road and the journey takes about 3 hours, which is perfect for a day trip! The route is scenic too – with hills and farmland along the way.

What to do?

Eat at the Crazy Crab Restaurant: If you’re looking for some fresh seafood, then you must have a meal at the Crazy Crab Restaurant located in the Sea Crest Beach Resort. It’s an open air restaurant opposite the beach, with great seafood at reasonable prices and a bar too! (Note: Even if you don’t eat seafood, there are plenty of other options available at the restaurant, including vegetarian ones)

Relax at the beach: The town has several beaches, so take your pick and go relax at the beach! The beaches have stone benches made along the way, but carrying a beach mat/beach towel would be a good idea. Tip: Do watch the sunset from the beach if you can. Not only is the sunset spectacular, but you also get to watch the fishermen at work, getting their nets ready for the next day’s catch.

 

Buy some fresh seafood: The Dahanu road has a bunch of roadside vendors selling a huge variety of freshly caught fish at incredible prices. Some of the items I saw included pomfrets, squids, prawns and even a small shark! (Note: The items on sale depend on the catch of the day)

Walk around a fruit farm: A visit to Dahanu is incomplete without seeing a fruit farm, particularly Chikoo/ Sapota farms (35% of Maharashtra’s production of chikoo comes from this region). These farms are located right along the beachside, and are almost impossible to miss while driving around Dahanu.

Visit Dahanu Fort: It’s a small fort located at the beginning of Dahanu town, and you can visit it if you have time to spare.

Drive along Dahanu – Bordi road: This is a 20km stretch up to Bordi town, which is a great drive along the beach and plantations.

How to get there? Dahanu is about 3 hours away from Mumbai by car. You can either drive down yourself or book a car with driver via Ola Outstation or Savaari.

Where to stay? Although I did a day trip to Dahanu, if you have the time and/or prefer staying overnight, there are several home stays as well as resorts that are available in the town. One is the Sea Crest Resort is located right in the heart of the town. If you’re looking for something more offbeat, you can also consider staying at the following places at the outskirts of Dahanu: Arwa Farms, Nest Farm Stay, Save Farm or Cob 5.

So, when are you heading there?