Monday, November 17, 2025

Day 13: Mon 17 Nov - Devgad to Malvan

Fine and sunny 19 to 33deg C
Ride: 56km; total: 569km  

Devgad to MalvanWe ride to Malvan, a charming, laid-back town with long shores of silky white sand, clear waters, and golden sunsets. Explore this tranquil town from our superb beachside resort, with options for short fishing boat cruises or a refreshing dip in the sea. Distance: 52km | Ride Time: 4 hours | Overnight: Malvan 

Up at the usual time of 0515h, keen to get going but knowing that there are many who are not early birds. Breakfast was at 0730h at a restaurant a couple of minutes ride up the road. It consisted of a small bowl of spicy fried rice and tea. It wasn’t much but it filled the gap.  You don’t need much just before the ride, particularly if it will involve some pretty big hills. 

Saw the coast a few times today but the ride was mainly through the inland, which was ok but more of the same. Our morning tea was taken in a local restaurant, and it was a very tasty, and fairly spicy omelette again. A small cup of tea was provided at the end to wash it down. The tea is normally spicy, sweet, gingery but occasionally we get plain strong white tea which is a nice change.  The ginger one is nice and I’m going to give it a try when I get home. 

We rode on to Malvan, another beach resort, come fishing village, with long shores of silky white sand. It would be so much better without the mountains of plastic rubbish everywhere. Although for the first time on this tour we actually saw a truck driving along with workers picking up rubbish from both sides of the road and throwing it into the truck. 

After my washing chores etc, we went back downstairs to have an in-house lunch. It was delicious, but as I was finishing up, I had the feeling that I had swallowed a bar of soap as my saliva started to froth and I had awful heartburn. I ended up getting rid of a gallon or two of this “stuff” over the next hour and as soon as I stopped salivating, I felt fine. Weird, as if I had eaten or drunk something toxic. I did accept a glass of “lemon soda” drink from the waiter for the first time. I had declined them up to now as I don’t drink anything over here unless I can see that it comes out of a sealed bottle. I’m just wondering if they used bicarbonate soda or something else, which I reacted to. Anyway, no harm done I’ve been for two walks since and feel just fine.  

Just before sunset was due Bob and I walked the 10 minutes or so to the beach. It’s always pretty, but it’s a shame that it is like that because of all the pollution in the air. Another interesting day in India. 

Getting ready to start the day 

Breakfast venue 

Crossing our first bridge for today 

A couple of nice beaches

Morning tea - omelette 

Morning Tea venue

Where it all happens 

My pad

View from my balcony, that’s the river the ocean is on the other side of the hotel 

Lunch

Where we ate lunch 

A real expert harvesting coconuts - the apparatus he used to climb made it look easy

There goes another one 

He got about a hundred off the palms in the hotel grounds

he sacred cows like the beach too

Hard to believe that people are still building right on the beach after what has happened around the world with buildings being washed away!

Some of the dogs are a sad sight. 

Another temple 

Sunset, photo bombed by a crow

The dog on the right looked quite well, for a change 











 


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