Velas is 5-6 hours, about 220 km away from Mumbai. Velas Turtle festival has become a good eco friendly way to visit this region
Olive Ridley turtles nest along the west and east coasts of India. During March- April, there is turtle festival where the hatchlings come out of the eggs. The villagers who are also conservationists now, carefully take the eggs laid by the turtles, sort basis dates and keep them under the sand in protected areas to maximize survival chances. Every sunrise and sunset during the festival days, you can witess release of baby turtles into the ocean during festival time along west coast villages like Velas, Anjarle
I went on a group tour from Mumbai to witness these babies take their first steps into the ocean
It is an overnight journey on bus to reach Velas village in the morning. Huge groups of 50+ people are accommodated in homes of villagers. They lay out beds one beside the other in areas outside the house
Don’t expect rooms – you will get a bed in an open area which is a unique experience and actually the best part. We managed to get a room, more an exception, which we shared among 5-6 women in the group. You can get access to common bathrooms, but they get occupied during morning and evening times. It is better to play it by the ear and take a shower during one of the afternoons when crowds are not busy
The simplicity of the villages made it one of the best trips I have had- The home cooked food, the hospitality of asking if you are well fed, the beds giving a feeling of older times where people never had private rooms, proximity to nature, the silence of the villages what something unique
The trip is over the weekends covering Bankot fort and Harihareshwar temple over the 2 days, to return back to Mumbai by Monday morning. Bankot fort gives a nice view of the area from the top. Harihareshwar temple is interesting- on an island that you can reach by barges and boats. You can walk down from the temples through steps and rocks to reach the beach
You get to see the turtles over sunrise and sunset – 3 times over Saturday and Sunday. The baby steps towards the ocean is celebrated with pomp and show. These villages have set a very good example for eco-tourism
