Velas Turtle Festival- An overwiew of the journey of Olive Ridley turtles

Olive Ridley turtles at Velas beach — An Olive Ridley turtles making its way from Velas beach

Every year from the months of November to May Olive Ridley turtles arrive on the western coast of Maharashtra for nesting.

The hatched turtles are then released into the sea by well-equipped volunteers. As I witnessed these tiny hatchlings making their way into the sea, with people patiently making their way along with the turtles just to watch them get washed away and then begin to swim is a sight to behold. One such village that has been instrumental in the conservation of turtles is Velas, situated 5 hours away from Mumbai.

History

Olive Ridley turtles are facing threats across migratory routes in India due to human intervention and is a vulnerable species listed under IUCN. In order to protect the endangered species Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra, an organisation has tied up with villagers living along the coast, to promote ecotourism and bring about awareness.

When is the best time to visit Velas Turtle Festival?

You can visit Velas from the months of March to Mid-April to witness the turtles hatching, an incredible spectacle best experienced first-hand.

Places to stay in Velas

There are many homestay options available in Velas, with varying budgets that cover food as well as accommodation. Some of the places that I would recommend is Daripkar’s homestay and Turtle Nest Homestay. Mr Mohan, the homestay owner of Turtles Nest Homestay is associated with the forest department and monitors the project closely. Mr.Mohan hosts a documentary screening at his place every evening that is open to all tourists staying at Velas.

We personally loved our experience at Mr Mohan’s place and got to know a lot of details in depth, and with his knowledge about the region got to experience a lot of offbeat tailored experiences.

Turtle Nest Home Stay, Velas — Greeting us at Turtle Nest Homestay

How to travel to Velas?

Velas is easily accessible by road and railways, Here are a few ways you can opt from:

By road

Velas is at a distance of 210km from Mumbai, and can be reached by car via Mumbai-Goa highway. If you are travelling via Mumbai then I would suggest to head towards Dapoli from Mandangad, and from there head towards Velas by following GPS directions.

By train

If you are coming by train, Chiplun, Ratnagiri is the nearest station. You will have to hire a private cab from Chiplun to Velas which is easily available from the station.

By bus

You can board any bus going towards Mandangad or Dapoli from Mumbai. There is a direct bus service available from Mumbai to Velas; however, the frequency is less, so I would suggest you take a bus to Dapoli, and then take an auto.

Alternatively, you can also take a bus to Srivardhan/Harishchandragad and reach Bagmandle jetty from where Velas is a 10 minute ride away. You will find multiple autos going from the jetty to the village.

When is the best time to witness turtle hatching?

There is no fixed time for turtle hatching and they are released into the water as soon as they hatch by volunteers involved with the conservation project. This is essentially done to avoid turning this into a touristy activity and keep the core value of the program at its heart. There is however fixed timings for tourist to see the hatching and is all luck based.

The turtles are released every morning at 7 am and evening at 6 pm during summer, given they have hatched, so I would suggest you to reach the beach beforehand. The timings may vary depending on the circumstances. You can almost always see the turtles hatching in the morning during the summer , as compared to the evening slot, where in the number is usually less due to the heat, hence I would suggest you to at least attend two slots to witness it. I would suggest you to spend at least spend two days in Velas as there might be a possibility that none of them hatch on the day of your arrival.

Olive Ridley Turtles making their way to the shore.

Things to do near Velas

There are a lot of things to explore near Velas, so a 3-4 day trip is ideal. You can spend your time at Velas beach if you are short on time. If you have planned a long trip, then here are a few option to explore from.

Harihareshwar

Harihareshwar, also known as the temple town is a renowned spot for temples and beaches; major attraction being the Kalbhairav and Harihareshwar temple. It also boasts of a beach that can be visited for a day trip. It has two stretches; one near MTDC resort Harihareshwar and other near the temple.

Srivardhan beach

Srivardhan beach is a serene beach that although frequented by locals and tourists alike, and gives you the space to enjoy the beach without it feeling overcrowded. Not only that, it also has a small platform by the beach with seats and lights provided.

Bankot fort

Bankot Fort, also known as Himmatgad fort near Velas, is a historical place in Maharashtra, the access to which is free. It used to serve as a vantage point and not only offers an insight into the history of the region, but also offers breath-taking views of the Arabian Sea.

With this you can conclude a short trip to Velas from Mumbai, if you want to know about some offbeat things to do near Velas, drop a comment!