The Konkan coast of Maharashtra is a long green strip between the Sahyadri hills and the Arabian Sea, and every few kilometres a fort stands on a headland or an island. Suvarnadurg, the golden fort, rises from a rocky islet just off Harnai, a fishing port with a morning market that is one of the sights of the coast. The fort was strengthened in the seventeenth century by Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha state, as part of his drive to build a navy, and later it became the base of the admiral Kanhoji Angre, who ruled the sea here for decades and clashed with the British, Portuguese and Dutch. The walls are of black basalt, thick enough to withstand cannon fire, and they stand out against the green water.
Boats from the harbour at Harnai carry visitors across the short stretch of water to the fort. Inside, the ruins include a well, storehouses and old bastions, and the views over the harbour and the coast are fine. The tide and the swell decide whether boats can land, so check with the boatmen before you set out. The fishing fleet comes in early, and the auction on the quay, with baskets of pomfret, prawns and mackerel, is a lively scene.
The riding down the Konkan is gentle compared with the Himalaya, though not without its demands. The coastal roads wind through coconut groves, over little rivers on narrow bridges, and past small temples and villages. Surfaces vary from smooth to rough, and in the monsoon, from June to September, the rain is torrential and the roads can be slippery or flooded. Trucks and buses on the main highway are fast and heavy, so ride defensively. The coast to the south, towards Ratnagiri, is famous for Alphonso mangoes, which ripen in April and May and are sold at roadside stalls.
Harnai has seven thousand people and a few petrol stations, so fuel is simple. Dapoli, in the hills behind, is a cooler place for a night. Seafood restaurants along the road serve fish curry with rice, and the sol kadhi, a pink drink of coconut milk and kokum, is the local way to cool the palate.
The cooler months, from November to February, are the best for riding. April and May are hot and humid.