Review of Mahua Bagh Resort, Murud: weekend getaway from Mumbai – ideal place to unwind

After a busy week, I decided to take a weekend break to Mahua Bagh, Murud. As the property is ranked number one in Murud on Tripadvisor, I was pretty confident that my stay along with family would be a memorable one. So, confidently we embarked on our journey. We started early from Mumbai to avoid traffic snags and aimed to reach Mahua Bagh, which is approx. 160 kms away, by noon.

Mahua Bagh Murud, weekend getaway from Mumbai
Mahua Bagh, near Murud

Road till Kashid Beach was known (one of the best beaches near Mumbai but these days over crowded. Have frequented it in the past.) We saw frequent sign boards telling us the distance to Mahua Bagh from Kashid beach onwards. From there we went ahead 10 Kms towards Murud. After Nandgaon and before Mazagaon, there is a local bus stop for village ‘Mo-re’ from where we got down from the main road and took a kaccha (mud) road to reach Mahua Bagh. The next 1 Km journey on the kaccha road felt like eternity. Car body got a few scratches from the wild cactus on both sides of the road. The thumps and thuds felt at the base of the car were horrifying and once we reached the Koli ‘fishermen’ village there was no sign board to suggest that we needed to drive uphill to reach the property. Thankfully, we asked a local woman for directions otherwise we would have ended up going to a point of no return for our car as the road led to the seaside cliff. Mahua Bagh property belonged to Kimi Katkar, the Bollywood siren, who delivered hits like Hum with Amitabh Bachchan. (Remember the lass from Jumma Chumma? A cult song in the 90’s.) Eventually, it was taken over by Mr. R.K Singh (ex-IAS) and Anju Singh (ex-IPS) and they added this property to their line of Mahua Resort’s properties and developed it accordingly.

Once inside the property, we were greeted by Gypsy and Sheru, two over friendly dogs. Gypsy is a great-dane; and with her size can scare you out of your wits. (Few guests got scared with her friendly advances including me.) Sheru is a local dog but is good to the guests. And then there is James, another local dog, few cocks and hens, local birds, frogs, snakes, lizards and a lot of other animal species to give you company. So, to set your expectations right, you are in a property which comes under forest land, it is adjoining a fishermen village and is in the middle of nowhere. Phone connectivity is scarce, so it’s a good idea to leave your tablets and laptops behind. The property is amidst Alphonso tree orchard.  Mr. Shival Jain, the care taker told us that in a good season, approx. 8000 pieces of mangoes are produced from the orchard.

Mahua Bagh resort Murud
The old room

There are only 10 rooms. (6 old and 4 new). This place is never crowded and is hardly touristy. So, if you are okay to stay in a place where electricity fluctuates, air-conditioning is unstable, the rooms have just basic amenities but is in the middle of a jungle, is near to a clean and secluded beach, is amidst mango trees and wildlife then only visit Mahua Bagh. The rooms are clean but the bathrooms need repairs. To that the care taker did mention that they will close down for two months in monsoons and do the required repairs work during that time. We saw both the old and the new rooms and found that old rooms have the novelty value. They are designed like old bungalows with wooden furniture and white interiors. The rooms are big and airy. There are no TVs in the room, therefore you are forced to chit-chat with each other. The old rooms have an attached balcony where you can sip a cup of tea under a mango tree and look at the beach in the vicinity. Due to the proximity to the sea, there is a pleasant breeze throughout the day. The ideal time to visit the property is between September till March. Though, the care taker told us that it is a popular getaway even in the monsoons.

Mahua Bagh rooms, Mahua Bagh review
Inside the old bungalows

The room price is Rs 6000 for 2 people (Rs 2000 extra for additional person) that includes all the meals (lunch, evening tea, dinner and breakfast). If you decide to eat outside in a restaurant then you will have to drive down 10-15 kms on either side of Mahua Bagh, which is in Kashid or Murud. Though, local food is available in Nandgaon and Mazgaon at village eateries but they are not proper restaurant establishments. Mahua Bagh food is as good as home cooked. It includes two veg dishes, one dal, one salad, papad, chapatti, rice and a sweet dish. For non-veg, they include an additional chicken dish. You can also order barbeque at Rs 375 per head. But we were a bit disappointed with their Barbeque. Their barbeque means fish fry like Surmai, grilled Pomfret, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Tikka and veg kebabs. Only 2 choices in veg and two in non-veg allowed under the barbeque scheme but the food is fresh and very filling. On the hindsight what else can you expect in a jungle, a three course meal? Beer, cold drink, etc. is also available. We carried our own wine and sipped through the entire evening. The breakfast is also lavish with fresh fruit juice, bread-butter, eggs to order, aaloo parantha with curd, etc. The food is served in an open seating arrangement under the mango trees. The staff is very polite and helpful. Mahua Bagh is an ideal place to eat, drink and be merry. You just laze in the hammock under the tree doing nothing, or even better, snooze when your kid is busy catching the chickens.

Mahua Bagh Murud
Food served in open space under the mango trees

A must do during your stay is to walk downhill, from the property towards the Koli village and witness colorful boats lining the coastal area. You can see the fishermen catching fish with their nets, or carrying their catch of the day to the village on a bullock cart. During low-tide you can cross the creek which becomes extremely shallow.

Mahua Bagh resort Murud, beach near Mahua Bagh
Shallow water of the creek during low tide

You can actually wade through the water and reach the secluded beach which is clean and extremely beautiful. You might find a few local children playing on the beach otherwise its empty and is good for a sea-side jog. It is strewn with corals and shells and the children can have a fun time playing under the sun. Though, one must be alert and keep a tab on the high-tide as once the water starts to rise, it’s very fast and the current is extremely strong. It’s not easy to cross then. The only way to go back would be to ask a fisherman to escort you on his boat to the other side where Mahua Bagh is located.

Mahua Bagh review
Sunset at Mahua Bagh beach

All said and done, it is an excellent weekend getaway from Mumbai and is a bliss for anyone who craves peaceful farm stay along the coast.

4 thoughts on “Review of Mahua Bagh Resort, Murud: weekend getaway from Mumbai – ideal place to unwind”

  1. Looks beautiful, hopefully it will be as beautiful as seen in images.
    After reading your review i think i will be going to Muhua.

    Thanks for sharing the information.

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