Are You Ready for the Ultimate Adrenaline Rush? Visit Tarkarli - One of the Top Water Sports and Adventure Tourism Destinations in India (2020)

Tarkarli is a village in the Sindhudurg district of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Tarkarli is known for its pristine white sands and clear waters on the Tarkarli Beach. Tarkarli is also known for the Sindhudurg Fort built on an island just off the coast, by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the peak of the Maratha Empire in 1664 and is considered to be one of the most fascinating sea-forts in the country. To the south are the tranquil backwaters of the Karli river lined with palm trees and home to dolphins. Tarkarli enjoys a tropical climate with moderate to high temperatures all the year round. The best time to visit Tarkarli is from October to May and it is easily accessible from Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Goa.

From being a sleepy hamlet, Tarkarli has today emerged as one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the country not only for sightseeing but primarily for water sports lovers. From snorkelling, scuba diving, parasailing to jet skiing and bumper boat rides, Tarkarli offers every possible water sport to the tourists.

In addition to all kinds of water sports, Tarkarli is a treasure trove of sightseeing destinations which caters to all types of tourists. For the history and culture lover there are the Sindhudurg, Sarjekot and Padmagarh Forts. For the pious tourist it is the perfect time to visit the Mahapurush Temple, Khalcha Mahapurush Temple, Vitthal Temple, Jai Ganesh Temple and the Shree Shivchhatrapati Temple. Don’t forget to be part of the grand Ramnavmi celebrations held at the Mahapurush Temple every year. For the nature and animal aficionados a visit to the Bison National Park in Dajipur is a must. Other important not-to-be-missed sightseeing destinations include Tarkarli beach, Devbag beach, Dhamapur Dam, Rock Garden and Malvan Market.

Tarkarli is blessed with exquisite backwaters of the Karli river between Tarkarli and Kudal, as it is located at the point where the Karli river meets the Arabian Sea. If you are looking for a quiet, romantic stay away from the bustling crowds and noise, then a stay on the Tarkarli houseboats is a must for you. In 2003 Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) launched full-feature houseboats which have become extremely popular with the tourists. You can gaze into the starry nights or experience spectacular sunrise while drifting along the backwaters of the Karli river, lapped in luxury. The houseboats offer air-conditioned rooms with luxury beds, plush seating, 24-hour attendant and much more to make your stay comfortable and relaxing. You can view and book your houseboat stay in Tarkarli by visiting the MTDC website.

If you simply want to relax, enjoy nature and do nothing more, then Tarkarli is the place to be. Tarkarli beach is a beautiful virgin beach with pristine white sands. You can go for long walks on the beach, watch the waves gently caress the shore and experience the most spectacular of sunsets as a hue of colours splash the sky and the sea. In addition to Tarkarli beach there are many other beaches and scenic points like the Mobar Point where the Karli river meets the Arabian Sea which are surely going to take your breath away with their resplendent beauty.

Over the years Tarkarli has emerged as the foremost water sports destination in India. It is no surprise that it is a destination on every water sports lover’s bucket list. From snorkelling, scuba diving, parasailing, jet skiing to kayaking and Banana and Bumper Boat rides, Tarkarli has everything to offer in water sports and take your adrenaline rush to the next level.

The most popular water sports attractions available in Tarkarli are:

Scuba an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus was developed by the world-famous underwater explorer and conservationist, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. In scuba diving you dive deep into the sea and swim for a longer time using the tank filled with compressed air strapped to your back for breathing. Scuba diving is perhaps the best way to explore the underwater world with myriad species of fish, coral and other life forms.

Take a deep dive into the turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea at Tarkarli and explore the exotic coral reefs and several species of rare and colourful fish. Take your excitement to the next level with scuba diving in Tarkarli and leave with memories for a lifetime. Checkout packages for going scuba diving in the Vengurla Rocks – Nivti Light House area: scuba diving packages.

Snorkelling is the swimming in water with a diving mask, a shaped breathing tube called a snorkel and swim-fins. Snorkelling is a popular recreational sport in tropical sea-side destinations like Tarkarli. Snorkelling gives you an excellent opportunity to explore the underwater world from close quarters and comes without the somewhat complicated equipment and training associated with scuba diving. Although there are many snorkelling packages available in Tarkarli, you can view a sample package here: snorkelling package.

Parasailing is an adventure sport wherein a person is towed behind a boat while attached to a specially designed canopy which looks like a parachute and is called a parasail wing. As the boat moves off at high speed it sends the parasail wing and the person high into the air from where he can get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding scenery. Parasailing is considered to be one of the safest adventure sports and there are many parasailing options available in Tarkarli. A sample parasailing package can be checked out here: parasailing package.

A Jet Ski is a personal watercraft (PWC) first introduced by Kawasaki in the 1970s. It is a machine which looks like a scooter or motorcycle, skims the surface of water and is powered by a jet engine. Today, Jet Ski is a very popular and exciting water sport and Tarkarli is no stranger to it. You can take a boat ride to Tsunami Island near Tarkarli and enjoy a thrilling Jet Ski ride on the high seas. Many water sports providers offer excellent Jet Ski packages in Tarkarli, a sample of which can be viewed here: Jet Ski package.

A banana boat is an unpowered inflatable tow boat and normally accommodates 3-10 passengers. It comprises of a long main tube (normally long, yellow and shaped like a banana and hence the name) which accommodates the passengers in a sitting position, and one laterally flanking tube on either side of the main tube to provide stability. The banana boat is harnessed to a high-speed boat and towed over the water surface to give you the thrill of your life. The banana boat is a minimal risk water sport and can be enjoyed by one and all, regardless of their age.

A bumper boat is an inflatable watercraft shaped like an inner tube. This boat can be steered by the rider. A bumper boat is typically powered by an electric motor, petrol/diesel powered engine or sometimes requires the rider to use pedals.

Rush to Tsunami Island just off the coast of Tarkarli, in a boat and you would have reached the hub of all water sports activities in Tarkarli. A sample banana boat ride package can be viewed here: banana boat ride package

If you are confused about which water sports provider to consider for your upcoming holiday to Tarkarli then we have got you covered. We have compiled a list of the top water sports providers in Tarkarli for your ready reference:

Dive Vengurla is perhaps one of the most highly rated water sports providers in Tarkarli. It is also the winner of the Trip Advisor’s Award of Excellence 2019. Managed by Yogesh, Mahadev, Bhushan, Akshay and others, Dive Vengurla offers private scuba diving, half-day scuba diving and deep dive scuba diving packages for tourists, primarily near Nivati-Vengurla light house in Tarkarli. More information about their packages can be obtained at: Dive Vengurla

Mangalmurti Scuba Diving founded in 2009, offers a wide range of water sports packages including: Fun Scuba Diving (5 minutes), Deep Sea Scuba Diving (10/20 minutes and full cylinder), parasailing (single/couple), dolphin safari, jet ski, banana boat, bumper boat (sitting/sleeping) rides and much more. All scuba diving packages includes High Definition underwater shooting using GoPro Cameras. For more details, visit: Mangalmurti Scuba Diving.

Managed by Mr. Pravin Dnyandeo Kubal, Shamika Scuba Diving has years of experience in providing snorkelling and other water sports packages in Tarkarli. They have also ventured into providing scuba diving services near the Sindhudurg Fort. Additionally, Shamika has 3 boats for dolphin spotting tours and also offers parasailing, Jet Ski rides, banana boat rides and even an excursion to the Sindhudurg Fort. For more details about their service offerings, please visit: Shamika Scuba Diving.

Managed by Shejoe B. Joshua and founded in 2008, Josua Scuba Diving begins scuba diving at a dive site near the southern end of Tarkarli beach where Devbaug village starts. Their main dive site is in Malvan near the Sindhudurg Fort. They also offer various water sports on Tsunami island like bumper boat ride, banana boat ride, Jet Ski, water scooter and kayaking. More information about their packages can be accessed at: Joshua Scuba Diving.

Chopdekar’s Sapna Water Sports on Tsunami island was founded in 2010-11 by Mr. Sopan Chopdekar. They offer various rides like Jet Ski, banana boat, bumper boat, kayaking, water scooter, parasailing and much more. Their staff is trained by the National Institute of Water Sports and they commit to deliver safety and quality service. For more details, please visit: Chopdekar's Sapna Water Sports.

Rakshak Water Sports offers modern equipment and well-trained instructors to ensure that you have a thrilling and safe water sports experience with them. They offer a host of packages like Deep Sea Scuba Diving, Shallow Water Scuba Diving, parasailing and water sports packages which include Jet Ski, bumper ride, banana ride, water scooter or kayak ride. They also offer interesting stay and deep-sea scuba diving combo packages. You can checkout their details at: Rakshak Water Sports.

Kokan Planet endeavours to deliver a thrilling and satisfying experience to its customers keeping their safety and well-being paramount. Their equipment confirms to the highest industry standards and their divers are P.A.D.I. certified. They offer a range of stay and water sports packages for single travellers, couples and groups. More details can be viewed at: Kokan Planet

Raptor Holidays is a Pune based holiday services provider founded in 2011. Since it’s inception it has catered to more than 10,000 clients. They claim to follow a stringent client-centric approach to ensure complete customer satisfaction. They offer various travel packages in Tarkarli which include scuba diving, Jet Ski ride, bumper ride, banana ride, speedboat ride, sleeping bumper ride, parasailing, etc. More details about their various packages can be accessed at: Raptor Holidays.

MTDC’s Indian Institute of Scuba Diving and Aquatic Sports (IISDA) is without doubt the best scuba diving and aquatic sports training facility on the Indian mainland. It offers scuba training session to people of all levels of expertise along with lodging facilities.

For beginners, there is the Discover Scuba Diving programme wherein the institute conducts a basic 60-minute classroom session followed by a pool session. The pool session is conducted at the IISDA pool that has a depth of 7.5 m and is decorated with beautiful underwater murals and large suspended rings. After the pool session you will be taken to the actual dive site – Vengurla Rocks which is 45 minutes away by a speedboat.

The staff at IISDA is extremely courteous, professional and efficient and will leave no stone unturned to make it a memorable experience for you. IISDA is the only institute in India to offer P.A.D.I. certified courses. IISDA has acquired international repute and also has the rare honour of training hundreds of Indian Air Force officers in scuba diving. For more information, please visit MTDC website