“Versova beach OR Vesave is a beautiful sand and rocky sloppy beach connected to the famous Juhu beach at Andheri, Mumbai suburban. Famous as koli community fishing beach & village, Versova is a classy resident location too. More details below to understand some facts, speciality and attractions of this beach and other details for tourists like how to reach, distance details, map and more..”
Beach Speciality and Attractions
Comparatively less crowded to the adjacent and connected Juhu beach, Versova beach is an unstructured smaller beach sea front area with black & white dry sand and few rocky patches. Andheri being a very famous station where this beach is located, is one of the best and costly suburban location of Mumbai with celebrities staying along this locations.
This beach has some historic stories of great maratha warrior ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’ who conquered major coastal of Mumbai and Maharashtra from the then ruling portuguese. So is the remains of iconic forts all around Mumbai coastal like the Versova fort (Madh fort) located on other side of Versova creek at Madh island location, which can be reached via Malad or by crossing this creek at Versova. Particularly this beach of Mumbai was favoured by Shivaji Maharaj as a peaceful resting place when he felt tired and needed rest.
Since long this beach was filthy and the surrounding not pleasant. Shanties and unclean surrounding with garbage along the pathway at beach entrance is what distracts many to this beach. Yet, such less crowded beaches of Mumbai city attracts couples around day time and many upon sunset at versova beach lovers point due to serenity and isolation with no lamp posts or street lights to disturb at the sea facing rocky location privacy. This dark location of sea also attracts illegal and unsocial activities like smoking, drinks and many have observed drugs (at least till few years ago). Another problem this beach is known for since decades is of open defecation by shanties around who do not have proper sanitation facilities or are now use to such activities.
Bringing on to some speciality and attractions of this beach, It is much known as one of the famous fishing beach of Mumbai, Vesave village is as much famous for the fish market as much it is for celebrities residents here. Yes, this famous versova location is where many struggling actors of film and television fraternity resides. Coming back to the fishes, Fresh catches from versova creek are on auction every afternoon at local market and also is the famous 3 days versova fish festival celebration done yearly which attracts huge fish loving crowd from Mumbai and also far locations to this beach. Fish market has varieties of fishes like Pomfret, Ravas, Bombay duck, Surmai, Bombil and also crabs available everyday depending on the seasonal catches. Famous locations around this beach are Four Bungalows, Seven Bungalows, Juhu Lanes known for the FAMOUS Bollywood Celebrities homes, and Lokhandwala Complex and the Versova as said for Television industry actors.
Must look at the below video that shows locals taking a dip into the high tide sea water. To be noted, this beach was many times in news as it has observed many drowning cases of youths and teenegers coming in groups, excited seeing water, unaware to the risk it has. The sea shore is sloppy and the tides are strong which is why it is highly recommended to NOT get inside the sea for a swim. Often in Monsoon the sea water reaches the shanties making it impossible to get inside the sand area of shore. Below video gives little idea of same.
Common beach view in evening is of local villagers playing cricket and volleyball. Since less crowded, serenity is the positive side along with the beautiful sunset view and also the view of the island area at the shore. Also to note, their is a famous Muslim community dargah on versova road, not very far from the beach. Famous hindu festival ‘Ganesh visarjan’ attracts huge crowd as local residents and villagers prefers this beach compared to the famous and crowded Juhu beach. This festival brings huge filth and unlikely scenes of broken ganesh idols post visarjan.
Many activists and local citizen groups in the vicinity have already taken steps to clean versova beach and create awareness about the problems and diseases that are attracted due to open defecation, garbage and filth around. Youth and NGO’s along with local activists are playing ideal role to educate locals, create required wash rooms and bring back the clean & lost charm to the beach.
How to Reach Versova Beach
- Nearest Railway Station : Andheri station, Western Suburban of Mumbai.
- Travel Options from Station : Recommended is Mumbai Metro connected to railway station, Bus and Auto are also easily available from west side of station.
- Buses : See Buses from Andheri to Machhalimar Stops details. Its a bus stop area near beach.
- Road Distance : About 4 Km Taking 16 to 20 minutes from railway station. See route map below.
- Car Parking : Available at beach side.
Places of Attractions near Versova Beach
As already said, Juhu beach is a must visit for the famous junk food chaat corners and to have a view of those 5 and 7 star hotels connected to the coastal. Adjacent to Juhu beach Andheri is the famous Iskcon temple. People also visit here to get glimpse of the famous actor Amitabh Bachchan bungalow.
Not far is Lokhandwala complex market, where the classy residents shop. It also have some famous food joints, A fun street place to hangout and shopping in evening.
Head towards Andheri east area at Powai location and do visit Nirvana Park and also see the beautiful Hiranandani township. Powai lake is on the way on main road towards Hiranandani.
