The Indian coastline measures a baffling 7,517 km and is home to several scenic beaches. Mostly, beaches across India are ranked on the basis of popularity and footfall. But even after recording millions of tourists annually, there are several virgin beaches in India. The wide open sea, the carpet of sand, and beautiful waves all come together to offer a unique experience.
We take a look at six beaches in India which offer more than the usual. These are beaches with certain facts and figures attached to them. While nearly all these beaches are immensely popular, there are certain facts about them which are not so common. Let’s take a look at these beaches and what they hold within.
Auroville, Tamil Nadu
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Auroville is a unique experimental township located near Puducherry in Tamil Nadu. The beach town is home to citizens from all across the world. The community here is divided into neighborhoods based on English, Sanskrit, French, and Tamil. There’s no coin or currency but account numbers with ‘Aurocard’.
Marina Beach, Tamil Nadu
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We’ve all heard about the famous Marina Beach and the fact that it is the longest natural urban beach in India. But did you know that the Marina beach is also the 11th longest beach in the world? The total length of the beach is 13 km. And did you know that it attracts as many as 30,000 visitors in a single day? Bathing and swimming at the beach is prohibited, but even then it remains the most crowded beach in India.
Versova Beach, Mumbai
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The famous Versova beach is located in Mumbai and faces the Arabian Sea. The original name of the village is ‘Vesave’ which means ‘rest’ in Marathi language. Versova’s long history is pretty interesting. The earliest mention of the village dates back to 1694 when a fleet of Arabs landed in Versova and killed every person they could find. During the medieval period, the beach was held by the Portuguese. Then in 1739, the Marathas defeated the Portuguese to take control of Versova. The Marathas were ousted by the British in 1774. Currently, the small fishing community of Kolis reside on one end of the beach.
Satpada Beach, Odisha
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Satpada beach is situated in Puri district of Odisha. It is a quiet and offbeat coastal area with a lot to offer. The most striking feature is the presence of Chilika Lake on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other. Locals say that the mix of fresh and salt water here brings a unique taste to its seafood. The beach is also famous for Chilika dolphins which can be seen easily by hiring a boat.
Vagator Beach, Goa
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Vagator Beach is perhaps the most festive beach in India. Not many people know that the first hippie haunt in Goa was the Vagator Beach. Even the famous Sunburn festival moved to Vagator in 2013. The beach continues to attract backpackers and wanderers. The beach is home to several parties and trance meets. There are some amazing food joints and cafes in the area. But despite all this, the peacefulness and tranquility of the beach is worth a visit.
Juhu Beach, Mumbai
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Juhu Beach is situated about 18 kilometers from Mumbai, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. The beach is extremely popular for the food court located at its entrance. The food court provides authentic ‘Mumbaiyya’ food items like Bhel Puri and Vada Paav. The beach is also known for its Juhu Citizen Welfare Group and has its own monthly publication called The Juhu Citizen. It is perhaps the only beach in India to have a regular monthly publication to its name. In a survey, Juhu beach was voted the dirtiest beach in India.
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