I love taking road trips with my dogs. When I was a proud dog parent to my mutt, Simba, my (late) husband and I would look everywhere for dog-friendly accommodations so we could take him along.
At that time, India did not have many pet-friendly resorts being advertised like they are today. So it wasn’t easy to find even a restaurant where we could take him.
Despite the inconvenience, we took him on many road trips to Goa in our beat-up old Maruti 800, choosing to stay at my parent’s flat in Monte de Guirim instead of some fancy beach resort. I remember many good times, and at least one mortifying time on the beach with Simba.
As I don’t take too many road trips nowadays, I usually look for a reputed and loving dog boarding to keep my dogs when I travel. However, I miss taking them on a road trip, as we did with the older one, Tiara when we went to Kashid Beach near Alibaug many years ago.
And so I decided it was time to take Chewie, the younger one, on her first road trip. I chose Dapoli in Maharashtra, India, for the pet-friendly accommodation at the Beach Resort Igloo House at Murud Beach (This property is no longer listed on Booking.com, where I did my booking).
According to Google Maps, the property is a good 5.5 hours from Pune. But if I’ve learned anything about Google Maps, it’s that the distance and time estimate is a “best case scenario” barring traffic and pit stops on the way.
We booked a Pet taxi with Petxi in Pune and our driver, Ashok, picked us up early in the morning. He was very good with the dogs and helped us take them for short walks when we stopped to stretch our legs en route.
Given that it was during the monsoons and the roads were not in the best condition, it took us 7 to 8 hours to reach there. Along the way, we enjoyed some beautiful views of Mulshi, the lakes and streams and the hills lush with monsoon vegetation.
By the time we reached Dapoli, it was late afternoon and we were all exhausted from the journey. Unfortunately, the road to the resort was hard to find and we learned that there was no direct road there. We had to park the car outside the resort and walk there via the beach, fending off a few vicious strays who made their base near the food stalls.
I had carried a packet of dry food for the dogs but asked the resort to make them some kichdi (a mixture of rice and dal) minus salt and spices, with which to fortify their meals. The food served in their tiny beach shack was good, except for the fried fish, which had the taste and texture of leather.
The resort was bang on the beach, but we had to walk down a few broken steps to get to the waves. Our room was cosy and comfortable and did actually resemble an igloo with its circular construction and high ceiling.
Three adults, or two adults and two kids (two in the master bed and two kids in the bunk near the ceiling) could easily make themselves at home in it. It had a small balcony that looked out on to the ocean.
The only unpleasant sight was a largish channel dug in the sand near the rooms. I couldn’t fathom the purpose of this channel at that point.
Sometime at night, a large bulldozer came in and started working the sand in the channel right outside our room. The sound was deafening and I was forced to complain about it to the most readily available person lurking about, asking how long it would continue.
He told me it would continue all night and I was aghast. I protested vigorously and the bulldozer vanished after a while. Apparently, the channel was being dug to create a parking lot on the property.
Never mind that it was a weekday, I was just shocked that they would start construction right outside a guest’s room at night with no regard for their peace of mind. That’s one reason I wouldn’t recommend you stay at this place if you’re going to Dapoli.
Instead, here are a few decent, pet-friendly resorts by the beach in Dapoli, Maharashtra.
Other than that incident with the bulldozer, we had a pretty good time over the next couple of days. Our dogs had fun swimming in the ocean, while one of us kept watching for the strays. For me, this was a test trip, to see how well they would endure a long car journey.
I was happy to find that they enjoyed it very much and – thanks to the powerful air conditioning in the car – were reluctant to get out whenever we made a pit stop. Our next long road trip with the dogs will be to Goa, where the beaches are much better and the food is, too.
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Tiara after her swim Make sure your car air-conditioning is working well. Either that or keep the windows open and let the breeze in. There’s nothing worse for dogs than a hot car.
- Drive slowly and at a steady pace. Long drives can be stressful and bumps can cause your dog’s heart rate to skyrocket.
- Keep your dog’s water bowls handy and give them lots of water to drink on the way. Don’t let them get dehydrated.
- Carry a mattress for your dog’s comfort. I forgot to carry one on this trip and wished I had.
- If you’re going with a driver, as many Indian families do, make sure he’s very comfortable with dogs.
Can you think of any more tips for long road trips with dogs? Post them in the comments below.
Also read: Belligerent Canine Meets Bare-Chested Woman On Beach In Goa
I love that you are able to incorporate pets with your travel adventures!!
I wish I could always do that, Cassie. I can’t but enjoy the times when I can take them along.
Such a beautiful memory you shared. Yes it is much easier to find dog-friendly places now than before. But I am glad you did your best to make sure your pawbuddies have a lovely time on the beach.
Yes, and they did have a good time.
I love dogs. And the beach looks really nice. Is it hard to travel with them?
Not hard as long as you care about their comfort.
We love road trips with our dogs, too! I wrote a post about it: http://www.worldiswide.com/bring-dog-road-trip/
Glad to hear your trip wasn’t ruined completely by the bulldozers. So frustrating!
Yeah, that bulldozer was a pain, but overall we had a good time. Won’t be going back to that resort, however.
I love taking road trips with my pup, sadly they are fewer and farther between now that we have two big human boys. Seeing as how you were able to get around India with your pups, I need to dig deeper into bringing mine along on our trips. I’m pleasantly surprised to learn of the existence of pet friendly resorts in India. Just goes to show there are dog lovers everywhere.
The number of pet-friendly resorts being advertised of late has dramatically increased as many homestay owners are realising that more people want to travel with their pets and it’s a lucrative source of income to target pet parents. It does take some planning and it’s easier when dogs are young, but old dogs can travel and enjoy it too. Some of my most memorable vacations have been with my dog.
Love Chewie and Tiara xx They seem to be beach babies.
How old are they, Priya? Did you take them on any other road trips after the Dapoli one?
Yes, they’re Labs, so they enjoy the water thoroughly. Tiara is 8 and Chewie is 5. No trips with them after that, but we’re going on one soon. Will write about it when we’re back. 😉
Crazy experience with the bulldozer Priya. I know how life intervenes but sometimes wonder how folks run hotels, when they should do their absolute best to create pleasant experiences for guests. Oh well. Chewie and Tiara looked like they had a blast. I have never traveled with pets for long haul trips but did ferry pets around town during a recent house sit in New Zealand, driving 2 doggies to the beach daily. Fun times!
Ryan
Yes, they did have fun, Ryan. I admire how you can manage all the house-sitting. I can barely manage my own house without help. LOL 🙂
Pets are family! Beautiful to see the whole family on the road.
Congrats on your first longer car trip together and wish you many happy travels!
Thank you, Milijana, they certainly are. I think of them as my four-legged babies. 🙂
I was biten by a dog as a child and have always been scared of the canine teeth! But the one picture where your dog is sitting with a towel on head melts my heart! Wish you both many more trips ahead with the kids!
That is a cute one, isn’t it? I was bitten by a dog at age 12 on Benaulim beach, but I got over my fear in a year, because we always had a dog.
Will look forward to reading the next one!
Your dogs are cute! We have a small one—a toy poodle—and we also take her on short road trips around our home island. We haven’t had a chance to bring her to our “real” trips though. It’s expensive and a hassle, especially when it comes to airlines.
I prefer to avoid taking them abroad. Not worth the risk and the expense.
Very well written. Your pets are adorable. I was not a dog person, but now, I can’t imagine my life without one.
I think you would love my article,”My third baby at 50+”
https://passionwithaclick.blogspot.in/2018/05/my-third-baby-at-50.html?m=1
How sweet, Pratiksha. Yes, it’s true that “Raising a puppy is just like raising a human child.” I hope you have lots of fun with your new baby, Bebo. Dogs are wonderful.
Making road trips with your dog safe and memorable thanks for sharing this post!
Glad you liked it.
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That’s very interesting.