Valsad in two days

Day 1

Tithal Beach

Four kilometres from Valsad, and the sand is the point: black-brown rather than gold, and it stains anything you sit on. This is a beach for a walk and a bhajiya stall rather than a swim — the water is shallow, silty and pulls. Three temples stand along the front, Swaminarayan, Sai Baba and Shantidham, and the Swaminarayan one is bright white against the dark sand, which is the photograph everybody takes. It is a local beach rather than a resort one, busiest at sunset and busiest of all on a Sunday.