About Velas Beach

Since many years, the female Olive Ridley Turtles come to the Velas beach to lay eggs in the breeding season. After ensuring the safety of these eggs the villagers celebrate the Turtle Festival every year. Each year, the tiny village of Velas, in Mandangad, Ratnagiri witness a truly heart-warming sight as thousands of newly hatched Olive Ridley turtles take their first steps towards the big blue sea.  Every year from Feburary to May, the conservationists, arrange Turtle Festival to create awarness in people. The Kasav or Turtle Festival has led to open up new opportunities for nature tourism in Velas and a positive wave in Nature lovers.

It was the Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra Organization that identified the uniqueness of the Velas beach. Their observations noted that many female turtles come to the beach of Velas to lay eggs and that they needed to be protected. The villagers joined in the movement voluntarily with equal gusto to pledge of protecting the turtles. This literally brought the otherwise ignored beach of Velas and the village on the world map.

This Eco Tourism in Velas is offering a good source of income for the local villagers and also the turtle conservation activity.
The team effort of the Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra organization and the villagers have ensured the safety of over 75,000 newborn turtles in last 15 years and have created a secure passage for them to go back to the sea. This one of a kind, the unique festival is something one shouldn’t miss in Velas.