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Places to visit in Konkan Coast

This beautiful town is nestled among the mangroves and coconut plantations along the virgin shore, washed with the clear blue waters of the Arabian Sea and it is one of the best places to visit in Konkan Coast. 

Boasting of an agrarian scenery with fields of green paddy, this idyllic weekend getaway is the best place to rewind your senses. Boasting of a 400 year old Ganpati deity, this place offers a homely stay for both tourists and pilgrims alike.

Attractions: There is a resort run by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, that offers a nice homely stay. There are other places such as the Greenleaf Resort, Hotel Heramb, Areopagus Spa, Abhishek Beach Resort and Spa, and The Blue Ocean Resort and Spa where you get modern luxuries such as classic Konkani cuisine, relaxing swimming pools and spas. All resorts are children friendly and also arrange for local sightseeing tours.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

Enjoy the coastal town of Alibaug as it is the most coveted of Konkan tourist places. Take a ferry from the Gateway of India in Mumbai if you want a slightly adventurous trip and bypass the regular road or rail trip.

This historical town has a lot to offer from ancient forts or pristine beaches, Alibaug has to offer and is always on the top of the list for places to visit in Konkan coast.

Attractions: Check out the Alibaug Fort and the Magen Avot Synagogue if you are interested in history. The Siddeshwar Mandir and the Kanakeshwar Mandir are the top picks for pilgrims.

Finally, there are a plethora of virgin beaches like the Alibaug beach, Varsoli Beach, Akshi Beach, Nagaon beach, Kashid beach, Korlai beach-all offering the perfect premise for long walks into the sunset. The local cuisine is celebrated as one can sample the fresh and delicious seafood that the place has to offer and don’t miss the water sports on the beach.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

World famous for the delicious Alphonso mangoes that are cultivated here, this place has a good mix of both the hilly Western Ghats and the cascading waves of the Arabian Sea. Ratnagiri offers a huge variety of water sports along as well as a relaxing holiday in the abode of nature.

Attractions: Check out the Guhagar beach and the Ratnagiri lighthouse if you are strolling around the beaches. After all the Marine Biological Research Station is right here in this town along with the birthplace of Bal Gangadhar Tilak-making Ratnagiri one of the best places to visit in Konkan coast.

The recluse of the Burmese king is also here at the Thibaw Palace, which is standing here for some centuries now.

Best time to visit: Monsoon.

Most famous for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s fort with the same name, which was built to ward off European and Siddi conquerors, this place is one of the most amazing places to visit in Konkan coast.

There are almost 50 smaller towns under Sindhudurg as the area stretches along the fertile coastline in its west.

Attractions: Check out the Sindhudurg Fort where many families of the original residents still reside. Go to the nearby beaches around Malvan and Tarkeli for water sports and snorkelling. The cuisine is predominantly Malvani and it is a seafood lover’s delight. Like the rest of the Konkan tourist places, you can get the fresh farm produce of Alphonso mangoes and coconuts.

Best time to visit: Winter.

This hilly town is situated on the Sahyadri hills and often called “mini Mahabaleshwar” as the climate is cool throughout the year. This town has a history of British settlements before independence and thus a nice melting pot of cultures is found even now.

Close to many beautiful beaches around, this is an ideal choice to go for places to visit in Konkan coast.

Attractions: The Anjarle beach is close to Dapoli by a few kilometres and it has both the sea and forests in the same location. At Asud one can explore ancient temples like the Keshavraj and Vyagreshwar temples.

Trying boating at the backwaters, go for Dolphin sightings, explore caves and go trekking in the forest. This place with delight you with its hidden wonders, just waiting to be discovered.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

The economic capital of the country and one of the most happening cities in the world this place has the best nightlife scene and an abundance of places to shop. A city with a rare combination of hills, sea and forest while housing metropolitan skyscrapers, if you are set to sample places to visit in Konkan coast, this should be right on top of your list.

Attractions: Check out the Colaba area, for the Gateway of India and a great place to hang out and shop. The Goregaon Film City offers a proper bus tour of the whole area, which is still frequented by leopards at night.

Right in the middle of the city is the gigantic Sanjay Gandhi National Park to experience the rich flora and fauna, and in case you want a trip down the history lane, take a ferry to the ancient Elephanta Caves.

The Juhu Chowpatty, Marine Drive, Bandra Bandstand and Versova Beach are best for sea lovers and enjoy the vast plethora of cuisines and cocktails this beautiful city has to offer.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

Close by to the tourist favourite Alibaug, this place has both serene beaches and historical monuments that will take your breath away. Murud Janjira Fort is unparalleled in beauty as it stands on a small islet close to the town, hence making Murud one of the most coveted places to visit in Konkan coast.

Attractions: Apart from the Janjira fort, check out the Palace of the Nawab, where his descendants still inhabit the place. The Khokri Gumbaj house old tombs and the Dutta Mandir, situated at the hilltop gives a breathing view of the town below.

The Kashid beach is close by where you can have a go at the adventure sports, and most definitely you should not miss the cuisine as the seafood here is great.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

This small village is in Dapoli and known predominantly because of the virgin coastline and the warm hospitality. If you want a quiet holiday away with all the comforts of a quintessential Konkani village, this place is a winning pick as the village is never crowded and has minimum footfall.

Attractions: The most famous beaches in the area is the Harnai Karde beach and also the place is just a stone throw away from other wonderful beaches such as the Murud, Ladghar, Kelshi and the Anjarle beaches. Parshuram Bhumi and Suvarnadurg is also close by and offers that wonderful trekking experience.

Best time to visit:Monsoons and Winter.

This is one of the most ancient places to visit in Konkan coast as it houses ancient Buddhist Gumpas and Maratha forts alike, as this historical town was once the capital of the Maratha Empire under Shivaji. Frequent floods made this calamity prone area resemble a triangular peninsula with water on three sides.

Attractions: Close to the Savitri river, this place is adjacent to the hills housing the ancient Gandhar Pale Buddhist Caves. Raigad, Pratapgad, Lingana, Birwadi, and Warandha Forts are all around and will remind anyone of the past glory of Shivaji’s empire.

The Dapoli Mandangad beach is closest to Mahad and offers great seafood and tender coconut water.

Best time to visit: Winter.

Known best for its central railway station, Dombivli is very close Kalyan, Thane and Mumbai and very well connected with the three.

Attractions: The Ganpati temple and Reti Bandar are popular local attractions. The MIDC ground is a popular haunt and from there many travels to Shilphata to watch the Dutta Mandir and the Khidkaleshwar Mandir.

Kelkar Road is the most coveted place for shoppers and there are amazing multiplexes at Madhuban and Gopi Cine Hall.

Best time to visit: Winter.

Kelshi is a small village in Dapoli taluka, most famous for the beach it has. The Utambar Hill reaches the Arabian Sea at this place, thus making Kelshi the perfect tourist destination, as the entire landscape is virgin and yet not crowded by travel bugs and it is one of the best places to visit in Konkan.

Attractions: The beach at Kelshi is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Konkan Coast as one is surrounded by the rich flora and fauna, making it appear as a little paradise, tucked in the crannies of the vast seashore.

There are multiple varieties of the Kingfisher bird that frequents this area, and the saline backwaters provide the perfect habitat for mangroves and coconut plantations. Especially in the winter, the whole place is a birdwatcher’s abode as many migratory birds have been spotted here.

Best time to visit: Winter.

Situated between the band of the Kundalika river and Kalasgiri hills, this small town in the Ratnagiri district is quickly emerging as a popular tourist haunt in the Konkan region.

Attractions: The Kundalika river offers river rafting and thus a great place for adventure lovers at Wild West Adventures in Kolad. The Avchitgad Fort ruins is a great trekking spot as one climbs through the hills and forests to reach the place at the summit.

The Dhavir Temple and the Bande Ali Shah Dargah are two of the most famous monuments to visit here. Finally, the Hanuman Tekadi offers a lovely view of the town from the top of the hillock.

Best time to visit: Winter.

This is the last hill station before one reaches Goa if travelling towards the same from Mumbai. Seated in the Sahyadri Range, surrounded by lush green hills, this town is an eco-hotspot due to the abundance and variety of flora and fauna.

According to local legends, there are supposed to be around 108 Shiva temples, and they are still being discovered until recent years.

Attractions: The rainfall is very heavy, yet it makes the place appear even more beautiful as nature around is drenched and rejuvenated in the showers.

Cascading waterfalls are found in abundance and the Hiranyakeshwar temple, situated in a cave at the source of the Hiranyakeshi river, is the most popular tourist destination of the place along with the wilderness around.

Best time to visit: Monsoons.

This coastal town boasts of one of the greatest beach experiences in the Konkan belt. Situated on a peninsula, this place is not only famous for its pristine coastline but also has great historical importance, since the time of the Peshwas.

Due to its strategic location, Srivadhan was an important port in medieval times and now a traveller’s paradise.

Attractions: The most coveted places to visit here comprises of the Kondivali beach and the Diveagar beach where you can enjoy sunsets, have long walks and experienced the wonderful Konkani cuisine.

The Shri Laxmi Narayan Temple is still standing here which was the place of worship for the great Peshwa rulers. The Kusumdevi Temple and the temples of Somjai, Bhairavnath and Jivaneshwara are popular tourist places. There are a large number of resorts providing all modern luxuries at a meagre pocket pinch.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

Nestled in greenery, Badlapur is a fast-growing residential area and has transformed quickly over the years from a quaint little village into adjacent suburbia of Mumbai.

Due to its proximity to two dams, this place is a favourite weekend getaway from all around the area, especially from Mumbai and Thane. Kalyan being the nearest railway junction, reaching Badlapur is not at all difficult as Kalyan is connected to every place in the country.

Attractions: Don’t miss the Badlapur Fort and if you venture a little further- the green eco-friendly hills of Matheran. The Barvi and Barrage dams are the two dams in the area and there are numerous water parks such as the Shanti Sagar Water Park and Resort, Rainy Resort Water Park and Bhoj Dam and Resorts to name a few.

Best time to visit: Winter and Monsoons.

This quaint little town is nestled in the midst of crystal clear creeks and marvellous beaches. As the name goes the internationally delectable Malvani cuisine was born here along with huge cultivation of Alphonso mangoes.

There are forts, beaches and resorts all around the area and have a lovely summer holiday with friends and family as there is so much to explore.

Attractions:The Arse Mahal beach, Chivla beach, Tondavli beach are few of the places that promise you the best sunsets with the ocean backdrop. The Rock Garden is arguably the most famous of the Konkan tourist places,  that is situated in the town of Malvan.

The Malvan Wildlife Sanctuary houses a huge ensemble of marine flora and fauna, and you can discover the pleasures of the sea as you dabble in water sports, scuba diving and snorkelling.

Best time to visit: Winter.