For the busy professional couple Dina and Satish Manjekar, a relaxing break once in a while is a must - they often head for the many beaches on the KonkanCoast for a refreshing break.
A few kilometres away from Mumbai is the beautiful beach of Alibag You can either drive there or reach it by catamaran from Gateway of India. It has soft white sands and picturesque casuarinas trees. The imposing Kolaba Fort built by Shivaji in 1680 adds a fascinating character to the landscape. Alibag has many pleasant hotels and home stays and you can enjoy a peaceful weekend break there. You can visit other peaceful beach spots from here, like Akshi, Nagaon, Kihim and Mandwa
Murud is another lovely beach destination on the KonkanCoast, 185 km south of Mumbai. The beach is wide and fringed by coconut trees - it is quite safe for swimming. On an island off Murud, is the awesome 300-year-old Janjira Fort built by the Siddis who came from Africa to trade in slaves. It is one of the strongest forts in the Arabian Sea and withstood the attacks of the Portuguese, British and even the Marathas. You can take a boat trip to this fascinating fort and explore it surroundings.
This is a peaceful and secluded beach growing popular with people who want to escape the rush of Mumbai and Pune. The drive to Kashid is extremely picturesque and there are several resorts where you can chill and have a laid-back holiday. The beauty of Kashid is that it has the Western Ghats in the background, and is surrounded by lush greenery. It offers you one of the most unpolluted beaches on the KonkanCoast.
For virgin beaches and great swimming drive down the coastal road (Ratnagiri Highway) to Ganapatipule. This village was originally known for its famous Ganapati temple and naturally formed idol of Ganesha. It draws pilgrims from all over Maharashtra. However, it now has a parallel life of city tourists who want to escape to its peaceful and secluded beaches. The drive from Mumbai is long, but scenic (375km); otherwise you can fly to Ratnagiri or take a train to Kolhapur, or Ratnagiri.
Welcome to Maharashtra - Maharashtra is very popular among tourists of India. In fact, its capital city is one of the most visited cities in the entire country of India.
Maharashtra Tourism Blog - Lush green hilly plains, calm clean and scenic sea shores, historical monuments, Wild life and reserve forests, these are the few words that can replace the word "Maharashtra Tourism" .
Official Websites
Maharashtra Tourism - Maharashtra Tourism Government portal - Official website of Dept. of Tourism, covers Places of Interest in Maharashtra, Lists of Temples in Maharashtra etc.,
Maharashtra Government - Maharashtra Government portal covering diverse topics including health, tourism, culture, climate, Tenders and e-Governance.
Other Useful Links
Deccan Odyssey - A heritage train tour on the Deccan Odyssey through the kingdom of the Marathas - Maharashtra. Travel through time and cultures.
Maharashtra woos medical tourists - Medical Tourism: Many people from the developed world are coming to Maharashtra for hip replacements or brain surgery.
