Beautiful Sea, a Fort that gets surrounded by sea water, a few temples and a lot of fun. Alibag (Alibaug) is the ideal place for a one day return trip. Alibaug is 145 kms away from Pune and 30km to the south of Mumbai. There are some stunning beaches here along with forts and temples!

The Kolaba/Kulaba fort lies 2 kms inside the sea. Kulaba fort gets surrounded by sea water at the time of tide. There are the Uma Maheshwar and Balaji temples in Alibag too.

Alibag was developed in 17th Century by Sarkhel Kanhoji Aangre the naval chief of King Shivaji’s Kingdom. Bene Israelite Ali was a rich man in the city and owned many plantations of mangoes, coconuts in his gardens. So the local people called the place Alicha bagh (Gardens of Ali) which became in due course, Alibag.

Alibag Fort

• Alibag Fort: Alibag is the seat of District Administration of Raigad (formerly Kolaba) district since 1852. The name Kolaba is attributed to a Sea Fort Kolaba built by Shivaji the great, in 1680 to fight the mighty naval prowess of the Siddis’ (Abyssenians) of Janjira and the British of Mumbai. Kolaba fort is famous for many battles, between Siddis and Kanhoji Angre, the British and the Portugese.

Safety Tip – It is safe to go in the fort before or after 1 hours of fall. But one should always keep in mind that he should come back within 1 hour after the full fall. If you get stuck inside the fort you cannot come back for at least for 5 hours.

Beaches in Alibag

The following are the main beaches in and around Alibag:

• Alibag beach: This is the main beach of the town.
• Thal beach: Isolated Beach 5 km from Alibag.
• Varsoli Beach:Located about a mile from the main beach, home to a very large naval base.It is situated just on the outskirts of Alibag. It is relatively less visited site and as a result is a quiet beach with sparkling white sand and cleaner seawater. Varsoli is a small satellite village across Alibag, complete with thick vegetation of coconut and Casuarina.
• Akshi Beach: It is situated 8 km away from Alibag.The famous Kashid beach is located 18 km from Murud. The specialty of this beach is the beautiful slivery white sand. literally dazzling silvery on this clean beach. It is a favourite spot for advertising, TV serial and film shoots. The beach is complete with small-food stalls. This beach is well suited for the children and ladies as the sea is flat for a long distance. One can walk through to a considerable distance towards the sea.
• Nagaon beach: It is situated about 10 km away from Alibag and is famous for coconuts and betel nuts.

• Kihim-Navgaon Beach: Kihim is a secluded place at a distance of 12 km from Alibag. The Kihim beach is famous for dense cover of Coconut trees. It is also famous for woods which are home to rare butterflies, birds and flowers.
• Awas: It is situated about 16 km away from Alibag.
• Saswane: It is situated about 18 km away from Alibag.
• Rewas: It is situated about 24 km away from Alibag.
• Chaul Revdanda: It is situated about 17 km away from Alibag.

• Kaneshwar Mandir: It is situated about 17 km away from Alibag to Karlekhind – Chondi road.13 km from Alibag in Northeast direction is this very famous Shiv temple on a 900 ft. high hill. It is a 5000 ft. long climb on well paved stairs, which takes around one hour. Landmarks along the route are tombs of MohanGiri and Balgiri, Nagoba Rest, Jambhali Plateau, God’s stair, Gaymandi etc. It comprises various small temples of Sri Paleshwar, Sri Hanuman, Sri Balram Krishna and Lord Shiv.
• Mandawa: It is situated about 20 km north of Alibag. The catamaran/ferry services are available from Mumbai to the Mandawa jetty. Many Bollywood celebrities own bungalows here.
• Kashid Beach: It is 36 km away from Alibag, on the Alibag-Murud highway, also this beach is possibly one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the region with almost ‘white’ sand. There are many cottages and resorts available ranging from around RS:1500 to RS:20,000. Prakruti resort is the luxury and the costliest of all. One can find water sports facility and number of small shops for snacks.
• Korlai Beach: A quiet serene beach with alternate white and black sands, along a serene stretch of the Arabian coastine, adjacent to a village of Korlai Creole Portuguese speaking Indians.Just across the bridge, to the right there is Korlai fort within the sea and attached to the mainland by a narrow land strip through the Korlao fort through the Korlai Village. It is supposed to have been built by the Portuguese in 1521. The main gate has an inscription which means ‘no entry without a fight’. The fort has seven gates, a sweet water well, a church in disuse, a Hindu timple and a Lighthouse

Hotels & Resorts in Alibag

• ‘KARPE WADI’- Agro Tourism center approved by ITDC. Must visit for good local food and Great Ambience.

“Kill nothing but Time, Carry nothing but Memories, Leave nothing but Footprints.”

Karpewadi Agro-Eco tourism hub practises sustainable management and encourages you to do so too. Located just 100 kms from Mumbai and 155 kms from Pune, Karpewadi is an ‘agrotel’ where proximity to Nature is the central theme. For those who crave for action, there is private beach access, a range of activities to choose from onsite and a number of sightseeing destinations nearby. Professionally managed services, a no- compromise approach to providing basic creature comforts and the best quality home- cooked cuisine ensure that you are well taken care of.

• ‘AQUA SPLASHH..’ – Maharashtra Maritime Board Approved Water Sports. They have certified lifeguards and well trained staff.

A vacation is all about fun. Adrenalin racing, heart thumping and amusement. At Aqua Splashh you get all that and a bit more — Memories. Come have the fun and tell the world what you did this vacation at Aqua Splashh. Enjoy shooting your loved ones or friends with Paint Ball. Celebrate the water waves in Jet Ski, Bumpy Rides, Banana Rides & Boat Rides. Enjoy the sea shore on All Terrain Vehicle ( ATV ) and Beach Buggy. Come make your vacation an unforgettable fun.

• Samudra manthan’- An ideal resort for groups
• Prasanna’- Economical resort right next to the beach

The Golf course has been layed along the boulevard which runs on the banks of the Dal lake.

Ever since the golf course was commissioned in 2001, many international level golf tournaments have been held here. Some professional golfers have considered this golf course to be the best in the country.

On entering the golf course you will see an array of club houses and cottages for accommodation followed by the breathtaking beauty of the green. The course is a professional 18 hall, par 72 track which covers an area of 7090 yards approx.

The ideal time to visit the golf course is in the month of May-September when the climate is just about perfect. The complete golf course can be seen by moving about on the green by means of a golf cart.

It is worth being pampered with by the hospitality and the beauty around. With its three lakes, tea shelters, comfort stations, health club, massage parlor, sauna bath, table tennis, pool tables, grapes orchards and peach farm makes the golf course a small luxurious city in itself.

Journey to gulmarg takes 2.5-3 hours. Getting around Gulmarg is done mostly by foot. There is only one road which loops around the whole whole hill station.

The main attraction here is the Gondola. Finished in 2004, it runs up to 3995 meters. Daily passes are available for the skiers and the nature lovers. The hills visible from the top are said to be a part of LOC and Pakistan administered Kashmir.

Major Tourist Attractions of Gulmarg are Alpather Lake, Baba Reshi Shrine, Gondola Cable Car to Kongdor, Gold Golf , Khilanmarg, St Marys church, horse riding, skiing and sledging.

Temperatures in Gulmarg remain well below zero for major part of the year. It is necessary for the tourists to wear heavy woolen clothing, gloves, boots and overcoats to prevent frostbite.

Gulmarg has long been famous for golfing. The 18-hole Gulmarg Golf Club has been in existence since the British raj. Golf is popular in the summer season. Membership is given on a daily basis on the payment of a daily fee.

Other interesting activities during the summers are horse riding and trekking. Some of the most famous treks are- trek to khilanmarg (4km), and on the same route apherwat trek (7 km). From Aprerwat there is an uphill trek to Alpather lake which is frozen for most part of the year (about 13 km from Gulmarg by foot). Khilanmarg is a small valley about 6 km away from Gulmarg. Its breath taking beauty in summers when the valley is laden with a carpet of flowers cannot be missed.

In winters Gulmarg’s slopes turn into an ideal ski resort. You need not necessarily be a ski lover to come here in winters. Many tourists come just to enjoy the snow and take a ride on the snow sledges.Snow scooters also available. A few slopes even have a ski lift to cater to the needs of the ski lovers. Most of the ski activities are concentrated in these slopes. Services of Instructors can be availed of on payment, from the ski equipment shops run by the State Government’s tourism department. Skiing in Gulmarg is cheaper than any other country.

Ziarat of Baba Reshi : Shrine of saint Baba payam-Din is situated near Alpather Lake, about 13 kilometers from Gulmarg. Baba Reshi is a well-known Muslim saint and was a courtier of the Kashmir King Zain-ul-Abidin. This shrine was built in his memory in the year 1480. The baba is known to have spent his days here, in prayer and meditation after renunciation. The cover of the grave is an exquisite piece of craftsmanship. Thousands of devotees visit the shrine through the year.

Gulmarg is known for its beauty both in the summer season and in the winter season. During the month of May local strawberries are available at reasonable prices anywhere and everywhere in Gulmarg. However it is important to bargain with the traders to get the best possible price.

It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. The lotus bud depicted by the temple has been made as close to a real lotus which grows only in water, by providing water ponds all around the temple.

As with all other Bahá’í Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all regardless of religion, or any other distinction, as emphasized in Bahá’í texts. The Bahá’í laws also stipulate that only the holy scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith and other religions can be read or chanted inside in any language; while readings and prayers can be set to music by choirs, no musical instruments can be played inside. Furthermore no sermons can be delivered, and there can be no ritualistic ceremonies practiced.

The Lotus Temple, has a nine-sided circular shape. Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides.Bahá’í scripture also states that no pictures, statues or images be displayed within the House of Worship and no pulpits or altars be incorporated as an architectural feature (readers may stand behind simple portable lecture stands). The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people.

Ancient history records mention that a village named Isabar to the east of Dal Lake was the home of Goddess Durga. This place was known as Sureshwari on the bank of the lake which was sourced by a spring called Satadhara. Today the lake is an important source for commercial operations in fishing and water plant harvesting and a famous tourist spot.

The shoreline of the lake 15.5 km approx is encompassed by  boulevard lined with hotels, parks, restaurants and shops selling cashmere (pashmina) shawls, capes, beautiful paper mache products, carpets and chain stitch rugs. many of these shops and restraunts are open till mid night during the tourist season.

Scenic view of the lake can be witnessed from the shoreline Mughal Gardens built during the reign of Emperor Jahangir, from the houseboats and from the colourful shikaaras cruising along the lake. A recent addition to the beauty of the boulevard is the ‘Royal Springs’ golf course.

Overnight stay in a houseboat is an experience of a life time. A usual houseboat consists of a front balcony, a drawing room, a dining room and three bed rooms with attached toilets. Some of the houseboats even have a small terrace.

It would be difficult to find even an inch of the wooden walls of the house boats which is not carved, usually hand carved. The houseboats have been made warm and welcoming with colourful carpets, comfy sofas, a king sized dining table and royal bedrooms which coupled with the hospitality of the houseboat staff makes you feel like a king.

Daily needs and small nick nacks can be bought from the floating markets which are the shikaaras selling selling their merchandise from house boat to house boat.

In the center of the lake is an island named ‘chaar chinaar’ which has been named after the four chinar trees on it. This property belongs to the royal family of Jammu and kashmir. Nehru park, which is a floating park on the lake is about 55 yards from the boulevard. It gives a splendid view of the lake, boulevard and the mountains around. There are small shops and stalls iin the park selling hot aswell as cold beverages and light snacks.

During the winter season, soometimes the temperature falls as low as -11 degrees celsius, freezing the lake. Often people can be found ice skating on the lake at that time. Ideal time to visit the lake is during the month of April-September.

Ganapatipulé

400 years old Ganpati idol at Ganpatipule is said to have sprung up from the soil. This deity faces the West, so as to guard the western gates, unlike deities in other Indian temples who face the east. The temple is at the base of a hill, and pilgrims walk around(pradakshina) the hill as a mark of respect.

Reaching there

The town is easily accessible from the port city of Ratnagiri, which also has a railway station and an airport.

By Road: While moving towards Ratnagiri, on Mumbai Goa National Highway No. 17 (NH-17), after Sangameshwar a small village placed on this highway is Nivali. From Nivali one has to take right turn for Ganapatipule (32 km). Alternatively, one can continue on NH-17 till Hathkhamba (Nivali – Hathkhamba: 4km) and then take a right turn to go to Ganapatipule. Ample number of State Transport buses are available from Ratnagiri bus depot. Frequency is good for fast journeys. Ganapatipule is also connected with other cities by state transport buses.

By Rail: There is no railway station at Ganapatipule. One has to get down either at Ratnagiri station or at Karbude. All the express and local trains stops at Ratnagiri, being a city. Karbude is a small village and only passenger trains will stop. You may also Disembark at Sangameshwar and take a bus to Ganpatipule.

See

• The Ganpati Temple on the coast is the main attraction for Hindu devotees. And since the town itself isn’t easy to get to, the beache remains clean and the water clear. The Ganpati Temple is reconstructed in special Rajasthani style stones and look, and attracts thousands of Hindus from all over India.These god-fearing local devotees take a “Pradakshina” around the hill where the temple is located, not just around the temple.Pradakshina is a form of showing obeisance. The devotees walk in a circle around the idol of the Lord or around the temple, (the house of the Lord).

• Malgund: It is the birthplace of the famous Marathi poet Keshavsut and is just a kilometre away from Ganpatipule. Visitors like to take a look at the house of the poet, now a students hostel. They also visit a beautiful monument called the Keshavsut Smarak.

• Pawas: Naturally beautiful and serene the place is also prominent for the ashram of Swami Swaroopanand a spiritual leader who influenced an entire generation of Maharashtrians.

• Jaigad Fort: Standing high and proud on a cliff with a spectacular view of the sea the fort is at the entrance of the Sangameshwar river and is 35 kms away from Ganpatipule.

• Velneshwar: The beautiful village of Velneshwar situated north of the Shastri River, has its own peaceful, coconut-fringed beach. The village comes alive each year during the Maha Shivaratri far when pilgrims in large numbers visit the Old Shiva Temple.

Marari Beach

Get around

By bus

Alappuzha has an excellent local bus service system and it is cheap.

By boat

When you are visiting places like Kuttanad, it’s better to opt for boats, as many places in Kuttanad are inaccessible by road.

There are also good ferry services between places that are widely used by the locals, a cheap and scenic way of getting around.

By foot

Many of Alappuzha’s attractions are easily accessible by foot.

See

• Alleppey is known for its snake-boat race – the Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race , held on the second Saturday of August. It is named after Jawaharlal Nehru, who inaugurated it in 1952. The race is very popular with the locals. Traditional snake boats, each manned by over a hundred local people compete for the Cup. Tourists could rent a houseboat and watch the race close up from those boats.
• If you are visiting Alappuzha, enquire about the schedule of temple festivals. Alappuzha is one of the few towns in Kerala where non-Hindus are generally allowed enter the temple premises. Most of the famous Kerala temples do not allow such thing, and if you are a foreigner you are immediately branded as non-Hindu and prevented from entering. Alappuzha temples are generally not that narrow-minded, though there might be a few areas inside the temples where the entry is restricted. The Ambalapuzha temple festival is particularly impressive. Five elephants carry the Krishna idol for quite a long distance with a music accompaniment. The temple is 14 kilometres away from Alappuzha. It is famous for its rose palpayasam. The temple makes this traditional very sweet milk-based dish as an offering. Because of long boiling the milk condenses turning light pink colour.
• Alleppey has a high percentage of Christians. St. Mary’s Church (Champakulam) is believed to be one of the seven churches established by St. Thomas.

Do

• Houseboat cruises Alappuzha is inlaid with channels that support its thriving backwater tourism. Many tourists that come to Alappuzha take a houseboat cruise along the backwaters. Houseboats can be rented for 12 Hrs to few days and there is a new hop-on, hop-off service through remote backwaters in a shared-houseboat. They come equipped with well furnished bedroom, sit-outs, kitchen and modern bath and toilet facilities. Some of the house boats even sport an air-conditioner, though most people prefer a calm cruise with lanterns which add to the rustic feel. The houseboats are manned by drivers and a cook. From the boat one can observe the everyday village life of people, stop for toddy (traditional mildly alcoholic drink made from coconut sap) with grilled prawns, watch birds, and relax in the middle of the lake. It is nice to go towards Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, where rice farming is done below sea level.