Alibag
Alibag (also spelt Alibaug) is the headquarters of the Raigad district of Maharashtra. It's best known for its historic marine forts, fine beaches and clean water.
Get in
[edit]By boat
[edit]There are ferries and catamarans available from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. The journey takes 2 hours. However, service is suspended during the rains, i.e. May-October. The ferry takes you to Rewas and you are taken on a bus to Alibag. The cost of the bus trip is usually included in the ferry fare. This is the recommended way of getting to Alibag. A one-way trip by ferry costs ₹120 and by catamaran ₹190, both types of tickets include a bus trip to Alibag. The newest ferry i.e. M2M ferry does not include this bus trip in its cost.
By bus
[edit]MSRTC buses should be available from various parts of Maharashtra. If you are leaving from Mumbai, then you have an option of boarding MSRTC buses, leaving every 30 mins - 1 hr from the Mumbai Central Bus Station. Though they might be uncomfortable, they top in terms of punctuality. Remember to grab a window seat! Private buses can be chartered, a good option if you are going in a large group.
By car
[edit]- Take a car or a taxi from Mumbai. Alibag is on the way to Goa from Mumbai, so you could do the trip as part of a trip down south to Goa. To reach Alibag from Mumbai, take the Mumbai-Goa-Ernakulam National Highway (NH 17). At Wadkhal 'naka' (crossing), which is a little 8 km ahead of Pen, continue straight (the left turn keeps you on the highway to Goa), and you are now on the road to Alibag. Alibag is about 22 km from that point.
- From Pune, take the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and take the Khopoli exit. From there drive towards Pen (30 km), then cross the Mumbai-Goa highway to proceed towards Alibag.
By train
[edit]There's no railway station in Alibag. Pen is the nearest railway station to Alibag at a 30 km (19 mi) drive.
Get around
[edit]
There are autos (shared/individual) available but the best bet is to have your own vehicle as you would like to hop on from one beach to another and you may not get anything in between.
See and do
[edit]Forts
[edit]- 1 Kolaba Fort. A fort about 1km from the shore into the sea, reachable by foot at low tide (but not during the monsoon season). You can go on the island and roam around for free, but the entrance to the fort is by ticket only. ₹100 for foreign tourists.
- 2 Revdanda Fort. A historical monument built on the Revdanda beach. Ideal place for pre-wedding shoots. The main entrance is from the southern side.
Beaches
[edit]- 3 Kihim Beach. A beautiful coastal village and a weekend getaway for Mumbaikars. The climate of Kihim is very calm and unpolluted. There is parasailing on Kihim Beach but it is seasonal.
- 4 Mandwa Beach. A beach popularised by a Bollywood series. It has direct ferry services to and from Mumbai.
- Varsoli Beach.
Buy
[edit]Eat and drink
[edit]Alibag has lots of restaurants and bars, and soft drinks and liquor are freely available.
- Sanman restaurant, specialises in sea food. They have different thalis with different fishes like Pomfret, Surmai etc. Each thali will have one fried piece and one curry piece of fish. The rest of the items are also a speciality of that area like bhakri (chapati) of rice powder, solkadhi (a refreshing appetiser prepared with the purple fruit kokam (garcinia) and coconut milk).
- Fulora, Alibaug Rewas Rd, PNP Nagar. The restaurant specialises in seafood although they also provide all kinds of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
Sleep
[edit]There are many homestays dotted along the 45 km road from Alibag to Murud. Rooms are like what you find in regular homes, generally cheaper than the regular hotels but service is only basic. They generally have parking space on the lawn in front. Rates vary with the tourist season and the quality of the room.
- Arte Cottage. Near Kihim beach
- Hotel Meera Madhav, PNP Nagar (opposite S.T. Stand), ☏ +91 2141 225 280.
- Hotel Ravikiran, Rewas Rd (near Vidyanagar), ☏ +91 2141 22459, +91 2141 22460.
- MTDC Holiday Home (near Kihim Beach), ☏ +91 2141 38253. There is a formerly MTDC run, but now privatized resort that offers fully furnished tents. Not available during the monsoons.
- Kashid Beach Resort (near Kashid Beach).
- Prakriti Resort. Hillside near Kashid Beach. Offering Single rooms as well as 2,3,4 bedroom villas on the hillslope. Some villas offer good views of the Arabian Sea. Resort has a swimming pool with a couple of indoor games like table tennis, and a pool.
- Golden Swan Resort. Near Murud Beach.
- Sidz Cottage (Near Nagaon Beach).
- Hotel Sunglow resorts, ☏ +91 2141 221072, +91 2141 221073. This hotel has good rooms facing the sea, also a nice restaurant and the food quality are good.
- Hotel Shreyas, ☏ +91 2141 225962. Check-in: Noon, check-out: 11AM.
- Ghanvatkar Bunglow Resort, ☏ +91 7303019888, info@holidaygb.in. Budget resort and hotel with veg food and good accommodation.
- Paradise villas & resort, ☏ +91 2141232232.
- 1 Dolphin House Beach Resort, 1317 Nagaon Bandar Rd, Nagaon (near Nagaon Beach), ☏ +91 8554871073.
- Suryodaya Holiday Homes.
- Sea Touch. Economical resort in Kihim.
- White House Beach Resort, Nagaon Bandar Rd, ☏ +91 7977107886. Good resort.
- Abalone Villa. Abalone Villa is private villa with swimming pool. It has 6 bedrooms.
- Bhumi Cottage. Bhumi Cottage is a 7 room property offering a large swimming pool, gazebo, and spacious rooms.