 Dahanu - Bordi
A quiet seaside town with a sprawling, uncluttered beach, is situated in Thane District. The Dahanu-Bordi stretch is 17 kms.
This once-barren land thrived under Irani settlers, an earthy people. Dahanu is lined with fruit orchards and is famous for its chickoo fruit. Accessible from Dahanu is Udwada - an important place of worship for the Zoroastrians - with a large, beautiful temple that houses their sacred fire. An amazing fact but true, this fire has been kept alive for almost a thousand years.
Getting There: Dahanu Road is the nearest railhead, which is just 2 and 1/2 hours from Mumbai. By road, Mumbai is 145 kms away.
Accommodation: The MTDC resort is available.
Mandwa - Kihim
You will find these two beach fronts 12 miles north of Alibag on the north coast and easily accessible from Mumbai. Mandwa is a beautiful, untrodden beach. On a clear day one can enjoy a long, breathtaking view across the bay, up to the Gateway of India. Mandwa village too, has a charm of its own -- with its beautiful groves of coconut palms.
You can plan an unusual tent holiday nearby at Kihim. Unspoilt and isolated, this beautiful place has a soothing effect on all city dwellers. For the nature lover, Kihim has a lot to offer: woods brimming with wild flowers and rare butterflies and birds.
Worth visiting is the Kolaba Fort, just a furlong away from the shore. 15 kms from Alibag is Chaul, an historic place with Portuguese ruins, Buddhist Caves, the Hamam Khana, a church, a temple and even a synagogue.
Getting There: It is accessible by boats and road. There is regular ferry service between the Gateway of India and Mandwa Jetty. For Kihim, one can take an auto-rickshaw or bus further onwards. By road, Kihim is 136 kms from Mumbai.
Shriwardhan
Gentle winds, soft sands and inviting waters make Shriwardhan Bay irresistible to beach lovers. And if one relishes seafood, there is no dearth of delicacies to sample here. Adventurers can even take a small boat to the north side of the bay and explore a land where the Peshwas or prime ministers of the Maratha kingdom, originally resided. The Peshwa Smarak is of interest to most people who visit Shriwardhan.The town of Harihareshwar is known for its tranquil and picturesque beach and is also famous for the temple of Harihareshwar.
Getting there: The nearest railhead is Mangaon on the Konkan Railway. Mumbai by road is nearly 200 kms away. The nearest Mumbai-Goa highway point is about 60 kms at Goregaon, which is about 170 kms from Mumbai (via Vashi Creek Bridge).
Accommodation: The MTDC resort is available.
Velneshwar
North of the Shastri River lies the idyllic village of Velneshwar. The quiet, coconut-fringed beach offers the visitor the ideal opportunity for swimming or just relaxing . There is an old Shiva temple in the environs which is often frequented by pilgrims. Velneshwar is the focus of attention once a year in March, when the Maha Shivratri Fair is held in honor of the god Shankar or Shiva.
Getting There: The nearest railhead is Chiplun on the Konkan Railway. By road, Mumbai via Chiplun and Guhagar is 370 kms away.
Accommodation: The resort which MTDC plans to build here will be ideally located on a hillock with the sea on both sides.
Vengurla - Malvan
With its long stretch of white sands, and hills covered with cashew, coconut, jackfruit and mango groves lies the pristine and beautiful town of Vengurla. It has two well-known temples: the Shri Devi Sateri temple and the Rameshwar Mandir.
Vengurla is often mentioned in history books as a trade settlement. Twice burned to the ground, it was the target of repetitive attacks and plunders between 1664 and 1812. To the west-north-west lie the Vengurla Rocks, also called Burnt Islands.
On what was once an inner island, and is now part of the mainland, lies the old town of Malvan, almost hidden by palms. The rocky terrain of Malvan holds 2 forts: Sindhudurg and Padmagad. It is said that there was an underground route joining them. Formerly a trading zone, Malvan is toady known for its salt pans, Chinese clay pottery and the special Malvani cuisine which is quite distinct from Konkan food.
Getting There: The closest railhead is Kudal on the Konkan Railway. By road, Malvan is 514 kms away from Mumbai, 200 kms from Ratnagiri. Vengurla is 522 kms from Mumbai.
Marve, Manori & Gorai
North of Mumbai and away from its bustling crowds and pollution, are these 3 gems that have become popular havens for Mumbai's beleaguered fun lovers. Marve, the closest and the quietest is a lovely little fishing village. There are some beautiful bungalows and upscale homes belonging to the city's wealthy used mainly as weekend getaways. Low hills along the beach offer you extraordinary views of sunrise and sunset
Gorai and Manori, a little further away, are more crowded with travelers and are famous for all night beach parties.
Getting There: Marve is about 40 kms by car from Mumbai. You can alight at Malad railway station (a suburban station on the Western Railway line) and proceed by road. A 15 minute ferry ride from Marve or Borivali will take you to Manori or Gorai.
Accommodation: Some private hotels and shacks are available on the beachfronts.
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