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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Marve,
Manori & Gorai
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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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