Fast Fact
Location: Located on Konkan Coast in Southern Maharashtra
Distance: 110 kms from Mumbai
Altitude: Sea Level
Best time to visit: Though Alibaug is a tourist destination for all seasons, the months of August to October are quite rainy, and in spite of the beauty of the sea and the inland lakes and greenery in this season, it is recommended to avoid it if lounging on the beaches is your intention. Summers are pleasant, with a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius. The best time to visit Alibaug is from November to July.
Recommended For: Single, Couple, Family (with children), Friends, Senior travellers
Overview of Alibaug
Alibaug (or Alibaugh), is a beautiful beachside town on the Konkan Coast, in the Raigad District of Maharashtra. Filled with beautiful beaches and numerous beautiful temples, Alibaug is also home to a sea fort called Kulaba Fort, which was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1680. It is an extremely popular getaway for citizens of Mumbai, and offers them numerous unspoiled beaches, and delicious seafood, along with some historical and religious monuments. In fact, in the present day, Alibaug’s primary source of revenue is in tourism.
How to Reach Alibaug
Alibaug is situated on the Konkan Coast in the Raigad District of southern Maharashtra, about 110 km from Mumbai.
By Air - The nearest airport is Mumbai International Airport, about 120 km away
By Rail - Nearest major railhead is Pen, about 28 km from Alibaug. From Pen, taxis and buses are easily available to take you to Alibaug. Panvel, 85 km away, is another major railhead.
By Road - From Mumbai take NH 17 (Mumbai Goa Highway) till 8 km after Pen, where you reach the Wadkal crossing. Here, proceed straight (left turn continues towards Goa), and Alibaugh is 22 km away.
Local Transport around Alibaug - There are lots of auto rickshaws (shared as well as individual) available for local transport. There are plenty of buses as well. You can also rent motorcycles, apart from taxis and cars.
Must See in and around Alibaug
Visit the historical and impressive sea fort of Kulaba (Kolaba), built by the Maratha hero – Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1680. This fort is unique in that it can be accessed on foot during low-tide, by walking the 1.5 kilometre stretch. Other places to visit include the famous Magnetic Observatory, as well as the beautiful temples of Vikramvinayak, Uma-Maheshwar, Balaji, and Kanakeshwar. Nearby, just 15 km away, lies a unique town called Chaul, which has plenty of monuments like Buddhist caves, Portuguese ruins, the Hamam Khana, an old church and even a synagogue! Other sights include the Tower of St. Barbara, the famous Murud Janjira and its legendarily-unvanquished sea fort, Sagargarh, Kanhoji Angre Samadhi, Datta Mandir, and Hingulja Mandir.
Must Do/Must Experience at Alibaug
You can simply chill on the many beautiful beaches of Alibaug, which are perfect primarily for strolls and sunbathing, since swimming is prohibited here due to the very strong currents in the sea. This is what Alibaug is all about, relaxed lounging on miles of unpolluted beaches. Famous beaches include: Alibaug Beach, Kihim Beach, Mandwa Beach, Kashid Beach, Nandgaon Beach, Akshi Beach, Chaul Revadanda Beach, Varsoli Beach, Saswane Beach, Rewas Beach, Awas Beach, and Nagao Beach.
What to Eat at Alibaug
Famous across India, Konkan food is absolutely delicious, and Alibaug is no exception. With its own distinct way of cooking food, Konkon cuisine uses coconut liberally in various forms such as grated, dry grated, fried, coconut paste, coconut oil, and coconut milk. Though Konkanastha Brahmin style food is vegetarian and not spicy, non-vegetarian dishes in particular are famous for the use of red chillies in their preparation, including such spices as coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, garlic, and many more.
Common souring agents in Konkan food, which provide the distinctive tangy flavours, are kokum, tamarind, and raw mango. Seafood dishes dominate the Konkan cuisine, and crab, prawn, shrimp, and various sorts of fish are a staple diet for most Konkans, along with rice. Common dishes are Sol Kadhi (an energizing curry drink), Kombdi Vade (a sort of chicken curry), Mori Masala (shark curry), Bangda Fry (Fish fry), Malvani Mutton Curry, Khavda Curry (made from a local Konkani bird called Khavda), Bombay Duck Fry, Phanasachi Bhaji (exotic vegetarian Jackfruit dish), and others.
A good place to eat in Alibaug is the famous Sanman Restaurant, which specialises in local seafood. The Masala Garlic Crab and the Pomfret Rice Plate are must tries. Also visit Flora Restaurant for good vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cuisine, and head to Hotel Ravikiran’s Sudama Restaurant for excellent and authentic local cuisine.
Shopping at Alibaug
If you are looking for a big shopping experience in this serene coastal town, then Alibaug will leave you disappointed. A better idea might to enjoy the town’s beautiful beaches.
Nightlife in Alibaug
There is virtually no nightlife to speak of in Alibaug, and chilling at your hotel’s bar is good idea, as is simply relaxing below the stars on the beach at night.
Events (Festivals) at Alibaug
A typical Maharashtrian place, Alibaug celebrates the famous Ganesh Chaturthi festival (September) with all the pomp and splendour of its bigger counterparts. Deepavali or Diwali (October or November) is another festival celebrated with much enthusiasm and fanfare in Alibaug.
Excursions around Alibaug
Murud Janjira as well as Padmadurg contain remarkable and historically important sea forts, and are must visits. Now, Alibaug, as mentioned earlier, rests on the Konkan coast, and there are numerous places to visit along the coast and just inland, such as Ratnagiri, Dapoli, Amboli, Madh Island, Goa, Udipi, Ganapatipule, Sindhudurg, and even Mangalore. Other places to visit include Lonavala and Khandala, Karjat, and Shrivardhan.
Top 5 Nearby Getaways
Chaul - Located just 15 km from Alibaug, Chaul is place that is unique in India. A historical but small town, it contains diverse cultures, embodied in the Hamam Khana, the Buddhist caves, the synagogue, a church, apart from Portuguese ruins!
Murud - A quaint coastal town 45 km away, Murud is home to one of the most famous sea forts in the world, built by an Abyssinian pirate named Siddhi Johar, a fort that has never been conquered.
Kashid - About 30 km away from Alibaug, along the Alibaug-Murud highway, Kashid is considered to be the home of one of the best beaches in India, with pristine white sand and clear water.
Ganapatipule - About 250 km away, this temple town has a unique mix of religious fervour, seaside cliffs, and impressive beaches.
Shrivardhan – About 105 km away, Shrivardhan is a historical town with colonial and mythological importance. It also has excellent beaches.
