Alibag

India

The following are the main tourist attractions in and around Alibag:

  • Alibag beach: This is the main beach. A very flat stretch makes for a long walk. It is reasonably clean and has thin crowds during the week. The sand has a hard texture and is a shade of black. It is not easy to create sand castles. The tide rolls in from all sides: You may have to wade through water on the way back.
  • Siddheshwar Mandir near Khandale: This is a Shiva temple near hills near village Khandale just 4 km from Alibag-Pen state highway. You can drive your vehicles near to hillocks and with small trek you can reach this temple. During Shrawan month, hundreds of people throng to worship here during Shrawani Somwars. If you travel further you can see the remains of ancient fort called " Sagargad". From Siddheshwar Temple sagargad is 1 half hour away by treking. It is fully a natural place to enjoy with friends and family. but it is difficult to trake in mansson. there is no fix root like as kankeshwar.
  • Kulaba fort / Alibag Fort: It is an old military fortification in India. It is situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2 km from the shores of Alibag. It is also famous for lord Ganesh temple and Dargha. During low tide, it has walkable access.
  • Khanderi and Underi Islands : one can visit Khanderi and Underi islands, They are heavily fortified and built by Shivaji as sea observation posts in 1660 CE. Most of the fort is intact. The most prominent structure is a lighthouse built in 1837 which is still in service and used for sea navigation.
  • Magen Avot Synagogue: There was once a large Jewish community in Alibag; most of them were oil pressers and sellers. Bet El Synagogue is the only one in Alibag. Viceroy Lord Curzon (1899-1905) visited this synagogue. This place had been place of worship for the Jewish community; it was where community centre, Konkan development programmes and village meetings were held. The synagogue is a heritage property with a unique style and is a well-known Indian Jewish and Konkan tourist point.
  • Varsoli Beach: About a mile from the main beach. It is on the outskirts of Alibag. It is a quiet beach with sparkling white sand and cleaner sea water. Varsoli is a small satellite village across Alibag, complete with thick vegetation of coconut and casuarina.
  • Akshi Beach:This place located 6 km from Alibag, the beach is a favourite spot for advertising, TV serial and film shoots. This beach is well-suited for children and waders as the sea is flat for a long distance. One can walk through to a considerable distance toward the sea.
  • Nagaon Beach: This black-sand beach is about 10 km from Alibag and is famous for coconuts and betel nuts. One can walk on the beach from Nagaon beach to Akshi beach in ten minutes. Watersport is available here. Parasailing at Nagaon Beach in Alibag provides the ultimate fun filled aerial experience like never before with spectacular views of the vast sea.
  • Kihim-Navgaon Beach: Kihim is a secluded place at a distance of approximately 10 km from Alibag. The Kihim beach is famous for dense cover of coconut trees. Another occupation of their people is agriculture for woods that are home to rare butterflies, birds and flowers.
  • Awas: It is situated about 16 km from Alibag. Nageshwar Mandir is loacated in this village.
  • Saswane: It is about 18 km from Alibag.Famous 'Karmarkar Museum' is located here.
  • Rewas: It is about 25 km from Alibag. From Rewas, there is a ferry boat service to Mumbai (bhaucha Dhakka) and to Uran (Karanja).
  • Chaul Revdanda: It is situated about 17 km from Alibag. It is famous weekend tourist spot.
  • Kanakeshwar Mandir: It is about 17 km from Alibag to Karlekhind – Chondi road, 13 km from Alibag to the northeast. This very famous Shiv temple on a 900 ft. high hill. It is a 5000-foot 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. The scenic temple premises comprises small temples of Sri Paleshwar, Sri Hanuman, Sri Balram Krishna and Lord Shiv. The special attraction is an ancient sweet water tank enclosed in traditional structure of black stone. The ancient temple was built by Raja Ramdeorai yadav. The height of the Shiv temple is 54 ft. The front gate has lion sculpture on both sides with traditional lamp-pillar (deepmaal) in front. The 4-foot 'pindi' of Lord Shiv is silver-plated. The premises also include Nagaar-khana, Bheem Kunda, a garden for flowers to be offered to the Lord, Sri Ram Ganesh temple and Gomukha. Every year, there is a fair on Kartik Poornima in Hindu calendar. On this hill, a variety of herbs are found. Mandawa Beach as seen from Mandawa Port.
  • Mandawa: It is situated about 17 km north of Alibag. The catamaran/ferry services are available from Mumbai to the Mandawa jetty. Speed boats are also available from mandva to reach Mumbai by only 10–15 minutes
  • Kashid Beach: It is 49 km from Alibag, on the Alibag-Murud highway, with almost 'white' sand. There are many cottages and resorts available ranging from around INR 1500 to INR 20,000. Prakruti resort is the luxury and the costliest of all. This village does not have any wine shops. One has to go around 6 km towards Murud to buy alcohol. Kashid is the perfect place to relax for urban people. One can find water sports facility and number of small shops for snacks. There is a danger board warning people of dangerous tides.
  • Korlai Beach: A quiet serene beach with alternate white and black sands, along a serene stretch of the Arabian coastline, 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 Korlai 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 temple and a lighthouse which is still used for navigation.

  • Kolaba (or Kulaba) fort (not to be confused with Colaba in Mumbai) is in the sea 1–2 km from the Alibag shores. During low tide one can walk to the fort. The fort used to have a sweet water well.
  • Kanakeshwar temple is on a hill near Mapgaon village, about 12 km from Alibag and falls on the way to Mandawa. The temple also has a foot-way through the village Ziradpada. Kankneshwar Temple
  • Tower of St. Barbara (Satkhani Buruj)
  • Chaul is a historic town about 15 km from Alibag. It is famous for its Portuguese ruins, an old church, a synagogue, Buddhist caves, the Hamam Khana and a temple. More than 365 old temples are present in Chaul Town.
  • The famous fair at Chaul-Bhovale is celebrated in December month it starts from "Datta Jayanti" and lasts for 5 to 7 days. The peoples from various places comes for this fair.
  • Shitaladevi Temple , Chaul is about 18 kmfrom Alibag. It is historic and famous temple in chaul.
  • Vikram Vinayak Temple or Birla Temple, Salav is situated about 20 km away from Alibag.
  • Sagargad
  • Karmarkar Museum: A museum of exquisite sculptures from the renowned sculptor Padmashri V.P. Karmarkar in Sasavne, about 18 km from Alibag Bus Depot.
  • Kanhoji Angre Samadhi
  • Uma-Maheshwar Shiva Temple
  • Balaji temple
  • Murud-Janjira: Janjira is a fort situated not very far from Alibag. It was built by Siddi traders. Shivaji failed to capture the fort from the Siddis. One can find fresh water pounds inside the fort even today.
  • Datta Mandir: situated at bhowale,2 km from Chaul.
  • Datta Tekdi (Veshvi): A Datta Mandir situated on a small hill near Veshvi. It is about 6–7 km from Alibag.
  • Hingulja Mandir: Situated near datta mandir, historic temple built by pandwas.
  • Magnetic Observatory: Established in 1904 by the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism. Although after 26/11, the security has been tightened and access to the Observatory has been restricted. A written permission from the Panvel office of Indian Institute of Geomagnetism needs to be presented when entering the premises of the Observatory in Alibag.
  • Korlai Fort and Korlai Creole Portuguese of Korlai village: Situated between Chaul and Kashid, a village of Indians born of Indo-Portuguese ancestors, speaking a unique creole of Portuguese and a fort lost in the sands of history.
  • Hirakot Lake: Nearly 500 metres from the Magnetic Observatory.
  • Bhuvaneshwar Temple: It is situated at Narangi Village, 20 km from Alibag. It is a very famous and historical temple. Every year, there is a fair on Mahashivratri in Hindu calendar. On this hill, a variety of herbs are found. 15 Village are taking Care of management. They have established in management committee.
  • SATVIRA Temple: It is situated at Shirawali village, 16 km far from Alibag. It is a very famous and historical temple. Every year, Navratri days many people visited this temple. On this hill, a variety of herbs are found. They have established in Shirawali village peoples.