Things to Do in Alibag

This is Alibag’s most prominent beach. Although crowded and lively, the beach has a serene and pleasant atmosphere. Scenic sunsets are the forte of this particular place. One can get the view of the magnificent Kolaba Fort from the beach. You can enjoy the cool breeze while sipping fresh coconut water. It is a perfect place to spend a small holiday away from city’s hustle and bustle, amongst the blue waters and green hills. The highlights are

• Fresh Air
• Sandy beaches
• Horse cart
• Snacks around the beach
• Noise free
• Pollution free

It is the best beach to enjoy water sports in Maharashtra. You can enjoy variety of them, like water scooter, parasailing, banana boat ride, speed boating and many more. The beach also offers ample number of beach resorts and private bungalows wherein one can catch the magnificent view of the horizon over a delicious meal. The atmosphere is very lively on weekends. Kids will have a good time playing in the water. It is a perfect family getaway.

Following are the highlights:

• Cypress grove
• Betel and Suru trees
• Maharashtrian food like bhaji, bhakri and fish.

This is one of the most popular historical destinations around Alibag. Janjira covers the whole island that it was built upon. It looks like the Fort is standing on water. A boat will take you to the fort and the boatmen will then also act as your guides for the tour. The fort is historically very significant. History enthusiasts will have a good time here. Although the fort is abandoned and in ruins, there are enough monuments inside its compound to make you understand and imagine how life must have been here centuries back. It is like a walk through the past.

• The Boat Ride
• The Hidden Darwaza (door)
• The 40 ft. high walls
• The Canons
• The Old Water tank

This is one of the most popular picnic destinations around Alibag. The beach is surrounded by greenery and hence the scenery is breath-taking. The atmosphere is lively but there is enough space on this huge beach for you to make your own camp and enjoy a peaceful time. Children can go play in the shallow waters and adults can enjoy reading a book or just lay by themselves down on the silky beach sand. A variety of food is available at the nearby eateries. Here you can witness a beautiful sunset as you sip fresh coconut water.

• Water Sports
• Shacks
• Washroom and Changing Room
• Horse Cart rides

This is a very popular beach because of its close proximity to Alibag town (3kms). The atmosphere here is very lively as the beach is crowded by both the locals and tourists alike. There are rocky stretches of land and then there are stretches where you can easily go and take a dip in the shallow waters. The sand is white and the water is clean. The beach is huge and therefore even though its crowded, it is never congested. You can have a good time lying down, relaxing by yourself. Highlights Include:

• Water Sports
• View of the Kulaba Fort
• Coconut Water
• Horse Cart rides
• Washrooms and changing rooms

Awas beach is the most peaceful beach around Alibag. It is close to a popular beach called the Kihim beach, where most of the crowd likes to spend their time playing and bathing. This beach is for those who seek tranquillity and for those who need an excuse to slip into contemplation. The scenery is mind blowing. The sea is unending and on the other side, the shoreline is bedecked with the beautiful Casuana and Suru trees. There are not many eateries and businesses along this beach, which helps for maintaining the peace.

This is one of the most popular beaches and a lot of credit goes to Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bacchan’s film- Agneepath, in which the island is an important plot point. This beach is a lively place. There are loads of businesses that have opened up along the coastline, especially the many shops that will help you take some vacation souvenirs home. While the children can play safely, as the water is shallow, the adults can lie down on the sand and enjoy the sea breeze. Highlights include:

• Water Sports
• The Gateway of India Jetty Ride.

This is one of the hidden gems. The beach is situated 6 kilometres from the town. Therefore it is the quietest and probably the cleanest beach around. You can lie down on the silky sand or you can indulge yourself in some swimming. Children will enjoy playing in the water and there are also horse cart rides for them to be ecstatic about. There are small eateries along the beach that serve snacks and have out hammocks for tourists to relax on. This is a good place to spend an evening at. A walk along this beach promises tranquillity at its best.

• Water sports
• Migratory Birds
• Horse Cart rides

This is one of the most famous Shiva Temples in India. It is situated on a hill near the village Mapgaon. The architecture is of Hoysala style. The temple was built a long time back in 1764. But its majesty is still intact because of the way it has been preserved. The climate on the hill is cool and the surroundings are scenic. Also, the hill is surrounded by a dense jungle. This provides tourists with both- a good view and tranquillity. Legend has it that Lord Shiva himself stepped intothe temple during its construction.

Highlights include:

• ‘NagobachaTappa’ (Snake Point)
• ‘DevachiPayari’ (God’s Step)
• The Pushkarni Tank
• Statue of lord Shiva (54ft. high)
• View of the Arabian Sea
• View of the Khandvi Fort

This is one of the two popular sea-forts in Alibaug. It is built on the Undheri Island, 1 km into the Arabian Sea. The British and the Peshwas ruled from here but the fort was originally built by the SiddiQasam in 1680. The building is mostly in ruins but there are certain priceless souvenirs from the past that make this place a must-visit for history enthusiasts. The sunset view from here is highly recommended. Also, the view of the sea is scenic and uninterrupted.

Highlights include:

• A templ
• A rainwater pond
• Horse Carriage Ride

This is one of the very popular temples in the Alibaug region. It is situated on a hill-top in the premises of the company VikramIsplat. It belongs to the prestigious industrial group- Birla. The temple is very well maintained and a treat to visit. The architecture is interesting and tasteful. The dominant ingredient used in its construction is white granite. The roof is made of transparent polycarp material. The scenery around the temple has been maintained very well. This place is highly recommended for those who seek tranquillity.

• The square-shaped nave
• The idol of Ganesha
• The idols of Riddhi-Siddhi
• The idols of Shiv-Parvati
• The idols of Rafha-Krishna
• He idol of Goddess Durga
• A surrounding garden with fountains
• The Statue of Late Aditya Birla

This is one of the most unique clock collections in India. 3 kilometres away from the town, this shop sells antique clocks to the connoisseurs of such tasteful art. There are more than 100 unique designs in collection. The staff members are friendly and patient as they guide you through the showroom. You can choose the décor that suits your house. The clocks are available in various different sizes. This is a good place to buy yourself a souvenir for life.

This is the death-place of one of the bravest and earliest admiral officers of India- KanhojiAngre. This monument of a spot has both- a historical and a scenic significance. There are eight faces to the main monument an then there are the pillars. The carvings on the pillars have smudged away but the pillars still stand firm. The Samadhi is surrounded by a lot of greenery. You can rest on the benches or just lie down on the lawn. This is a good place to relax. There are information panels for children to acquaint themselves with the story of the warrior. This is a good place to rest.

The Kolaba Fort is one of the most popular and magnificent forts in the region. It is about 2 kilometres from the Alibaug shore. There are two major entrances- one faces the sea and the other faces the town.Most of the fort now lies in ruins, but that is because it is 300 years old. The historical significance of this place is that it was one of Shivaji Maharaj’s main naval centres. The fort is a peaceful place to relax. Even though a lot of people visit it, the premises are big enough to accommodate enough number of tourists looking for tranquillity. 

Highlights include:

• The 25ft. high walls
• Animal carvings on the entrance arch
• Padmavati Temple
• Mahishasura Temple
• Siddhivinayak Temple
• The Sunset
• The Freshwater Tank
• 2 Canons

This is one of the most unique forts in India. It was built by the Portuguese almost 600 years back. It is situated on an island, in the town of Korlai. Although now the fort itself is mostly in ruins, the view of the beach and sea is breath-taking from up here. The climb to the fort is steep. Those are adventurous will love this trek that leads to the fort. The place is not very crowdedand is therefore a perfect destination for those who are seeking calm and peace. 

Highlights include:

• The Lighthouse
• The Church
• The Temple
• Cannons
• Old inscriptions on the doorways
• The scenic view of the sea