Around Goa - Maharastra

Maharashtra's 720-km coastline extends from Dahanu and Bordi in the north to Goa in the south. Check out some of these locations that attract visitors, including many from Goa.

• Amboli
  Amboli at an altitude of 690 metres is the last mountain resort before the coastal highlands of Goa and is relatively unexplored. It is set amidst dense forests and sharp valleys and is a favourite holiday spot of Goans. The nearest railway station is Sawantwadi Road on the Konkan Railway line, but many also drive down from Goa.
• Vengurla Malvan
  This town just outside Goa is quite scenic, with long beaches of shimmering white sand and hills covered with thick cashew, coconut, jackfruit and mango groves.
  The town is surrounded by a semicircular range of hills. It is famous for its processed cashew-seed factories and artistic temples. Sindhudurg taluka's coastline is 121 km long. National Highway 17 passes through the area, as does a 105-km stretch of the Konkan Railway and seven railway stations. People in Sindhudurg district speak Malvani, though Marathi and English are understood here.
  Attractions include the famous Sindhudurg Sea Fort at Malwan built by the Maratha ruler Shivaji and the forts of Padamgad, Sarjekot, Rajkot, Nivti, Bharatgad and Bhagwantgad. Seven kilometres from Malway is Tarkarli Beach.
  In the Devgad region, the major attractions are the beach, the Vijaydurg Sea Fort and the Kunkeshwar Temple (devoted to Lord Shiva). Sawantwadi is famous for its wooden toys, Narendra Hill, Moti Lake, the palace and the Amboli hill station.
  Formerly a trading zone, Malvan (towards the south of the Maharashtra coastline) is today known for its salt pans, Chinese clay pottery and the tasty fish-based Malvani cuisine which is quite distinct from Konkan food.
  
  • How to Get There
    Vengurla is the last outpost before the Maharashtra coast merges with that of Goa. Buses from Goa link to Vengurla via Sawantwadi.
• Ratnagiri
  Ratnagiri is home to Thebaw Place, where the king of Burma was confined after being deposed by the British. Built in 1910-11, this was where the exiled king and queen of Burma lived til their death in 1916. The Jaigad Fort, Ratnagiri Fort and the influential, local religious leader Swami Swarupanand's Ashram in Pawas are other attractions. Ratnagiri is famous for its long coastline and harbours. The Sahyadri Hills lie on the west.
  
  • How to Get There
    Ratnagiri is located in the south-western part of Maharashtra on the Arabian Sea coast. It lies along the National Highway 17 that links Mumbai and Goa. Ratnagari has an airport and a railway station. It is connected by road to Goa, Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, etc.
    
• Ganapatipule
  Ganapatipule is a coastal destination and is home to a 400-year-old temple which houses the Swayambhu Ganapati. MTDC has a beach resort at Ganapatipule, 21 km from Ratnagiri. Ganapatipule is situated along the Mumbai-Goa National Highway 17, near Sangameshwar, close to a small village called Nivali. It can also be reached via Nivali and Hathkhamba (4 km from Nivali). It is well connected by State Transport buses from the Ratnagiri bus depot.
  
  • How to Get There
    By rail, the nearest stations are Ratnagiri or Karbude. Express trains do not stop at the smaller Karbude station.
    
• More Information
  For more information contact the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation at the Panjim Residency.