Explore kokan

Beautiful temple & beach

Parshuram temple

Mythology says Lord Parshuram, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, created the region. After cleansing the world of evil-forces several times, he is said to have come and rested in Konkan, blessing the area with his presence. The only Lord Parshuram temple in the country is found in Konkan, near Chiplun, inMaharashtra.
Srivardhan is a spectacular beach with sun kissed sands and a great place to spend evenings watching the sunset.

Ganpatipule

The beach at Ganpatipule stretches for 12 kms. and is one of the he beautiful white sand beach on the konkan coast. Ganpatipule is famous for the ‘Swayambhu’ (a naturally formed idol) Ganpati temple and the whole hill is considered as a ganpati. During the high tide the sea touches the feet of the Ganesh temple.It is a attraction for beach lovers and pilgrims alike.

Ratnagiri beach

The Ratnagiri beach is a lovely beach, has a White sand beach on one side and a Black sand beach on the other at the same time. Ratnagiri is a beautiful city and an important port. The city is quiet industrialized and has many fish processing and exporting units. You can watch a beautiful sunset at the beach in the evenings.

Beautiful temple & beach

Marleshwar Waterfalls

Marleshwar Waterfall sight is a beautiful sight to behold.from the cave, but we don’t get idea about height of the waterfall from the place. On the right side there is a cave full of Snakes/cobras and enshrined is the Shivling of Shri. Marleshwar. There is a ‘Kund’ of cold water near the entrance. On the day of ‘Makarsankranti’ villagers celebrate the marriage of Marleshwar and Girijadevi. In the beginning of 18th century the Shivling was brought to cave when a tyrant Muradkhan used to vex people of Muradpur.

Thibaw Palace

Thibaw Palace at Ratnagiri was built by the British Government for the exiled king and queen of Burma (now Myanmar) who lived in the palace from 1911 till their death in 1916. The five years of their stay are immortalized in stone with their tombs.

Lokmanya Tilak Smarak

The memorial is the house of the great freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The “Patit Pawan Mandir” is of importance here. It was the first temple built for the non-Brahmins by revolutionary leader, Swatantryaveer Saverkar.

Kavi Keshavsut Smarak

The beautiful memorial of the famous Marathi poet, Keshavsut located at Malgund village, the poets’ birthplace, is built by the Marathi Sahitya Parishad. It is 1 km away from Ganapatipule. The poet’s house has been was recently renovated and converted into a students’ hostel. The monument is worth a visit. Jaygad Fort The fort of jaygad is located at 25 Kms. from Ganpatipule. the fort is still in a good condition and quite a few people still stay inside the fort. The fort was primarily built for guarding the Jaygad port. The fort can be approached by vehicle. The fort offers a commanding view of the sea and an almost unique view of konkan village life.

Sindhudurga District Amboli Hill station

690 mtrs high above sea level, this hill station is located on the Sahyadri hills. The area is surrounded with dense forest and waterfalls. Quiet and isolated Amboli is perfect for those who really want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Among the chief attraction are the Sea-view Point which unfolds a view of the Konkan coast merging with theArabian Sea, Sunset point ,the Hiranyakeshi river and Nangartar Waterfall .

Tarkarli

situated at the confluence of Karli river and Arabian sea, fringed with lush greenery, is one of the best white sand beach on the konkan coast .The creek is home to a variety of local and migratory birds and rare aquatic life. It’s also a major attraction for fishing enthusiasts. Located at 7 Kms. from Malvan, Tarkarli is one of the best Beaches with sparkling blue water. Tarkarli has an excellent white sand beach and is situated at the mouth of Karli river. The beach is one you will fall in love with. It is renowned for its virgin beaches that open to sparkling blue waters. In fact, on a clear day, one can actually see the seabed up to a depth of 20 ft. Tarkarli is a paradise of tiny islands and hamlets, imposing Casuarina trees, and rich, blue skies. But although it has much appeal for beach lovers, there are other places in the vicinity worth visiting, and an array of Malvani culinary delights that are sure to bring out the gourmet in you. Located at the confluence of the Karli river and the Arabian Sea, this idyllic getaway is defined by infinite stretches of golden beaches fringed by lush greenery Deo Baug beach

A few kilometers away from Tarkarli, this picturesque beach is a good place to unwind and relax, while watching seagulls overhead.

Dhamapur Lake

This man-made lake constructed in 1530 by king Nagesh Desai, is the biggest lake in the district & 2nd largest in Maharashtra. The lake is situated between Are and Katta village and has beautiful scenic hill ranges on its two sides. The water is crystal clear and the dense forest and orchard surrounding attracts variety of birds making it one of the most beautiful lake in Maharashtra.

Walaval

About 15 km from Malvan is Walaval, a place famous for its natural beauty. On a clear night, one can see the setting sun and the rising moon together in the sky and also their reflection in the quaint waters of the Karli River ( creating an illusion of two moons and two suns ). Nearby, there is a Laxmi Narayan Temple, which is also worth a visit. Redi Ganesh temple

Folklore has it that Lord Ganesh visited a miner in a dream and asked him to search for an idol of the deity in the mines of the Redi. A search revealed a mammoth idol with only two hands and a sculpted mouse. The Redi Ganesh temple is built to commemorate the find.

Sridev Rameshwar (Achara)

The deity Sridev Rameshwar is revered in the entire region. Achara has a large and beautiful shoreline which draws tourists from all over. Shree Bharadee Devi Temple ( Masure) About 15 km from Malvan is the temple of Shree Bharadee Devi in Masure. The annual fair held every February attracts people even from far off places. Sawantwadi

Here, you might like to visit Shilpagram village and the Tourist Reception Center. Fill your shopping bag with an array of handicrafts, curios, toys and objects de art, which reflect the artistic spirit of the region.

Malvan City

Situated approximately six kilometers north of Tarkarli is the old settlement of Malvan, virtually hidden by palm trees. Once a maritime trading center, the place is famous for its salt-pans, Chinese clay pottery and, most especially, for its spicy Malvani cuisine, which features seafood and sol kadi, a digestive drink made from coconut milk and kokam. The sunset at the Malvan beach is spectacular with Sindhudurg fort in the background..

Vijaydurg

Vijaydurg, or Victory Fort was built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the mouth of Vaghotane creek.The fort is on a strip of land going into the sea and is spread in an area of six hectares. The fort has 27 ‘Buruzs’ and is still in a very good condition. The huge stones used for the fort walls and the strength of the walls are still visible and it is quiet interesting to think how these huge walls were built in the open sea. It was fortified during the early 17th Century by Chhatrapati Shivaji, to whom it owes its finest features – the triple line of walls, the numerous towers and the massive interior structures.

Kunkeshwar Temple

Built around AD 1100 by the Yadava rulers, the exquisitely carved Kunkeshwar Temple is a paragon of sculptural excellence and is surrounded by coconut, palm and mango plantations. The place is worth exploring and is a popular holiday destination. Located at 15 Kms. from Devgad, Kunkeshwar is a beautiful and clean beach.

Vengurla

The beach has some very beautiful spots where you can relax on big boulders and look at the ships and boats in the sea.Located at 25 Kms. from Savantwadi, Vengurla als0 has an excellent beach and a port. The Dutch and Portuguese conducted trade activities on a large scale through the Vengurla port. Its proximity to the Arabian Sea, especially the fact that several major and minor sea ports to peninsular India fall in this region, has endowed Konkan with a rich-history and cultural heritage. This region- was the home to the first organised Indian Navy, set up by the great warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Raigad near Mahad, was once the stronghold of the 17th century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,. Shivaji saw the strategic importance of the-region and the need to have a strong navy to defend this long coastline from European invaders. He did that by setting up a naval force as well as by building strong sea forts along the coast. Some of these forts, like Vijaydurg, Raigad fort, Jaygad, Sindhudurg even to this day,stands as a testimony to his vision .

Sindhudurg fort

The Star attraction of the Malvan trip, the sindhudurg fort is an excellent example of the foresight of the great Maratha King, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He built this fort in 1664 on ‘Kurte’ islands and is an excellent example of fort building architecture. The fort took over 4000 mounds of iron for casting and has its foundation firmly grounded in solid lead. It can be approached by taking a boat from the Mainland. It has 52 ‘Buruzs’ with an average height of 30 meters and has three sweet water wells . Within the fort complex are temples of Maruti, Bhavanimata, Mahadev, Jarimari and mahapurush . It also has the only shrine of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj known as Shri Shivarajeshwar temple found in the country. Shivaji Maharaj’s hand and footprints have been preserved, This symbol of Maratha naval dominance is situated about 2 km. out at sea, off the coast of Tarkarli. Covering 48 acres, Sindhudurg Fort has a 2- mile long rampart wall, 30 feet high and 12 feet thick. With 52 massive semicircular bastions and embrasures for cannons, it proved impregnable to the British as well as the mighty Mughals. Here, you can see the palm prints and footprints of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the king who built this fort. You could also visit the revered Shri Shivarajeshwar Temple, which was built to symbolize devotion to the noble king.The Sindhudurg Fort, also known as the Ocean Fort, epitomized Maratha power during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Indeed, this naval bastion is a marvel of architecture. Built by Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1664, approximately three kilometers out to sea on an island personally selected by the warrior-king, Sindhudurg Fort took over 4000 mounds of iron for casting, and had its foundation firmly grounded in solid lead. One approaches the fort by taking a boat from the mainland. Within the fort complex are temples of Maruti, Bhavani, Mahadeo, Jarimari, Mahapurush as well as Chhatrapati Shivaji – the latter being the only such shrine in the country. Other forts around Sindhudurg: To strengthen the defence of Sindhudurg Fort, more forts were set up in the small neighboring island of Padmagad and on the mainland of Rajkot and Sarjekot, north of Malvan. Padmagad was also reportedly the main shipbuilding base of Shivaji’s navy. The Sarjekot fort is located about 2km north of Rajkot, a little beyond Kolamb Creek in Revandi village. It was constructed by Shivaji in 1668, on a hillock at the mouth of the Kalavali Creek, on its south bank. The creek, which extends seven miles north to Masure and then to the north-east, reaching Maland, was once navigable. It was ideal for anchoring and shipbuilding and was also a safe haven for pirates. In the process of fortifying Sindhudurg, many more forts like Bhagavantaged, Bharatgad, Nivti and Yashavantgad came into being. Strategically located, they guarded against enemy invasions in the region. The Konkan belt was for a long time the most important marine trading -center of India and has always had strong links with seafarers from the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Konkan was also the area where Vasco Da Gama landed in 1498, leading a European onslaught that eventually led to the colonisation of India. These trading links have justify their mark behind to this day and one finds an amazing mix of cultures and people here. Blessed with fertile soil, and one of the highest rainfalls in the country – an average rainfall of 3,500 mm, – the region is rich with natural resources. It also has enormous mineral wealth, especially bauxite and silica sand and , spices grow abundantly in this region. Agriculture and industry flourishes side by side in the Konkan,