9 Reasons to visit – Alibaug – Offbeat Mumbai weekend Getaway

Alibaug or Alibag ,part of Konkan coastline is also known as Mini-Goa of Mumbai, a perfect weekend destination for Mumbaikars with budget accommodations and clean beaches , so many of them. It is like second home for many Mumbaikars very near and peachy.

Reasons to visit Alibaug is hard to count on fingers but here are few of them worth to be hooked

Sea Facing Mumbai: The ride by the ferry from Gateway gives you a rare view of Mumbai, a feel of Mumbai as an island. The Gateway of India monument, one of the unique historic landmarks from British times looks marvelous from the sea. Taj Mahal Palace Hotel forms a magnificent backdrop. From a distance you see a rare view of Mumbai a hustle of city buildings standing tall across the Arabian Sea. Regular ferries are available to Mandawa beach (Alibaug) from morning. Early morning and evenings are the best time to watch sun camaraderie with Mumbai.

Sea Gulls: As you start sailing inside the Arabian Sea, you see many ships and sail boats alongside and Seagulls flying across the ferry, accompanying you along your journey. They flew with grace, speed and power demonstrating their marveled skills .It’s hard to see such marine creatures. Its rightly said “Living by the sea and love by the moon” – the sight of beautiful white and grey seagulls, beautiful silvery waves of water far from the hustle of city life is divine.

Beaches and Sunset: This entire area is one long coastline offering multiple options of beaches to choose from such as Nagaon , Murud, Kashid, Alibaug, Mandawa etc. with golden sand and clean water waves. Each beach has its own unique beauty. Some wise word says, “Sunsets are so beautiful that they almost seem as if we are looking through the gate of heavens” and here, you get lots of beautiful Orange canvas view at Mandawa beach between the jetties , behind the forts like Murud beach. At night these beaches are very much like private beaches with sound of waves for music, changing reflections of the moonlight on water as entertainment.  Mandawa beach and Jetty had been popular from the time of 1990 after the film shoot of Agneepath – featuring Amitabh Bachchan

Water Sports and Activities: Glide through the unending waters of the Arabian Sea, with the wind in your hair and the warm golden sunshine or fly in the sky. Jet Skiing, Parasailing, banana boat ride, Bump ride etc. There are lots of adventure options available to bump the thrill in your soul.

Buggy Ride / Horse Ride : To see wonderful sights while riding one of the world’s most majestic creatures is worth experiencing. A Buggy horse ride with horse full of exuberance, on the beach next to the ocean with the waves breaking beside you gives you an exhilarating life experience. This beautifully decorated buggy reminds us of old Hindi Films like “Victoria No. 203”,” Haule-haule saajna dheere-dheere baalma song from Saawan ki Ghata ”. Such opportunities with the view sight are rare on good beaches.

 

Beach view Stay : Lounging on the beaches always gives you a combination of modern and luxury charm of vacation. Alibaug has a variety of resorts alongside of the beach. There are lots of options available like Bike rentals or ATV Machine to hop on and around the beach. Most of the resorts offer scenic view of beach, facilities and amenities to laze around and refresh one self. There are options of home stay with homemade foods providing an opportunity to explore local cuisine and local life in Alibaug.

Heritage, Cultural sight: The hidden story of the forts always beckons us to explore these places and Alibaug is a treasure of stories. This entire region was the seat of the Marathas and is still rich in its local arts, heritage and culture. There are lot of forts along the coast, a mixture of Portuguese (Revdanda and Korlai) and Maratha forts at Murud-Janjira, Khanderi Fort, Revdanda Fort in Revdanda village. Even there are temples offering beautiful architectural structure built in ancient time like Someshwar Temple in Akshi. In addition to this there is even one Kanakeshwar Forest with a collection of rare flora and fauna.

Eat – Sleep –Rest:  One of the best things that you will love here is the peacefulness of the place, soft sands, inviting clean waters. This place provides much needed break from the city life. Here you can spend lazy evenings sipping cocktails, lounge on the beach with a book, rest on hammocks, enjoy a wide variety of sea food, and local Marathi cuisine.

Local Shopping: Alibaug had been a blend of Portuguese and Maratha culture in past. Here you can find good options of valuables from Maratha culture and traditional items like kolhapuri chappals , bangles , Maratha topi , etc.I remember words of a wise saying “Sweating while you shop counts an exercise ” , so sweat, shop and enjoy the beauty of Alibaug .

                                 “B.E.A.C.H – Best Escape Anyone can have”

“We travel not to escape life ,but for life not to escape us”