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Dapoli || Murud || Guhaghar || Ganpatipule || Harihareshwar || Shrivardhan || Diveaghar || Alibaug

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Konkan Travel has gained a lot of attention from travellers all across in the last few years. The region is extremely popular as a weekend gateway, especially from Mumbai and Pune. With increasing travel nowadays, people like to explore different places as the weekend approaches. Konkan is one of the best short break destinations to relax and take a break from the city’s hustle-bustle life.

What is Konkan Travel?

Konkan is a coastal division of the western Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. However, whenever people say Konkan, they usually refer to the Konkan belt of Maharashtra (therefore, I will be using Konkan as a coastal line of Maharashtra). The coastline of the state offers many beautiful places where you can relax and have fun. Be it with your partner, friends, family, kids, or senior citizens; the Konkan places can be enjoyed with everyone.

It offers many options, from temples to beaches to forts.  The way to reach any of the Konkan place is so beautiful.

I have been keen to travel the entire Konkan region. Though I have not seen it entirely but have been to most of the places.

Here’s a list of the top 8 Konkan places that I liked.

The prominent and beautiful part of the Konkan belt is divided into 3 districts, i.e., Ratnagiri, Raigarh, and Sindhudurg (the two more district that falls under Konkan Maharashtra are Mumbai and Thane, which are technically metro cities only, so I am not considering them as Konkan).

So, here is the best of Konkan as per my experience.

Dapoli

Dapoli falls in the Ratnagiri district and is gaining a lot of attention primarily due to two reasons. One, better infrastructure development; two, it is quite a favourite place in many Marathi serials.

The place is a perfect combination to experience rural life with all the modern facilities available. There are many resorts and homestay options available for your stay here. But booking an entire farmhouse/bungalow is gaining a lot of popularity to stay among travellers. It is pretty economical if you are 2-3 families staying together instead of staying in a resort for a couple of nights.

Even I booked a bungalow for my 3-night stay during my visit. It had 3 bedrooms and a huge lawn which had a swing and sitting arrangement to enjoy tea and snacks. We also had a bonfire arranged every night during our stay.

Not only was the stay more pocket friendly, but also, we could do whatever we wanted.

Here’s a link to the place in case you want to check where we stayed.

It is a perfect destination to stay in Dapoli due to its proximity to many other Konkan places. You can stay here and visit nearby places, which only take 2-3 hours.

There is a ferry ride that takes you to Harihareshwar (Vagoli port) and Guhaghar (Dabhol port), including your vehicle. The ferry ride takes only 5-10 mins but saves a lot of time.

Other than that, you can also visit Cashew factories. I was so eager to visit the factory that I had been blabbing for 2 days to visit this place.

And it was worth visiting, at least for me. Seeing the process. Seeing the entire process of cashew deshelling to packaging was so satisfying.

Murud

Murud is famous for its beautiful beach and black sand. You can take long walks, enjoy the sunset/sunrise, laze around on the sand, simply go for a swim, or do activities like camel rides or water scooters.

We went here early in the morning and had morning tea on the beach. It was so refreshing standing under the sunlight, with waves under your feet and a cup of tea in your hand. What a feeling…amazing.

Murud is very close to Dapoli, which is why many people prefer to stay in Dapoli and visit Murud beach.

Guhaghar

Guhaghar is famous for Durga Devi Temple and the beach. It falls in the Ratnagiri district.

The beach here is one of the most stunning beaches in Konkan I have ever seen. Long beaches, silky white sand, and homestay are a perfect blend of beauty, serenity, and rural lifestyle.

There is a mess in Durga temple where you can eat. However, you will have to tell them in advance for them to make arrangements. The food is quite simple and gives a feeling of homemade food.

You can also stay here but need to book in advance. The place is simple to stay in, unlike other hotels or resorts.

 And the temple is peaceful. You feel so good after visiting the temple. Luckily, we were the only people in the temple when we visited. Else it is usually full of people, especially during festivities.  

Ganpatipule

Ganpatipule is in the Ratnagiri district, and the town is extremely popular due to the Ganpati temple.

Konkan places have two things in common: a temple of some deity and a beautiful beach.

The Ganpatipule beach here is one of the best beaches I have ever visited. You feel like sitting for hours on the beach.

The best place to stay in here is the MTDC resort, which is right on the beach and temple. The location of this resort is one of the best you can have. You can also take ayurvedic Spas and body massages inside the resort.

It is one of the amazing gateways from your busy life.

Harihareshwar

I have been travelling to this place almost every year since my marriage (except during covid years).

The place is situated in the Raigarh district and is quite serene and peaceful. The Harihareshwar temple, which is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the major reasons many people visit this place. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful beach. After seeking Lord Shiva’s blessing, you can enjoy your time at the beach.

There are many homestays and resorts available where you can stay. Most of them are situated on the beach side, which makes you feel like you are on a private beach.

The homemade food here is extremely good for authentic Konkani food. But you need to tell them at least a couple of hours before lunch/dinner time. Otherwise, there are regular restaurants/hotels where you can just walk in and eat.

I have stayed in both homestays and resorts and found both options to be really good. Though, staying in resorts is a bit more expensive than homestays.

It is an amazing destination for a weekend gateway.

Shrivardhan

Shrivardhan falls in the Raigarh district of the Konkan belt and has great historical importance due to its strategic location.

The beach of Shrivardhan is quite beautiful. Here also, many homestays and resorts are available for spending weekends/short breaks at economical prices.

It is also famous for many temples like Shri Laxmi Narayan, Somjai, etc, to name a few.

Enjoy the Konkani cuisine, watch the sunset at the beach, and have a fun time with your family and friends here.

Diveaghar

Diveaghar comes under the Raigarh district. It is famous for Suvarna Ganesh Temple, for the gold idol of Lord Ganesha. However, the original statue was stolen a few years back.

The beach here is untouched and can be seen in its purest form.  You can also do water sports like parasailing, boating, and horsecart riding here.  

It is also popular due to its proximity to both Hariharashwar and Shrivardhan.  

You can stay at homestays or resorts available at an economical cost during your stay.

Alibaug

Alibaug is a small coastal Konkan town in the Raigarh district. It is a popular weekend gateway from Mumbai due to its proximity. You can also take a ferry from Mumbai to reach here.

Alibaug beach, Kolaba fort, and Nagaon beach are popular attraction points here.

I visited here a few years back and was pretty excited to see what exactly is there in Alibaug and why the saying “Alibaug se aaya hai kya” is famous. I still do not have the answer, but it is a satisfying feeling to say, “haan aaye hai.”

Tips:

• You can visit Konkan every weekend/short trip to refresh yourself if you stay in nearby cities like Mumbai or Pune.
• There are so many small towns/villages in Konkan where you can relax.
• Book in advance if you want to have authentic homemade Konkani food (else you will have to eat in regular restaurants only)