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A little-developed shoreline running south from Mumbai all the way to Goa, this picturesque strip of coast is peppered with picture-postcard beaches, fishing villages and magnificent ruined forts. Travelling through this tropical backwater can be sheer bliss, whether you're off to dabble in the sands with Mumbaikars in Ganpatipule, visiting the stunning Janjira Fort at Murud-Janjira or heading into the blue at Malvan, the last beach town of significance before the sands give way to Goa.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Konkan Coast.
Fort
The commanding, brooding fortress of Janjira, built on an island 500m offshore, is the most magnificent of the string of forts that line the Konkan coastline. This citadel was completed in 1571 by the Siddis, descendants of slaves from the Horn of Africa, and was the capital of a princely state.
Fort
This enthralling hilltop fort served as Shivaji’s capital from 1648 until his death in 1680. The fort was later sacked by the British and some colonial structures added, but monuments such as the royal court, plinths of royal chambers, the main marketplace and Shivaji’s tomb still remain – it’s worth an excursion.
Fort
Built by Shivaji and dating from 1664, this monstrous fort lies on an offshore island and can be reached by frequent ferries (adult/child ₹90/50, 8am to 5.30pm), which depart with a minimum 20 people from Malvan’s harbour. It’s not as impressive as Janjira up the coast, and today lies mostly in ruins, but it remains a powerful presence. You can explore its ramparts and the coastal views are impressive. Boat operators allow you one hour on the island.
Beach
A golden arc south of Malvan, this crescent-shaped sandy beach is a vision of tropical India, fringed by coconut palms and casuarina trees, plus the odd cow and camel. At dusk (between October and February) fisherfolk work together to haul in huge, kilometre-long nets that are impressively packed with thousands of bangda (mackerel), tarli (sardines), pomfret and/or zinga (prawns).
Palace
There’s little to see and do in Ratnagiri apart from viewing the remnants of Thibaw Palace, where the last Burmese king, Thibaw, was interned under the British from 1886 until his death in 1916. The three-storey, sloping-roofed structure features notable semicircular wooden windows with beautiful carvings. Come late in the afternoon if you can – the sunsets over Someshwar Creek and the Arabian Sea beyond are epic.
Hindu Temple
This seaside Ganesh temple houses a monolithic Ganesh (painted a lurid reddish-orange), supposedly discovered 1600 years ago.