Nature meets history, meets religion in the beautiful Maharashtrian district of Ratnagiri. Lined with sandy white beaches that embrace the deep blues of the Arabian Sea, it’s no wonder than Ratnagiri is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state. From black soil beaches and sandy white beaches to ancient red brick temples and imposing forts, Ratnagiri has enough to keep you occupied and mesmerized for days.
Though the region has been occupied by many rulers over the centuries, Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Marathas undoubtedly had the strongest influence here. The region also has importance in international history, a fact that most tourists are not well aware of. It was in Ratnagiri that the king and queen of Myanmar stayed during their exile in 1911-1916, making the palace in which they resided a popular tourist spot.
The biggest draw of Ratnagiri however is its glorious coastline. With its coastline stretching out for mile after mile, Ratnagiri is blessed with an abundance of beaches, some popular tourist destinations, others less known and therefore even more coveted. Spend a weekend, a week, or a month here and you will still need to make plans for a return trip as you leave.
In recent years, scores of people drive down to Ratnagiri, especially from other parts of Maharashtra and neighboring Karnataka for the weekend. Despite the increase in popularity, beaches like Ganpatipule and Dapoli remain serene, clean and almost untouched. That is the beauty of Ratnagiri. Plan your trip with adequate time to visit the various beaches in Ratnagiri. Try and make friends with a local or travel with someone who is familiar with the area to discover the little hidden gems.
A number of ancient structures and temples are spread out over the region, and these promise to add some excitement and intrigue to your exploration. Make a trip to the erstwhile Myanmar royal Thiba Palace, which still houses the tombs of the king and queen of Myanmar.
Jaigad and Ratnadurg are two grand forts built in the 17th century that served its rulers well, and today, offer spectacular sea views of the coast.
Nature has been more than benevolent here, and the waterfalls of Nivali and Lajuli stand as testimony to this. Pack a picnic and head there for the day with your family and friends.
If you’re in search of places of religious importance, then take your pick from the numerous mosques and temples that dot the region of Ratnagiri. The Swayambhu Ganpati Temple and the Babar Sheikh Peer are good places to start.
Ratnagiri is best experienced in your own vehicle. If you’re driving down from a nearby city or state, take your car to visit the various beaches and tourist spots. Buses and auto-rickshaws are available mostly from near the railway station, which is a bit far from the main tourist areas.
On a daily basis there are approximately 103 flights that operate at Goa International Airport.IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Ratnagiri through train.Ratnagiriis one of the most popular train stations in Ratnagiri.On an average about 100+ trains pass through Ratnagiri on a daily basis.Mumbai to Ratnagiri, Chiplun to Ratnagiri, Goa to Ratnagiriare some of the most popular routes to Ratnagiri with 140, 123, 104 trains weekly respectively.
By road Ratnagiri is surrounded by Beed, Karad, Kolhapur which are 60.19 km, 63.22 km, 65.56 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Ratnagiri has a total of 10 hotels.There are 10 hotels in Ratnagiri with the popular ones being Ratnasagar Beach Resort, Kohinoor Samudra Resort, Tranquillity Beach Resort etc.
'One of the lesser-known hence cleanest beaches in the region, Guhagar Beach has recently found its way onto the tourism maps of Ratnagiri. The beach is fairly safe to swim at, though you should ch...
Know More →'Clean, white sand and clear blue waters welcome you as you step on to the well-known Ganpatipule beach, along the Konkan coast of Ratnagiri. Named after the elephant God, Ganpati, Ganpatipule is s...
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