One of the rare beaches that is almost on a mountain...surprised ? Visit Ganapatipule, the hidden paradise in north Ratnagiri district a small coastal town just 20 km in distance from the town. With a name which means, pregnant with a legend, is a small town that disconnects you from your mundane life and lets you soak in the abundant nature. You can choose between beach, cliffs, dense foliage and roads that pass through thousand shades of greenery.
Words can't describe the captivating beauty of this beach destination. For many who are travelling from Mumbai/ Pune, it is supposedly just another beach Destination like several other places on this Konkan belt but believe me to my surprise this is incomparable, a non-touristy yet great place to relax, rejuvenate and refresh yourself unlike beaches in other parts of Maharashtra.
This destination is all-in-one in literal sense - a pilgrimage trip, a celebration trip, a getaway from daily routines, an exploration of the beautiful Green Coastal Konkan with one of the widest beach in the country. Water here is crystal clear with fine white and brown soft sand and Palm fronds swaying in the wind simply greet you in the middle of the week for an idyllic getaway... Amid the backdrop of the Western Ghats and the calm waters of the Arabian sea, this place is unexplored and definitely worth exploring once.
We landed in Ganapatipule late evening after a long drive across Konkan coast. Even then, the sound of sea waves did not allow us to stay indoors. We stepped out for a stroll on the beach. Here for the first time, I realized that each beach has its own language. Birds like Kingfishers flew around looking for food. Some fishing boats were resting on the beach. We guys stayed at the MTDC resort, it’s not a luxury resort, very basic facilities but excellent location for budget travelers. The beach towards the far end of the resort is neat and clean and away from the vendors and water sports facilities, perfect setting for catching the setting of the orange sun in the evening or gazing stars deep into the night sky.
Though for people who are familiar with places around, the beaches nearby are much more cleaner, like Aare Waarey or Malgund beach but due to accessibility to Ratnagiri and places to stay I would recommend this place over others.
Magic Garden, Ganpati temple and Konkan Pracheen Museum are few places to visit in Ganapatipule for people of all ages…You will need atleast 2 hours at each of these places and hence plan your day accordingly...
For information sake, The best route is to take the route via Pune and Satara..though longer by about 2 hours than going via Mumbai Pune highway but believe me its relatively safer and very scenic. You definitely don’t want to miss the view around this belt. One more thing to remember, unfortunately, It is a single road from Ratnagiri to Ganapatipule and the roads are not lit in the night. So self-drivers and first timers drive during the sunlight is advisable. Also, the approach road to and from the beach is narrow and may get cloggy during rush season so plan things accordingly.
Next day we had an opportunity to visit the town and see the small but crowded beach right in front of the Ganpatipule temple. It was like a commercial beach with street food stalls lining the beach, with locals and tourists occupying all the benches and with people playing with the sea waves. The beach is not too wide and on a high tide day, the waves would be very close to the temple walls sometimes even enters the temple premises which is quiet a view to see.
After temple and Pracheen Museum visit we planned to walk around the town…we saw so many fishing boats parked on the banks of one such river. It was a lovely scene to soak, standing on the bridge over a river.
Here and there you meet small rivers and streams, full of water, heading towards the sea. Sea was visible on the horizon and the stream full of boats merging with it. what a sight it was…we decided on the spot that we will ride with these fishermen to spot dolphins…to our knowledge these guys go in the middle of the sea for fishing where you can feed dolphins to get some good shots. That ride was mesmerizing, I have never experienced anything like that ever..By the time we returned in the evening, the river had swollen and there was no sign of banks we saw in the morning. The colorful boats added their glamour to the muddy rain waters.
Next day we planned to visit Jaigad Fort, Just about 15 km or so north of Ganpatipule, this is one of the many forts of Shivaji in Maharashtra. This fort is located on top of a cliff that gives a strategic view of the sea. Anyone approaching the land can be seen from quite some distance and I assume dealt with. Before I could stand and admire the unusual architecture of Jaigad fort, I admired the perfect location. I also wondered about the potential threats that came from the sea route for which so many forts had to be built along the western coast of India.
Abandoned fort
Jaigad fort is in an abandoned state of existence. There is a mandatory ASI board that warns against any damage to the fort, but it itself is in need of some protection. We entered the gate through a high gate passing through the chambers meant for gatekeepers. We landed in a ground surrounded by a fort wall. The size of this fort is not too big. Many big and small structures were scattered on the ground as ruins. The monsoons had left their yearly mark of moss.
A lonely tree stood there look spooky, it gives the chills as if keeping an eye on everyone. In the center, a well like structure caught my eye. – not because it was any better, but because the colorful young leaves created an interesting pattern on its brown walls. A structure in the middle that might have been a palace or a storehouse was standing – as if to fall a bit each day.
We climbed the walls of the Jaigad fort using the steep slippery stairs. Walking carefully on the walls with raindrops falling on my head, I reached a bastion that was partially covered. The view from its open windows was breathtaking. The coast in front was a series of hills neatly placed into the sea.
The bay like formation kept the fort invisible for the seafarer but gives an unobstructed view of the sea from the bastions. At another angle, I could see the interplay of earth and water complimented by the clouds in the sky. Now, of course, there is a large industrial setup that you get to see from here. I only wish the place was maintained a bit for visitors to enjoy these vistas.
A small Ganesha temple stands in the middle with a typical Maharashtrian style Dweepstambh in front. The temple is the only living part of this fort that otherwise stands neglected. There was no security guard, no visitors and it sounded like one of those abandoned places where people meet away from the prying eyes..it was early evening when we got over viewing these touristy spots..we started moving back to our resort, It was then we saw the lovely Malgund beach and the cliffs surrounding it. Vow!!! What a view it was, just before sunset😊
Next day we planned to visit the Thiba Palace in Ratnagiri, this was built to accomodate King Thiba and his family, who were deported from Myanmar by the British in 1885. The architecture and the use of wood in construction was made to keep it as close to Burmese tradition as possible. The palace complex overlooks the Bhatye beach and Mandovi beach. The lighthouse can also be seen in the distance.
Currently, the condition of the complex is not in good shape and requires major renovation. There is a small museum at the back where old artifacts and possessions of the late King has been preserved.. Overall, Thiba Palace is currently of interest to history buffs only and does not warrant more than 15 minutes of visit.
SNAPSHOT!!
THE ROUTE AND DRIVE
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Our drive began from Thane, to Panvel via the Kalamboli junction, to Pen, to Wadkal Naka, take left at Wadkal Naka and straight through the NH-17 Mumbai Goa route. It is a wonderful drive, not to detour the NH-17 till you hit the "Niwlee" Chowk (Approx 75 Kms from Chiplun). Take the right from that Chowk and at 31 Kms from that Chowk you are at Ganpatipule. The drive is wonderful throughout till Ganpatipule, except for some busy junctions like Nagothane, Mangaon, Khed, Chiplun. One can take breaks before Khed or Chiplun where you would find some decent joints like Vithal Kamats etc.There are 3 ghat sections on the way; but are not scary at all in terms of the twists and turns. The ghats give you splendid views (most of them...Especially the one near Chiplun is awesome...). The entire stretch from Thane to Ganpatipule is around 360 Kms; just worth the drive. Memorable!
QUICK TIPS
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1. "Beach" and “Temple”: At the Beach and Temple in the early morning hours and the evening hours to watch the sunset. Overall a clean beach, nice white sand(mostly), long beach stretch. Do not forget to buy the Temple Prasad Laddoos .
2. "Pracheen Konkan" : You might also want to experience Pracheen Konkan which is about 0.5 Kms from the Beach. This is sort of a museum that takes us back to some hundred years on the lifestyles of people at that time in Konkan. Nice too!
3. "Ratnagiri": Just 22 Kms from Ganpatipule (By a route that covers coastal areas...The locals can guide you.) There is an alternate route that takes around 50 Kms; but the one via the Coastal areas is worth it.
4. "Malgund": Just about 2-3 Kms away from Ganpatipule is Malgund. It is yet another beach coast, but less explored, clean, silent and beautiful!
THE STAY AND FOOD
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Nothing but the MTDC resort.
Awesome location, decently priced, nicely managed, lovely experience. Go for it!
They have a whole day tour too for local areas and Ratnagiri which leaves at around 8 in the morning and gets you back by evening. You can try that if you have a spare day!
“Tarang” restaurant within the MTDC resort serves nice quality food. Both Vegetarian and Non-Veg too. Decently priced too. For pure vegetarians who are looking at a Veg-only restaurant, there is a nice place call “Bhau Joshi” Pure Veg Bhojnalaya which is very near to the MTDC resort, you can give a shot ..they had enough Marathi Veg dishes options.
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