RATNAGIRI - GANPATIPULE (FROM PUNE)

At a distance of 2 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Thibaw Palace is a historical building situated on a small hillock in Ratnagiri Town of Maharashtra. This is one of the major tourist attractions of Ratnagiri.

Thiba Palace is an architectural grandeur that was created for King Thibaw of Myanmar (Burma) who was in exile here. It is said that the Palace was built by the British in 1910 to keep the king of Burma under house arrest. The palace came into use from 1910 up to the king's death on 16th December 1916.

The palace is a beautifully constructed three storied structure with sloping roofs. Semi-circular wooden windows with beautiful carvings are the main attraction of this structure. There is a dancing hall with marble floor on the first floor. One Buddha idol is installed at the back side of the palace. This idol was brought to India by king Thibaw. Presently the palace is maintained by ASI and it is currently under renovation. There is also a museum in the palace which displays .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Marine Aquarium and Museum is located on Ratnagiri - Bhagwati Mandir Road next to Mandavi Beach in Ratnagiri Town.

The Marine Museum was established in 1985 by the Marine Biological Research Station of Ratnagiri. The Marine museum has some rare and beautiful specimens like Sea horse fish, Lion fish, Trigger fish, Sea turtles, Eels, Sea cucumbers, Star fish, Lobsters, sea snakes and many more. This museum also possess well mounted precious and age-old skeleton of Whale. The original length of the whale being 55 feet long and 5000 Kg in weight is strongly appreciated by everyone who visits this station.

Taking into consideration the growing demand of general public about aquarium, a beautifully arranged and well decorated separate freshwater aquarium section has been recently developed. In this section, along with beautiful and fancy colour fishes, one can also observe locally available freshwater aquatic species like prawns, .....

At a distance of 4 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Ratnadurg Fort is a historical fort situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Ratnagiri. It is one of the popular forts in Maharashtra, and among the top Ratnagiri places to visit.

The fort of Ratnadurg was constructed during the rule of Bahamani Sultans. It was captured by Adilshah and then Chhatrapati Shivaji conquered the fort in the year 1670 AD. Later, the fort was controlled by Kanhoji Angre, and later handed over to Peshwas. The British captured the fort from the Peshwas in the year 1818 AD. It is among the must-visit places during your Ratnagiri trip.

Spread over a vast area of 120 acres, Ratnadurg Fort was once a stronghold of the Maratha Empire. The fort was used as a watchpoint for keeping vigil on the pirates. Ratnadurg Fort is .....

At a distance of 2 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Mandavi Beach is located in the vicinity of Ratnagiri Town of Maharashtra. This is one of the most crowded beaches in Ratnagiri region.

Mandavi Beach is blessed with beautiful seashore, which extends right up to Rajiwanda Port. This fabulous beach is surrounded by Ratnadurg Fort in the west and the majestic Arabian Sea to the south. The beach is known for its black sand and hence, the beach is often referred to as Black Sea. This beach is also known as Gateway to Ratnagiri, owing to the presence of the bastion situated at the head of the bay.

Mandavi Beach is one of the busiest beaches in Maharashtra, as it is popular among water sports enthusiasts. Mandavi Beach although appears a little unattractive because of the black sand, compared to other beaches, yet it is the most sought after picnic spot in Ratnagiri.

Mandavi also has the Ratnagiri Jetty along with Gateway of Ratnagiri, which is a place for evening hang out. .....

At a distance of 9 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand and 14 km from Ratnagiri, Aare Ware Beach is a beautiful secluded beach situated near Nevare village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. This is one of the best beaches on the Konkan coast and also one of the famous places to visit in Ganpatipule.

Actually, Aare and Ware are two beaches with clean blue water and are a delight to watch. Aare Beach is one of the lesser-known beaches of the Ratnagiri district. This is a very long beach having a length of approximately 3 km and is mostly an untouched beach. A beautiful and dense plantation of Suru dotted the seashore. This quite long beach is an isolated one covered with smooth sand and offers a breathtaking view of the sunset. The beach is still unspoiled and virgin, making it one of the best place for travelers seeking sheer solitude and tranquility as part of Ganpatipule tour packages.

Aare .....

At a distance of 3.5 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand, Bhandarpule is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Konkan coast in Maharashtra.

Bhandarpule Beach is nestled amidst two hillocks is the tranquil shore of Bhandarpule. The beach is stretches for 2 km and the seaside at Bhandarpule is lined with suru trees. The brilliant bluish green hue of the sea is marvelous.

The beach at Bhandarpule is secluded and less crowded than Ganpatipule. However the sea here is rough and not advisable for swimming. One can get a beautiful view of Ganpatipule Beach and Bhandarpule Beach from the top of the hill before descending to Bhandarpule. There are no activities at the beach and is an ideal place for people seeking solitude.

At a distance of 1 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand, Swayambhu Ganapati Temple is an ancient temple situated on Ganpatipule Beach in Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule and also one of the popular Ganesh temples in Maharashtra.

The Ganpati Temple is about 400 years old and is the prime attraction in Ganpatipule packages that draws thousands of pilgrims every year to seek blessings of the Lord. According to one legend, after being insulted by a local lady, Lord Ganapati moved to Pule from his original abode of Gule. Thus the place was named as Ganpati-Pule.

The idol of Ganesha is believed to be a monolith which is self-created and discovered over 1600 years ago. The other idol of Lord Ganapati is made of copper and placed in the sanctum sanctorum. This copper .....

At a distance of 1 km from Ganpati Pule Bus Stand, Ganpatipule Beach is a spectacular paradise along the Konkan coast in Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule and also one of the popular beaches in Maharashtra.

Ganpatipule is one of the only two white sand beaches in Maharashtra, the other being Kashid Beach. It is a perfect gateway that captivates beach lovers, adventure enthusiasts, and pilgrims as part of Ganpatipule tour packages. The 6 km long beach simply looks stunning with the Ganapati Temple on the shores that offer a soothing atmosphere. With several shacks, horse riding, and camel rides, the beach has become a perfect holiday destination for visitors.

The pristine Ganpatipule Beach is the main attraction among tourists and mainly adventure enthusiasts. .....

At a distance of 600 m from Ganpatipule Bus Stand and 1 km from Ganpatipule Beach, Prachin Kokan is an open air museum situated in Ganpatipule. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule.

Spread over an area of 3 acres, the museum has several exhibits depicting the traditional Konkan way of life. The museum was constructed in 2004 by Vaibhav Sardesai who succeeded in not only providing interesting information about Konkan to the tourists but also employment opportunities for the locals. One can get the glimpses of local rural life including the local deities, the lifestyle, barter trade of the olden days, various professions of the people, etc. inside the museum.

The museum showcases the ingenuity of the Kokan with sculptures of the Maratha hero Shivaji maharaj depicting historical moments, and models of the amazing sea forts in the Kokan region. Prachin Konkan has a counter for exhibiting .....