About Ratnagiri

Country: India | State: Maharashtra

Ideal Trip Duration: 2 Full Days

Nearest City to Ratnagiri: Mumbai (350 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Ratnagiri: October to February

Peak Season: December to January

At a distance of 24 km from Ganpatipule, 134 km from Kolhapur, 196 km from Satara, 198 km from Mahabaleshwar, 308 km from Pune, and 350 km from Mumbai, Ratnagiri is a port city and the headquarters of Ratnagiri district. Situated on the Arabian Sea coast, it is one of the popular destinations for beaches in Maharashtra. Ratnagiri can be visited as part of Mahabaleshwar packages.

Surrounded by beautiful hills of Sahyadri ranges, Ratnagiri is amongst the top Maharashtra places to visit. Ratnagiri was once the administrative capital of Bijapur rulers. It came under the control of Satara kings in 1731 CE, but later the British Empire took over in 1818 CE. A fort was built during the Bijapur dynasty and strengthened in 1670 CE by the Maratha king Shivaji, which is located on a headland near the harbor. Ratnagiri is one of the important ports on the Konkan coast.

Ratnagiri district offers the most diverse attractions for tourists in the form of the most beautiful beaches, historical monuments, and serene temples that can be visited as part of Ratnagiri tour packages. However, the beaches in Ratnagiri dominate all other tourist attractions. Mandvi Beach is the most popular beach in Ratnagiri. Pawas Beach, Ganeshghule Beach, Bhatye Beach, and Ganpatipule Beach are the other famous beaches in and around Ratnagiri. Ratnagiri can be visited along with Konkan tour packages.

Apart from the beaches, there are other tourist places in Ratnagiri like Ratnadurg Fort, Thibaw Palace, Gateway of Ratnagiri, Swayambhu Ganapati Temple, Vijaydurg Fort & Beach, and Jaigad Fort & Lighthouse. Ratnagiri is also the birthplace of the great freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak. Ali Museum in Ratnagiri is an ancestral house of Lokmanya Tilak and the house contains pictures of the great freedom fighter. Sri Devi Bhagwati Mandir is one of the ancient temples of the place and is known for its architecture. Ratnagiri is home to Alphonso mango - known as the King of Indian mangoes.

Mumbai Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 346 km from Ratnagiri. Ratnagiri Railway Station is the nearest railhead which is about 7 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand. Ratnagiri has train connectivity with Mumbai, Goa, Patna, Pune, Kochi, Trivandrum, Delhi, Mangalore, Tirunelveli, Bikaner, Amritsar, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Kochuveli, Porbandar, Ajmer, Coimbatore, and Madgaon. Ratnagiri is well connected by bus with Ganpatipule, Mumbai, Pune, Satara, Raigad and Kolhapur.

There are several hotels and resorts in Ratnagiri which provide a comfortable stay.

The best time to visit Ratnagiri is from October to February while the peak season is from November to January.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Average
STD Code: 02352
Languages Spoken: Marathi, Hindi, Konkani and English
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Ratnagiri

By Air

Nearest Airport: Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (348 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Ratnagiri (7.5 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Ratnagiri Bus Stand (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

Beach

#1 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 3 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Bhatye Beach is a marvelous beach situated at Bhatye in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Situated along the Konkan coast, it is one of the popular beaches that can be visited as part of Ratnagiri packages.

Bhatye Beach is a wonderful beach in the background of the jagged Sahyadri mountain ranges provides a panoramic view of the surroundings. The length of the beach is approximately 1.5 km and is very flat and straight. Bhatye Beach and Mandvi Beach are next to each other separated by a creek. One can enjoy nature at its best here. With the bluish water, a vast expansion of silvery sands, and the clean environs sprinkled with casuarina trees, Bhatye Beach is one of the best tourist places in Ratnagiri to admire the mesmerizing sunset.

The Ratnagiri Lighthouse and the famous Mandavi Beach .....

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Beach

#2 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

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. .....

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Museum

#3 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

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, .....

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Heritage

#4 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

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 .....

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Heritage

#5 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

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 .....

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Pilgrimage | Beach

#6 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 21 km from Ratnagiri, Ganeshgule Beach is a beautiful beach situated at Ganeshgule village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. It is one of the most serene Maharashtra beaches, and among the top places to visit in Ratnagiri.

Ganeshghule Beach is popular among nature lovers and is known for its clear sunset view. The beach is 1.5 km long and is flanked by mountains on both sides. The rocky, white sandy terrain and clear emerald sea of the secluded Ganeshghule Beach is an idyllic holiday retreat for many travellers who visit the beach as of Ratnagiri packages.

Ganeshgule Beach is considered a perfect place for those who want to relax and spend peaceful moments. Swimming and sunbathing are the favorite activities at the beach. This beach also has many water sport activities .....

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Nature

#7 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 84 km from Ganpatipule, 90 km from Ratnagiri, 107 km from Mahabaleshwar, 125 km from Satara, 163 km from Kolhapur, 238 km from Pune, 259 km from Mumbai, and 303 km from Panjim, Chiplun is a town in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Bang on the Mumbai-Goa highway, it is one of the popular Maharashtra tourist places, and among the prominent places to visit near Kolhapur.

Situated between the Western Ghats, and the Arabian Sea, Chiplun has stunning natural beauty, which includes lush greenery and stunning waterfalls. Chiplun means 'The abode of Lord Parashurama', got its name because of the famous temple it houses. Lies near the source of the Vashishti river, Chiplun is also an industrial town and happens to be one of the must include places in Konkan Tour.

Chiplun was believed to be the first home of the Konkanasth or Chitpavan Brahmans. .....

Distance (From Ratnagiri): 90 Kms
Trip Duration (From Ratnagiri - Including Travel): 1-2 Days
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Pilgrimage | City

#8 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 48 km from Sangli, 113 km from Belgaum, 125 km from Satara, 188 km from Mahabaleshwar, 209 km from Panjim, 210 km from Hubli, 237 km from Pune, 250 km from Solapur, 388 km from Mumbai, 452 km from Nashik, 584 km from Hyderabad, and 609 km from Bangalore, Kolhapur is a city and the district headquarters of Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places of temple towns in India , and among the most famous places to visit in Maharashtra.

Situated on the banks of the Panchganga River, Kolhapur is a beautiful city famed for its religious and historical sites. The ancient city finds its mention in the holy Devi Bhagavata Purana as a place of Kollamma worship. The town derives its name from a mythological story of Kolhasur - a demon who was slain by Goddess Mahalakshmi. The famous Mahalakshmi Temple is situated here in honor of Goddess Mahalakshmi, .....

Distance (From Ratnagiri): 133 Kms
Trip Duration (From Ratnagiri - Including Travel): Full Day
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Pilgrimage

#9 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 6 km from Ganeshgule and 17 km from Ratnagiri, Pawas is a quaint village situated in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Pawas is an important pilgrim center owing to Sri Swami Swarupanand Samadhi Mandir which is visited by thousands of devotees every year.

Pawas is a serene place known for its natural beauty. Pawas came into the limelight after it was chosen by Swami Swaroopanad for his ashram. The Samadhi Mandir was constructed in the memory of Sri Swami Swarupanand who took Samadhi here on 15th August 1974. Swami was born on December 15, 1903 at Pawas to the couple Vishnupant and Rakhmabai Godbole. His original name was Ramchandra, but he came to be affectionately addressed as Bhau or Appa. At the age of 20, Swami took initiation from Sadguru Babamaharaj Vaidya of Pune and from that onwards he had begun his spiritual journey. Returning to Pawas, he undertook religious austerity and focused his mind on a deep study of Dnyaneshwari, Bhagvad Geeta and Dasbodh. Swami .....

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Beach

#10 of 20 Places to Visit in Ratnagiri

At a distance of 30 km from Vijaydurg Fort and 101 km from Ratnagiri, Devgad Beach is a serene beach situated in Devgad town of Sindhudurg district.

Devgad is located on the Arabian Sea coast in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The Devgad Beach is a popular picnic spot and lies just 1 km away from Devgad Bus Stand. The beach is sandwiched between the two small hills and there are some windmills located on a cliff on one end. The greenery on the beach side is marvelous. Activities like swimming and sunbathing can be enjoyed at this beach.

Devgad Beach is a very clean, nice and relaxing beach. It has an ancient temple on its shores. Close to the Devgad Beach is the famous Devgad Fort. The beach also has a big harbor and a lighthouse. From the top of the lighthouse, one can enjoy the view of the passing by ships. Devgad is globally famous for its delicious saffron colored Alphonso Mangoes.

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