Alibag or Alibaug is a coastal town and a municipal council in Raigad District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is headquarters of the Raigad district. It's best known for its historic marine forts, fine beaches and clean water. It The town and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterland of Bene Israeli Jews. There is a Synagogue in the "Israel Ali" area of the town.
How to get there by Air
The closest International Airport is Mumbai. Alibag is 108 km from Mumbai by road, a journey of 3 hours via Navi Mumbai.
How to get there by Rail
Konkan Railway trains from CST Mumbai stop at Pen, 28 km from Alibag, from where you can take a bus, autorickshaw or taxi.
How to get there by Bus
Alibag is 108 km from Mumbai by road, a journey of 3 hours via Navi Mumbai. The quickest way to get there however would be to catch a ferry from Gateway Of India.
Best time to Visit
Almost any time of the year is a good time to visit if you don''t mind the hot weather in the summer months. The monsoon months should be avoided as getting around may be seriously compromised because of heavy rainfall.
History:
Alibag was developed in 17th Century by Sarkhel Kanhoji Aangre the naval chief of King Shivaji's Kingdom. Alibag is costal town and municipal council in Raigad district in Kokan region of Maharashtra, India. It is headquarter of the Raigad district. Raigad's first name was "Kulaba". Today's Ramnath was the main village at that time. There were gardens of Ali who is rich man so the area is known as Alibag. Ali have lot of Mango Tree, Coconut Tree in the gardens so local people are called to the place name is alichi bag(Gardens)and formally and officially speaks the Name Alibag.
List Of Beaches:
- Alibag beach: This is the main beach of the town.
- THAL beach: Isolated Beach 5 Kms from Alibag.
- Varsoli Beach:Located about a mile from the main beach, home to a very large naval base.
- Akshi Beach: It is situated 8 km away from Alibag.
- Nagaon beach: It is situated about 10 km away from Alibag and is famous for coconuts and betel nuts.
- Kihim-Navgaon Beach: Kihim is a secluded place at a distance of 12 km from Alibag. The Kihim beach is famous for dense cover of Coconut trees. It is also famous[citation needed] for woods which are home to rare butterflies, birds and flowers.
- Awas: It is situated about 16 km away from Alibag.
- Saswane: It is situated about 18 km away from Alibag.
- Rewas: It is situated about 24 km away from Alibag.
- Chaul Revdanda: It is situated about 17 km away from Alibag.
- Mandawa: It is situated about 20 km north of Alibag. The catamaran/ferry services are available from Mumbai to the Mandawa jetty. Many Bollywood celebrities own bungalows here.
- Kashid Beach: It is 36 km away from Alibag, on the Alibag-Murud highway, also this beach is possibly one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the region with almost 'white' sand.[citation needed]
- Korlai Beach: A quiet serene beach with alternate white and black sands, along a serene stretch of the Arabian coastine, adjacent to a village of Korlai Creole Portuguese speaking Indians.
Other attractions.
- Kolaba (or Kulaba) fort : Is situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2 km from the Alibag shores. During low tide one can walk to the fort.
- Kanakeshwar temple: Is situated on a hill near Mapgaon village, about 12 km away from Alibag and falls on the way to Mandawa.
- Kankneshwar Temple
- Tower of St. Barbara.
- Chaul: Is a historic town situated about 15 km away from Alibag. It is famous for its Portuguese ruins, an old church, a synagogue, Buddhist caves, the Hamam Khana and a temple.
- Vikram Vinayak Temple or Birla Temple, Salav: Is situated about 20 km away from Alibag. On the way to Janjira, Take the right fork to reach the Vikram Ispat industry. Going a bit ahead will lead you to the temple.
- Sagargarh
- Kanhoji Angre Samadhi
- Uma-Maheshwar temple
- Balaji temple
- Murud-Janjira: Janjira is the legendary fort situated not very far from Alibag.
- Datta Mandir: situated at bhowale,2 km away from chaul.
- Hingulja Mandir: Situated near datta mandir,historic temple built by pandwas.
- Magnetic Observatory: Established in 1904 by the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism.
- Korlai Fort & Korlai Creole Portuguese of Korlai village: Situated between Chaul and Kashid, a unique village of Indians born of Indo-Portuguese ancestors, speaking a unique creole of Portuguese and a fort lost in the sands of history.
