10 Things to do at Ratnagiri

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Ratnagiri is a port town in Maharashtra, western India. Overlooking the Arabian Sea, Ratnadurg Fort has the Bhagwati temple and a lighthouse. Northeast, a fish museum and aquarium includes turtles and a whale skeleton. Thibaw Palace was the residence of the exiled king of Burma. North of the city, Ganpatipule Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Northeast, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary is a forested area sheltering tigers.

Bhatye beach

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Bhatye beach is a beautiful beach located Bhatye area of the Ratnagiri district. This beach is located 3 km from the Ratnagiri Bus Stand. This beach falls under the Kokan coast of Maharashtra and is one of the major places to visit in Ratnagiri. This beach is one of the most reputed beaches of the Konkan coastline. The length of this beach is 1.5 km and unlike other beaches, this one has a straight and flat coastline. The beach is famous for its panoramic views of the Sahyadri mountain ranges in the background. The unique feature of this beach is the creek which separates the Mandvi beach from the Bhaye Beach.

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Mandavi Beach

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Mandavi Beach is next to the Bhatye beach and is only 2 km away from the Ratnagiri Bus Stand. This beach is located along the Konkan coastline. This beach is in the heart of the Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. This beach is one of the most happening and crowded places in Ratnagiri. The famous Rajiwanda Port is located at the end of this Beach. Mandavi Beach offers a beautiful and smooth beach where one can come and unwind. The Arabian Sea is on the south of the beach and on the west of the beach is the Ratnadurg Fort. The unique feature of this beach is that it has black sand and hence is referred to as the Black Sea. This beach has a bastion at the entrance and hence it is called the gateway to Ratnagiri.

Marine Aquarium & Museum

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Located on the Ratnagiri – Bhagwati Mandir Road, the Marine Aquarium & Museum is one of the major attractions of Ratnagiri Town. This museum is located next to Mandavi Beach. In 1985, this beautiful Marine Museum was created by the Marine Biological Research Station of Ratnagiri. This museum cum aquarium shelters some of the rare species of marine animals. These specimens are Lionfish, Sea turtles, Triggerfish, Lobsters, Sea horse fish, Sea cucumbers, sea snakes, Eels, Starfish, and many more.The museum also hosts an enormous structure of wall skeleton which measure up to 55 feet in length and 5000 kg in weight. This massive structure awes everyone whoever visits this museum. Since people love coming to this museum and it has become one of the most demanded tourist places in Ratnagiri, the museum has recently made a new section based on freshwater aquariums. This section has plenty of freshwater fish and plants. Few freshwater specimens which are displayed in this section are crabs, shrimps, aquatic plants, barbs, turtles, Cichlids, prawns, etc. Timing: 10 AM to 5 PM every day. Entry Fee: Rs. 3 for kids and Rs. 5 for adults.

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Thiba Palace

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Thiba Palace is one of the major tourist attractions in Ratnagiri. This is a historical building which is situated 2 Km from the Ratnagiri Bus Stand on a small hill. This building has an interesting history attached to it. King Thibaw of Myanmar (Burma) was sent to exile in Ratnagiri by the British in the early 1900s. For this, the British built this house in 1910, where the King could be kept under house arrest. This palace was used by the King until his death from 1910 to 1916. This historic building has 3 stories and has a sloping roof. The palace is equipped with windows which are semi-circular in shape and has carvings on it. These windows are the primary reason why tourists come to visit this place. On the first floor of the palace, there is a dancing hall with marble flooring. On the back of the palace, there is a statue of Lord Buddha which was bought by King Thibaw himself. The palace is renovated on a regular basis and is maintained by ASI. The palace also has a museum which displays all the artifacts and items used by king Thibaw.Near the palace is a viewpoint called the Thiba Point. From this viewpoint, you can see the beautiful Bhatye Bridge, Someshwar creek and the majestic Arabian Sea. If you visit this viewpoint during the sunset, then you can surely witness complete bliss and serenity. Timings: The palace is opened to tourists from 9 am to 6 PM

Ratnadurg Fort

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The Ratnadurg Fort is located on the coastline of the mighty Arabian Sea. This fort is 4 km from the Ratnagiri bus stand is one of the major tourist attractions in this place. This fort is also one of the most famous forts in Maharashtra as well. Built in the 16th century, the fort was one of the monuments built by Bahamani Sultans. In 1670 AD, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Adilshah captured the fort. It was controlled by Kanhoji Angre and was later presented to the Peshwas. At the end in 1818 AD, the British seized this fort from the Peshwas. The Fort is uniquely built with several bastions and tunnels. There is a tunnel which connects the lower and upper parts of the fort. There are many bastions which known as Khamakya Rede, Markya, Ganesh, Vagha, Baskya and Vetal. The fort symbolizes strength as it was built in such a way that it can withstand the force of the waves of the Arabian Sea. Till today the walls are still intact, thereby, showing how strong the design of the fort is. The fort is also called Bhagawati Fort because of the presence of a Bhagawati Goddess’s idol inside it. Every year devotees celebrate the festival of Navaratri at the temple situated in the fort. The fort is also home to temples of Ganesh and Hanuman.

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Jaigad Fort

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Jaigad Fort, also known as the Fort of Victory, is a 16th-century fort. The remains of the fort stand steady on a cliff overlooking the Jaigad creek where River Shastri enters the vast and mesmerising Arabian Sea. The stunning fort is one of the most famous places to visit in Ratnagiri.

Swayambhu Ganpati Temple

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A 400-year-old Ganesha temple, Swayambhu is built of pule which is nothing but white sand and is believed to be a self-created monolith of Lord Ganesha, allegedly discovered 1600 years ago.

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Jaigad Lighthouse

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The Jaigad Lighthouse is situated in one of the bastion on the western edge of the Jaigad Fort. This impressive lighthouse offers breathtaking panoramic view of the area as it is situated on top of a hill.

Ganapatipule Beach

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A clean rocky beach with fine silvery white sand, the Ganapatipule beach, is also known for the lagoon it houses. If you're the adventurous kinds, you can try your hands at balancing a kayak.

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Thibaw point

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Situated at the hem of the hill, the Thibaw point has a Thibaw palace built as the exile of the king of Burma(Myanmar). It provides a picturesque view of the sunset at Arabian sea and is a centre of attraction for picnickers.

Accommodation At StayApart, Ratnagiri

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Ratnagiri, Maharashtra

Hemprabha B&B Homestay

IHemprabha B&B Homestay is a cozy and comfortable accommodation located in the beautiful city of Ratnagiri, in the state of Maharashtra, India. The homestay is situated in a peaceful and serene location, surrounded by lush greenery, and offers guests a chance to relax and unwind amidst nature.

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