Ratnagiri lies on the west coast of Maharashtra in the Konkan region. The Sahyadri hills are in the East and the Arabian Sea in the west. The Ratnagiri town is a part of the district with the same name. The historically important Ratnadurg fort was built by the rulers of the Bijapur dynasty and fortified by Shivaji. The town has a palace (Thibaw Palace) where the king of Burma-Thibaw and later on Indian freedom fighter Veer Sawarkar were confined. Ratnagiri is famous for its golden Alphonso mangoes and other products like coconuts, rice and cashew nuts.
Best For:
Endless Mango orchards
Waterfronts in different forms like beach, river and estuary
Birthplaces of eminent personalities and the beautiful temples nearby.
Ratnagiri has a warm and humid climate. In summer (from March to May), the temperature rises up to 38°C and drops to 10°C in winter (October to February). The best time to visit this place is October to February. It is advisable to carry loads of sun block, hats, swim wear and cotton clothes to Ratnagari to enjoy the beach.
No permit is required to travel to Ratnagiri. Just a visa to India is all what is needed.
Ratnagiri can be accessed from Mumbai or Pune. A Kokan Railway train from Mumbai connects to Ratnagiri. By road, overnight buses of MTDC connect Mumbai to Ratnagiri. Ratnagiri is 365 km from Pune by road. Another option is to travel by the luxury heritage train Deccan Odyssey which covers Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule, Pune, Aurangabad and Nashik.
Major Airports: Ratnagiri has an airport. But as no good airlines operate flights to this place, Mumbai is a better option. Mumbai Airport is 356 km from Ratnagiri. It is a major international airport with flights coming from all over the world.
Konkani and Maharshtrian food is available in Ratnagiri. It is famous for sea food like crabs, fish, shrimps etc. Kokam sherbet and Kokam kadhi (also known as Solkadhi) are must haves. Coconut water is available in plenty here. There are small restaurants called “khanavals” which serve authentic regional cuisine. If you visit Ratnagiri during the Mango season (March to May), make sure to taste the juiciest Alphonso mangoes grown here. Ambapoli made from mango pulp is tasty and lasts even when the mango season is over.
The best place to eat in Ratnagiri is Amantran offering authentic Konkani food (especially Seafood), Solkadhi, efficient service and very reasonable prices. The restaurant is off the main road, opposite to Thibaw Palace Road.
Where To Stay :
Kohinoor Samudra Beach Resort is a beautiful resort on a cliff overlooking the sea. It has a multi cuisine restaurant and a bar. River view Resort is another good hotel. Other hotels include Hotel Landmark, Hotel SaiKrupa, Hotel Vihar and Hotel Alpha.
