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Mesmerizing Ganpatipule Beach, Temple and Prachin Konkan Museum

The local here believe that the Lord Ganesh has moved to Pule and settled there from his original place, Gule. Gule is just few miles from Pule. So, this the reason this place has got its name Ganpatipule. Still now there is temple of Lord Ganesh near the beach called as Ganapati Swayambhu Temple, which is discovered around 1600 years ago and believed that the idol is self-created.

Ganpatipule is the birthplace of the marathi poet, Keshavasuta. He was born in 1866 and there is also a monument dedicated to him and his work. The Ganpatipule beach is one of the most attractive beaches on the Konkan Coast. It is a very small town in Ratnagiri district.

Best time to Visit Ganpatipule & Weather

The best time to visit the beach is during the months of November to February on the winter season. The temperature will be ranging from 20°C to 32°C during the day. Since it is a coastal region, it experiences the tropical climate. Many special festivals like Navratri, Dusshera and Diwali are celebrated during these months. The visit on this season makes the visit auspicious. Don’t forget to get reservations in advance, as there will be more crowded.

Places To Visit Near Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri

Swayambhu Ganpati Temple (Ganpatipule temple)

Swayambhu Ganpati Temple
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It is a 4000 years old and awesome temple dedicated to lord Ganpati. Swayambu Ganpati Temple is located near the Ganpatipule beach. The name “Swayambhu” refers to the self-originated. The main idol is Lord Ganpati and it is believed by the locals that the idol is self-manifested. There will be a copper idol of Ganpati, placed in the Sanctum Sanatorium. You can see that during the sun rise, the idol absorbs the sun light and the sunlight penetrates into the idol.

You can enjoy the rhythmic beat of nagaras and chaughadas during the morning and evenings. The temple also provides annadhan facility, where one can serve food to the poor. The attractive location makes the temple, a must to visit one.

  • Entry: Free
  • Timings: 5.00 AM – 9.00 PM

Prachin Konkan Museum

Prachin Konkan Museum
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Prachin Konkan Museum is a great effort by the Government to educate the people about the Konkan culture. The guide will explain all the things related to the museum and the konkan culture. The learning experience along with the nature makes it as a beautiful attraction for the visitors. The museum is in a wide area of 3 acres and was constructed in 2004 by Vaibhav Sardesai. He is well known for providing interesting information about Konkan to the tourists and also creating employment opportunities for the local people. You can also see Nakshatra Baug, which is a garden of trees for every sun sign.

  • Entry Fee: Rs. 40 per person with guide.
  • Timings: 8.30 AM to 6 PM

Jaigad Fort

Jaigad Fort
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The Jaigad Fort was built by Bijapur Sultanate and lost it to the Naiks later. Later the control came under Shivaji and managed by Balaji Vishwanath Peshwa. In 1713, it was handed over to Kanhoji Angre and in 1818; it was captured by british after Anglo Maratha War.

It is on a cliff and it is one of the chief ports of Western Coast of India. The view from the top of the fort will be breathtaking, as you can see the junction or the meeting point of Shastri River and Arabian Sea. The fort was constructed along with another fort called Vijaygad Fort. It was built after a long struggle and a boy named Jaiba Malhar, sacrificed his life for constructing the fort. And thus the name of the fort derived the boy’s name.

Even after all the disasters, the fort’s exterior walls stand strong. If you are travelling with your family, then it is the best place to visit in Ganapatipule. It is best for family outings. The structure of the fort will be truly amazing, making the visitors stand stunned.

  • Entry: Free
  • Timings: Closes by 6 PM

Jaigad Lighthouse

Jaigad Lighthouse
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The lighthouse is at the western side of the fort on a bastion, known as Siddha Buruj and it is now managed by the government of India. You will get a good experience on visiting the top of the lighthouse.

The Jaigad Lighthouse is built in the year 1832 by British army officer John Oswald. It is 180 years old and still guides all the sailing ships between Dabhol and Ratnagiri.

  • Entry: Rs.10 per Person for adults, Rs.3 per child + Rs.20 for photography (optional)
  • Timings: 4-5 PM (Monday – Saturday)

Thiba (Thihbaw) Palace Ratnagiri

Thiba Palace
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Thiba palace is one of the major attractions in Ratnagiri, which lies in a stretch of 27 acres. From this point, you can see the amazing view of Someshwar creek, Bhatye Bridge to pawas and beautiful sunset. As it stands quite high from the sea level, you can also see the Rajiwada port from here. As there is a plan going on for converting this palace as a museum, you can see many sculptures of Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, Saraswati and Shiva. The main point is that you can touch those sculptures and feel it a bit. In addition to that, you can also see some ancient pots, which will be kept for display.

When in 1935, Burma (now Myanmar) got separated from British India. The British took over it and arrested the king of Burma (ThiBaw), who has ruled for 6 years. To separate him from his nation, the British kept him at Ratnagiri in House arrest. It was built by the British in between 1910 and 1911. The palace is a building of 3 floors. In which the first floor consist of one dance hall built with marble tiles. Apart from these, the flooring and windows are decorated with wood making it one of the major attractions. There is also an idol of Buddha, which was brought by the king and kept at the back side of the palace.

  • Timings: Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm.
  • Entry Fee: Rs 3/- for adult and Rs1/- for children

Gateway of Ratnagiri

Gateway of Ratnagiri
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You can visit Gateway of Ratnagiri which is located near the the Mandavi Beach, which is the most loved by people, who is fond of strolling along the sea shore.

  • Entry: Free
  • Timings: Weekdays: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM, Saturday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM,           Sunday: Closed

Activities & Things to do in Ganpatipule

Sightseeing in Ganpatipule

The beach itself creates a spectacular and attractive view with flora around the coastline. It also has the dense coconut trees and mangroves. This scenic view creates a peaceful place for the visitors to forget about all the worries and detach from those hectic lifestyle for a couple of days. The beach attracts many nature lovers and adventures. There is a renowned Ganapati temple near the beach, which the tourists can visit to get peace. Since the beach is not commercialised, it is still pristine and clean. You can take a long walk along the beach and rest in the neat white sand, while watching the sunrise and the sunset.

Shopping

You can shop some souvenirs, artefacts and decorative seashells from the nearby shops and besides many things available here are related to the temples. You can buy some of them as remembrance of the visit and feel excited whenever you see them in the future. Apart from the souvenirs you can buy “hapus”, which is one of the famous mango varieties in Ganapatipule and relish the flavour and taste.

Get divine Blessings

The Lord Ganesh temple near the beach. The devotees can visit the temple and get the blessings of the god.

Engage in water games and rides

There are wide ranges of water games available in the Ganapatipule beach. The games facilities are arranged by the Mumbai tourism department and are conducted from the months of November to May. Some of the activities you can enjoy there are exciting rides with banana boating, water scooters, motorboats, pedal boats, row-boating and other activities such as paragliding, swimming, aero boats, Kayaking, Jet skiing, bumper ride, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing and camel rides.

  • Cost: Rs.600 (including the needed equipments)

Relish the local food

The food stalls near the beach offers a variety of tasty and mouth watering foods. You can taste the ambapoli, Modaks, phanspoli, fish curries and Kokam kadi. You can choose between many vegetarian and non vegetarians dishes to eat.

How to reach Ganapatipule?

By Air

The nearest airport to Ganapatipule Beach is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. It is at a distance of 375 Kms. Although there are airports in Ratnagiri and Ganapatipule, they are not operational for commercial purpose. You can also reach here from Pune International airport, which is 342 Km away. From there you can hire a taxi or bus to reach the beach.

By Train

The nearest railway station is Ratnagiri station, which is at a distance of 30 Kms from the beach. The station is well connected with the entire railway network and connects all the major cities of India.

By Road

There are numerous private buses and state buses such as Maharashtra State Transport (MSRTC) plying from major places to Ganapatipule.  The beach is located at a distance of 325 Km from Pune, 345 Km from Mumbai, 191 Km from Sangli, 153 Km from Kolhapur, 295 Km from Goa and 25 Km from Ratnagiri. The road network is scenic with the presence of lush green landscape around.

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