Top 10 offbeat beach destinations in Maharashtra

New Delhi: If you want to explore offbeat destinations then Maharashtra boasts of extensive beaches where you can seek some quiet time or adventure. With 720 km of coastline in the Arabian Sea, it is home to incredible beaches and breathtaking shorelines. The state government's Tourism department has announced an enviable list of ten lesser-known, serene beaches in the State that tourists can explore during their visit to the mainland.

Guhagar Beach

The sparkling golden sand beach of Guhagar stretches for approximately 5-6 km from Guhagar to Asgoli and is situated in the Ratnagiri district. One can easily spot this beach from the forests of Casuarina, locally called as Suru Tree. The beach endorses serenity with blue sea waves bumping against the seashore, dotted by the mountains in the background to the east.

Apart from the beach, Guhagar is home to some beautiful forts and temples. One of the major attractions is the gorgeous scenic fort of Anjavel/Gopalgad. It is known for Vyadeshwar Temple, the temple of Lord Shiva. The idol (Shivlinga) is made of black stone, with the image of Nagaraj engraved on it with brass like metal. Another famed temple is Chandika Mandir, which is based 15-20 ft below the earth's surface, set inside a cave. The tranquillity of this temple makes it an essential place to visit.

Bhogwe Beach

Situated on the shores of Sindhudurg District, the pristine Bhogwe Beach is among the prettiest and most secluded beaches in Konkan. Scattered with rocks, views of the nearby forts and silvery-white sand with clear blue waters, this picturesque beach is a magical haven for beach lovers.

This beach is located pretty close to Tarkarli, the water adventure destination and is the perfect place for a long stroll or to enjoy a surreal sunset. This idyllic beach is famous for being the merging point of the river Karli and the Arabian Sea. One can enjoy majestic views of the Karli River mingling with sea waters from Devbaug's famous Mobara Point. Another major attraction here is dolphin sighting. One can also plan a visit to Nivati Fort, which is 8.5 km away from the beach.

Velneshwar Beach

Situated in Ratnagiri district, it is one of the most serene beaches on the west coast of India and is ideal for some quiet time. The stunning seashore which is surrounded by beautiful coconut grooves makes a picture-perfect backdrop for a stroll. It is one of the cleanest beaches in Maharashtra and is popular for its rock-less sea and peaceful atmosphere. On the seashore, the magnificent ancient Velneshwar temple of Lord Shiva is located and the history of this temple is as old as the village. Another sacred temple, Dashabhuja Ganesh Mandir at Hedvi, which is located 9 km away from Velneshwar, is often frequently visited by tourists. Some of the other places worth visiting in the vicinity include the Shastri River, Anjanwale Fort, Vyaghrambary Mandir, Laxmi Narayan Temple, and Uma Mahesh Mandir.

Kunkeshwar Beach

One of Maharashtra's most pristine white sand beaches is Kunkeshwar Beach, a major attraction in the region of Sindhudurg. Situated at 16 km from the town of Devgad, the sloping dunes and the palm trees here offer wanderers a soothing experience and is the ideal weekend getaway to soak oneself in serenity amid the chaos. Enjoy the long seashore whilst swimming and sunbathing at Kunkeshwar, accompanied by the spectacular view of the Arabian Sea. Devgad Fort and Vijaydurg Fort which are about 8.5 km and 34.5 km away from the beach respectively are some of the nearby attractions.

Satpati Beach

Counted among some of the prominent and largest beaches of Maharashtra is the Satpati beach. Located 13 km from the main town near Shirgaon beach, Satpati is truly a haven for the ones who love to travel. Being one of the cleanest beaches of Maharashtra, it offers the wanderers peace and tranquil in its arms. With most of the fishing villages located nearby, it is also popularly known as the fishing hub of India. The nearby places one can visit is Shirgaon Fort, located approximately 9 km from Satpati beach and Satpati Lighthouse, which is half a km away from the beach, which are nearby attractions worth visiting.

Anjarle beach

Anjarle beach enjoys a reputation of being one of the cleanest and unpolluted beaches in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri. Settled on the Konkan Coast near Dapoli, the beach welcomes its visitors with the sweet twittering of birds. The tourists can see a dense cover of coconut trees at one side of the beach with little tops of local Konkani hutment wrapped under the foliage of the green cover. It is a perfect vacation spot for adventure-seeking travellers as it offers water sports like parasailing, snorkelling and windsurfing available.

The beautiful beach is known for its conservation of the Olive Ridley Turtles. So one of the most exciting experiences that the travellers can witness at the beach is watching the baby Olive Ridley Turtles hatch out of their shells to take their first step towards the sea. Kadyawarcha Ganpati, the well-known temple situated on a cliff, is also one of the major attractions and is 3 km away from the beach.

Arevare beach

The twin beaches, located in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, are a geological wonder in itself as it was formed ages ago due to the convergence of the mountain into the ocean, which is believed to be a one of a kind phenomenon. Arevare is blessed with clear blue water with a heavenly seashore. Wrapped in the golden sand, the beach offers magnificent views of the sunset over the azure waters of the Arabian Sea. One can enjoy the beauty of the view from the nearby Arevare point located on the peak of a nearby hill. Another attraction is the famous Ganapatipule Temple, which is 10 km away from the beach.

Bhandarpule beach

A less-explored destination, it is one of the crown jewels of Maharashtra situated on the Konkan coast. It is situated at a distance of 2 km from Ganapatipule Beach. From the nearby hillock, one can enjoy mesmeric views of both Bhandarpule beach and Ganpatipule beach. The beach nestles comfortably amid two hillocks and is lined with Casuarinas trees. The mystic water and the bluish-green hue of the sea are absolutely magical. The nearby Ganapatipule beach and the Ganapati temple are major attractions for people visiting this beach. One can also visit the secluded twin beaches of Arevare (10 km away). On the way to Bhandarpule via NH 16, one can visit Marleshwar Temple which is near Sangameshwar.

Diveagar beach

It is amongst the pristine destinations of the country which is situated on the Konkan coast. Approximately 170 km away from Mumbai, the beach is surrounded by Suru trees while the access to the beach has a dense cover of Belu trees which accentuate its beauty. The beach is clean and uncluttered with just the blue sea, surf, and the pristine white sand spanning the horizon. The region is sparsely-populated with diverse flora and fauna which helps preserve its magnificence. While Starfish can be seen during the winters, summers are more dominated by crabs. It is also famous for Turtle Festival held in April.

One can visit a small village near Diveagar named Devkhol. The main attraction of this village is bird watching where one can get to see a number of rare birds. Other must-visit places near the beach, are Roopnarayan Temple which has a fantastically carved statue of Vishnu, Suvarna Ganesha, Sundernarayan Temple, Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary and Madagad Fort.

Bordi beach

It is a coastal hamlet located in the Palghar district. The beach is surrounded by extraordinary natural beauty and the golden sand of the beach is ideal for a long stroll or to enjoy a surreal sunset.

It promises tranquillity and peace to the visitors, providing relief from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is surrounded by the chikoo trees lending a charming look to the place. Every year, the village also hosts a Chikoo Festival, which is attended by a number of chikoo fruit lovers. One of the prominent nearby attractions is Kalpataru Botanical Garden. The place is home to the famous Vrindavan Studios, where the epic TV series Ramayana was shot. It is also known for Depchari Dam and Reservoir and Asavli Dam, as the construction of this Dam is said to be similar to the Great Pyramid of Egypt. The place also boasts of ancient temples, caves and stunning chikoo orchards.