Around Alibagh in 2 days: Around Alibagh in two nights and three days

Around Alibagh - 2 nights and 3 days of fun!

Here are sightseeing recommendations for friends visiting Alibagh.

Day 1. Places to see - South of Alibagh

Start early from Mumbai if you are driving. It takes a good 3-4 hours to get here. Plan for a breakfast break at Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The prominent Thumb Hill is a lovely climb but let's save it for another day. There is a story about Veer Savarkar hiding at the Karnala fort after he had escaped 'Kalapani at Andaman'.

The drive after Karnala is beautiful but you need to get to Nagaon so don't waste any time. To get to Nagaon, you have to drive past Alibagh (look for the roadsigns or ask for the bypass route to get to Nagaon quicker, without driving through Alibagh town). If you drive through Alibagh city, just as you leave the town, is the Patang hotel -- no better sea food 100 kms north or south of Patang. It totally deserves the star as shown in the map above.

Nagaon Village and Beach: Nagaon is the place I recommend for your stay. There are several great options that fit all budgets. Karpe's Wadi is what I recommend. This gentleman has a great property adjacent to Nagaon beach. Families with young (and older) kids will love the hammocks under the coconut trees. The rooms are decent and clean. The rooms get sold, so call early and reserve your stay. For more info about Karpe's Wadi - http://www.karpewadi.com None of the rooms have a view of the sea which is 200 mtrs walk from the back side of the resort. You can hear the surf in the night. If you can brave the bugs and mosquitoes, you can rest in a hammock and count the stars and see Tinkerbell in the trees and around you--yes fireflies :-) Watch, breathe, sip, breathe, sip... dont fall off the hammock. Nagaon has many hotels, groceries, chemist stores, and as many liquor shops.
Revdanda: The locals say the women of Revdanda can do blackmagic :-) don't know where this legend comes from. Revdanda is a fishing village. A beautiful narrow and long beach. The market is always busy and you will enjoy strolling around. There is a shop that sells singdana and channa roasted in hot sand. Along the beach is an old and big Portuguese fort. Battered black stone walls, but they still look formidable and strong. It's best you admire the fort from the beach and don't venture in to explore. It's in ruins and you don't want to encounter a real witch. Walk to the southern end of the beach for a lovely sight of Revdanda bunder, a fully operational port that is busy with trawlers and ships coming in and leaving. Beyond the creek is a small hill with a white structure -- Revdanda lighthouse:-) You can't visit this one as it's in the port area and out of bounds for public. But you have another, more beautiful lighthouse at Korlai to visit later.
Chaul Village: Close to Revdanda is Chaul Village. It used be a fort and the entire Chaul town was protected by a stone wall. You can see parts of the wall even today. Nothing much at Chaul -- just cool breeze, every shade of green in the supari and coconut wadis, kingfishers and pond herons darting around, and nothing. You will love this nothing.
Check out the Bhagwati Devi temple in the village. Ask anyone and they will give you the directions. Here is a map that show the location. My school buddy Ketan Kulkarni's family are the temple trustees.
Birla Temple: A massive white marble palace of a temple this one. The location is Salav village and you have to drive past the bridge over the creek from Nagaon. Worth the detour. The Ganapati murti is beautiful. They have a restaurant and hotel with AC rooms in case you want to stay here. Who wants to eat veg food at Alibagh?
Korlai: Get here by 4.30 - 5.00 pm. Drive past Chaul village, ask autorickshaw drivers for the directions. There is a famous Church from where you take a right turn towards the sea. It's easy to miss this Church and the turn. Once you take this turn you have to drive past a smelly koli village. Boats with nets and catch lined all along the bay. Drive to the end of the road to the base of the village. Then walk. Don't try to take the car right up to the lighthouse. There is a very narrow and inclined road that goes towards the lighthouse. 10 mins walk not more. It's like the road to Xanadu from Mandrake comics. The lighthouse property is tidy and clean. It's an operational lighthouse with a shiny ancient 'made in Paris' lamp and modern radio equipment that throws the signal longer and used by all ships these days. Request the staff for a tour of the tower--inside and then to the top for a magnificent view of the Arabian Sea.
Behind the lighthouse is a hill and at it's top is the Kortai fort.
Here is another great writeup on Korlai - http://thecreativityengine.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/a-visit-to-korlai-fort-and-lighthouse-alibaug-india/

Day 2 - North of Alibagh

Places to see - North of Alibagh

Revas Jetty: An awesome place to catch the sunrise (or sunset). You can park the car near the jetty and walk up the jetty where people catch the launch/boat to Mumbai. A fantastic panoramic view of Mumbai, Butcher Island, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), Vashi creek. Getting there: Alibagh – Revas Road runs north all the way till the jetty. Try to get here to see the sunrise. Then do 3 before 2. If you are hungry, go for the misal pav, poha, or an omlette bread at the stalls outside the jetty.
Karmarkar Sculptor Museum: Very close to Sasawane beach and Sasawane village. It's the home of a very famous sculptor V. P. Karmarkar (Padmshree Award Winner) who made busts of Tata, Tilak, Savarkar, Gandhi, and other English officers. Part of their beautiful wada is now a museum. A must visit for all. His lovely old daughter will give you a tour of the museum – try to go at 10.30 AM
Awas beach road: When heading back from the jetty you can take this short detour--a narrow village road. No need to stop–just drive to the end of Awas beach road for a glimpse of life in konkan villages. There is an alcohol and drug rehab center hidden near this village. This paradise can help heal all.
Kihim beach: popular destination for Mumbaikars -- can get crazy crowded on weekends. Kihim has a long white sand beach lined by tall Suru trees. You can see two fort islands in the sea – Undheri and Khanderi islands – The Siddhis, Peshwas, Kanoji Angre-Shivaji's brave admiral, and later the English manned these forts. Now they are secure zones under Indian Navy. Shanty hotels around Kihim serve poha and other breakfast items and snacks. Getting there: Head west from Chondi village on Alibaug – Revas road. This village has grocery stores, chemist, and liquor stores.

Alibagh

I have always stopped at Alibagh for great sea food at Sanman hotel. Sanman is in Israel lane -- can you believe it :-). Any local can give you the directions to reach Sanman hotel. The Alibagh beach is long stretch of black color sand. During low tides, you can walk thro the muck to the Kolaba Fort which is in the sea off the beach. Shivaji built this fort to protect the region from the Siddhis' (did you know they were Abyssenians?) who ruled Murud-Janjira.

One monument, not many people visit, is Kanoji Angre's samadhi. Shivaji's fearless admiral. I had read an interesting reference to Kanoji in the book -- Pirates of Malabar.

If you have some time, you must visit the Beit El Synagogue. Very few people know about this synagogue built by Jews who had settled here. Once upon a time there was a big Jewish Community in Alibagh.

Check out more great info here:

http://www.jewsofindia.org/photos/thumbnails.php?album=4

http://paliakara.blogspot.in/2010/03/jews-of-konkan-bene-israeli-alibaug-and.html