Ratnagiri, the pretty place on the Konkan Railway is a must-visit center in the Southern most part of Maharashtra. A 15 minutes walk from the Railway station offers the glorious view of the coastlines, which are fringed with green hillocks. The charming sea-shores do not indicate the adventure of water-sport but beckons visitors to built a white sand-castle and chase the wave with gentle walk. Besides the three beaches, visitors can explore the whole Ratnagiri town from the highest Thibaw Point, situated close to the sea.

Things to do and see in Ratnagiri Beaches
Ratnagiri is blessed with three beaches- Bhatye, Pandre Samudra and Mandavi. Lets have a close look at the aforementioned beaches.

Bhatye Beach
Of the three beaches, Bhatye Beach is worth-watching. The beach is suitable for those expert swimmers who can play with water without any life-guard protection. The uneven sea-face, broken by a narrow and deep bay spanned by the Bhatye Beach. The quiet aura of Ratnagiri is measured in terms of distance. The further away a visitors go from the beach, the quieter it becomes. Only the thick suru grooves between the coastal highway and the beach, sways with the revolving wind.

Pandre Samudra Beach
As the name of the beach suggest, it literally means the White Sea. In contrast, its only the sand and not the sea, which is stunningly white. The nearby Ratnadurg Fort invites the visitors to have an mesmerizing overview of it but a closer inspection reveals the reeks of fish, moving endlessly in the sea.

Mandavi Beach
This lively beach lies very close to the Ratnagiri Fort and has a measurable crowds of beach lovers. But the sand is almost black and a bit dirty, therefore visitors are recommended to enjoy the beach from far away. Mandavi also has the Ratnagiri Jetty, located along the Gateway of Ratnagiri, which a place for evening hang out.

Other attractions of Ratnagiri is the majestic Ratnadurg Fort, which is home to Sri Devi Bhagwati Mandir. It was once sprawled across two hills by great Maratha Emperor, Shivaji. The fort is also known as Bhagwati Quila. After tracing the nook and corner of its crumbling walls, visitors can have a glimpse of the house of Lokmanya Tilak, the freedom fighter for Independent India. The house is also the fine example of Konkani architecture.

And last but not the least is the Thibaw Palace, located close to the Thibaw Point in Ratnagiri. In recent years the place has been developed with a new watch tower, which offers the bird's eye view of the whole Ratnagiri. The Palace was built in royal standards by the King of Myanmur and was completed in 1910. The most happening place within the palace is museum, which displays some antique collections before the visitors.

Ratnagiri beach shopping
Ratnagiri is well-known for the production of Alphonso mangoes. A visit during April to May is perfect to relish the ripe mangoes. Visitors can gift themselves a box of mangoes and also plan to take back home for their loved ones. The shop at Jaya Stambh Chowk, near the district courts deals in mango products, cashew and kokum sherbet.

Eating at Ratnagiri
There are no beach shacks or stand-alone restaurants on the beach in Ratnagiri. Therefore, visitors need to depend on the restaurants, taken care by the staying hotels. Most of them claim to be multi-cuisine and serves the delectable menu of Chinese, South Indian, Contenintal and local Konkani foods. The restaurants at the hotels (e.g Hotel Landmark) also offers the popular Maharashtrian delicacies like misal, usal, poha and rice. Besides, Kohinoor and Vivek's Downtown serves seafoods and the special prawn fry.

Getaway from Ratnagiri Beaches
Pawas
Home to the ashram and samadhi of the 20th century saint- Swami Swaroopananda, Pawas village is 25 kms away from Ratagiri. This pilgrimage site is known across Maharashtra and visitors are permitted to bow before its door. The village further directs the way towards the Gautami stream and Vishveshwara temple. The shrine is made of wood and depicts the remarkable Peshwa era. Keen observers can also find the rich carvings at the beams and pillars, which describes the mythological tales.

Further on the visiting the coastal highway to Pawas, visitors can receive a glimpse of the Puranagad Fort and the coastal village, lying below the fort.

Ganeshghule
An excursion to Ganeshghule offers the magical watch of the sea and the sand. Though the lengthy stretches of the beach are less clean, yet its serene aura attracts the beach lovers, across Maharashtra and its neighboring areas. The luck of the visitors may also knock the scenic view of the turtles laying their eyes and the fluttering flags of the fishermen boats. It is situated 29 kms from Ratnagiri.

Ganapatipule
With covering 45 kms from Ratnagiri, visitors can step into the land of the divine Swayambhu Ganapati Temple. The place is known for its mesmerizing beach, which turns golden during sunset. Further, visitors can also explore the old Malgund village and can enjoy the thrill of parasailing offered by the Konkan Tourism Development Research Center here.

Place of accommodation in Ratnagiri
Ratangiri, the popular tourist destination in Maharashtra as plenty of accommodation option and many of them are in the budget range. Hotel Giri Ratna Railotel, Hotel Kaanchan, Hotel Landmark, Hotel Prabha and Hotel Vihar Deluxe are a few hotels, located on the main road. Luxury lovers can also opt for spacious rooms in Kohinoor Samudra Beach Resort, located a few kilometers out of Ratnagiri town on the Pawas coastal highway.

When to visit the beaches in Ratnagiri
The whole ambience of Ratnagiri can be best enjoyed from November to February.

How to reach Ratnagiri
By Air
Dabolim Airport, situated in Goa(241 kms) is operated by flights from most metros. On reaching, visitors can hire local taxis to reach the coastline of Ratnagiri.

By Rail
Ratnagiri station lies a few kilometers out of town and is an important station on the Konkan Railway route. Major trains including Rajdhanis halt here and aids visitors reach the place.

By Road
NH17 connects Mumbai to Hathkhamba Junction via Pen, Mahad and Chiplun. And Ratnagiri falls on NH204, just 11 kms away from Hathkhamba. Direct State Transport buses and semi-deluxe coaches leave from Mumbai Central, Borivili and Parel bus stations in Mumbai, as well as from Kolhapur and Pune to Ratnagiri.