Kihim Beach

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Things to do

• Shivling at Kihim Beach: Every year during the month of shravan(August) a shivling appears on the Kihim beach. It draws hundreds of devotees to see the mysterious ‘swayambhu’ shivling that appears  year after year and vanishes to reappear the next year.
• Kankeshwar temple: It is located 3 kms from Kihim beach. The temple is located atop a hill. On the way up you will see the “Brahma Kund”, a rectangular tank surrounded by steps on all four sides similar to the Pushkarini in Hampi. Kankeshwar Temple built in 1764 has a silver plated idol. The temple also has a Kund known as “Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh Kund”.
• Varsoli: Varsoli is a small fishing village near Kihim. The beach at Varsoli is really beautiful except for the smell of drying fish. The major part of the beach is covered by the fishermen and is covered in drying fish.
• Colaba fort: Colaba, also called the Alibag fort is a sea fort less than a kilometer from the shores of Alibaug. It can be only accessed during low tide through a narrow strip of land which goes underwater during high tide. Within the fort there are a few  cannons in the 17 bastions and the ‘Mahadarwaja’. The Archaeological survey of India charges a nominal token entry fee. The Fort is open all throughout the year.
• Anger samadhi
• Karmarkar museum: Located 18 kms from Alibaug on the Alibaug-Rewas Road, lies the Karmarkar Museum where sculptures made by Late Mr. Nanasaheb Karmarkar are displayed in his house. There about 150 beautifully carved sculptures on display.
• Nagaon: Is one of the finest beaches of Alibag. It has long unending stretches of soft sandy beach with Suru trees lining its edges. Nagaon is slowly establishing itself as a destination for water sports enthusiasts. You can enjoy jet skis, motor boats and many other water rides here. Parasailing is also very popular.
• Mandwa – The Gateway to Alibaug: Mandwa was a lesser known rustic village until the ferry point was established in Mandwa connecting Mumbai to the Alibaug beaches. Because of this ferry service, the travel time and distance from Mumbai to Alibaug reduced to less than an hour. Mandwa is the unexplored northern region of Alibaug and is worth exploring.
• Akshi Beach: Located at 15 km from kihim is the white sand beach with suru trees present all along the coast. The beach is frequented by a large number of tourists and nature lovers as a variety of birds and different flora can be seen at the beach. Akshi Beach has clean waters, making the beach experience very enjoyable. The beach is comparatively safe as it is flat for a long distance into the sea.
• Khanderi: Officially known as Kanhoji Angre Island, it is located 5 km off the coast of Kihim. The island consists of two high hills, one facing north and the other facing south. Khanderi, along with its sister fort Underi (Jaidurg) formed the major fortification along the Maharashtra coast during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The former was under the control of Shivaji and the latter under his opponents, the Siddis. The fort was subsequently ceded in 1818 to the forces of the British East India company at Bombay as part of the Peshwa territory. Most of the fort is still intact. There is a lighthouse which was built by the British in June 1867. It is loated atop a  two storeyed building. Inside the fort is a musical stone which emits metallic musical notes when it is struck. The forts now fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian navy and hence are restricted area. In 1998, Khanderi island was renamed Kanhoji Angre Island in honour of the Maratha General Kanhoji Angre.