If you are an ardent Bollywood fan outside of Mumbai, you would still be familiar with Alibag. Most movies, espeically in the 70s and 80s referred to it as a smuggling ’adda’ or the tapori movies refer to its hospital for the mentally challenged (’Alibag se aayla hai kya?’ ...does this dialogue ring a bell?).
But these are the things Alibag is really not famous for! Alibag was once known for its beautiful beach and the fort which could be accessed during low tides. Yes- the beach and the fort still exist, but there really isn’t any pretty beach anymore, depending on the mood of the authorities they let you access the fort during low tide Overall, its just a glorified version of apna juhu beach! There are some cheesy hotels by the beach to stay, but they are booked by large family groups with high decibel levels.
I would strongly suggest to give Alibag a miss as far staying there is concerned. At best you can spend some hours there. Instead you can drive ahead by a few kilometers, roughly 6-7 kms to reach Akshi beach. It a wide stretch of beach which is untouched by commercialization.
The beach is absolutely safe for swimming , it steeps very slowly and there are no major waves. Its a tranquil beach. Akshi is also for bird lovers as you can see different varieties of birds here on the beach itself (Sorry would not be able to help you with their names!).. All in all a pretty beach which offers much privacy. Where to stay, did I hear you say?
Well, Akshi is more like a stop gap stretch between Alibag and Nagaon, so you’ll only find home based stays here. These are located in a "wadi" surrounded by coconut trees. These home based stays offer comfortable rooms and some yummy local cuisine. The place where we stayed while in Akshi was Omkardeep holiday resort . Pretty darn nice! Has a beach access and some clean rooms and surroundings.
If you like your beach to have high waves, water sports, chaat/golas, games for children and yet a not-so-cluttered experience, head further down from Akshi (about 3-4 km) to reach Nagaon! Once you see this beach you’ll start recognizing this beach in many commercials and songs.
The beach is lined with suru trees providing green respite on one side and the sea is relatively cleaner than most beaches around Mumbai. It does have a greenish hue to it. What a treat to a Mumbaikar’s tired eyes. This beach tops my list of favourite beaches around Mumbai.
The water here too, is shallow and safe for swimming, so is the sand not loose. You will find many a cars zooming on the beach and the tyres dont sink into the sand. However, do not take your car close to the shore, especially during low tides.
I have myself witnessed a Sumo getting stuck during a low tide and the increasing tides didn’t help the matter, They had to wait for the tide to go down to pull it back!!
The water sports on this beach are amazingly thrilling! Water scooter, para sailing, banana boat ride and many many more are available at reasonably affordable prices. Be sure to try out some (if not all) of them.
Nagaon has a comparatively more number of properties(than Akshi/Alibag) on the beachside, which offer rooms to stay. These too are mostly situated in a "wadi" although, are more professionally managed and are used to catering to huge crowds. Shintrewadi, Sagar Tarang, Karpewadi are just some of the better known places.
You’ll find many more, once you google for them. These 3 have the advantage of being on the beach with some good hospitality. Be sure to savour the local cuisine. Local cuisine comprises of mostly fish/chicken/mutton and vegetables in coconut based gravies, served with rice and/or "bhaakris". Do gulp it down with some ’sol kadhi’. Its fresh, tasty and healthy too!
If you are driving down, take the usual Mumbai Goa highway-Pen-Alibag route. Akshi and Nagaon are just a few kilometers (10-12) away and there are small signboards to help you around.
Even if you take the ferry route, you ll have to hire autos to take you there. The journey would take about 3/3.5 hours.
The journey as well as the destination, will be worth it! Make sure you have enough battery in your camera as you will want to click pictures and more pictures once you are there....
Hope you have a good time there...Come back refreshed and recharged! Adios! :-)