I would urge anyone with an intention to get away for a small relaxing short trip on a shoestring budget a visit to Kihim.
The peace and quiet will far compensate the lack of facility of good hotels on the Kihim beaches. you need a backpackers mindset to go to kihim as there are no fancy places to stay there nor fancy restuarants to eat out.
You can travel by the catamaran services from the gateway of India to the Mandwa jetty and then the catamaran service buses will take you on the way to alibaug. The ferry journey in the early morning is really beautiful and one of the best part of the journey. Gliding along side seagulls and passing ships are really a pleasure with the golden sun shining on the water through the mist.
The ferry ride will take a little more than a hour and then make sure that the bus driver drops you at the Chondi bus stop which is hardly 15 mins from the mandwa jetty. The bus ride fare is included in your ferry ride fare. From chondi take an auto to Kihim. Its again around 15 mins ride and the auto will charge you around 25-30 rupees.
In kihim you may not have regular places to stay but there are enough small ones and the villagers actively rent out rooms for around 200-300 rupees a night to visitors. Some are very near the beach too. Its a small place so you can take a walk around and find a place easily.
The villagers provide meals too for about 60-80 bucks per meal.
The beach is clean and an welcome change from pony carriage and bhelpuri stall filled beaches of Bombay. Be careful though about certain strange looking spiky boulders on the beach which are usually covered by the water and reveals themselves only when the water recedes. Take a good mud bath in the sea to wash away you urban tensions.
It so relaxing and peaceful around the place. In the night doing nothing is an welcome change, no rush of trains and buses and autos. Just take a pleasant walk around.
You can catch the navy copters flying around and private handgliders going around the sky while on the beach.
You can walk on the beach early morning, look out for the old fortresses out on the sea and huge bunglows of some film personalities.
Come back the same way rejuvenated and dont forget to catch a plate of hot puri bhaji at a small eatery near the Chondi bus stop.