Alibaug is close enough to Mumbai that you can see its general direction from Marine Drive on a clear day, and far enough that for most of the city's history getting there meant a long drive round the harbour. The trick, and the pleasure, has always been to go across the water instead. An hour on a ferry out of the Gateway of India, with the city shrinking behind you and gulls following the boat, does more for a tired mind than most spa packages.
Here is how to get there, what to do, and when the sea will not cooperate.
Getting across
Ferries from the Gateway of India. Passenger catamarans and launches run from the jetties at the Gateway to Mandwa, on the northern tip of the Alibaug peninsula. The crossing takes roughly an hour, depending on the boat and the sea. At Mandwa, the ticket usually includes a bus to Alibaug town, around half an hour further. A few operators run this route; they sell tickets at the Gateway and, increasingly, online. Timings and fares change with the season, so check the current schedule the day before rather than trusting an old screenshot.
A small practical warning: on busy weekend mornings the queue at the Gateway can be long and the boarding a little chaotic. Go early, keep your bag small, and expect to climb across a moored boat or two to reach yours.
The Ro-Ro from Bhaucha Dhakka. The roll-on, roll-off ferry runs from Ferry Wharf, better known as Bhaucha Dhakka, in Mazgaon, to Mandwa, and takes your car with you. The crossing is around an hour. It is the best of both worlds if you want your own vehicle on the other side without sitting in traffic. Car slots sell out on long weekends, so book ahead and confirm the current timetable with the operator.
The road via Atal Setu. Since the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link opened in January 2024, driving has become a genuine alternative. You cross from Sewri to the mainland near Chirle, then continue south towards Alibaug via the Pen side. Depending on traffic at both ends, it can take a couple of hours from south Mumbai. The bridge charges a toll; check the current rate. The drive is easier than it used to be, but I still think you miss something by not taking the boat at least one way.
The beaches
Alibaug's beaches are not the postcard white sand of Goa. The water is the colour of the harbour, the sand is often dark, and the tide goes a long way out. Adjust expectations accordingly and you will enjoy them.
- Kihim, north of town, is quieter and lined with casuarina trees and old bungalows. Good for a long walk and not much else, which is to its credit.
- Nagaon, a few km south, is the busy one, with water sports, shacks and weekend crowds.
- Varsoli, just north of Alibaug town, is calmer and cleaner than Alibaug beach itself, and a pleasant spot for an evening.
Swimming off any of these needs care. Currents can be strong, lifeguards are not always present, and the sea looks deceptively gentle at low tide.
Kolaba Fort, when the sea lets you
The best thing in Alibaug is a sea fort you can walk to. Kolaba Fort sits on a rocky outcrop a short distance off Alibaug beach, and at low tide the sea drains away enough for you to walk across the sand and shallow water to its gates. At high tide it is an island again, reachable by small boat.
The fort was a base of the Maratha navy under Kanhoji Angre in the early eighteenth century, and inside you will find old walls, a freshwater well, and a small temple. It is not grand, but walking to a fort across the sea bed is an experience that stays with you.
Check the tide timings before you go; local tide tables are easy to find, and your homestay host will know. Start back well before the water turns, and do not trust your sense of how fast it comes in.
Kanakeshwar and a slower afternoon
Kanakeshwar, a hilltop Shiva temple a few km from town, is reached by a long flight of steps up a forested hill. The climb takes most people under an hour and is steep in places. Go early to avoid the heat, carry water, and at the top you get a wide view over the coconut groves to the sea.
The rest of Alibaug is best done slowly. Hire a scooter or a car with a driver and wander between villages, or do nothing at a homestay with a verandah. Revdanda, further south, has the ruins of a Portuguese fort, and the drive there along the coast road is lovely.
What to eat
Alibaug is Konkan coast food at its most straightforward. Look for fish thalis with a fried pomfret or surmai, prawn curry, rice bhakri and a glass of sol kadhi, the pink kokum-and-coconut drink that settles everything. Ask what came in that morning rather than ordering from a laminated menu. Vegetarians will do fine with local vegetable preparations, and the area's white onions, sold in braided bunches by the roadside in winter, make a good present for anyone who cooks.
When the ferries stop
This is the important bit. Passenger ferries across the harbour are typically suspended for the monsoon, roughly from late May to the end of August, on the orders of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, because the sea is too rough for small boats. The Ro-Ro's monsoon operation has varied from year to year. If you are planning a trip at either end of the rainy season, check with the operators before you commit; the exact dates change each year.
In the monsoon, the Atal Setu road is your route, and Alibaug becomes a green, wet, rather beautiful place with empty beaches and seas you should admire from the shore.
Why the boat matters
You could treat Alibaug as a place: a set of beaches, a fort, a temple, a thali. But its real value to anyone who lives in Mumbai is the reminder that the city is a harbour town, and that you can simply leave it by sea on a Saturday morning. The road over Atal Setu is a fine piece of engineering and I use it happily. Still, if you can, go one way by boat. Stand at the back, watch the Gateway get small, and let an hour of salt air do the work that a weekend is supposed to do.
