A part of the Arabian Sea stretching up to 720 km long, the beaches of Maharashtra offer you a pleasant weekend hangout and never-erasing memories. Lying on the west coast, the state is blessed with many fine-looking sea and beach resorts. The peculiar characteristic of these beaches of Maharashtra is a fact that the waters here are primarily safe, which make them ideal picnic and vacation beach sites for children, friends, and family apart from tourists.

Apart from just lazing and sunbathing in the lukewarm sands, the beaches offer many historically chief sites such as temples, forts, and churches for history lovers and religious devotees. Grasping the title of the perfect starting site for an informative heritage tour, the beaches along the coastline welcomes any visitor who is seeking peace and calm mind from the hustles and bustles of the daily, busy mundane schedule. The Tourism of Central India provides tourists with specific tour booking and packages to visit the beaches in Maharashtra.

Let’s take a look at the beaches in Maharashtra.

Juhu Beach

This is one of the most frequently visited beaches of India not only by the domestic and international tourists, but also by the Mumbai people. It is an all time favorite not only of children and college students, but also of the elder people senior citizens. The major reason behind attracting so many people is the taste of the famous Mumbai Bhelpuari (mixture of puffed rice, chutneys, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions) and Kulfi (a type of ice-cream).

Lying at 18 km north of the main city nearest suburb being Vile Parle, it is among the posh areas of Mumbai that holds the bungalows of the famous film personalities of Bollywood. Apart from this, it is also the desired film-shooting site of the Bollywood filmmakers. Towards the beach’s south, you can notice many five-star hotels and luxury apartments.

Seeming to be unpopulated during the weekdays, the beach is always crowded on the weekends. On weekends, you can grasp the thrilling experience of horse and donkey rides, view dancing monkeys, acrobats, cricket matches, and toy sellers. You will also hear the shouting of the vendors that will take your attention to their wares such as T-shirts and cute Indian dolls of seashells. Not famous for swimming, the beach is astonishingly more popular for its food corner. Ranging from hawkers, stalls, and five-star hotels, you are served with variety cuisine to enjoy it with the magnificent sea view.

Another nearby attraction is the Versova Beach towards the north of Juhu, which is populated with the Mumbai’s largest Koli fishing settlement.

Marine Drive, Chowpatty Beach

Located in the heart of Mumbai, this beach is historically linked with the freedom struggle time. Currently, this is the famous water pool where Lord Ganesha idols, small or large, are immersed on the last day of the Ganesha Chaturthi festival in September. If you are here, do not forget to taste the famous Mumbai pav-bhaji in the evenings without which your journey is actually incomplete. Lastly, motor boat rides are also available at suitable rates at one corner of the beach. From here, you can also view the Oberoi hotel and many tall famous buildings while on the boat ride.

Madh Island Beach

A popular picnic site lined with lovely bungalows and an urban atmosphere, this beach earns its fame as the spot of most copious and techno beach parties outside Mumbai. The beach at the Madh Island is actually in the northwest area of Maharashtra and is generally not safe for swimming, as the seawater is risky here.

Marve, Manori, Gorai Beaches

Situated to the north of Mumbai, these three gems are the calm hangouts for picnics, treks, and walks for those who are wishing for a delightful break from their chaotic life. The nearest and most calm one is Marve, which is a peculiar fishing village. Dotted with some beautiful bungalows and upscale homes used on weekends, the low hills along the beach provide the astonishing scenes of sunrise and sunset.

Manori and Gorai, the other two, are a little far away crowded with travelers and are popular for their night beach parties. Gorai is famous for the only sea route to the amusement park of Essel World and the recently created Buddhist Pagoda.

By road, Marve is at 40 km by car from Mumbai. Otherwise, you can experience the adventure of catching a crowded local train from Churchgate to Malad railway station and then go by road. From Marve, a 20-minute ferry ride will make you reach Manori or Gorai. For Gorai, you can also get down at Borivali station, two stops ahead of Malad and go by road that takes only 10 minutes.

Ganapatipule Beach

This is a beach holding religious significance on the western cost of Maharashtra. This is among the ‘Ashta Ganapati’ pilgrimage sites and a famous tourist resort in India. Other nearby excursions are Jaigad Beach and Fort, Velneshwar Beach temples, 400-years-old Swayambhoo (self-manifested) Ganpati Temple and Malgund, which is the birth place of Keshavsoot – a famous Marathi poet.

Murud-Janjira Beach

A historical capital of the Siddis of Janjira, Murud is a popular tourist site for its appealing spacious beach lined with palm trees and the Murud-Janjira fort in between that has the remarkable record of being unseized until today. A few km away, are the two more beach sites of Kashid and Nandgaon.

To reach Murud, Alibaug in the Raigad district is the destination after catching a ferry from Mumbai.

Bassein Beach

At 77 km from Mumbai, this site was a shipbuilding place during the 17th century. This place has witnessed the defeat of Portuguese by the Marathas in 1739. Besides the white sandy beach, the other attractions are its forts, churches, and historical relevance as the capital of Konkan (Nalasopara). Imitating the seashore of Goa to a very large extent, its shore accompanied by the swaying palm groves and fort ruins offer a perfect vacation to lighten yourself.

Dahanu-Bordi Beach

A beautiful, calm, and uncluttered seashore of 17 km long located in the Thane district, this is a remarkable beach due to its unspoilt charm. Originally, a barren land that flourished under the Irani community, Dahanu is famous for its distinct fruit orchards covering a large land, especially the chikoo orchard. Another attraction is Udvada from Dahanu, which is an important religious place for the Zoroastrians. Here, a huge, splendid temple holds their eternal holy fire, which has been kept burning for a thousand years.

By train, Dahanu Road can be reached in just 2.5 hours from Mumbai covering 145 km.

Harnai Beach

An isolated beach site located at a distance of about 200 km from Mumbai, Harnai is becoming the favorite weekend gateway of Mumbai and Pune people and is receiving its reputation in the tourist circuit. Accompanied by a fort on its northern end, you can also take the cool opportunity to visit the Murud-Janjira Beach that is south to Harnai and Panhale Kazi – a monument made from a single rock.

Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg Beaches

Considered as the naval-base during the rule of the Great Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg obtained focus because of their scenic beaches. The Vijaydurg fort built in the 17th century by Shivaji is worth visiting.

Shrivardhan, Harihareshwar Beaches

Consecrated with calm winds and spongy sands bathing in waters that allure great number of visitors, the Shrivardhan Bay is situated in the Raigad district. For adventure lovers, the site offers a small boat ride to the north for exploring a piece of land that was the abode of the Peshwas or prime ministers of the Maratha kingdom. While Shrivardhan is also famous for the Peshwa Smarak, the town of Harihareshwar is known for its serene, scenic beach and the temple of Harihareshwar.

For a comfortable journey, catch a suitable train on the Konkan Railway line to get down at the nearest railhead, Mangaon. By road, it is journey of 200 km from Mumbai.

Tarkarli Beach

Located at 6 km south of Malvan and 546 km from Mumbai, it gives you a splendid view of the Karli River shaking hands with the Arabian Sea on the west coast. The isolated golden beach is famous for its aquamarine waters.

Velneshwar Beach

Located at 170 km from Ratnagiri and north of the River Shastari, the village of Velneshwar offers a nearby clean and inborn beach accompanied by coconut trees. As there is dearth of rocks, the beach is perfect for swimming and other water sports. In its surroundings, an ancient Shiva shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva (perpetuator of life) is frequently thronged by the pilgrims. Visit this place in March when the Maha Shivratri Fair is organized as a tribute to Lord Shiva or Shiv Shankar.

Catch a suitable train on the Konkan Railway line to get down at the nearest railhead, Chiplun. By road, it is a matter of covering 370 km from Mumbai via Chiplun and Guhagar.

Vengurla, Malvan Beaches

Located at the southern part of the state’s coastline, Vengurla is a popular, pristine beach due to its elongated sparkling sand accompanied by thick cashew, coconut, jackfruit, and mango groves. Its name being found in history as a trading town, it was traced that the place has been burned twice and that it has witnessed frequent attacks and loots between 1664 and 1812. Near the beach site, you will find the Vengurla Rocks, which are also named as the Burnt Islands. Another attractions here are the two temples namely, Shri Devi Sateri temple and the Rameshwar Mandir.

Originally, an inner island and a trading zone, now Malvan is a section of the mainland almost veiled by swaying palms. Holding a rocky terrain, Sindhuduarg and Padmagad are the two worth visiting forts, which is believed to might have an underground path connecting them. Today, Malvan is famous for its salt pans and Chinese clay pottery.

Catch a suitable train on the Konkan Railway line to get down at the nearest railhead, Kudal. By road, the distance to be covered is 514 km from Mumbai and 200 km from Ratnagiri. Talking about Vengurla, it is at 522 km from Mumbai.

Daman Beach

A historic Portuguese province and currently among the Union Territories of India, the beach is worth visiting, as it offers Moti Daman Fort, Light House, and Gandhi Park. Further, going little ahead, the beaches at Silvassa and Vapi that are close by must be a part of your journey schedule due to their impressive seafronts.