The city of Ratnagiri is a coastal district of Maharashtra state, situated on the western coast of India. It is surrounded by the beautiful hills of the Sahyadri ranges. Ratnagiri is a very beautiful city with art and Maharashtrian culture. A visit to Ratnagiri during summers is considered incomplete without shopping for HapusAamba(Alphonso Mango).

Districts/Region

Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, India.

History

Ratnagiri is the birthplace of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak as well as the workplace of Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Ratnagiri has served as the capital under the Bijapur rulers. 

Geography

Ratnagiri is a port city on the Arabian sea coast in Ratnagiri District in the southwestern part of Maharashtra. It is the district part of the Konkan division. Ratnagiri is divided into three zones: a) Coastal zone which is locally known as Khalatib) Hill area zone which is locally known as Valati c) Middle zone. It is 119 KM to the north of Sindhudurg city and 325 KM to the south of Mumbai.

Weather/Climate

The climate of this place is hot and humid with abundance of rainfall, the Konkan belt experiences High Rainfall (ranges around 2500 mm to 4500 mm).
Summers are hot and humid, and the temperature touches 40 degrees Celsius.
Winters in the region have a comparatively milder climate (around 28 degrees Celsius), and the weather remains Cool and Dry.

Things to do

Ratnagiri is famous for various forms of monuments, temples and beaches, so one can visit these places. Along with this, activities such as trekking, scuba diving, motorboat rides, etc. can be indulged. One can visit Ratnadurg fort, Jaigad fort which hold historic importance in Ratnagiri.

Nearest tourist places

One can plan to visit the following tourist places along with Ratnagiri:

• Jaigad Fort: Must visit place near Ratnagiri, it is also known as the fort of victory and is a 16thcentury marvel of Maharashtra. It can be found on the top of a cliff overlooking the Jaigad creek where river Shastri adjoins the Arabian sea. 
• Swayambhu Ganpati Temple: It is considered as very auspicious and important holy place by the locals, Swayambhu Temple is a 400-year-old Ganesha temple, made out of white sand. It is believed to be a swayambhu (self-made)statue of Lord Ganesha, which was discovered 1600 years ago.
• Jaigad Lighthouse: 6 KM away from Ratnagiri is amongst the premiere places when it comes to sightseeing in Ratnagiri and is situated in one of the projections on the western side of the Jaigad fort.
• Ganpatipule Beach is one of the very few tourist places in Ratnagiri, which is known for its cleanliness. It is a beach with silvery-white sand and is known for the lagoons. It is located at a distance of 25 KM from Ratnagiri.
• Marine Aquarium and museum: 4.8 KM away from Ratnagiri is among some of the most interesting places to visit. It was established in 1935 by the Marine Biological Research Station. The Marine Museum is famous for its specimens of Sea turtles, Sea horse fish, Starfish, Lionfish, Triggerfish, sea snakes and Lobsters. 
• Purnagad Fort: It is located 25.4 KM away from Ratnagiri. The fort is at the top of a mountain at the starting point of the Muchakundi Creek, there is a temple of Lord Hanuman as well. It was constructed by Sarkhel KanhojiAngre under the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• Pawas: Pawas is one of the best places to visit near Ratnagiri and is famous for being the place of samadhi for Swami Swarupanand 20 KM away from Ratnagiri. Swami Swarupanand took part in the freedom struggle, the non-co-operation movement against the British army.
• PandreSamudra (white sea): PandreSamudra is a beach in Maharashtra, which is the most popular among all the beaches in Ratnagiri town. It is famous for the silvery sands, the serene water as well as the seashells and overall relaxing ambience.
• Bamanghal is located in Hevdi and holds many places worth visiting. It is a beautiful wonder of nature in the form of a geo in a black rock patch around 20 feet deep, 35 feet long and 1 – 2 feet wide.
• Parshuram Temple: Parshuram is believed to be the 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is thus a revered and much-worshipped god. The Parshuram Temple is the best example of an architectural beauty since it is the combination of both Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture.

Special food specialty and hotel

Being on the coastal part of Maharashtra, rice, and seafood is the specialty of this place. However, it is one of the most visited tourist destinations and is connected to Mumbai and Goa. The restaurants here serve a variety of cuisine. The treasures of the cuisine here include Alphonso mangoes, cashews, Amboli, Sandan, and different types of Sharbhats including the specialKokamSharbat. Along with this are the other delicacies like Ambapoli, Solkadhi, Mori Masala curry or shark curry, Malvani Mutton Curry and more.

Accommodation facilities nearby & Hotel/Hospital/Post Office/Police station

Various hotels and resorts are available in Ratnagiri
Hospitals are available in this region around 1.3 KM 
The nearest post office is available at 1.2 KM in Ratnagiri.
The nearest police station is at a distance of 1.4 KM in Ratnagiri

Visiting Rule and Time, Best month to visit

The place is accessible throughout the year. The best time to visit is from October to March since the plentiful rainfall lasts from June to October, and the summers are hot and humid. Tourists should check the timings of high as well as low tides before entering the sea. High tides during the monsoon season could be dangerous hence should be avoided.

Language spoken in area 

English, Hindi, Marathi, Malvani