Subhasis Banerjee

GANPATIPHULE Sparkling blue waters of the Arabian Sea, endless stretches of golden-silver sand, sun beams dancing through the swinging palms and a whispering cool breeze mark Ganpatiphule, one of Maharashtra’s virgin beach resort along the Konkan valley, complimented by the exquisitely tasty Alphonso mango, which grows here in abundance. Accessibility : By road, Ganpatiphule is 375kms south of Mumbai. The nearest railhead is Ratnagiri, another 45kms south. Accommodation : The state run Tourist Lodge makes stay comfortable in Ganpatiphule. Season : Throughout the year.

RATNAGIRI A serene, calm, sedate and secluded seaside resort, girdled by the Arabian Sea in the west and green hills, valleys and murmuring streams on the others, Ratnagiri is another virgin and unpolluted seaside paradise of Maharashtra, again a natural home of the exquisitely tasty Alphonso mango. Accessibility : Ratnagiri is a railway station on the Konkan Railway. Mumbai is 419kms from here. Accommodation : The state run Tourist Lodge is the best available accommodation here. Season : Throughout the year.