Ganpatipule: Discover The Small Town in Ratnagiri, Konkan!

Ganpatipule is a small town famous for its culture and heritage, popularly known for the very old temple of Lord Ganpati. It is a coastal town in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, India. It also has beautiful beaches with charming views along the Konkan Coast. This place is a heaven for religion and nature lovers.

Do you enjoy relaxing in a quiet location by the ocean, reading a fantasy book under a coconut tree, or taking a soft drink with you? Then, Ganpatipule is the ideal getaway because it has a 400-year-old Ganesh temple known for its powers and a city that is dripping with exquisite natural beauty! Below we have mentioned a few best places to visit in Ganpatipule.

Without wasting much time, plan your next trip to Ganpatipule with your friends and family for exploring this alluring place!!!

Best Places To Visit In Ganpatipule

Ganpatipule Beach

Ganpatipule Beach is an unexplored hidden gem of Ganpatipule that is the most appropriate place for adventure lovers. This is a 6 km long beach offering a variety of water sports activities such as aero boats, pedal boats, rowboats, water scooters, and many more.

This is also famous for its 400-year-old Ganesha Temple and a variety of exquisite flora with dense forests. This is the best place to relax and have fun with friends or family from hectic daily routines.

Jaigad Lighthouse

On the western side of the Jaigad Fort is where you’ll find the Jaigad Lighthouse. John Oswald, a British officer built this lighthouse in the year 1832. It is a prehistoric engineering marvel and one of the top tourist attractions in Ganpatipule.

Due to its hilltop location, this magnificent lighthouse provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the surroundings. One has to pay Rs. 10 per person for exploring this lighthouse which is open from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. This place is closed on Sundays.

Aare Ware Beach

Aare Ware Beach is a twin beach that is separated by a hill range. These beaches are made due to the convergence of the mountain into the ocean. A breathtaking sunset can be seen from this quite long, remote beach’s smooth, sand surface.

The beach is still undeveloped and pristine, seeking to make it one of the best locations for tourists seeking total seclusion and peace.

Bhandarpule Beach

Another charming gem of Maharashtra is Bhandarpule Beach which is located on the Konkan Coast and only 3.5 km from the Ganpatipule bus stand. Suru trees line the Bhandarpule coastline.

The sea is beautiful because of its brilliant bluish-green color. Compared to Ganpatipule, Bhandarpule’s beach is more secluded and less congested. The beach is the perfect location for people seeking solitude because no activities exist.

Swayambhu Ganpati Temple

Swayambhu Ganpati Temple, a 400-year-old Ganesha temple, is made of pule which is simply white sand. It is thought to be a self-created monolith of Lord Ganesha that was supposedly found 1600 years ago. This temple is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The temple is located at the base of a small hill, and pilgrims hold the area around the hill, which is shaped like Ganesh, to be extremely sacred.

Konkan Museum

Konkan Museum officially called Prachin Konkan Museum is within walking distance from Ganpatipule beach or the bus stand. This museum was constructed by Vaibhav Sardesai in the year 2004. The museum has sculptures of Shivaji Maharaj along with their historical moments, sea forts, and many more historical things.

This place also has sculptures of the great hero of Maratha named Shivaji Maharaj. The ancient Konkan Museum also has a constellation garden, which is a collection of trees representing each zodiac sign.

The trees in the museum are home to various birds from that region. The entry fee for the museum with the guide is Rs. 40 per person. 

Guhagar Beach

Guhagar Beach is one of the largest beaches with clean water and white sand. This beach is a famous picnic spot for spending quality and peaceful time with friends and family. It is an ancient city popular for its delicious coconut and mangoes.

One can also see white-bellied sea eagles roaming in the sky. A lot of water activities and other activities are also available on this beach at reasonable prices. 

Hedvi Ganesh Temple

Hedvi Ganesh Temple has a unique 3 feet tall idol having ten arms. Hence, it is called ‘Dashbhuja Ganpati’ which stands for ‘Das’ meaning ten, and ‘Bhuj’ meaning hand. From the Peshwa dynasty, this idol of the god was constructed with white marble brought from Kashmir.

The amazing black sand bay is located between the white beaches of Ganpatipule and Guahagar, about 3 km from the temple. This narrow rocky shoreline is unsuitable for swimming.

Jai Vinayak Temple

Jai Vinayak Temple, also known as Jindal Ganpati was constructed by Jindal Group’s JSW Energy Limited in 2003. This temple was made to dedicate to Hindu Lord Ganesha. This mandir has pagoda-style architecture with three layers of roof representing the Buddhist style.

There is a fishpond inside the temple and the idol of Mushik i.e., Lord Ganesha’s vehicle. There is a beautiful garden around this temple which enhance the natural beauty of this place. The divine ambiance of this place of worship is enhanced by the brilliant illumination of the evening.

Jai Vinayak Temple is a newly built temple situated near Kachare village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vinayak, another name of Lord Ganesh and is surrounded with a clean and beautifully maintained Garden.

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Chiplun

Chiplun is a small town quite far away from the Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. This place is popular due to its mangroves along the beautiful river Vashishti. The name “Chiplun” means ‘the abode of Lord Parashurama’, this name came up due to its temples.

One must visit this place during the sunset or sunrise as that time this place shows brilliant scenery. The fresh air feels heavenly in this place.

Velneshwar Temple & Beach

Velneshwar Temple & Beach are around 72 km far away from Ganpatipule. These are situated at Velneshwar in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. This is an ancient temple representing the traditional Hindu architectural style.

This temple was built to dedicate it to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Gadgils majorly built the Velneshwar temple but later no Sri Trimbak Ravaji Gokhale renovated this place. One must plan a trip to this temple during the Mahashivratri festival as the place was full of energy and beauty to honor Lord Shiva.

Along with this temple, Velneshwar Beach attracts a lot of tourists having a lot of coconut trees. This beach has the most peaceful environment as it is on the side of the temple which makes it a perfect spot for sunbathing and swimming. 

Best Time To Visit Ganpatipule

Ganpatipule is a place with a tropical climate that can be visited all around the year as the sea temperature is suitable for swimming throughout the year. The best time to visit Ganpatipule is in the winter season from the month of October to March as the weather during this time is pleasant for sightseeing and other activities.

During these months, all the adventure activities such as Swimming, water sports, paragliding, boat rides, camel rides, and many more are open to tourists. Families and adventure seekers who want to escape the chaos of daily life should take advantage of this time.

How To Reach Ganpatipule?

Ganpatipule is located in the Ratnagiri district of the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. Ganpatipule is a little coastal town located on the shores of the Arabian Sea known for its religious temples and beautiful beaches. This place can be reached by air, road, and train.

By Air: Ratnagiri Airport is the closest airport at a distance of around 20 kilometers from Ganpatipule. Another option is to reach Kolhapur Airport or Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport which is approximately 144 km and 375 km from the location. When you have reached the airport, you can book a private cab or take a bus for reaching the location.

By Train: The nearest railhead for visiting Ganpatipule is Konkan Bhoke Railway Station which is 35 km far away but only passenger trains stop there. So, it is advised to reach Ratnagiri Railway Station which is linked with the neighboring cities and major Indian states.

By Road: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) takes care of maintaining road connectivity from Ganpatipule to various other states and neighboring cities. A lot of private and public bus service operators offer buses on daily basis to Ganpatipule.

Conclusion

You might be tempted by Ganpatipule’s charm to move into one of the town’s hundred or so houses in this sleepy Konkan coastal community. Away from the bustle of the city, you can relax with friends and family while taking in the splendor of nature.

To fall even more in love with Ganpatipule, you must visit the places mentioned above and sample their regional cuisine while you are there. What are you waiting for? Book your tickets for exploring this charming town.

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