Mandwa & Kihim - A ferry ride away
Mandwa was a lesser known village until the ferry wharf was established in Mandwa connecting Mumbai to the Alibaug beaches. Mandwa now is the gate way to Alibaug beaches and helps Mumbaikars reach Alibaug in less than an hour. Kihim is amongst the closest Alibaug beaches near Mandwa and the ferry operators also have a their bus service to Kihim
Mandwa has a seashore with a view of the bay. The fishing village of Mandwa has a charm of its own with beautiful groves of coconut palms lining the entire lingth of the coastline. The tranquility in this region strikes you as ironic when you consider how close it is to the busy metro of Mumbai. The Mandwa beach is a rocky stretch and is not really recommended for a dip in the ocean however the view of the bay with yatchs strewn around paints a pretty picture.
Kankeshwar Temple..
3 kms from Kihim beach in Mapgaon is the hill of Kankeshwar Temple. Enroute the trek up is "Brahma Kund", a rectangular tank surrounded by steps on all four sides with a semblence to the Pushkarini in Hampi. Kankeshwar Temple built in 1764 by Raja Ramdeorai Yadav has a silver plated idol. The temple also has a Kund known as "Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh Kund"..
Reaching Mandwa & Kihim..
Kihim is the closest beach from Mandwa making it a convenient location for travelers especially from mumbai taking the ferry from the gate way of india to Mandwa. The bus service offered by the ferry operators also would drop you to Chondi which is just 3 Kms from Kihim. Ferry is the most convenient and to a extend an economic mode of transport to Kihim from Mumbai and even Pune.
The Kihim beach itself is the primary attraction in Kihim apart from the Kunkeshwar temple nearby. If you are traveling with kids you might also take a look at pedal boats in the boating 'club' in the pond towards your left just as you enter the rustic village of Kihim. There are food stalls near the beach selling 'chat' and snacks near the parking area. Water sports and parasailing is also availale in Kihim.
Shivling at Kihim Beach..
Every year during the month of shravan a shivling mysteriously appears on the Kihim beach drawing hundreds of devotees to see the 'swayambhu' shivling that appears year after year just to vanish again to reappear the next year!
Sightseeing in Mandwa & Kihim..
Distance from Major cities..
