The Town by the Sea: Murud, Maharashtra
Located about 170 km off the coast of Mumbai along the Konkan coastline is the peaceful and quiet town of Murud. Murud serves as an ideal stress buster and is a great weekend getaway for the people from Mumbai looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
The town of Murud is accessible by three different routes. The first being by road, there are two options, one is to drive to Murud and the other is to board a state transport bus which runs till Alibag. From Alibag there are frequent buses plying to the town of Murud. This route is functional throughout the year.
The second, best and fastest way for people from Mumbai to get to Murud is by the sea route. Regular ferry service is available between Gateway of India and Mandwa jetty. The ferry ticket comes inclusive of a bus ride from Mandwa jetty to Alibag which is a 7 km ride along the Konkan coastline. This route is suspended during the monsoon from the month of June to October.
The third option of getting in is by the rail route as Murud does not have a railway station of its own and the closest railway station is Roha which is located about 38 km away from the town. This is generally a preferred option for travellers coming to Murud from Pune which is located 230 km away.
The local language spoken by the villagers like the rest of Maharashtra is Marathi but Hindi and English is spoken and understood by mostly all the people in the town. The locals from Murud are traditionally fisher folks but with the rise of tourism, they have started running or working in restaurants and hotels.
Walking is the best way of getting around Murud since everything is within walking distance of each other. The other option is auto rickshaw or state transport bus that ply to different parts of the town.
Murud
The beach is the main attraction and there are plenty of water sport activities such as banana boat, Jet Ski, parasailing, etc available on the beach. There are also speed boats that take people on a tour around the sea fort that was built by Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji, who had built this fort with an aim to conquer the Janjira Siddi sea fort. The fort is not open to the public as it is not safe, the lower portion of the fort is submerged underwater.
The other attractions include the Palace of the Nawab. This Palace was built in 1885 for administration purpose and is located about 4 km away from the town of Murud. The palace is located in such a way that it oversees the entire town of Murud. However, entering the palace is not allowed since it is still owned by the descendants of the Nawab and is a private property.
Dutta Mandir is another major attraction in the town and is located about 3 km away from the beach. This temple is located on a hilltop and overlooks the entire town of Murud. The best time to visit Dutta Mandir is during sunrise or sunset since the view from the hilltop is simply mesmerizing To reach the hilltop there are concrete steps that have been created to aid the people in climbing. There are also rest points where pilgrims can sit. It takes about 20 to 25 minutes to reach the top. There is also a road that connects to the top of Dutta Mandir.
The town of Murud has plenty of accommodation to cater to the needs of all kinds of travelers from homestays and guest houses for the budget traveler to luxury resorts for the family. The homestays are the best way to get a feel of the place and also enjoy some good home-cooked fish curry.
There are plenty of restaurants and shacks all along the Murud beach that serves some mouth-watering seafood. The fish thali is a must-have. The town of Murud is also well known for its local drink called Maadi which is made of coconut and is also known as coconut wine.
In the evenings the road along the beach turns into a daily food fair with all kinds of street food and fast food being sold on either side of the road. Fried chicken, fish, Chinese, variety of ice-creams and sweets are sold. The chicken lollypops are a must-have here.
The best time to visit Murud is during the months of November to mid-February as the temperature is cool and pleasant.
Murud is a nice place to visit and all kinds of travelers will find a bit of everything. From the holiday makers to the foodies to the budget traveler looking to get away from the busy and hectic city life, Murud has a lot to offer.
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