Malvan Tourism And Travel Guide

Malvan is a picturesque beach town at Sindudurg in the southernmost part of Maharashtra. Malvan lies in the regions of the fertile Konkan coast that stretches over the shorelines of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, with the Arabian Sea on one side and the rugged Western Ghats on the other.

Known for its incredibly picture perfect beaches, desolate and sandy on the one side or fringed with lush supari, coconut or jackfruit trees on the other, the dignified ruins of fortresses of yore perched atop the cliffs overlooking the seas, very charming and luxuriantly green hill stations like Amboli, with its winding waterfall fringed ghat roads a short drive away and of course with the delicious succulent Alphonso mangoes and jackfruits and the scrumptious Malvani cuisine which is any foodie’s delight, Malvan is an ideal place to spend a weekend vacationing the blues away!

If you would love to spend your holidays in Malvan, our travel and tourism guide should help you plan a great trip.

Being a touristy beach town, Malvan has good access by road, rail or air. The town has direct access by road though the most ideal way would perhaps be a journey by flight.

By Air:

The nearest airport is the Dabolim Airport at Goa, about 129 km away from Malvan. The city caters to both domestic and international flights to several cities. From the airport, you could board a bus or hail a cab to Malvan.

By Rail:

Malvan does not have a rail station, but you could deboard at the Sawantwadi or Kudal railway stations on the Konkan railways and hire a cab to Malvan.

By Road:

Tourists would love a drive to Malvan across a picturesque countryside from places like Goa, Mumbai or Pune. There are private and state run buses to Malvan from Goa, Kolhapur, Pune and Mumbai etc.

Getting Around:

There are local public buses for getting around town. You could also hire an auto rickshaw for shorter distances or a cab for a day’s sightseeing trip. Besides, two wheelers are also let out on rent.

Located by the coast, Malvan has hot and humid summers and wet monsoons. The best time to visit would be the months from October to February when it is winter.

Summer (March – June):

Summers are hot and off season for tourism. But you could indulge in water sports or spend sundown at the beaches. Summer’s the best time for Alphonso mangoes and kokum sherbet.

Monsoon (July – September):

Monsoon over Malvan is a beautiful sight, with luxurious foliage carpeting the landscape, but the rains come down heavily and you might find that spoiling your plans for adventure tourism and sightseeing.

Winter (October – February):

Winters are cool and clear, with the perfect weather for trekking, watching the birds in the dense woods of Malvan, indulging in scuba diving or snorkeling or just exploring the town.

Adventures at Sea:

Malvan’s beaches are some of the best places for wild water adventures. Go on boat rides or on banana boats or bumper boats. Need a thrill, then there’s the adrenaline pumping jet skiing, scuba diving or parasailing on the high seas!

Chivla Beach:

One of the prettiest of Malvan’s beaches, the Chivla beach is the right place to watch the sun rise or sun set. Take a nocturnal stroll along the beach to watch the moonlight falling on the silvery water below!

Boat Ride to the Tsunami Islands:

The Tsunami Islands is yet another beautiful piece of sandy beach surrounded by the Arabian Sea where you could participate in watersports or just enjoy a lovely evening watching the sunset.

Trekking Trails:

The spectacular green undulating inclines of the Western Ghats are just about the right places for a trek. Watch the charms of a wild landscape unfold before your eyes as you ascend up the winding slopes!

Weekend Trip:

Get off on a weekend tour to the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa where apart from stay in rest houses and going off on safaris you can indulge in white water rafting during the monsoons on the Mhadei River.

Birds on Camera:

Whether you are an avid birder or a casual bird watcher, you will find a variety of colorful birds in Malvan’s creeks and forests.

Amboli Ghat:

The spectacular, lushly green mountain pass from Kolhapur to Sawantwadi that curves its way along the charming Amboli Hill station, is well worth a holiday trip.

Drive to Sawantwadi:

Sawantwadi is a charming little town a short drive away from Malvan, complete with an ancient royal palace and a pristine lake which you can visit on a day’s trip.

Chitrakathi:

Learn the ancient art form of Chitrakathi painting, puppetry, folk story telling in the quaint little village of Pinguli.

Cascades:

Hike through the rough untrodden craggy paths, to be greeted with the spectacular view of wild mountain rivers cascading down into the mistiest spray.

If you are visiting Sawantwadi, you could check out the unique hand painted Ganjifa playing cards and buy amla juice, kokum sherbet or squash, dried kokum and fish and the wooden and lacquer toys, especially the lifelike toy fruits made by the local artisans. In Malvan, you could buy edibles like ambawadi, phanaspoli, spices especially the Malvani spices, dry fruits and pack home Alphonso mangoes. During the popular Dasavatar dramas that are held during the annual jatra in the villages, the village folk sell homemade pickles, khaja and laddus you could buy for the authentic Malvani flavor.

At Tarkarli you can buy fresh and roasted cashewnuts that can be purchased as gift boxes, kokum wax that is used as a face cleanser and decorative pieces made of sea shells and conches.

The food of Malvan traditionally known as Malvani cuisine comprises of flavorsome spices, coconuts and more of fish and rice. Seafood is the natural gastronomic delicacy of Malvan and you find a plethora of seafood to choose from including Golmo or dried prawns, mackerels and pomfret. Though Malvani cuisine is predominantly non veggie where you could relish Kombdi Vade, mori masala or shark curry, paplet saar, Malvani mutton curry, Bombil fry or Bombay duck curry, there are delicious vegetarian food like Phanasachi Bhaji with raw jackfruit and fresh coconuts, fakachi usal with cashews and katya vatayancha samara, a black pea curry with Malvan masala.

Malvan’s favorite sweets are Malvani khaja and laddoos, Konkani mewa, Aampoli and phanaspoli and of course the fresh and succulent mangoes and jackfruit you can never pass by.