When you travel to Mumbai or Maharashtra in general, the Kolaba Fort in Alibaug is one tourist spot in the state that you should definitely visit. The beautiful fort is more than 300 years old and hence is not fully intact. Still it boasts of some amazing architecture, especially if we consider the fact that it was built as a military fort. The highlight of this fort is how it is surrounded by water on all four sides. 

Located just 2kms from the Alibaug beach, one can cover this distance on foot on regular days but, on days with high tides, you do need a boat to travel across the sea and reach the fort. This small journey in itself is so beautiful that it will stay with you forever. 

Interesting facts about the Kolaba Fort:

• The 300-year old fort was once used as a naval base during the reign of the greatest Maratha warrior of all time, Shivaji Maharaj. 
• The fortification has remains of several temples in it out of which one is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. The local fishermen still come here to offer their prayers.
• The British and the Portuguese joined hands to bring down this strong naval base in 1729 when they burnt down many of the structures in the fort. 
• The huge fort stands atop a rock in the middle of the sea, which shows the technical brilliance of ancient Indian architecture. 

About Kolaba Fort:

Kolaba Fort is one of the most popular tourist spots in Maharashtra because of the rich history it is associated with and also because of its beautiful location in the Arabian Sea. The huge fort had several barriers, buildings, canons, temples and various other structures once; before all of it was burnt down by foreign invaders. However, one can see the remains of these structures even today and with the ASI declaring it a protected site. Restoration has begun to restore the fort to its past glory. . 

How to get to Kolaba Fort:

The nearest airport to the fort is Mumbai airport. With the fort being at a distance of over 140kms, you need some public transport like a cab or a bus to reach Alibaug beach from where you can further take a ferry.  

By train : the nearest railway station is Pen through which Alibaug is connected to other major stations in Maharashtra. 

By road : regular buses ply from Mumbai, Thane, Borivali, Nasik, Borivali and other major towns on a regular basis. 

You could also take a ferry from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The ferry ride last about an hour and is the quickest way to get to Alibaug. 

Best time to visit Kolaba Fort:

The best time to visit the palace is in winters during the months between October and March. However, if you wish to walk towards the fort from the Alibaug beach then you need to look for a time period when the tides are low. It would be better to avoid rainy season.

Timings and entry fees:

The timings to visit the Kolaba Fort are between 10AM to 5PM. You do not require more than a couple of hours to travel around here. 

The ticket price for visiting the fort is just Rs. 5 per person. 

Kolaba Fort is one of the most historically important sites in Indian history. Moreover, it is one of the most beautiful places to visit where you can just sit and enjoy the fresh sea breeze. Contact Thomas Cook to get the best offers to see Kolaba fort and other natural and man made wonders in India.