Guest blogger Mohsin Khan Pathan makes an unplanned trip to the coastal towns of Alibaug and Murud located near Mumbai.
A bunch of colleagues were transferred out of Mumbai and in the last few days of their stay here decided to visit Alibaug, famous for its beaches and forts. I being the so-called local, the responsibility of making last-minute arrangements for the trip fell on me. In reality, I knew no more about the place than my colleagues did.
On a lazy Saturday afternoon, we boarded a boat to Alibaug from the Gateway of India. The Mumbai skyline fading into the clouds made for a great sight. A flock of sea gulls hovered above the boat. What made our day was spotting a dolphin, a rare sight here. An hour and half later we landed at the clean and beautiful Mandwa beach. We were puzzled because our destination was meant to be Alibaug. We later learnt that a shuttle plied between Mandwa and Alibaug town that was just 20 minutes away. The pleasant weather and greenery ensured that the 20 minutes were over in a jiffy. After touchdown, the first thing we wanted was some food. We went to a restaurant near Alibaug bus depot, which turned out to be quite good. There, we inquired about accommodation and the tourist attractions located nearby.
