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Located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, Amboli lies in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats. It offers the perfect blend of tranquility and natural beauty as the last hill station before the plateaus of Goa take over. Known for its cool climate, lush green surroundings, waterfalls and a slow life, Amboli is the perfect place to visit if you wish to take a break from both the heat and your hectic everyday life.
The best time to visit Amboli is the monsoon season, that is, the months of June to August. It is during these months that the waterfalls flow at full capacity, the variegated hills take on an air of lushness and the forests burst with flora and fauna. This is also the most crowded season, with tourists flocking the area to experience the beauty of the rainy months at its peak.
Trains are the most popular and accessible mode of transport to Amboli. The nearest railway station is Sawantwadi and Karnataka, Goa and the rest of Maharashtra are well connected to it. There are frequent trains from Belgaum, Goa, Mumbai and Pune.
Amboli is a picturesque destination, hence you can choose to drive down there from Goa, Mumbai or Pune. The nearest international airport is Dabolim in Goa. Since Amboli is just 91kms from Goa, you can also opt for a day trip from the state. Maharashtra and Karnataka State Corporation buses also have scheduled stops at Amboli Bus Station every day.
Amboli Waterfalls: The Amboli waterfalls are the major tourist attractions and what draw visitors to Amboli in the first place. Cascading down from around 300 feet, they offer a chance to tourists to take a dip in the cold waters or simply enjoy the slightly cold and misty surroundings they create. Surrounded by dense forests, they give visitors a chance to experience the landscape in its entirety.
Hiranya Keshi Temple: The Hiranyakeshi Temple is the point where the Hiranyakeshi river originates. It is temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati and is the most revered temple in Amboli. It is located 5km away from the Amboli bus stop. Beside the temple is a cave from which the river is said to originate.
You can choose to fish in the Hiranyakeshi river nearby or visit the ShilpGram Artist Village in nearby Sawantwadi.
MahadevGad Fort: The MahadevGad Fort is situated at an altitude of 690m. It is around 2kms from Amboli and can be accessed after a 2-minute walk, offering panoramic views of the surrounding areas. The fort itself is in ruins but is quite a popular spot because of the sheer greenery and quiet surroundings it offers, with vehicles nowhere in sight and the sky filled with the chirping of the birds and clouds touching the peaks.
The hill station of Amboli is famous for spicy curries prevalent in Malvani cuisine. Kokum juice is a refreshing specialty and fish curries from the Konkan region also abound in the food her owing to its closeness to Goa.
Snappers is a local food joint popular for serving the best seafood and ABC Biryani is another must visit to try the coastal Malabari Biryani.
Since Amboli is a relatively underrated destination, it mostly has 3-star hotels or homestays where tourists can stay for the weekend. Whistling Woods Amboli, Durvankar Hotel and Amboli Hill Resort are some of the modest hotels that offer clean accommodation and basic amenities to visitors.
In recent times, Amboli has emerged as an ecological haven with hundreds of varieties of insects and birds, some of them rare, found in the region. This has rendered it a biodiversity hotspot and a much sought after place by wildlife photographers and conservationists, keeping the spirit of the small hill station alive.
