Maharashtra Travel Guide

Rambling Maharashtra is the second most populous state of India. Huddled close to the Arabian Sea, it extends from the dazzling greens on the obscure Konkan Coast right into the gasping entrails of India’s whipping heart. Being surrounded by various states, it is the place of composure and incomparable beauty. Towards its west it has Arabian Sea, Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, a union territory of India towards the northwest side. Towards northeast lies Madhya Pradesh, while it has Chhattisgarh on its eastern side. South side is surrounded by Karnataka, while the Southeast and South west sides have Andhra Pradesh and Goa, respectively.

Because of the astounding industrial activity in the whole area, Maharashtra has got the honor of being one of the richest states in India. It also has the financial capital of the country, Mumbai, as its capital that also provides the best infrastructural support to the whole state. The Large area of Maharashtra is further sub divided into five main regions, which are Vidharba, Marathwada, Khandesh and northern Maharashtra, Desh or Western Maharashtra and the last but not the least is the Konkan region. This region of Maharashtra has got a renowned position on the tourist map of India.

The state has a number of things to flaunt. Some of the cities are renowned all over the world because of their commercial importance while others have gained popularity because of their beauty. Some of the must visit cities of Maharashtra are Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Nanded, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar and Khandala. It is not only the cities which attract the visitors from all over the world, but the perfect merger of beaches, hill stations, man-made architectural wonders, serene temples, churches and the rock cut caves have also helped it attain the fame it deserves. All these make it a perfect destination for the tourists from all over the world.

Mumbai

Also known as the New York of India, it is the first stop of tourists while visiting the western coast belt of India. The rich and cosmopolitan lifestyle, love for food, entertainment and the nightlife makes it a perfect destination for all those who want to live a chic lifestyle. The city houses the biggest and the second busiest airport of India, which is known by the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Apart from being the city of many great movie starts of India, it has a number of things to keep you occupied all through your visit. The Gateway of India, Juhu, Chowpati, Aksa and Marve are some of the places which you should add to your itinerary.

You can take the pleasure of a ferry ride from the city to the Ajanata and Ellora caves, which are the finest example of the great carving work of the yesteryears. Mumbai is also a place of religious significance, with some great temples and churches of India, like Mahalakshmi, Siddhi Vinayak temple and Mount Mary Church, it attracts pilgrims also. For shopaholics, Mumbai has a lot of things to offer. You can visit the Fashion Street, to get all you want, and after a hectic shopping day, nothing can be better than spending a peaceful evening in the picturesque beauty of the marine drive.

Pune

The second largest city of Maharashtra, it has got the privilege of being the eight largest city of India. With its deep rooted culture, it would not be wrong to call this place as the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Over the last few years Pune has got a lot of recognition in the National and international arena, and due to this it has now become a prominent tourist destination of Maharashtra. Pune has managed to flourish as a center of learning and art, and this is the place from where a number of revenue and judicial reforms were started in the country. Some places of tourist interest in this city are Shaniwarwada, Saras Baug, Aga Khan Palace, Parvati Temple, Khadakwasla Dam, and Sinhagad.

Hill stations

After Mumbai, other areas of Maharashtra which have got a lot of recognition in the Indian and international tourist industry are the hill stations of Maharashtra, which are Lonavala, Khandala, Matheran and Mahabaleshwar. In fact, these hill stations account a large portion of tourist revenue of Maharashtra.

Hills stations of Maharashtra have a long history; a site was built by the Britishers, as the retreat from the blazing heat of other areas of India. And since that time these have become the hot favorite of the people looking for some type of reprieve from the sweltering heat. All the hill stations are visited by a large number of tourists throughout the year, except during the monsoon months.