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The British political agent, Colonel Westrop, developed Amboli as a hill
station after the opening of the Ghat Road from the coastal town of Vengurla,
now in southern Maharashtra, to Belgaum.
It is located in Sindhudurg district at an altitude of 690m form the flat
beaches. Amboli is the last mountain resort before the coastal plains begin in
the southern ranges of the Sahyadri Hills. Submerged by dense forests and steep
valleys, this tranquil mountaintop offers some of the best panoramic views of
the Konkan coast. Amboli is on record as the wettest place in Maharashtra, with
an average of nearly 750 centimeters (269 inches) of rainfall a year, falling
between June and October. In rainy season, the hill station is wrapped in mist.
In other seasons there are fine views of the Konkan coastal belt. Amboli is one
of the few hill stations from where one can really see the sea. It is quiet and
peaceful. If one is looking to spend a few days in splendid isolation with the
family, Amboli is an ideal resort.
Around Amboli :
Tourists can visit the numerous enchanting viewpoints of the luxuriant hills
and fertile plain. Sea Viewpoint offers a rare view of the land all the way to
the golden Konkan coast. Apart from these one can visit Hiranya Keshi, Nagatta
Falls, Mahadev Gad and Narayan Gad, a natural fort, Shirgaonkar, and Sunset.
10-km away from here is a pleasant and very different excursion, the Bauxite
Mines.
Getting there :
By Air : Nearest airport is Belgaum, at 64-km.
By Train : Nearest railway station is Sawantwadi at 28-km on the Konkan
Railway.
By Road : State Transport buses ply form Vengurla, Sawantwadi, Ratnagiri and
Belgaum. Panaji, the main town of Goa, is only around 90-km away. There is one
bus a day from Panaji to Amboli, but several from Panaji to Sawantwadi on the
way to Amboli. From Sawantwadi, there are frequent buses to Amboli. Regular
buses also run from Belgaum and Kolhapur, Pune , and Mumbai . Taxis and
rickshaws are available, though horseback and bicycles could add to the feeling
of getting away from it all.
General Information :
Best time to visit : Tourists can enjoy the scenic beauty of Amboli
throughout the year, except during the monsoon. Amboli has a cool and
exhilarating climate in summer, which acts as a welcome respite.
Languages : Marathi, Hindi and English.
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