Introduction:

Chiplun is primarily a monsoon destination known for it's natural beauty. It is situated on the banks of River Vashishti, in Ratnagiri district of the Konkan region of Maharashtra. This small town is bordered by Guhagar in the West and to the East of the city lie the sprawling Western Ghats. The city is about 320 km South of Mumbai. Chiplun derives it's name from the Chiplun temple which is located on the outskirts of Chiplun city. This region is well known for Alphonso, the King of Mangoes. Chiplun is basically an industrial town with a large number of chemical and pharmaceutical industries which forms the core business of the city.

Destination Facts:

Location: Maharashtra
District: Ratnagiri
Temperature: Summer 22 - 40°C; Winter 12 - 33°C
Languages spoken: Marathi, Hindi and English.

Getting There:

Nearest Airports: Pune 200 km is the nearest airport.
Main Railway Station: Chiplun railway station in the Konkan railway region is connected to Mumbai and Goa. It is less than 8 kilometers from the railway station to the heart of the city.
 

Main Bus Station or Road: One could reach Chiplun by an easily motorable road via Vashi bridge to Panvel; NH-17 all the way to Chiplun. Buses operate constantly between Chiplun and many cities nearby like Mumbai (264 km), Pune (118km) and Mahabaleshwar (107 km).

Distance of a few Major Towns from Chiplun:

Khed-41km, Mahableshwar-107km, Panchgani-124km, Ganpatiphule-103km, Ratnagiri-106km.

Eating Around:

Chiplun is an excellent place to taste authentic, home like Malvani food.

Places of Tourist Interest:

Koyna Dam:
One of the largest dams in Maharashtra is the Koyna Dam. The dam is situated in Koyna Nagar. It is placed in the Western Ghats and between Chiplun and Karad. The dam is the main source of water to western Maharashtra and also provides cheap hydroelectric power. 

Walavalkar Shivaji Museum

It is a marvelous place to see, where the entire life history of Shivaji is displayed. The great Maratha rulers' life history is presented through exhibits of pictures and statues. The Walavalkar Shivaji Museum has become one of the tourist's attractions of Chiplun.

Vashishti River:
It is one of the largest rivers in the Konkan coast. The river originates from the west part of the western ghats. Boating is a pleasant sport, enjoyed by the visitors and tourists of this place. Fishing is also a famous sport of the river and crocodiles can be seen on the river occasionally. The town Chiplun lies on the banks of this river.

Marleshwar Temple:
It is located in Marleshwar, in the Ratnagiri district. It is a cave temple and is circumvented with sacred grooves. The Marleshwar Yatra which takes place during the Makar Sankranti is a major event of this temple. Near the temple, Dhareshwar waterfall can be seen. Local belief is that Lord Parshuram laid the foundation of the temple. The Sahyadri Mountain ranges can be seen from the temple.

The Parshuram Temple:
It is an ancient temple in Chiplun. The temple is famous for the 6th incarnation of Vishnu. The architecture of the temple incorporates both the Hindu & Muslim styles. The Parshuram Temple is surrounded by stone walls and it has three idols inside the temple. Temple of Goddess Renuka, the mother of Parshuram, can be seen behind the Parshuram Temple.

Getting Around the Destination:

Private vehicles, buses, tourist cars are available for sightseeing.

Shopping Areas & Entertainment:

Chiplun is famous for Alphonso mangoes and jackfruit chips. It is also famous for handicrafts, kokum sherbet and dry kokum. The mangoes are exported all over the world. These fruits are available in summer.

Best Time to Visit:

Chiplun, Guhagar and in fact entire Konkan Coast enjoy a pleasing climate all through the year due to the dense forests. Monsoon brings heavy rains especially in the months of June & July and that makes Konkan tempting during monsoons.