Sindhudurg Fort - Why did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj built this fort?

Sindhudurg fort was built by Shivaji in the sea to bolster the Maratha presence in the Arabian Sea during the time of many strong naval nations coming to India for trade, and possibly more. The fort is located on an island just off the coast of Malvan beach in Konkan and was built in 1664. In fact Shivaji built a series of sea forts, including the Alibag and Padmagad forts, and this proved strategically brilliant later.

Spread over 47 acres, Sindhudurg is the largest sea fort in the world as per this article by Conde Nast Traveller. It is a reputed magazine so I do trust the information they share, but frankly I couldn't verify this anywhere else online.

As with many of the sea forts, the entrance to the fort is concealed and you can reach only if you know exactly where that is. The narrow entrance passage is made in such a way that if the enemy enters, they can easily be attacked by the defending army and weakened at the entrance itself.

The fort also has a temple dedicated to Shivaji which is a must-visit.

How to reach Sindhudurg?

1. To reach Sindhudurg, you need to reach Malvan first. You can drive into Malvan, take a train here and also  fly from Mumbai to this region via Chipi Airport
2. The fort is accessible only by a boat from the jetty

Entry fee: Rs 50 (Indians) & Rs 200 (foreigners)

Timings: 8AM to 6PM

Note: It is not allowed to stay in the fort for night and all visitors need to come back to Malvan town at sunset.