A paradise for nature and adventure lovers, Tsunami Island has fast emerged as a go-to destination in the area. Tsunami Island is the perfect destination for a relaxing vacation, especially for those who live a mundane life in cities. Plan your holiday to Tsunami Island and experience sports activities and boat trips into the Arabian Sea. The story of the emergence of Tsunami Island near Tarkarli Beach in Maharashtra is quite interesting. This island appeared in 2004, after Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean on the eastern side, near the delta of the Tarkarli River.
Location Of Tsunami Island
Image Credit: Sagarkambli143 for Wikimedia Commons
Tsunami Island is in the western side of India, in Maharashtra state’s Sindhudurg district and Malvan taluka. It lies in between India’s two major tourism hubs, Mumbai and Goa, along the Western Coast of India. Tsunami Island is about 90 kilometres away from Panaji, the capital city of Goa and about 168 kilometres from Kolhapur, one of the biggest cities of Maharashtra.
Must Read: Places To Visit In Malvan
Activities In Tsunami Island
Over the years, Tsunami Island has become a happening tourist destination near Tarkarli Beach. The vibe and feel of the island are much like Goa, one of India’s most loved tourist destinations. Just like in Goa, there are several eatery huts and small shacks built along the beach, which serve chilled beer and hot snacks. The island offers colourful tropical life with several activities and adventure sports, such as paragliding, scuba diving, parasailing, boat riding, bumper rides, and banana boat riding, among other enjoyable activities. Due to the efforts of local administration, the beach is neat and plastic-free. It is indeed one of the best places to visit near Tarkarli.
Places To Visit Around Tsunami Island
1. Tarkarli Beach
Image Credit: bdh2008-1 for pixabay
Located right at the meeting point of the Karli River and the Arabian Sea, Tarkarli Beach is a wide and tranquil coastline, quite popular in the area and often visited by locals. It offers clean water and a calm ambience. The water is so clear that one can see about 20 feet deep into it. On a sunny day with pleasant weather, Tarkarli Beach can be a great spot for a picnic with friends and family. Several water sports can be pursued along the beach, such as jet skiing, banana boat riding, water scooter riding etc. Sometimes, if you are lucky and the weather is favourable, you can spot dolphins from the shore.
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Things To Do: Take a walk at the beach, jet skiing, banana boat riding
Suggested Read: Picnic Spots In Mumbai
2. Karli Backwaters
Image Credit: Siddhesh ganesh parab for Wikimedia Commons
Visit Karli Backwaters for a stunning view of the convergence of the Karli River with the Arabian Sea. The boat ride here is a fun activity. Backwaters are still and serene and hence a great location for a boat ride. During the boat ride along the banks of the river, you will see lush greenery as the area is surrounded by lush green forests. Especially, the tall Suru trees (Australian Pine), create the perfect backdrop for the setting. What’s more, these days, some houseboats have also become available for accommodation here, which will give you a feel of being just like Kerala backwaters.
Best Time To Visit: October to April
Things To Do: Sightseeing
3. Sindhudurg Fort
Image Credit: Siddharthgharat for Wikimedia Commons
Located about 25 kilometres away from Tsunami Island, via Sagari Mahamarg, Sindhudurg Fort is one of the key tourist destinations not only in the Tarkarli area but also in Maharashtra. It is a historical site in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Sindhudurg fort, built by the famous Marathi king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, means, ‘a fort built on ocean’. It took over three years, for hundreds of Portuguese expert architects and millions of Indian workers to build a fort that later played a significant role in protecting the Maratha rule. The architecture of the fort is unique. The strong foundations of the fort were cast by using molten lead, 70,000 kilos of iron and mortar during construction.
Since the fort is perched on an island near Malvan Beach, the only way to reach there is by boats or ferries. They are easily available at the Malvan beach and take about 15 minutes to reach there.
Best Time To Visit: November to February
Things To Do: Sightseeing
Suggested Read: Hotels near Malvan
4. Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Temple
Image Credit: Vivek Takawale for Wikimedia Commons
Located near Sindhudurg Fort, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Temple or Shiv Rajeshwar Temple was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Rajaram in the year 1695 to commemorate his significant contributions to creating a grand and distinctive Maratha empire. The temple houses the foot and handprints of Shivaji on the limestone. Inside the temple, there is an idol of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made of dark stone. The temple is just 6 km away from Malvan Town.
Best Time To Visit: November to February
Things To Do: Spend some time in the temple ground, sightseeing
5. Deobagh
Image Credit: Nidhi Hira for Wikimedia Commons
Deobagh, which translates to God’s garden, is a fishing village in Tarkarli just within 15 minutes reach from Tsunami Island. It is among the key tourist places near Tsunami Island and Tarkarli Beach. Deobagh is home to the fisherman’s community and showcases their culture for the visitors in a great way. Explore Deobagh with a boat ride or by having a bird-watching tour. Deobagh is famous among birdwatchers, as the forests surrounding it are home to local and migratory birds all through the year. You can taste delicious local seafood dishes, which is another pulling factor for tourists.
Best Time To Visit: September to April
Things To Do: Birdwatching, sightseeing
Suggested Read: Heritage Sites In Maharashtra
6. Padmagad Fort
Image Credit: Aniket431 for Wikimedia Commons
Within reach of about half a kilometre away via seaway from Malvan jetty, Padmagad Fort, also called Padmadurg, was built by Shivaji Maharaj in the east-north direction of Sindhudurg Fort, mainly to protect it from invaders. Padmagad, sitting on an island, acted as the main shipbuilding base of the navy of the Maratha empire. Though the magnificent fort stands in ruins, it still gives one a good idea about the grandeur of the times of the great ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji. In ancient times, Padmadurg Fort was connected to Sindhudurg Fort via an under-the-sea tunnel.
Best Time To Visit: September to April
Things To Do: Sightseeing
7. Beaches of Achra, Kolamb, Wayari Bhutnath and Malvan
Image Credit: Asifkhan31416 for Wikimedia Commons
The beaches of Achra, Kolamb and Malvan are all located near Tsunami Island and can be reached either by land or via ferry boats or jetties. They are well-connected with the service of autos and taxis. In comparison to the other beaches in Tarkarli, Achra is a secluded beach and is a great sport to spend some peaceful time, being one with nature.
On the other hand, Kolamb Beach is one of the busy and popular tourist places near Tarkarli as it offers Dolphin sighting tours and other water sports opportunities. The beauty of Kolamb Beach will instantly win your heart as it is a pristine beach with white sands in the Konkan region. Malvan Beach is also a clean and wide beach, offering several water sports activities. Wayari Bhutnath Beach is ideal for a perfect weekend getaway with your loved ones, as it offers several budget accommodations and homestay options.
Best Time To Visit: October to March
Things To Do: Dolphin sighting, enjoying water sports
Suggested Read: Places To Visit Near Konkan
How To Reach Tsunami Island
Image Credit: Sballal for Wikimedia Commons
Here are some of the best ways to reach Tsunami Island. It is wise to plan your visit to the island along with your trip to Goa, which is quite near it. Goa’s Dabolim airport is about 130 kilometres away from Tsunami Island. After your Goa tour, you can hire a taxi or bus to reach Tsunami Island. However, you can always come straight to Tsunami Island and Tarkarli Beach from Mumbai Airport (about 490 kilometres from here) or Dabolim Airport.
The nearest railway station to Tsunami Island is Kudal Railway Station (25 kilometres away), from where about 92 trains halt for two minutes. The station has good connectivity with larger Indian cities, such as Thane, Delhi, Pune, Nagpur, Veraval, Bikaner etc. Another railway station at a distance of about 130 kilometres is Goa’s Madgoan Railway Station.
Another option is to take a bus or taxi to Tarkarli beach, near Tsunami Island. The roads are generally in good condition, and the ride along the Western Ghats is scenic. Once you reach Tarkarli Beach, you can readily access Tsunami Island, well connected via boats and ferries.
Best Time To Visit Tsunami Island
Though the best time to visit Tsunami Island depends on your liking and the activities you are planning to do there, from the perspective of the weather, the best time to visit Tsunami Island is during winter, which means the months of November to February. This time is preferred by tourists because it is pleasant with low levels of humidity and mild temperatures, making it ideal to explore the forts, and beaches and enjoy the adventure of water sports. It is not recommended to visit the place during the Monsoon season, from June to September, because due to heavy rainfall and high sea levels, access to Tsunami Island is revoked.
Further Read: Ekvira Temple
Now that you have the best information in detail about Tsunami Island and the attractions around it, plan your holiday to Tsunami Island today. Your guided tour with TravelTriangle will give you many options to fully explore Tsunami Island and around. Plan your trip to Maharashtra for adventure sports, boat rides, and backwaters tours that can be booked online.
For our editorial codes of conduct and copyright disclaimer, please click here.
Cover Image Credit: gj1990 for pixabay
Frequently Asked Questions About Tsunami Island
Where is Tsunami Island?
Tsunami Island is on the western Coast of India in the Sindhudurg district, near the popular Tarkarli beach in Maharashtra. It lies between Goa and Mumbai and is easily connected to the other bigger cities of India.
Why is it called a Tsunami Island?
It is called Tsunami Island because its emergence from the sea happened after 2004’s deadly Tsunami, which devastated many areas along the eastern and western coastlines of India. Caused by to Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, the tsunami killed more than two million people in 14 nearby countries. It is one of the deadliest natural disasters of the world.
How to reach Tsunami Island?
Tsunami Island is easily accessible from Tarkarli Beach via boats and ferries. Tarkarli Beach is well-connected to the nearby railway station and airport.
How near is Tsunami Island located from Tarkarli Beach?
Tsunami Island is quite near Tarkarli Beach. There are regular boat and ferry services available from there to reach Tsunami Island.
What is the best time to visit Tsunami Island?
The best time to visit Tsunami Island is the winter time, which means the months from November to February. The weather is pleasant and suitable for outdoor activities during this month.
People Also Read:
Parrot Island Rutland Island Cinque Island
As a Travel Content Writer, I live to conquer the world of globetrotting with words. With my unquenchable thirst for storytelling, I believe that my words will inspire you to travel around the world’s breathtaking landscapes. As for me, I am an unapologetic selenophile, who loves to wander around in a starry night!
