Alibaug, enigmatic capital of Shivaji's admiral Kanoji Angre, home to a Jewish Synagogue and cemetery, the only place in the konkan to have a Portugese and a Maratha seafort on opposite banks of the same inland waterway.
Raigads rich history has been painstakingly and sometimes passionately documented by the district collectors of yore in their gazetteer. The Nawabs of Janjira descendants of the Siddis of East Africa, the British Admirality, the Portugese and the Marathas constantly battled for territorial control of this region.
Chaul the village of temples, some claim one for every day of the year, was probably the earliest settlement in the area. There is even a statue of an unnamed foreigner in the village square who manner of dress appears to hint at Russian ancestry.
Today Alibaug is the capital of the Raigad District of the state of Maharashtra, and houses both the Court and the Collectorate. It has a population of approximately 500,000 inhabitants, with agriculture still being the primary means of livelihood.
And yes, it is a great place to visit. It's proximity to Mumbai and the availability of a wide choice of hotels and guest houses make it a flexible destination for travelers with different needs and budget preferences.