Pristine pure waters, rusty sands, and grey sea shells; it’s hard to believe that a short drive from Borivali Railway Station will take you to a secluded cove in a region as lush as Maharashtra’s coast, with Aksa Beach at Madh Island being the main attraction and an all-year-round destination with beautiful beaches.
Aksa beach is home to an ancient Portuguese fort aptly named Madh Fort. Madh Fort was built as a watchtower by the Portuguese in the 17th century. During the 1739 CE war, the Marathas took control of the fort. In 1774 CE, the British took over Salsette Island, ThanaFort, Fort Versova, and Karanja Island Fort.
The fort is long and narrow with a seven-sided polygonal structure. The fort’s external facade is intact, but the interior is disrepair. Travellers can see the Gorai, Worli, and Mumbai beach skylines from Madh Fort. It’s also a haven for Bollywood cinema, with many movies filmed.
The fort is under the supervision of the Indian Air Force and Navy. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of the coastline and city skyline from this fort and must obtain special permission from the relevant authorities to visit.
Undoubtedly one of the most symbolic places to stay is The Resort, Mumbai. It is a five-star luxury boutique beach resort a few hundred metres from Aksa Beach.
After the novelty of the sun, sea, and sand wears off, you can take a boat ride to Elephanta Caves, a short drive from Churchgate Station. You can drive from The Resort to Borivali Station, take the fast local train to Churchgate Station, and arrive there in 90 minutes. From Churchgate, a short taxi drive will take you to the boat jetty, where you can board the boat and make your way to the beautiful Elephanta Island. After alighting at Elephanta Island, a short ambling walk uphill will take you to Elephanta Caves.
Elephanta Island, sometimes called the Island of Gharapuri, consists of two hillocks connected by a short valley, where Elephanta Caves are housed. The little island is covered with countless old archaeological ruins, the only traces of its extensive cultural past. These archaeological relics show that the area was inhabited as early as the second century B.C.
UNESCO has declared Elephanta Caves a World Heritage Site. The rock-cut Elephanta Caves were built somewhere during the middle of the fifth and sixth century A.D. Cave number one is the most important of the caves, with a seven-metre-tall Lord Shiva idol dominating the main cave’s entrance.
It is a collection of caves comprising stone sculptures of Lord Shiva throughout. The most exciting and vital figure in this cave is the Maheshamurthi, also known as Mahadeva or Sadasiva, but most popularly as Trimurti. The final panel in the cave is that of Nataraja – probably the most famous and oft-represented form of Lord Shiva.
After exploring the caves, you can travel back on a ferry to Mumbai and return to The Resort hotel for a relaxing massage, where you can opt for one of the aromatherapy massages, which will send a tingling sensation to every corner of your body.
Afterwards, walk out to the beach to soak up the sun and sea, looking lighter and brighter in preparation for your journey home.
How to get to Elephanta Caves
By road
Visitors travelling by road must drive from the airport, which is approximately 30 km. The Resort hotel at Aksa Beach is a 30-minute drive from Borivali Railway Station in Mumbai.
By air
The nearest airport to reach The Resort hotel is Mumbai, which is connected by direct flights from most Indian and International capital cities. The Resort is a 30 km drive from Mumbai International Airport, which takes approximately 60 minutes.
By train
Borivali/Malad Railway Station are the nearest railheads to reach The Resort. Local buses ply to Aksa beach from both stations. All trains going to Mumbai Central Railway Station halt at Borivali Station. The Resort offers pickup and drop-off services if required.
Ferry Service to Elephanta Caves
The ferry services are operational from 9 AM until 2 PM daily except on Mondays, when Elephanta caves are closed.
If you are looking for other cultural destinations, visit our website’s Art and Culture page.