Korlai

Also known as the Morrow or Castle Curlew, Korlai fort was built by the Portuguese in 1521 near the small town of Korlai in today’s Maharashtra. It was specifically built atop a small island (Morrow de Chaul according to the Portuguese) to keep vigil over the Revdanda Creek. It was constructed to serve as a companion fort to one at Chaul. Because of its strategic location, the Korlai Fort commands an unobstructed view of the creek, best suited for monitoring ships approaching the area.

During the later stage, it changed hands, first passing from the Portuguese to the Marathas and then from the Marathas to the British. The British at first installed a lighthouse in the fort to guide their warships arriving at the nearby ports but eventually gave it up. The fort and its defunct lighthouse have remained in ruins for many years since then. However, the Korlai fort Lighthouse was constructed again after independence. A new Lighthouse tower was built in the fort premises in 1955 and the tiny and forgotten island brought back to life along with it. You can climb the lighthouse to get an amazing view of the region – it is open for visitors from 4 pm to 6 pm on weekdays. It’s a real feast for the eyes.

When it was in use, the Korlai fort was considered to be among the best ones in the world. It could house 7000 horses and men with their artilleries. Strategically located, it gave the owners an advantage over the region. Though it is in ruins now, but if you go there, you can still see the bastions (there were seven), the walls and the gates of the fort.

How to reach: Take a train on the Konkan route and get down at the Roha railway station. Auto rickshaws will take about an hour from here. You can take the bus as well. If you are driving from Mumbai, then you must take the Mumbai-Murud road.

If you are interested in resorts in Korlai fort, and hotels in Korlai fort, then you should know that the best place for staying is at Kashid.