Thane Creek
It is a part of the estuary of the Ulhas River opening into Bombay Harbor. Thane Creek is a well-known bird conservation site in India, as it?s an abode to flamingoes and many other wading and migratory birds. It is managed by the Indian Bird Conservation Department. Around 205 rare species of birds can be seen here including white stork, water fowls, open bill stork, pied avocet and many more. It is the best place to visit, especially for nature lovers. Don?t miss visiting this beautiful place on your visit to Thane.
Kelva Beach
Kelva Beach marked with Suru trees, is one of the famous tourist spot located in the vicinity of Thane. This beach is spread over an area of 7 km and is one of the largest beaches in Maharashtra. Kelva Fort and Sheetla Devi temple are places to visit here. It is easily accessible by public and private transport. The scenic beauty of the beach during sunset is an awesome view, which one should never miss visiting.
Upvan Lake
Upvan Lake is a famous weekend getaway and one of the major tourist attractions of Thane. Bounded by the Yeoor Hills, Upvan Lake is located towards the Pokhran-II area. It is considered as the biggest lake in Thane. The peaceful and serene environment of the lake enhances its beauty. District municipal authorities have declared it as a pollution free zone. It is easily accessible from all points of the city. It is a must visit tourist attraction of Thane.
Ambarnath Temple
The spectacular Ambarnath Temple is an ancient and renowned temple in Thane. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Thane. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is constructed in the Hemandapanti style of architecture. Intricately carved blocks of black stone are used in its construction. The serene environment of the temple offers extreme peace to visitors.
Bassein Fort
In olden days, The Vasai Fort was well-known as the Bassien Fort. It was the headquarters of the Portuguese from 1534 AD to 1739 AD. It is an ancient and historic fort which is officially known as ?The fort of St. Sebastian of Vasai?. The fort was occupied by the Marathas in 1739. Ruins of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, fort, Churches of St Paul and St. Antony can be seen here. With the city walls still together, there are decorative gateways adorned with coats of arms can be seen.
Vardhman Fantasy Park
It is a uniquely themed amusement park in Thane, especially attracting children. Vardhman Fantasy Park caters to everyone, be it a child or an adult. It has seven internationally themed zones which will keep you busy throughout the day. There are several zones like 7 wonders of the world, thrill rides, huge food courts and much more offering peak entertainment to visitors. Tourists can take part in various events that take place during weekends. The food court offers yummy and affordable food to satiate your hunger. Vardhman Fantasy Park is the most popular hang-out place of the city. One can easily reach this park using public and private transportation.
Naneghat Hills
It is one of the famous tourist attractions located in the Malshej region of Thane. Located at an altitude of 838.2 m above sea level, Naneghat Hills are well-known for its antique mountain pass starting from Ghat Matha to Konkan. This mountain pass also has several rock-cut water cisterns and caves. The caves have stone inscriptions in Brahmi language. Nanacha Angtha, located on a cliff is a favorite spot of rock climbers. The natural environment around the hills attracts a large number of tourists to visit this place.
Titwala Ganesh Mandir
Also, known as Mahaganesh Temple, is one of the major pilgrimage spots in Thane. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the temple is located in Titwala. Other than the shrine of Lord Ganesha, the temple also houses a shrine dedicated to Lord Shivshankar. Vithal Rukmini Temple is also located in its vicinity. It is a must visit pilgrimage attraction of the city.
Apart from these, there are many other popular tourist attractions to visit in Thane like Har Har Gange waterfalls, Sudhagad Fort, Ganeshpuri, Kashi-Mira, Jawahar Palace and many more.
Daman
It is a beautiful city, surrounded by the Arabian Sea, states of Maharashtra and Gujarat on its sides. The place is loaded with rich history and culture. Beautiful beaches in the city act as a center of attraction offering lots of fun. Tourists can buy a variety of leather products, handcrafted items and exquisite liquor brands. Apart from beaches, there are many other tourist attractions to visit like Pergola Garden, Church of Bom Jesus, Nani Daman, Jetty Garden etc. Daman is at a distance of 154 km from Thane and can be reached easily in 2.5 hrs via NH8. It acts as the best weekend getaway from Thane.
Surat
Surat, associated with Saurashtra is located in the district of Valsad and is well-known as the ?'the city of flyovers?. It is the second most populated city in the state of Gujarat. Surat is a commercial center of diamonds and textiles. This vibrant city attracts tourists offering vast information about colonial history and wildlife of the region. Dumas beach, Sardar Patel Museum, Tithal beach, The Dutch Garden, The Suvali beach are some of the major tourist places to visit in Surat. The distance between Thane and Surat is 267 km and takes around 4.5 hrs commuting time to reach.
Aurangabad
Aurangabad is named after Aurangzeb, a Mughal Emperor. The city is renowned for its hand-woven Paithani and Himroo sarees. Aurangabad is the tourism capital of Maharashtra and acts as a major tourist hub. There are several points of interest to visit in Aurangabad which include Bibi ka Maqbara, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga and many more. The distance between Thane and Aurangabad is 316 km and takes around 6 hrs to reach.
Ratnagiri
With the beautiful backdrop, Ratnagiri is blessed with creeks, hot water springs, waterfalls, sea shores and hills, offering a rejuvenating experience to travelers. It is a dream come true destination for most of the travelers. Ratnagiri has some splendid forts built during Shivaji period. The city is also famous for its Alphonso mangoes. Ganapatipule beach, Jaigad fort, Velneshwar beach, Bhatye beach, Ratnadurg forts, Pandre beach, Aare Mango Farm are some of the famous tourist attractions to visit.
Pune
Pune is well-known for its educational background with numerous educational institutions. It showcases the perfect blend of both new and old India. Pune is rich in heritage with numerous palaces to visit. It is one of the fastest growing cities in India and acts as a renowned IT hub. Pune has another name as 'Oxford of the east', because of numerous educational institutions present here. Matheran, Kamshet, Lonavala, Khandala are some of the nearby hill stations flocked with a large number of visitors throughout the year. The distance between Thane and Pune is 152 km and takes around 3 hrs to reach by cab. There are many points of interest to visit in Pune like Parvati Hill, Aga Khan Palace, Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapathi Temple, Shaniwar Wada, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and many more.
Nashik
Nasik as a religious Hindu city which acts as a host to the Kumbh Mela held once in every 12 years. It is a place filled with aroma of religion, mythology and legends. Nasik is located on the banks of river Godavari, acting as a homeland to plenty of exotic temples, vineyards, forts and many more. Nasik is also famous for its vineyards. Sula vineyards are popular among them, which acted as a forefront of wine revolution in India. Nasik offers a cocktail of extremes to visit, varying from temples to vineyards, hills to waterfalls. Sita Gufa, Panchvati, Trimbakeshwar Temple, Sula vineyard, Pandavleni Caves, Kapaleshwar Temple, Anjaneri Hills, Dudhsagar falls are some of the popular tourist attractions to visit. Nasik is at a distance of 147 km from Thane and takes around 2.5 hours to reach by road.
Ozar
Ozar is a small town in the Nasik district and well known for famous pilgrimage Vigneshwara Temple. The temple is one of the Asthavinayak temples of Maharashtra. Swami Bhramanand Temple is another popular pilgrimage to visit. The distance between Thane and Ozar is 167 km and takes around 3 hours to reach by road.
Panvel
Panvel is well-known for its historical forts. It is famous trekking spot attracting trekkers from all over the country. The city has two popular temples of Lord Ganesha viz., Ballaleshwar Temple and Varadavinayak Temple. Karnala Bird Sanctuary is the major tourist attraction of the city which acts as a paradise for bird enthusiasts. One can spot gorgeous migratory birds like Paradise flycatcher, Magpie Robin, Malabar whistling thrush and many more. Karnala Fort, Prabalgad fort, Chanderi Fort, Manikgad Fort, The Ballaleshwar temple are some of the renowned tourist spots to visit. The distance between Thane and Panvel is 15 km and takes around half an hour to reach. Tourists can reach this place easily by using public or private transportation.
Apart from these, there are many popular tourist attractions to visit nearby Thane like Burhanpur, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Omkareshwar, Indore, Ahmedabad, etc. All these destinations are easy to reach by road within few hours and are best weekend gateways to explore.
