Surrounded by thick forests and lush hills and valleys, Sawantwadi is located at an altitude of 690 m in
Sindhudurg District of
Maharashtra. There are numerous viewpoints that offer panoramic vistas of the valley. Sawantwadi is 60 km north of
Panaji, the capital of
Goa.
Once the capital of Sindhudurg, Sawantwadi houses a palace of the erstwhile Maharaja of Sawantwadi, which is renowned for its architecture. Important picnic spots are Hiranya Keshi, Nagarta Falls and Narayangad. Other attractions are the Moti Lake, Amboli, Narendra Park, Narendra Hill, Vithal temple, Hanuman Temple and Raghunath Market.
The place is also renowned for lacquer ware, popularly known as Sawantwadi Lacquer Craft. Wooden toys and artificial fruit making are the other major activities.
The nearest airport is at Belgaum (64 km). Sawantwadi Road Railway Station, about 28 km away, on Konkan Railway is the nearest railhead. The
National Highway 17 passes through Sawantwadi and state transport and luxury buses run from Vengurla, Belgaum, Ratnagiri to Sawantwadi.
