Manori beach is a stretch of about 2 kms bordered with palm trees and seaside hotels. This beach is approximately 40 kilometers from Mumbai by road, though alternately one can take the 15 minute ferry ride from Marve beach (in Malad). The drive after about 10 kms off the Western Express Highway turns pleasant with the pollution levels dropping. One almost feels like you are out of the city in a small village with horse drawn tongas ferrying you around.

Breathe in the clean fresh air, relax in the calm and undisturbed atmosphere. An idyllic beach with the sun and sea and you are all ready to unwind from the stress of the mad hectic life. The sea is amazingly clean as compared to the other beaches of Mumbai. Though this is normally a weekend retreat, the weekends are even better if one can manage to get ways. There are virtually no crowds and if you are looking for some quiet and undisturbed time, then the weekdays is your best option.

There is an ancient Portuguese church and cashew nut groves that add to the beauty of this place. Manori village has a large amount of Catholic population which is obvious from the dressing styles of the residents. The best place to stay is the Manoribel Hotel which is located right on the beach. There are other hotels on the beach too but by far Manoribel is the most ideal and beautiful place to stay. There are no televisions in the rooms which add to the serenity of the place.

We landed there on Wednesday at around noon and stayed there till Friday. With a lot of hammocks tied to the coconut trees this was the perfect setting to catch up on the afternoon snoozing. The breeze is cool and you can bring out your pillows and be lulled in the hammocks.

The beach is extremely safe and we took a walk on the beach and waded in the water at 1 AM. The moon was out (it was day before the full moon) and the beach was awash with the moonlight, in every ways a breathtaking sight. There are other activities available too like badminton and if one is in a large group, cricket and football would be a great way to spend the day on the beach.