Konkan Connect › Places to visit

Moti Talav, Sawantwadi

Nature · Sawantwadi, Sindhudurg

The lake at the heart of Sawantwadi town, lined with a promenade, the palace and shops selling the town's famous wooden toys.

Moti Talav, the 'pearl lake', lies in the middle of Sawantwadi, with the palace on one side and the town's streets around it. It is the natural meeting place of the town, and in the evening people walk along its banks as the lights come on.

Around the lake are shops selling Sawantwadi's famous lacquered wooden toys and painted wooden fruit, a craft that has been practised here for generations. It is a good place to buy a souvenir that is truly local.

In the monsoon the lake fills and the hills behind the town turn green, while in winter the evenings are cool and pleasant. The palace and the road up to Amboli are close by.

Keep the lake clean and enjoy it from the banks.

Best time to visit

All year; evenings are the nicest.

How to reach

In the centre of Sawantwadi. Nearest railway station: Sawantwadi (Madure).

Places nearby

• Sawantwadi Palace
• Amboli Hill Station

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) and OpenStreetMap; map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.