Explore> Chaul
What to see >u00a0The remains of this fortified Portuguese port overlook the mouth of the Roha River, 18 km south of Alibag, This verdant and tranquil site gives little indication of the vigourous commerce of former times.u00a0The history of Chaul dates to the 15th century when the port came under the Bahamanis of Gulbarga. It was the Portuguese, however, who developed Chaul into an international emporium.

The overgrown fortifications containing dense palm groves, picturesquely border the Roha on the south and west. The road from Alibag passes through a small gate in the northern arc of the walls. Instead of continuing south, however, visitors should take the path immediately to the right. This leads to the Church of the Augustinians of 1857, now a collapsing pile of masonry. The Church of the Franciscans, a short distance southwest, was begun in 1535 and dedicated to St Barbara. It preserves a 30m high, six-storey tower, the loftiest in the city. The ruins of St Francis Xavier’s chapel lie to the east.