Ratnagiri

"Your Highness," says Mr Cox, an English policemen accompanying the Burmese royal family to India where they are living in exile - in Amitav Ghosh's novel, The Glass Palace. "I am glad to be able to inform you that the matter of a permanent residence for you and your family has finally been resolved."

"Oh," said the King. "And where is it to be?"

"A place by the name of Ratnagiri."

"What?" The King stared at him, nonplussed. "Where is this place?"

"Some 120 miles south of Bombay. An excellent place, with fine views of the sea."

The Glass Palace is why I headed up the coast, to a place where no tourists venture. In the novel, King Thebaw, forced to leave Burma for India, lives out his days in Ratnagiri (the accent is on the 'na'). He spends his days gazing out to sea, watching for boats bringing supplies of his beloved pork. Above is his view. There isn't much to see or do in Ratnagiri, but if you want to be the only white person in town - and try to deciper menus written only in Hindi - it's the place to come.