Thiba Palace was built in 1910 by the British colonial administration to house King Thibaw of Burma, the last Konbaung king, who spent his final years in exile in Ratnagiri. The building sits on a hillock about two kilometres from the town's bus stand, and the grounds are pleasant to walk around — a reminder that this was effectively a comfortable prison.
The building itself is a mix of colonial and traditional styles, and the interior has been turned into a small museum with photographs, furniture, and documents relating to the king's life and exile. It is not a grand collection, but the story is extraordinary: the last monarch of an ancient kingdom, living out his days on the Maharashtra coast while the British dismembered his country. The views from the hillock are also good, particularly toward the sea.