Gokarna and its Beaches

The sun was all set to retire for the day as I took the detour from Gokarna town to Om beach.  Enroute, sunset over the cove shaped Kudle beach as I rode along the fringes of the hills was a sight to behold. It is a nice little valley that extends into the beach when seen from the vantage point. This is definitely one of the best views in this secluded coastal town known for its temples and beaches.  I stood there for a while, gazed at the beautiful frame and rode ahead to Om beach when darkness engulfed as the sun slid down the horizon.

With the ancient Mahabaleshwar temple dedicated to Shiva, Gokarna has always remained a popular pilgrim centre.  However, when Goa became too crowded in the 80’s and 90’s, the bohemian crowd trudged south to settle on the serene beaches of Gokarna. It is presently a favoured destination of budget travellers and it is common to find pilgrims, backpackers, Buddhist monks, foreign travellers and beach trekkers rub shoulders in this lovely coastal hamlet in north Karnataka.

Om beach is probably the most popular place in Gokarna and Namaste café, a preferred place to relax. After relishing a tuna sandwich for breakfast (Namaste café’s tuna sandwich is the best I have ever had), I walked past the jutting rocks on Om beach. Referred to as Parvati rocks, they are spread majorly over the middle and northern stretch of the beach. The rocks are lovely vantage points to enjoy sunsets. The trees in the background which provide a long stretch of shade, stoop low to kiss the wading waves. In the shape of an inverted Om symbol, Om beach gets its name from the same. The beach was devoid of the crowd, except for a few people sitting on the rocks and enjoying their solitude, a couple of yoga practitioners and a few early morning walkers. Cows are ubiquitous here and can be seen in numerous numbers on the beach. There are more cafes towards the southern stretch which ends at a hill. As the sun was yet to warm up for another summer morning, the walk turned out to be a pleasant one.

At the end of Om beach, I walked behind the last café onto a narrow trail through the bushes to Half moon beach. The path goes along the ridge of a hill and slowly vistas popped up through the bushes. The gorgeous frame of the expansive Arabian sea, the slanting coconut trees and rocks was a delightful company on the trail ahead. Midway, I took a short detour to a lone coconut tree jutting from an extended hillock. As I gazed at the beautiful sea and Om beach far away, spotted a couple of dolphins going about their acrobatics. Such a wonderful sight. The trek led further through more precarious paths before going down the hill to Half moon beach. A secluded cove beach, Half moon is accessible only by trek or by a boat ride from Om beach. There are a couple of shacks, and the whole day can be spent counting the waves, chasing crabs and gazing at the beautiful sky at night.

Further south, the trail goes behind the shacks and one needs to clamber over a couple of rocks. It was a bit risky and I took the longer route over the hill. However, it turned out that this was tougher than the one over the rocks. The rocky trail ends at the tiny Small hell beach. I wasn’t alone from there on, as a lone dog followed me. We went past more vantage points, rocks and narrow trails towards Paradise beach. We sat idle and gazed at the beautiful vistas of the unending sea at quite a few points. Beyond more rocks, Paradise beach showed up from a distance. With coconut trees, hippie crowd and beautiful views, Paradise beach stands true to its name. All that one can do here is read a book under the shade, catch some sleep on a hammock, go for a dip in the sea or listen to some soulful music. How inviting is that? There aren’t any shacks here, but visitors hang out here on hammocks and tents. The lone shop here offers tea, omelets and basic food. Paradise beach is definitely the place to head to in Gokarna if you are keen on beach camping and staying away from the crowd. Trek and boat are the only means to reach here, and that makes it all the more secluded. I sat under the trees, had a lazy brunch, a few cups of tea, watched people perform acrobatics, saw dolphins and gazed at the sea in oblivion. Late in the afternoon I reluctantly took a boat back to Om beach. The ride back offered nice views of the beaches, hills and rocks which I had trespassed on my way to Paradise beach.

It is relatively an easy trek from Om beach to Kudle beach. Trail goes through a park at the northern end of Om beach and then over a flat bedded hillock before getting on a mud trail that meanders its way down to Kudle beach. The open beach is devoid of trees or shade like the other three beaches and that made my walk a tiring one. However, there are more shacks here than other beaches in Gokarna. With nice views of the beautiful beach, these shacks are ideal to sip a beer and watch the sun go down. Kudle beach is well recommended for a dip as it comparatively has lesser rocks. As the sun goes down and the temperatures dip, a walk on this beach is a nice way to welcome the night. The aerial view of Kudle is a beautiful frame.

The next day began with an early morning ride to Gokarna town and Mahabaleshwar temple. A typical temple town lined with numerous shops selling temple paraphernalia and a host of other items. Halakki tribal women can be spotted selling offering to the deity near the entrance of the temple. Dressed in colourful attire, Halakki tribes are indigenous to Gokarana and surrounding regions, but are mostly found around the temple premises. The road that leads to the temple goes past numerous colourful houses and ends at Gokarna main beach, which lies behind Mahabaleshwar temple. As per legend, it is recommended to take a dip in the beach before entering the temple. I had a short stroll along the beach which had an influx of both pilgrims and visitors. Mahabaleshwar temple is a revered one and is believed that it houses the atmalinga which Ravana could not carry home to Lanka as he was duped by Ganapathy. Celebrations galore during Shivaratri here and hordes of pilgrims throng the temple street during that time. Mahaganapathy temple is another popular place of worship on the same street.

Post the temple visit, rode out of Gokarna and took a detour to Tadadi, a small fishing port. Located at the estuary of Aghanashini river, this small fishing hamlet has a few beaches. Beyond Tadadi, the road runs along the backwaters of the river to the beach. Though google maps showed the beach as God’s own beach, the locals whom I spoke to mentioned it as an extension of Paradise beach. Paradise beach lies to the north of Tadadi and can be accessed by a trek over the hills. The road beyond Tadadi ends at the mud road that leads to Paradise beach. The beaches in Tadadi are rocky and have a couple of shacks and home stays.

Back in Gokarna, I spent the evening watching the sunset from the rocky perches of Om beach. Though the sunset angle wasn’t very appealing (Kudle beach offers a better view), evenings on the rocks of Om beach are always serene.

Travel Tips:

• The beach trek is doable alone, just make sure you wear shoes with a good grip as the rocks and mud trail can be slippery at times.
• Leave early in the morning for the trek to avoid the sun.
• The rocks on Om beach are dangerous and it is advised to stay closer to the beach.

 Navigator:

Uttara Kannada, Karnataka

The closest airport is at Dabolim, Goa (155 Kms). The nearest rail head is at Gokarna Road (12 Kms). There are buses plying from Kumta, Karwar and Honnavar to Gokarna. Bangalore is 491 Kms from Gokarna. Om beach is 6 Kms from Gokarna town.

Food and Accommodation:

Om beach and Kudle beach have numerous shacks with budget accommodation. There are luxury options too near Om beach. Gokarna town has a few lodges majorly targeted at pilgrims visiting the temple. Namaste café on Om beach is neatly designed along with slopes of a hill and its café opens out into the beach.  Sunset café on Kudle beach is well recommended. Sea food is a specialty at most of the cafes. Tuna sandwich at Namaste café is a must try. There are vegetarian restaurants in Gokarna town, near the temple.

Solitude on the rocks!

A lone soul on the rocks of Om beach, Gokarna. March 2017.

When Culture Meets Culture!

A foreign national taking offerings for the deity from a Halakki tribal woman outside Mahaganapathy temple, Gokarna. 

March 2017.

Gokarna- Ten Things to Do/See...!!

Gokarna which is a spiritual town on the western coast of Karnataka, offers a lot of options for the backpackers and tourists. Here is a list of ten must do/ see things in this coastal hamlet-

Mahabaleshwar temple- Gokarna has been known for ages as a spiritual town and the Mahabaleshwar temple next to the main beach of Gokarna attracts large number of pilgrims through out the year. The temple which is built in Dravidian architectural style is famous for its Atmalinga or Shivlinga which can only be viewed through a hole in the pedestal. A visit to this temple during Shivrathri would be a great experience as the town celebrates the big festival with a Rathyatra and other celebrations.
                              
Walk through the alleys- The narrow dwindling streets and alleys of Gokarna with numerous cows for company is an interesting place to start your day. With temple paraphernalia displayed on both sides of the streets by the vendors, the place looks colourful, vibrant and religious. One can pick up rudrakshas, miniature shivlingas and many other interesting artifacts from the displays.

Hippies & Halakkis- This spiritual town is also known to be a hippie's paradise. People from world over land in Gokarna to explore the hippie lifestyle and to meet the hippies who have been visiting this place for many years. You can have interesting conversations with them and chances are quite high that you get inspired to live their lifestyle. Another genre of people one might see in Gokarna are the Halakki tribals. They still lead an ancient way of life and the women still wear traditional attire and distinct jewellery. They can be very easily seen on the streets of Gokarna selling vegetables, flowers and curios.

Gokarna beach- Even though the main beach of Gokarna is not the most preferred one by the travellers or tourists, this beach is definitely the most visited by the pilgrims. As per the customs, it is only after a dip in the waters of this beach can one enter the Mahabaleshwar temple. Even though the beach does not look very pretty with a lot of litter, a walk on the same early in the morning can leave one with a fresh mind and a blissful view of the Arabian sea.

Om beach- If there is something that is more famous than Gokarna itself in Gokarna, it has to be the Om beach. Renowned for its Om shaped appearance, this beach is a big hit with travellers. With numerous shacks and cafes, this is the beach where the foreign travellers head to escape the crowds of Goa. Its a long beach with rocks jutting out and serenity at its best. You can find hippies, Buddhist monks, European backpackers and the Indian nomads strolling on this beautiful beach. It is nice 6 kms drive over the hills with splendid views from Gokarna town to Om beach. A visit to Gokarna without a glimpse of the Om is definitely a crime.

Kudle beach- The second most preferred beach after the Om, it lies between the main beach of Gokarna and Om beach. Kudle beach also has a lot of cafes and shacks and invites numerous travellers during the peak season. The view of sunset on Kudle beach from the top of the cliff is breathtaking. One can also trek across the rocks and reach Kudle from Om beach.

Half moon beach- Walk towards the southern end of Om beach and a narrow pathway leads you through the bushes into the hills to the Half moon beach. The magnificent vistas of the Arabian sea can leave you awestruck. Approachable only by trek or on boat, this small beach in the shape of a half moon is a secluded one and a heaven for solitude seekers. The beach does not have any shacks or cafes and the only way you can spend time is by counting the waves or catching the crabs.

Paradise beach- Another secluded beach which gets active only during the peak season. It remains closed during the other half of the year. Paradise beach can be accessed by trekking further south of Half moon beach. Again, the accessibility is only by foot or by boat. Definitely a paradise for people who would love to stay away from civilization.

Catamaran ride- The fishermen on Om beach/ Kudle beach/ main beach are quite eager to take you on a boat/catamaran ride. Bargain well and head into the Arabian sea with them. A splash of the salty waters is sure to leave everyone refreshed. A catamaran ride from one beach to another is definitely exciting. Beach hopping cannot get better than this.

Namaste cafe- The most well known shack in Gokarna is the Namaste cafe on  Om beach. The cafe cum shack has been carved out on a rock that leads to the beach. The restaurant faces the Om beach and is one of the best places to relax with a mug of beer in Gokarna. It has good rooms and the food is quite delicious. Their Tuna sandwich is one dish which every visitor must bite into. 


A detailed post on Gokarna is here- https://www.talesofanomad.com/2017/04/gokarna-and-its-beaches.html

Coastal Circuit - Unplugged...!!

My longest bike trip was a solo ride of 5 days covering a distance of  more than 1500 kms through the western ghats and then along the coast of Karnataka. A lot of planning had gone into this big trip and I had all things(routes, accommodation etc) taken care of. On the D-day I left Bengaluru at half past seven(delayed by 2hours) in the morning and cruised on the lovely tarmac of NH-4 till Tumkur. From then on it was the NH-206 all the way till Honnavar. The single roads after Tumkur  were not so great compared to NH-4 but the landscaping made up or it. It was lush green all the way with very less traffic.


My frequent breaks in between were either at the Coffee days or the Kamats or in the middle of nowhere. During one such break next to a coconut grove, I had this good hearted stranger who called me inside his premises and offered me coconut water. Some strangers are seriously God send. He spoke to me a lot about himself, his land and his plantations. After bidding him goodbye I hit the road and vroomed towards Shimoga and further ahead to Sagar. After a quick lunch break at Shimoga, I was zipping away happily into the heart of western ghats. A beautiful winding road through the lush green forest with numerous streams and waterfalls took me past Sagar and then into the pothole filled ghats. From Sagar a 2km detour takes you to the world famous Jog Falls. As the sun set I crossed the ghat section and reached Honnavar. A right turn from this T-junction and I had Arabian sea on my left, the western ghats on my right, pitch darkness all around me and flashing headlights from opposite side. The roads were bad in patches and with no lights it was a bit scary and slow ride on NH-17. After a couple of stops to enquire about the direction to Gokarna, I at last got on to the deviation from the highway that would take me to the temple town. Gokarna is in fact 10kms off the NH-17 and a narrow, single and well tarred road took me deeper into darkness and loneliness. With very few people in the vicinity, there weren't much options for me, but to keep going on the same road.

The coconut man

Through the western ghats

After reaching Gokarna, I was in for further adventure as my accommodation was at Namaste Cafe on Om Beach, which is a further 6kms from Gokarna. A curvy road through the top of a hill with absolutely no living beings around and only the pulsar's roar for company made the ride quite a thriller. After a certain distance I could hear more roars, and definitely those were not of the engines. I was on top of a hill and the roar was of the sea. I could sense that I was riding very close to the sea and heard the waves rolling up to the shores; but what I saw was only pitch darkness. As I rode further with the Arabian beauty I saw the signage for OM beach and Namaste Cafe. The road ended at the entrance of Namaste Cafe. It was 8.30 in the night and I had rode for 13 hours and 525 Kms before reaching Om Beach in Gokarna.

Om Beach

Om Beach

Namaste Cafe is quite popular with travellers heading to Gokarna. Its a lovely beach cafe right on the Om Beach with a lot of shacks and rooms. The whole place has been carved out on a rock that leads down to the beach. An apt place for wanderers like me. However, there are numerous other shacks on OM beach. Gokarna is best known as a hippie's hangout and I wasn't surprised when I found so many scantily clad foreign nationals roaming around. Gokarna is also known to be home to the Halakki tribals, who go about doing their daily work in their traditional attire.

My trails

Gokarna boasts of five beautiful beaches of which a couple of them are completely secluded. After a tasty continental breakfast, I ventured out exploring the OM beach and Kudle beach. OM beach resembles the Hindu symbol OM and therefore gets the name. However only a helicopter view would give an exact OM symbol for the beach. Also the sea has taken away a lot of sand and rock and resemblance to the symbol has become more faint off late. The beach looked placid with a lot of rocks emerging from the waters, few cows roaming around, a couple of fishermen, a few bikinis, a gang of Buddhist monks and a couple of nomads. The beach has rocks jutting out from the waters in many places and these were definitely the best sunset view points. I walked the whole stretch of the beach towards south and found a few more shacks and restaurants. At one point the sea has encroached into the land and has formed a beautiful little lagoon. With absolutely nothing else to do, I chatted up with a few firangis, played in the waters and then headed back. Its in fact the best getaway for the lazy hearted.

Rocks on Om Beach

Beautiful lagoon next to Om Beach

From OM beach I trekked over the hills further north to Kudle beach. With not much signages, I was quite confused about the route and so was this beautiful lonely stranger, Freja from Sweden. We then trekked all the way together and ended up taking the wrong route. After a lot of treasure hunt we were back on the right track and walked up to the more tourist filled Kudle beach. Comparitively, Kudle beach was less rocky and had more family crowd than OM. Being on a beach is always incomplete without a bottle of beer and I entered a shack to get hold of one while Freja headed to the beach for a sun bath. Beer, Beach and Bikinis- now that is one cocktail which has no substitute. After her sun bath we had a beer chat w.r.t the best destinations in India, Swedish history and Gokarna. A lazy walk back and we were back in our respective dens.

Kudle beach

Kudle Beach

Freja Forslund on Om Beach

Sunset at Om

A splash and a dip in the waters of OM and some spectacular sunset views made the evening a memorable one. Frolicking in the waters all alone does seem quite odd for the onlookers but for a nomad like me, there is no better way to solitude. I climbed up a few rocks to have a few photo shoots of the setting sun and then it was time to sit on the beach, count the waves and stare at the horizon in absolute Nirvana. Life couldn't be more peaceful. A blissful day came to end with a wonderful dinner, a pleasant song in the back ground, the waves crashing on to the rocks in the foreground and a bottle of thirst quenching beer.

Kudle beach as seen from the top of the hills

Sunset at Kudle beach

The dawn breaks and I headed to Gokarna town with a ride over the hills. On my way I had this expansive valley next to me with he Kudle beach way down and the whole landscape looked like a smiley :). That was indeed a spectacular view. My first destination for the day was Murudeshwar, famous for its Shiva statue and temple. Cruising past the fishing hamlets of honnavar and kumta, I reached Murudeshwar in the hot and humid climate. The gopuram or the entry gate at the temple is a stunner, standing tall with carvings which are so intricate. Even more stunning was the massive statue of Lord Shiva which can be seen even from the national highway. The statue which is more than 120 feet tall is the second tallest Shiva statue in the world and is beautifully created just next to the sea. The Lord sitting besides the Arabian sea, towering over his devotees and blessing them is a sight to watch. After the temple darshan, it was time for fun and frolic. Murudeshwar beach has a lot of water sport options and one of them is water scooters which I had always wanted to ride. Hopped onto on one and off I went deep into the sea, with water gushing all over me. At one point I could see land far off and it was just the blue sea all around me. That was one hell of an adrenaline rush and its a must for all the adventure lovers.

Murudeshwar Temple

Murudeshwar beach

After a quick bite at the sea facing Naveen restaurant, I was out of Murudeshwar and through the dusty small town of Bhatkal, I headed further south on NH-17 to Ottinene sunset view point. A small dirt track off the highway led me to the viewpoint. I was awestruck at the breathtaking scenery and surprisingly the place looked deserted. Situated on a high plateau, it gives a mind blowing view of Baindoor beach way down and also of the beautiful river (I don't know her name) disembarking itself into the Arabian Sea. I had a wonderful feel of peace and serenity gazing at the picturesque landscape.  This beautiful view is famous for sunsets, however I was too early for the same.

Ottinene view point

A further 20kms from Ottinene and I was at Maravanthe. This is in fact a spectacular and rare scenery where national highway has the roaring Arabian Sea on one side and the serene Souparnika river on the other. The road  actually separates these two water bodies. A few kiosks is all what the neat and clean Maravanthe beach can boast of. A few photo shoots of the mesmerising view of the horizon made me realise that both the sun and the sea were deeply in love.

Maravanthe beach

From the abode of Lord Shiva I moved towards the abode of Lord Krishna. Udupi is supposedly where masala dosas trace back their roots to. Also famous for the renowned  Krishna temple, I rode further south to this temple town. A quick homage at the temple and I was off to Malpe beach. A westward ride of 8kms from Udupi took me to this local beach which had a lot of localites frolicking in the waters. This beach is also the entry point to St.Marys Island which is a boat's ride from here. I however decided to skip that and headed all the way back to Gokarna. With the setting sun for company, that was indeed a long, tiring and butt-breaking ride.

Malpe beach

After a good sleep and a much needed rest the previous night, the fourth day of my odyssey started with a visit to the Gokarna temple and the beach situated next to it. The beach looked quite dirty and had a lot of dogs and cows roaming around. A narrow winding route across the hills to the south of the beach leads to the Kudlee beach.  As far as the saying goes all pilgrims must have a dip in the sea before entering the temple. A crowded narrow street with small shops displaying religious paraphernalia all around lead me to the Mahabaleshwar temple. After taking the Lord's blessing I returned back to Namaste cafe.

Gokarna beach

After a  heavy continental breakfast, both Freja and myself walked down to the south of OM beach towards the hills. A half an hour trek over the hills lead us to the secluded and serene Half moon beach. The trek through the hills is a fabulous one with the rocks and sea giving company all the way through. On turning back to check the the route that had been taken, I was witness to some breathtaking scenery. Om beach looked stunning from the hills and the view of the expansive Arabian sea was a visual treat. Enroute we also saw this lone coconut tree jutting itself out from a hill with the sea in the background. The turquoise blue sea and the dark green hills made the landscape a photographers delight. Half moon beach is the ideal place for beach lovers in search of solitude. No shacks, no tourists and absolute serenity. However there were 2 bikini babes at this lovely beach before we arrived. The only thing that you can do here is to count the waves and go crab chasing. The beach is quite small and gets its name from the fact that it has the shape of a half moon. A must visit for all the people travelling to Gokarna. Do not miss this beautiful beach and the wonderful trek. A narrow path further  south of Half moon leads to Paradise beach. Due to the downpour the previous night, we were advised not to trek to this beach as the rocks could be quite slippery. That was quite disappointing and we trekked back to Om. With no road connectivity to Half moon beach and Paradise beach, the only options to reach them are either by trek or by boats. At OM beach there are boatmen who take you to both these beaches.

Half moon beach

Enroute half moon beach

Enroute Half moon beach

Om beach as seen from the hills

The last destination on this expedition was Karwar, the last major town on NH-17 before entering GOA. Freja was supposed to leave for Cochin the same night and we rode all the way from OM beach to Karwar on my super bike ( Freja wanted to know if owned a super bike. I gave her a wry smile and said that mine was definitely not a super bike, at least for everyone other than me. Its time for an R1, I suppose...!!). A gentle shower greeted us as we began our smooth ride to the port town of Karwar. We first went past the Karwar town and crossed Kali bridge. This bridge which is almost a kilometer long gives a panoramic view of the the beautiful sea. The Sadashivgad view point situated immediately after the bridge gives a mesmerising view of the sunset and also of the ferocious Kali river disgorging into the sensuous Arabian sea. A sight that left me awestruck. We also saw Devbagh island and Kurumbgad island far off in the sea, amidst the rays of the evening sun. 

Kali river bridge

Freja and RND

The Tagore beach in Karwar gets its name from the fact that Rabindrnath Tagore was quite impressed by this beach and had written his first play sitting on its shores. The sky looked quite colourful and the beach was swarming with evening walkers and kids all around. We had a quiet evening on the beach with vada pavs,pani puris and the setting sun. After bidding good-bye to Freja at the Karwar railway station, I returned back to Namaste Cafe.

Tagore beach

The final leg of my odyssey was from Gokarna to Bengaluru. This was the worst part of my travel as it was the most tedious and tiresome one of the lot ( At least thats what my heart said). Left Gokarna at  6.30 am and the same winding route through the western ghats and national highways 206 and 4 took me to Bengaluru. Reached home by 7.30pm.

Amidst all these exciting destinations I did miss out on a few of them:

1. Paradise beach (5th beach in Gokarna)

2. St.Marys island (off Malpe beach)

3. Netrani island- famous for snorkelling and scuba diving (off Murudeshwar)

4. Devbagh and Kurumbgad islands ( off Karwar)

5. GOA (kissed the border and came back) 

All these misses will definitely make me plan a bigger travel in the near future.

A blissful travel along the coast of Karnataka with the gorgeous Arabian sea, weird hippies, friendly tribals, lovely strangers (coconut man and Freja), adventurous treks, secluded beaches, amazing sunets and solitude moments came to an end with a bucketful of memories which keeps coming back to me like the tides of he sea.

Signing Note: The best odyssey till date...!!


Route: Bengaluru- Tumkur- Shimoga- Honnavar- Kumta- Gokarna- OM beach


Distance-
              Bengaluru to Gokarna- 525kms
              Gokarna to Murudeshwar- 77 kms
              Murudeshwar to Ottinene- 35 kms
              Ottinene to Maravanthe- 20 kms
              Maravanthe to Udupi- 55 kms   
              Udupi to Malpe- 8kms
              Gokarna to Karwar- 57 kms