Gokarna - A Paradise to Backpackers

It all started when I got stuck in Cyclone in Chennai for a few days. The restless and anxious me started wondering about Gokarna trip my friend Ajith just spoke about a week before. And there came the thought of joining him spoiling his solo trip. Later two more people interested in travel also joined the plan – my friend Keerthana and one of our acquaintance. Bookings were made in hurry and then I realized there was no plan. So here is my story of an unplanned trip to Gokarna which turned out to be one of my mesmerizing journeys.

We four of us boarded the train to Gokarna from Bangalore Central Station on 28/11/2020 at 6.20 in Sitting coach. Lucky for us we managed to convince the passengers that we are travelling together and were able to get a place together in the same seat. We had some food parcelled for us and also kept some snacks handy with us in case we feel hungry later. Late night we got lucky in terms of having four seats all by ourselves and get some sleep if not a proper good sleep.

Day 1: We arrived at Murudeshwar Station at 6.30 am. It was peaceful at the station. After getting fresh at the Waiting Room at the Station we started walking towards the Temple. The temple is located at the 2 km from the station and takes around 10 - 15 minutes of walk. We reached the Murudeshwar Temple. I have been to the place almost after 10 years and believe me the temple premises haven't been changed much. It was 7.50 am and still, there were lots of visitors in the temple area. We visited the temple and the great Shiva Statue alongside the Cave which portrays the history of Murudeshwar. If one wants to see the beautiful glimpse of Murudeshwar Temple and Beach from above, one can take a lift to the top of the temple.

After vising the temple we had breakfast at the nearby place and started walking back to the main road. We had to take the bus from the main road to Kumta to reach Gokarna. The journey was pleasant and we reached Kumta bus stand around noon. From there we got into the bus to Gokarna and arrived at the Gokarna Bus stand approximately at 1 pm. From the bus stand, we had to walk around 1.5 km to reach the place where we booked our stay. Walking hungrily in the afternoon sun was not so easy but Ice-Cream on the way and motivation to reach our dreamy destination kept us going.

After crossing a small village and then the hot sand we finally arrived at Trippr Gokarna Beach Hostel. The sight of the place itself relieved half of our pain.

We couldn't believe we had a whole beach just to ourselves. We were eager to explore but our hungry stomach didn't allow to.

The food we ordered was next to amzing and I guess for the first time I enjoyed my food appreciating the taste of every food item served on the table.

We relaxed for some time. By the time it was 3.30 we couldn't resist but went to the beach and had a wonderful time enjoying serene beach waves. We took bath and around 5.30 pm started exploring the beach and the beautiful village nearby. That particular evening next to the beach in the tent alongside bonfire and music was a dream come true for everyone.

Day 2: We all woke up at 4.30 and couldn't sleep after that. The calm sea waves and the full moon had turned the place into heaven. We all went and lied down on the beach admiring the beauty of nature till the sunrise. That was a moment of bonding for all of us. It felt like we are in a different world away from reality.

After getting refreshed and breakfast, we checked out with a heavy heart. The staff of the place was so nice and comforting throughout that the place felt home. This is the place if you ever want a perfect view and a good clean space. Leaving such a beautiful place was indeed difficult for every one of us. We hired two scooters for exploring the other places of Gokarna.

The first place we headed was Mirjan Fort, known for its architecture and historical battles. The roadway to this place was serene and the ride went smooth. We arrived at the Mirjan Fort around 11.00 am. Before entering the Fort we had some coconut water and lime soda from the nearby local shop to bring in the energy to explore such a huge fort. It took us almost more than an hour to cover the fort. Although the heat of the sun was strong we enjoyed exploring the fort and discussing the historical significance of the place.

By the time we came out, everyone was drained out of the energy and we decided to stop at the first restaurant we see on the main road. And perhaps the best decision of all of us on this trip. We stopped at this small house with big-name MEALS on it. We had trouble asking them for the menu as they only knew Kannada. Somehow we managed to tell them what we need and there it came - fresh banana leaves and hot amazing food served on it. The most satisfying food - Rice, Dal, Fish Curry, Vegetable, Pickle, Papad and curd - all what we needed.

After satiating our hunger, we started for Mahabaleshwar Temple. But halfway we came to know that it would open only at 5 pm. So we changed the plan to Shiva Cave. It didn't affect the route as Shiva Cave was just 1.5 km from the temple.

And the fun part of the trip starts here. The google map showed us the narrow route and it looked like we were heading to nowhere. We arrived at the destination but there was nothing but trees on both sides of the road. We went further to check if there's anything only to found nothing. We came back to the spot where there were auto rickshaws. When asked to one of the drivers he said to go straight for a km and you will find a board which has Shiva Cave written on it. Again we took the straight road and reached somewhere close to the Om Beach with no clue of the cave.

We found a taxi crossing us and we stopped the driver. He gave another direction saying it is opposite to the Resort we already crossed. Again we took the turn and went back. We saw a muddy road on the right-hand side where we stopped in doubt thinking that road might lead us to the cave. When asked to the local lady working in the area nearby she too confirmed it. But again there came two villagers who said we have to take the road opposite to the Resort to reach Shiva Cave.

Amidst all the confusion we returned to the place where the resort was discussing on to move to the next destination as we couldn't find a single clue for the cave. And while resting and drinking water there we found the board camouflaged signalling Shiva Cave. Happiness & Disappointment at the same time. Again there was no road. We decided to just walk a little bit and if not found anything to come back. After two minutes of walk amidst forests and rocks, we saw a cave finally. It was small and dark.

With the help of a mobile torch, we went inside. There were bats, frogs and many kinds of insects surrounding the small place of worship in the cave. Although the cave is small it's worth visiting. We all had a strong urge to create a signboard in a way that travellers like us doesn't get lost while exploring the Cave.

After exploring the cave we visited two more beaches - Kudle Beach and Om Beach covering another major attraction of the Gokarna. We dropped our scooters back to the office and with a lot of beautiful memories headed to the bus stand.

We boarded our bus from Gokarna at 5 pm and reached back to Bangalore early morning next day. The weekend was amazingly well spent and importantly was in the budget for everyone. We carried back with us many good memories which are enough for us to survive for the rest of the month in COVID-19. Since the trip was unplanned we missed out on certain tourist places but I think that's what gives us the reason now to head back to Gokarna someday.