Sometimes all you need is silence, peace and a quick vacation and Gokarna is the must to visit.
Gokarna is not just a town of pilgrimage but a land of trees, blue seas and glittering sands.it is a small town in Karnataka, primarily known for two reasons – its beaches and temples.
The best time to visit here is between October to Feb.
Getting here from Bangalore.
Train: One can take a train that leads to Karwar from Bangalore
Bus- There are lot of private bus that Red bus provides to Gokarna from Bangalore. There are even KSRTC bus facility. it is just a 8 hour journey.
Car- One can even drive, it is approximately 490 km through Davanegere.
The top 5 beaches in Gokarna are :
Gokarna Beach- This beach is not mostly proffered by the travelers as the last rituals and customs are performed here in the sea and is closest to the pilgrim. Also this part of the sea is a bit messy. but one must visit the Mahabaleshwar temple for its history.
Kudle Beach- This beach is one of the most popular and travelers are fond of spending time here. The beach is located between Gokarna beach and Om beach. there are many shacks, guest houses for stay. you can play in the sea as it is clean compared to Gokarna beach. you can also witness the beautiful sunrise and sunset sipping your favorite drink.
Om Beach- This is one of the most favorite beach for most of the travelers, most of the people prefer staying here as it is between the rest of the beaches. one who stays here must try to trek from Om Beach to half moon beach to witness the OM sign in Sanskrit from above. The beach is approximately 5km from the town and you can take a rickshaw to get here if you are travelling by public transport. you may bump it to lot of foreign backpackers singing songs with there guitar or playing with hoola hoops . There are also lot of sports activities if you visit during the season and a must try.
Half moon Beach- One can reach here either by ferry or through a short trek from Om Beach, This place is better for photographers to take amazing pictures as it looks like a beautiful island. The beach is filled with coconut trees and hammocks. The only disadvantage is there are no much accommodation options. Therefore, you can just think of visiting here on a day and return back by evening to Om beach or Kudle.
Paradise beach- This beach is a little ahead of half moon beach. it was once the most preferred beach of the hippies due to its raw exceptional beauty and also a real paradise. The beach has a very high waves and usually not preferable to take dip unless you are professional. Again there is no much options for accommodation here. The place is isolated and if you are looking for a peace and silence from everything that is happening in the world. This is the ideal place to spend time.
