Honnavar – a hidden treasure

Honnavar, a town of Uttara Karnataka district in northern part of Karnataka is a hidden treasure of Western Ghat. It is a small port on Arabian Sea connected by Mangalore-Goa highway.  Konkan railway passes through Honnavar. River Saravathi joins Arabian Sea near Honnavar town. Saravathi is one the few rivers which join Arabian Sea. The famous Jog Falls is created by Saravathi. Konkan raliway’s longest bridge is in Honnavar on Saravathi River. Honnavar can be a perfect weekend gateway from Bangalore for people who want to escape the city madness and enjoy tranquil nature.  I went to Honnavar in Monsoon. I enjoyed the fresh look of Western Ghats when the green becomes greener and all the streams come alive with rain. Honnavar was simply a treat to my eyes. I stayed in a simple homestay. There are several homestays in around Honnavar. My first stop in the early morning was Kasarkod beach. Kasarkod beach is the main attraction of Honnavar. This 5 km long pristine beach offers a very exotic view of Arabian Sea which is no less than any famous beach of Goa. It was a very peaceful and pleasant experience for me. With hills on one sides and monsoon clouds on the horizon, Kasarkod offered a very mystic view of seashore. The areas nearby are best explored by walking. My next stop was Apsarakonda waterfall in a small village named Apsarakonda near the town. A light trek is required to reach the hillock of Apsarakonda waterfall. So after spending the morning in the beach, I started trekking the hill. Once again I was captivated by the breath taking panoramic view of Kasarkod from the top. After appreciating Kasarkod one more time, I headed to Apsarakonda.  There is a well-established trail created by the tourism department to reach the base of the waterfall. There is an interesting story on Apsarakonda. The meaning of the name is ‘pond of angels’. Apsarakonda waterfall creates a pond below it. The legend says that angels used this pond for bathing and relaxing in ancient age. A unique fact about Apsarakonda fall is that the water flows down through the roots of a peepal tree while descending to the pond. There are several natural caves hidden by the old peepal tree. The root covering the caves, layer of moss on the rocks and the sound of water falling on the rocks create an enigma. There is one huge cave located behind the water fall and can be explored. The caves are known as Pandava caves. Legend says that Pandavas stayed in these caves during their exile. Apsarakonda looks its best during monsoon. It mesmerized me with it's enchanting beauty. Western Ghat has so many hidden treasures, I thought as I left the waterfall. It was evening already by the time I came back. In small towns, night falls quickly. My day ended with a treat of some delicious homemade north kannada cuisine. My next day started with a boat ride on Saravathi. There are several small islands on the sea mouth of Saravathi. With some local people, some part of the islands can be explored. I witnessed a very romantic and misty look of Saravathi in Monsoon. I spent my day trying out some local recipes, walking on the river side and the longest railway bridge. Some local people told me that Honnavar has all together a different look in the winter with amazing sunset views from Saravathi sea mouth and Kasarkod. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a clear sky to capture the sunset. Monsoon and winter are ideal time to explore Honnavar. My personal choice is always monsoon. But visting Western Ghat in monsoon requires preparation for heavy rain throughout the day. Honnavar has a lot of surprises to offer. Nevertheless, one can also plan to include Jog Falls in the itinerary along with Honnavar. Jog Falls is approximately two hours from Honnavar. Depending on the number of days, one can witness the majestic look of Jog Falls and experience the richness Western Ghat.