Gokarna is now known as much for its beaches as for its temples, mutts. There are 4 beaches. One is Gokarna beach. Two is Kudle beach. Three is famous Om beach. Four small ones are Half-Moon
and Paradise beaches. Gokarna beach is max a 10 minutes walk from the Mahableshwar Mandir, mostly Indian tourists. Locals organise a speed boat and take u for a 5 minute ride in the sea. U
see boat in pic. Took this from top of Ram Tirth hill.
Was there on January 1 so lots of school kids had come with their teachers in tow. U see a group of kids who were too young to venture into the water alone so held hands. Gokarna is about 4 hours
bus drive from Goa. Or u take a local train from Goa that leaves around 2ish. It drops u at the Gokarna road station from where it is a 15 minute drive to Gokarna town. Share bus Rs 15/, auto Rs 150/.
The same local train leaves from Mangalore around 6.30am to reach Gokarna road around 11.30am.
If u are looking for a homestay in Gokarna recommend Haripriya Residency. U see picture. Very good, clean rooms and nice host. In December 2011 charged Rs 500/ per day for a double room.
Email anand@haripriyaresidency.com or call 0836257203, 9480604196, 9379568673. Ask for Anand Nadkarni. It is a three minute walk from the bus stand. I met a foreigner who stayed at another
home stay ''Shanti Niwas'' ie close to Gokarna beach. They prefer those who stay for months. Had very good words for the host . App cost Rs 200/ per day.
Shri Ganapathi Mahadev temple in the main market. To go to Kudle beach take a left turn from this temple, walk up the hill for about 15 minutes and then walk downhill. There are autos that take
you from the market to the top of the hill for Rs 70/.
Welcome to Kudle beach. It is a nice place though the water was not clean. Lots of foreigners, cafés and shacks on the beach. Foreigners love the sun, tan as u can see in this picture. Extreme right
of picture is from where u can walk up the hill for about 20 minutes to reach Om beach.
Sunset Cafe on Kudle beach is where I spent a lot of time. Just sit there with chai/beer and relax. Food is decent good variety. Has shacks also with common and attached bathrooms. To book
call Gopal Gauda 9448526270, 9341079315. Cost for shack varies from Rs 100/ to Rs 250/ per head, depends on season.
A group of french friends playing chess in Sunset Café. They would spend nearly half a day playing chess. In between play frisby. In short just chill. Gokarna International is a good hotel on the
beach, tariff app Rs 1800/ per day.
Walked about 20 minutes from Kudli to Om beach. Easy walk. From this point u turn right to walk down that can be a challenge a some esp coming up. Tourist also come by autos/cars from Gokarna
to this point.
Welcome to Om Beach. It starts with that small hill at right of picture, goes in like a bay, comes out again, goes in like a bay that u see in front of picture. Water here is clean. Not as many
restaurents and shacks as I saw in Kudle. Saw more tourists enjoying bathing in the sea than I saw at Kudle.
This is second bay of Om beach where they have some water sports. I did a water scooter ride for Rs 250/. It barely lasted for a few minutes plus there was a person controlling it so waste of
money.
Kabadi is a great game to play on the sand. Here is game in brief. A huge square is divided into parts one for each team. Member of one team runs into the other part saying the words Kabadi
Kabadi Kabadi as you see in this pic. If he touches a member of another team that person is out of the game. If he is caught and unable to return to his part he is out.
Here u see member of one team caught and unable to cross over to his part so he is out of the game. Great game. Local train is the best way to reach Gokarna from Goa or Mangalore. If coming
from Mumbai the bus shall drop u at Kumta ie app 25kms away from Gokarna.
Om Beach has exotic places like this tatoo studio. Honestly should have ventured in but missed that experience. There is an Internet Café on the beach as well.
From Om beach u can take a boat ride to Paradise beach. About 15 minute ride, loved it cost Rs 100/ one way. U see Om beach from the boat.
These are type of boats that we went in. Sea was rough but enjoyed the ride.
All along the coastline are a series of small hills as u see in this picture. Tourist also walk it from Om to Paradise beach, u can see some in the pic. Was told it is a great walk although I
preferred the boat ride.
A foreigner couple navigating their way thru in a small boat.
U see Half moon beach. Is a very small beach. Has a restaurent. Nice place. Mostly visited by foreigners. I saw most tourist came to the beach around noon and left around sunset. On day one
I visited the temples and the beaches to click. Day two I changed into a costume at Sunset Café and swam in all the beaches.
At Paradise beach saw this foreigner family had made a small home/shack on top of the hill overlooking the sea. Like to do that someday.
Was told that authorities do not permit restaurents/hotels at Paradise beach. Tourist live in these tents and there is a make do eating place.
We go in boats like these from Paradise to Om beach. Great beach to swim. Water clean. Few tourists.
Last boat from Paradise to Om beach is at 6pm. Group of tourist that u see including myself wanted to go to Kudle beach instead. After lots of peruasion the boat owner agreed cost Rs 200/. Great
ride, enjoyed sun set.
Loved the moustache of this tourist from Sweden. Could not resist clicking, he was happy as well.
When we got into boat saw this foreign tourist doing intense pranayam, u see in centre of pic behind yellow sheet. Like the focus on keeping the body fit.
Sunset at hill overlooking Paradise beach. Small figures that u on the rocks are actually tourist sitting there and enjoying a glorious sunset.
A number of foreigners live in Gokarna for months. U get motorcycles/scooters on hire. U see one such foreigner whom I saw driving in car street.
Here is another. Scooter hire charges app Rs 220-250/ per day, petrol cost to your account.
Clicked from top of Ram Tirth hill background is Gokarna beach u see Shri Bharatteshwar Temple. Also see pics of Gokarna Mutts.