• Know which are the best beaches of India, how to reach, what to see. Plus pictures and album links.

Ever since PM Modi visited Lakshadweep, statements by some ministers of the Maldivian government and social media rage thereafter, the beaches of India have come into focus. India has a long coastline and some lovely beaches. Where does one go?

I might have missed out some good beaches. Please write in giving beach name and location, why you like it, state of local infrastructure. A couple of simple pictures, credits yours, shall help. Read on.

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island

Scooba Diving at Neil Beach. 

Beaches on Havelock island are Radhanagar, Vijaynagar, Kalapathar and Elephant. On Neil island are beaches Laxmanpur I & II, Bharatpur. Next is Ross island. Then visited Corbyn’s Cove beach (water scooter). Next visited Chidiya Tapu beach (lots of birds here, Sunset is famous). Schedule as done by D Sengupta whose pictures you see above. 

Most scuba diving takes place in Havelock or Neil island. Make sure company is registered with Professional Association of Diving Instructors.      

Also see

Kala Pani Jail and Limestone caves at Baratang.

How to reach

Port Blair is well connected by air. It takes 5.5 to 6 hours from Mumbai. From Chennai and Delhi it takes lesser time. You can take a ship from Chennai/Kolkata to Port Blair. It takes 3-4 days.

Read  How to reach Andaman and Honeymoon Packages

Albums  Beaches of A&N & Scuba diving at A&N & Andaman and Nicobar & Kala Pani Jail & To know about Water Sports

Coastal Karnataka has some lovely beaches namely Kumta, Honnavar, Ankola, Murudeshwar, Byandur to name a few. Some like Honnavar also have backwaters and mangroves on the Sharawathi delta as an additional attraction.

2. Gokarna, Karnataka

View of sea from top of Ram Tirth hill at Gokarna. 

Playing Chess at Cafe on Kudle Beach. Loved the cafe. 

Playing Kabadi at Om Beach. 

Setting sun at Paradise beach. Beaches of Gokarna have a hill along the coastline as you see.

Beaches

Gokarna has three beaches, Kudle-Om-Paradise. You can trek to them. When I visited 10 years ago Kudle was the most popular with foreigners. Om Beach is very popular too. From Om took a boat Paradise beach. Half moon beach is a small beach, found mainly foreigners living in tents.

Also see in Gokarna

Entrance to cave where Sri Ram lived in exile. A discourse was on when I entered the cave. 

Koti Teertha Kund

Virtually on the sea side is a Cave where Sri Ram lived in exile. Do visit Mahableshwar Devi Mandir.

How to reach

Closest airport to Gokarna is Goa from where it is app 130 kms. Takes app 3 hours. There is a local train from Goa to Gokarna which is great fun. Alternatively, you can fly to Mangalore and take a local train or drive down. Distance 230 kms. I did Mangalore, Murdeshwar, Gokarna and Goa.

Read Places to visit in Gokarna & Trains Mangalore to Gokarna

Albums  Gokarna Beaches & Gokarna Mutts

3. Honnavar/Sharawati Backwaters Boating

Honnavar Backwaters. Pic courtesy Chandru. 

Check out Anjandri Boating. Contact Chandru. Honnavar is on the way from Murdeshwar to Gokarna (26 kms) so easy access.

Udupi and around too has some lovely beaches for e.g. Kodi beach below. Pic courtesy Thrillophilia.com 

Read  What to see in Udupi

4. Murdeshwar, Karnataka

A view of Murdeshwar from top floor of Gopuram. 

Shivji ki pratima at sun-set. 

How to reach

Closest airport to Murdeshwar is Mangalore i.e. 153 kms away. There is a local train from Mangaluru to Murdeshwar which is great fun. I did Mangalore, Murdeshwar, Gokarna and Goa. Distance from Goa to Murdeshwar is 190 kms.

Also see  

 It also has a old and new Shiv Mandir, both of which are a must see and probably water sports. 

Album on Murdeshwar

5. Tarkali, Maharashtra

Evening snack at Tarkali. Pic courtesy MTDC.

Tarkali is well known for scuba diving. It is a PADI5 certified dive centre. Pic courtesy MTDC.

MTDC’s Indian Institute of Scuba Diving & Aquatic Sports (IISDA) is a leader in the Scuba Diving Industry in India and is one of the few PADI 5 star certified dive centers in the country.

Also see

Sindhudurg Fort, Tondavali Beach, Rock Garden and Kunkeshwar Beach i.e. 55 kms away.

How to reach

Train to Sawantwadi/Kudal station. Sawantwadi is app 106 kms (app 2 hours) from Goa i.e. well connected by air. Train Mumbai to Sawantwadi is Madgaon Jan Shatabdi Express. Leaves Mumbai at 5.10 am, takes app 7.5 hours. Trains and station cleanliness have improved over the years.

Read MTDC Tour Packages & Maharashtra’s Beaches

6. Konarak Eco-Retreat, Odisha

E-Tents, Konarak beach.

Sunbathe on beach or water sports. For details Odisha Tourism site

How to reach

Fly or take a train to Puri. From Puri Konarak is just 36 kms.  

Read  About Eco-Retreat Konarak & Album Sun Temple Konarak

7. Puri, Odisha

Sun-set Puri beach. Pic by Kishori Ray, Indiamike

Why is Puri beach liked?

A chartered accountant friends says, “Inexpensive hotels. No beggars. No nightlife - good for senior citizens like me. 45 minutes drive from Bhubaneswar airport. Calm sea...walking into the water is fun.” Also, there are hotels at various price points. 

Also see

Jagannath Temple, Heritage Village Raghurajpur i.e. about 8 kms from Puri and Chilika Lake i.e. about an hour away.

How to reach

Fly to Bhubaneswar and drive to Puri (69 kms). Bhubaneswar is also well connected by train.

8. Varkala, Kerala

“A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins; hence the name 'Papanasam Beach'. One of the key factors that set apart Varkala from other beaches of Sothern Kerala is the fascinating stretch of cliffs.” ” Source

How to reach

It is 51 kms from Trivandrum so fly into Trivandrum.

Also see

2000 year old Vishnu Temple, Sivagiri Mutt

9. Majuli island, Assam

Majuli is divine, it is the cradle of Satra culture of Assam. It is an island in the Brahmputra river. Do visit in November for the Raas Mahotsav performance o/s. I visited in 2018. Check availability of local hotels.

Setting sun’s rays falling on bamboo huts. 

Masks at Chamaguri Satra. 

Hand-made pottery at village Saltoro. 

How to reach

Fly to Jorhat from Kolkata and hire a vehicle to reach the jetty from where take a Ro Ro boat to Majuli.

Albums Majuli Landscape and Satras & Mask-making at Chamaguri Satra & Hand-made Pottery making  & VKV School Majuli

10. Goa Beaches

I have no clue on Goa beaches. So please read Top 10 Goa Beaches

The market is huge so all beach locations can co-exist. However, we must know about lovely beaches in our country and visit them too. Our beaches have an advantage, in that they cater to different price points.  

Lakshadweep is beautiful. Visitors need a permit to visit. It will take time for it to build hotel and transport facilities like other beach islands. Air connectivity needs to improve. Moreover, hotels would need to pay higher commission to travel agents to wean away tourists from Maldives. For Lakshadweep tours Read a Travel Guide to Lakshadweep

A lawyer who holidays abroad often had this to say about Indian beaches. “There may be good hotels, but thank to GST/luxury tax, the cost is ridiculous. The locals leech at the girls in swim wear. Beaches are dirty with papers and water bottles. We need to improve the entire eco system around the hotel and the beach.”

India is an ancient civilization. It is not limited to beaches.  

I wish to thank the Maldives government for goading me to compile this piece.