Gokarna- Gods Beach

Gokarna is a small and distant holy town located on the western coast of India in the state of Karnataka. People always tend to stand on a ledge when it comes to choosing holiday destinations, in a fix between beaches and hill stations. But, its places like Gokarna which make you go for the former. It is aperfect destination for you if you want to spend some great moments with the closest of your buddies or just chill and have a good time all by yourself. Yes, all alone. Gokarna is a popular place among the global backpacker community so you get to meet travelers from all around the world. The people are extremely friendly and everyone is there to have a good time. One of the advantages of being such a backpacker friendly destination is that the food is cheap and you can get all the kinds of cuisines you want.

Kuddle Beach

The best part about Gokarna is that you would find a lot of people with dreadlocks playing musical instruments in the night at the beach, with a bonfire lit and a crowd surrounding them. Do not hesitate to go and sit next to them, as I said tourists here are friendly, welcoming and would love some company.

Gokarna is also known for its pristine beaches-Om,Kuddle, Paradise, Nirvana and Half Moon Beaches are amongst the popular ones. Om beach is named so because it is shaped like the auspicious symbol‘ॐ’and is the only naturally Om shaped beach.

Om beachSource

I went around asking a few people abouttheir experience at Gokarna, here is what they had to say – “A place where awesome food and drinks is taken for granted, a place where there is new scenery on every corner,Gokarna is truly a beach lovers paradise. With awesome shacks where u can chill with friends all day long, multiple beaches to explore and mountains to conquer;Gokarna will keep u engaged for weeks. With cheap cottages (about Rs 300 a day) and friendly people Gokarna will surely become your second Home like it has become mine.” says Shiva Chahal, a MBBS student who has visited Gokarna more than 5 times.

“It’s mini Goa minus the people. The atmosphere is good, and there are 3-4 beaches connected by a trekking route” says Ishank Jain, a student ofManipal University.

Trekking route to Kuddle beach

When to Visit

As with all coastal regions of India, the best time to visit is from October until March, when the weather is warm and pleasant with temperature averaging 30 degree Celsius.

Getting there

The nearest airport is the Dabolim airport in Goa, from where Gokarna is a 4 hour drive (155 kms). The nearest railway station being Gokarna Road station, which is just 15 mins from the beach. There are frequent buses to Gokarna from major cities like Madgaon, Bangalore andMangalore.

So travel to Gokarna before it loses its charm as the time is limited. Developers have already realized the potential of this place and it’s only a matter of time before they turn it into the next Goa.