Go Gokarna to have divine darshan

One of the main pilgrim centers for Hindus, ‘Gokarna’ is a host to marvelous shorelines such as Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach and Gokarna Beach.

While the five beaches are all unique in their own way, the one that pulls the crowd is ‘Om beach’ as its curvy shoreline traces the sacred Hindu symbol ‘Om’.With tourists awing at the unique shape that is naturally formed by two semi-circular shores meeting to form the ‘Om’ symbol, the lush green landscape surrounding the shore cannot go unnoticed.

The ‘Om’ symbol can be clearly noticed from the top of the hill which has steps chipped to reach the beach. A thatched rain shelter with a balcony is also present on the hill top.

One can also climb down the steep steps and hike along the curvy shoreline. People can be seen sitting on the rocks present in the shallow waters in spite of a board that warns them not to do so.

Tea stalls, tender coconut water and other small huts having the local culinary delicacies can be found on the shore.

Tourists are mainly found playing in the shallow waters and foreigners lying on the golden white sands trying to put on a perfect tan.

The beach also has accommodation facilities, such as huts which are available at affordable rates. The beach is crowded on holidays.During the summer season, when the water is calm, the beach is hub for adventurous water sports such as surfing, kayaking, wave rafting and banana boat cruises. One can also visit the other beaches with ferries.Overall, Gokarna is a perfect place to have a break by enjoying the scenic beauty and rejuvenating the spiritual sense.

How to reach

Gokarna is about 453 km from Bangalore, 238 km north of Mangalore and about 59 km from Karwar. It is between the Gangavali and Agnashini rivers and situated along the Karwar coast by the Arabian Sea.

From Mangalore, Gokarna can be reached by Konkan Railway (Mangalore to Mumbai route). One can also travel by road with hired or private vehicles. One can also travel on KSRTC or private buses.

The Gokarna railway station is 6 km away from the town. One can reach the town or beaches via rickshaws which can be expensive as they don’t run by meter.

The nearest airports are Dabolim at Goa and Mangalore International Airport at Bajpe.