Gokarna-Relax,Unwind,Rejuvenate,But On a Budget

Moumita C.
May 6, 2020
6 min read

Updated: May 7, 2020

Photo: Anupam Nag.

Why Gokarna?

If you ask me ‘Why Gokarna?’, I would say ‘Why not?’

Not everybody likes how loud, crowded and expensive Goa is. If you are from a city where you are surrounded by concrete and the occasional pub hopping and hitting the dance floor at your favourite discotheque is what keeps you going through the week, travelling to Goa to do the same thing may not look lucrative to you after all. Don’t get me wrong—Goa is splendid, the upbeat crowd, the western vibe, the music festivals (Sunburn etc.), the food--everything is awesome, but it tends to get repetitive after maybe two or three visits. Sometimes we just need to clear our head, sit in silence, contemplate and be grateful for everything we have received in life while connecting with nature. Now that you are probably getting my point, you know where you want to be if u ticked all the check boxes for the above points—it is Gokarna.

Breathtaking Gokarna.

[Video:My own archive]

About:

Gokarna is one of the seven important Hindu pilgrimage centers. Although innumerous devotees visit Gokarna to offer prayers to Lord Shiva, it ceases to be just a centre of pilgrimage anymore. Due to its untouched rural raw natural beauty and the chilled out vibe of this small town, it started getting popular amongst international tourists. The place has its own old world charm. Whether you are spiritual, fun loving, or just looking to relax and unwind, Gokarna has something for everyone. Many local people have started stores and restaurants, and now resorts to cater to tourists, both from India and abroad.

Historical background:

Gokarna means cow's ear. It is believed that Lord Shiva emerged from the ear of a cow (Prithvi, the Mother Earth) here. Gokarna is situated at the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini, hence deriving its name.

Geographical location:

Gokarna is about 238 km north of Mangalore, 483 km from Bengaluru.

How to reach Gokarna:

By Train:

The official train station to reach Gokarna is called ‘Gokarna Road (GOK)’(You can check IRCTC for more details). Ankola Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Gokarna, located at a distance of about 20 km. This railway station is well connected to major Indian cities and nearby areas. Trains from Mangalore, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Veraval halt at the station. Tourists can take local buses or hire a cab to reach Gokarna from here.

By Bus:

If you are travelling from Bangalore/Mangalore, taking a sleeper private or KSRTC bus is a better option than the train. It takes lesser time to reach and the buses are very comfortable. You can get a good night’s sleep and wake up fresh in the morning (personal preference).

By car:

If you are going by car,you can enjoy the picturesque view of the winding road that leads to Gokarna ,with the Arabian Sea on one hand and the rocky mountains and Western Ghats on the other hand.

By flight:

Dabolim airport in Goa is the nearest airport about 140 km away. This airport is well linked with both domestic as well as international cities in UK and Germany also.

The Beaches:

The beaches make Gokarna what it is. The Gokarna main beach is in town.Kudle beach is west facing. Om beach, Half moon Beach, Paradise Beach and Belekan beach are south facing.

1. Gokarna Main Beach:

The Gokarna main beach is where I had put up twice. Main Beach is a long open beach, known for its surfing activities.

The sunsets are really beautiful here.You will never get tired of watching the golden sun setting into the pink sky :)

Gokarna Main Beach(Photo :Saumitra Shinde)

At one end of this beach,there is a small Shiva Temple unknown to many.It is very steep and has a lot of monkeys on the stairs,but once you reach the top,you are bound to feel spiritual.You can meditate or just soak in the view. This is my fondest memory of Gokarna from back in 2017.

View from the secret Shiva Temple On Gokarna Main Beach-My Fondest Memory of Gokarna(own archive)

The first time I came to Gokarna, I stayed at a humble guest house setting named ‘Haripriya Residency’ near Om Beach. I will include an image. It did not have the most lavish arrangements, but it was neat and clean.

It looked like it had been there since many years. If you are on a strict budget, you can book this place through online hotel booking websites.

The second time I went there, I stayed at the ‘Om Star Resort’ right on the Gokarna main beach. The view was to die for. They had a small kitchen with a humble food menu. We would be served our morning teas as we would step out of our cottages and then enjoy it while swinging on an old swing which had literally become my home for 2 days as I would sleep, drink, eat on it while staring blindly at the ocean. I will attach a few photos below for you guys to get the feel.

Om Star Resort-Gokarna Main Beach(Own archive)

If you wanted to eat something special, you would have to give them a heads up (including drinks) and they would arrange it for you. I had tried fish for lunch and was served a freshly caught and batter fried fish with a side of steam rice, some gravy and fried potatoes, all this while watching the ocean right in front of me! No wonder I remember it so well :)

Attaching a few pics for your reference!

[Photos: My own archives]

Apart from the main beach at Gokarna, the following beaches are also popular:

2.Om Beach:

The first glimpse of Om Beach[Pic:Own archive]

This beach is connected to Gokarna by road. It is shaped like the auspicious ॐ (Om) symbol(Hence the name).One of the famous spots to visit here is the ‘Namaste Café’.The food here is okayish (I didn’t really like the greasy chicken lollipops or the under-cooked potato wedges),but the view is to die for.It was raining heavily, I had my breezer and a close friend..couldn’t get any better! If you wish to stay at Namaste Café,you have to book well in advance.You can also find boat services to go to other beaches from here(half-moon beach, paradise beach and nirvana beach(Cost: 200 – 400 per person)

Namaste Cafe(Behind me) Pic:Own archives

3.Kudle beach:

This beach is connected to Gokarna by road, but you still need to walk down to get to the beach. The sunset here is so breathtaking that it will be etched in your memory for a long long time.

Kudle and Om beach are around 6 km from Gokarna town.

4.Half moon beach:

This beach is connected to Om beach via a hiking path.The name of course,is because it is shaped like half a moon.It is a clean and calm place,somewhat like a private beach.

5.Paradise beach :

This beach is the most fun beach at Gokarna.It is a visual treat with all the huge rocks and the greenery.I had so much fun bathing in the water here. You tend to tan too much at Gokarna, but you will cherish that tan,I promise!

Adding a few more shots for your reference!

[ Pic Courtesy: Pic 1 and 2: Anupam Nag ,Pic 3:Own Archive]

Places to visit:

Mahabaleshwar Temple:

Make sure to visit the Mahabaleshwar Temple when you are at Gokarna. The main temple and deity - Mahabaleshwara , is said to house the original image of Shiva’s lingam, known as the Atmalinga. Mythology says that the Atmalinga was given to Ravana by Lord Shiva himself.

Dress Code:

There is a strict dress code both for men and women:

Men cannot go in with their shirt/vest on.

Women have to be completely covered.Make sure to carry a cover up.Shorts/knee length dresses are not allowed.

You can also visit the Maha Ganapathi temple, Koti Tirtha temple, Rama temple (which has a freshwater spring) while you are here.

Markets:

Main City Temple Lane-Oldest Market Of Gokarna [Pic:Anupam Nag]

You can get beach appropriate Bohemian clothes at very cheap rates from small local shops. I bought mine at a shop near the Gokarna Main beach.They also sell a lot of boho ornaments,antique pieces and show pieces.You have to bargain but they drop the prices a lot,so that is not an issue.

Staying arrangements:

If you are on a strict budget,you can stay at

Haripriya Residency-not lavish but does the job[Photo included earlier]
Zostel which is on the way to Kudle beach.[if you are more of a hostel person]

If you have a little more budget,you can try

Om Star Resort (on the Gokarna Main Beach) [Photo included earlier]
Namaste Café (Om Beach)

Travelling inside the town:

You can get autos from one beach to another,but they do charge a lot. You can rent a scooty or trek as it is not too much of a distance.

Best month to visit:

October-February would be the best time(although I went during monsoon and I still loved it)

Average expenditure:

About Rs 4000.(basic food+stay+transportation for 2 days 1 night per person)

A glimpse of Maha Shiv Ratri at Gokarna:

Travel arrangements(Solo/group):

If you are alone or if you have a group that wants to travel and explore Gokarna during the weekend from Bangalore, Anupam Nag from team ‘The Nomadic Lust’ is the person you should contact. Here are some links where you can go and check out the trips he conducts. Feel free to give him a call or drop him a mail if you want to reserve a seat for you or your gang,the next time you think of travelling to Gokarna.

Social Media Handles of 'The Nomadic Lust':

www.facebook.com/thenomadiclust

www.instagram.com/thenomadiclust

Some glimpses [Pictures: Anupam Nag]

How did you like this virtual Gokarna tour? Stay tuned for more and subscribe to the mailing list,share with your friends,hit like if you loved this! :)