Google India’s popular tourist spots and the name of Gokarna in Karnataka is sure to pop up on the list. The small town, popular for its temples and beaches, is fast emerging as a hot tourist destination for foreigners and national travellers. Well, a little sweating it out is required to reach the alluring town. There are no direct flights to the temple town and direct trains too are very rare. What most travellers do is get down at Mangaluru and then proceed to Gokarna via road or rail, which takes roughly around four hours. Gokarna, which means ‘ears of the cow’, is originally a temple town but has now emerged as a favourite of backpackers from all around the world.
The topography of Gokarna is reminiscent of rural Kerala with tall palm trees and tile-lined houses made of sandstone. There are vast desolate stretches with the sea enticingly peeking from in between the green patches. There were three of us women on a ‘women-only’ trip. We had unanimously decided on a beach holiday to ease away the stress and strain of work and home and it was a matter of tossing a coin to decide which beach to visit first. So the first destination became Om Beach. The roads leading to Om Beach are not exactly crowded and vehicular traffic is at bare minimum. It was obvious that we had reached Om Beach, judging by the large number of autos and taxis parked there and people milling about. Along with my two friends, we made the trip to the cool confines of our room in a resort where the lodgings were built to accommodate the natural greenery of the land. The resort was chosen for its proximity to the sea with the gate opening to the beach. The distinct sound of the waves breaking over rocks hits you a minute before the spectacular view unfolds. The water glistens like a mirror and the waters are relatively calm with the waves breaking in frothy spurts on the rocks. It was low tide when we ventured to the beach and the rocks lay exposed, conveniently offering a vantage point to perch and take in the waves lapping against the shore, the rocks rising like sentinels, the catamarans and speedboats waiting for passengers, the birds swooping down to catch their prey and the long sandy stretch that extends as far as the eye can see.
At high tide, the smaller rocks are submerged with only the tall ones visible. Wondering where the Om shape is (from where the beach gets its name), a local points out three rock formations and informs that the shape can be made out from a particular vantage point on a cliff. What is a beach vacation without bathing in the sea? These warm waters are ideal for it. For those who collect shells, there is a veritable treasure lying on the beach in various hues and colours. Be warned — look out for creatures dwelling in the shells.
The food is as good as that in Goa with shacks offering up a variety of seafood and multi-cuisine options. Prawns and fish are a must-try, as also the steaks.
Our next destination was Kudle Beach, which is relatively clean and uncrowded and a 20-minute drive from Om Beach. This beach is more sandy than rocky. What is common to the beaches and the town itself are the cows that roam about in huge groups. Right next to the Kudle Beach is a hilltop that offers an unforgettable view to those who make the trek. There is a cliff overlooking the sea and I could spy dolphins frolicking in the waters. The sunset from the cliff is a breathtaking, not-to-be-missed event. Another very popular beach is Paradise Beach, but due to lack of time we could not visit that.
Next was a trip to Gokarna Town, which has become highly commercialised for tourists with western dresses and bikinis displayed at every shop. Tattoo parlours too are hugely popular. Some hard haggling can result in good steals.
Famous as a pilgrimage town, Gokarna offers a large number of temples dedicated to various deities. There is the Mahabaleshwar Temple, Mahaganapathi Temple and the Maneshwara Temple (this is set atop a cliff), amongst various others. A must-visit temple is the Shiva Cave, which as the name suggests, has the linga inside a cave.
Though taxis and autos are available, most of the tourists prefer to rent scooters, cars or bikes to travel. So for those in need of a quick break, head over to Gokarna.
