Gokarna is a small town in coastal Karnataka which has beautiful beaches covered with lush green forests. Perfect place for people who just want to chill out and enjoy nature. Since not many people travel here, you will see more mother nature than hustle and bustle of tourists. The town is full of flavors and a variety of surprises all the way.
First of all, why Gokarna? Why not Goa?
The answer is simple, “I want to see the SUNSET in a peaceful beach!!”
Okay, Let’s start!
What exactly Gokarna can offer you?
- Mountains, It’s a western ghats baby!
- Beaches, Clean and peaceful
- Temples, Almost built in 4th-century
- Caves, Unusual rock formations
- Waterfalls, Hidden in the forest
Well, my journey started in Gokarna in my last semester of post-graduation. Of Course, it was not pre-planned and I had never heard of the place before. All of a sudden we planned for Gokarna and left Bangalore. We booked a resort called Namaste Cafe on Om beach. Frankly telling me that I am not a resort kind of a guy, but this is the time I really liked the place. The resort is located right at the shores of the beach with a complete view of Om beach and the good thing is Namaste cafe is only one resort on the beach. It has tiny cottages with two or three beds. The property is full of greenery and roaming around the property is great fun. The cafe is literally on the beach with all varieties of English foods and drinks. The first sight of the Gokaran already made me mad to smell the adventure.
Namaste Cafe
It’s a trekking day!
Here is the trekking plan (almost 8 km),
Trek map
A day begins with breathtaking sunrise and the cool breeze of the ocean. Everybody is getting ready for the trek with all the energy and enthusiasm. Started our trek with a chai in Namaste Cafe, that chai was just boosting. Om beach got its name from “om” shaped shores, also because of shiva temples around the town. It’s a long way to reach the mountains from om beach, which takes almost 20 minutes.
Om beach view from mountains
When the trekking starts, every step gives a great view of the mountains and the ocean. It was my first experience of watching the horizon at a great height. After a 30 minute hike, we made it to Half-Moon beach. Out of the beaches there, it is the smallest one. The beach view is extremely pleasant and it’s shaped like a half-moon. The ambiance here is completely different from covered rocks and forest. There are a few shops here to buy some snacks or to relax in the shades. This place is full of rocks, it’s worth trying rock climbing.
Half-Moon beach
After spending an hour at Half Moon beach, we started our trek for Paradise beach. Here is the tough part of trekking, next stretch through thick forest. However, reaching through the top of the mountains was challenging but it was worth the scenery. After an hour of hiking and talking, we finally reached our destination. As the name says it’s a Paradise. One of the most isolated beaches of Gokarna with blue water, clean sand, and scenic view. There are barely any tourists around the place because of no direct road to access. The only way to reach here is by trek or boat. I suggest trekking is the best way to reach this palace. All three beaches are facing south, so it’s hard to see the sunset at any point. We returned to the Namaste Cafe by boat.
Paradise beach
A day spent by trekking is the day well spent.
View from the boat
Gokarna plays a fundamental role when it comes to mythology and spirituality. Most of the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, the famous one is Mahabaleshwar Temple. This temple was built in the 4th-century with Dravidian architecture, attracting more and more pilgrims every year. We visited this temple in the evening time so that we can also enjoy the sunset at the beach. Also visited the Maha Ganapati Temple which is very near to Mahabaleshwar temple. This temple is the center of the town, which is very close to main Gokarna beach. Compared to other beaches, this beach is more happening and a good spot to have snacks. Gokarna beach is facing straight to the west, so it's a clear sunset point.
Gokarna beach
For the second time, I visited Gokarna with my colleagues, this time it was a different experience. Yana is a tiny village in Sahyadri mountain which is around 45 Km from Gokarna beach. Bhairaveshwara Shikhara and Mohini Shikhara are magnificent rock formations, truly amazing rocky peaks with a cave inside it. We did quite a trek to reach this place with beautiful lush green forest all around.
Bhairaveshwara Shikhara, Mohini Shikhara and Yana forest
A beautiful hidden waterfall in Yana village is the Vibhuti waterfall. It is hardly 2 Km of a walk from the caves and the pathway is deep into the jungle. The ideal time to visit is during the rainy season at its full glory. We were the only people around, so we directly jumped into the water pool which is naturally formed by nature. A 30 ft. tall waterfall with a pool and no one is around, it’s a dream come true!
Vibhuti waterfalls
