Gokarna has the cleanest and most secluded beaches in India-a point to be noted! This is closely followed by South Goa beaches, which are peaceful and clean with fewer people. If you go down further, you’ll see the Lord Shiva statue facing the beautiful Arabian Sea. Then further down, we have Malpe and Udupi beaches with the beautiful Manipal University on the left.
16 Reasons why you must visit Gokarna, Murudeshwar, and Udupi:
- Jog falls are a combination of 4 (Raja and Rani fall inclusive) that plunge into a deep gorge in the form of different streams. The falls are in full flow in the rainy season(August-September) when one should visit these falls. These are one of India’s highest falls with a considerable waterfall volume, making the view much more majestic!
- Gokarna is a unique set of beaches that upholds the ranks of peace and tranquility with blessed nature. The hills and greenery around the beaches and the trek over these hills to get to the next set of beaches make this place a must-visit and a memorable one.
- At Gokarna, you can enjoy camping, have a bonfire, enjoy seclusion with a clear sky full of stars and enjoy peace at night with a cool breeze and calm waves.
- The most beautiful beach in Gokarna is the Om beach, which resembles the sacred Hindu symbol (of Om). It is a trendy beach in Gokarna with many crowds and get-togethers.
- Kudle beach lies next with multiple cliffs and a superb view of Om Beach and Paradise Beach. It offers more tranquility and has less crowd around.
- Half-Moon Beach has the name because it resembles the crescent moon. This is another crowded and easily accessible beach in Gokarna, though on a cleaner side.
- Malpe Beach, about 6 km from Udupi, is an important port and fishing harbor. It is a clean beach with a gentle sea, palm trees, and golden sand.
- The world’s second-largest Lord Shiva Statue, at 123 feet after Shiva Statue in Nepal, is a must-visit in Murdeshwar.
Location: Gokarna is 500 km northwest, whereas Udupi is 400 km west of Bengaluru.
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
Malpe-Kaup beaches, Sri Krishna temple in Udupi; Murudeshwar Temple and beach-Nakhuda Beach in Murudeshwar; Gokarna-Om, Kudle, Nirvana, Half moon & Gokarna beaches
Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:
You can visit Goa,Mengaluru,Sringeri,Jog Falls,Madikeri,Belur,Dharmasthala,Bisle Ghat and Wayanad from this sectional trip.
Distance Charts:(Gokarna)
- Chennai(840 km)
- Udupi(180 km)
- Murdeshwar(80 km)
- Bangalore(490 km)
- Rameswaram(1000 km)
- Kanyakumari(1150 km)
- Delhi(2000 km)
- Mumbai(690 km)
- Pune(540 km)
- Hyderabad(700 km)
- Ooty(600 km)
- Munnar (730 km)
- Cochin(650 km)
- Mysuru(480 km)
How to Reach Gokarna/Udupi/Murudeshwar:
Road Routes:
Bengaluru-Belur-Dharmasthala-Udupi-Kundapura-Bhatkal-Murudeshwar-Honnavar-Jog Falls-Honnavar-Kumta-Gokarna
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)Jog Falls comes first in the preference as it’s refreshing to watch from July to October when rains are in full swing. Get a state bus ticket from Bengaluru, and you’ll get here within 6-8 hours.
2)Have an umbrella when you come to Jog Falls, especially when falls are in full flow. And conversely, have an umbrella when you are in Gokarna, Udupi, or Murudeshwar between October to March, when it’s kind of pleasant. Still, afternoons do need you to be under the shade.
3)Murudeshwar and Udupi would hardly take much time as it’s all about temples and beaches. So 1-2 hours for each of these spots is sufficient. Early morning hours will be better.
4)Gokarna has several beaches, so it’s better you start early – say by 6 am as you will need to climb up hills, walk on hilltops for about half an hour and climb down, and you don’t want to do all this stuff by the afternoon under the heat.
5)For the Gokarna beach to beach trek, always follow the trail, which gives you a sea view. That is, you should be walking on the edge of the hill. That will help you get to the beach rather than wandering your way in the forest. You can get boat rides to beaches, but I am not sure of the rates.
RAIL: Except for Gokarna, Udupi and Murudeshwar have their fence stations-not all trains halt, so you need to glance at the timetable. For Gokarna, Karwar or Kumta are the nearest railway stations.
AIR: Mangalore can be considered the nearest airport.
ROAD: A pretty good network of routes from all directions- from Bengaluru, Mumbai, or Goa side and regular state transport. KSRTC buses ply regularly and are mostly on time.
Map:-
Bengaluru-Sakleshpur-Udupi-Murudeshwar-Jog Falls-Gokarna Map
Time to Visit:
September to Early March
Spend Time With:
Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups
Food and Lodging:
Gokarna has a bit of a problem for hotels-camping can be a way to go. Udupi Murudeshwar has staying options, so no worries. Food will not be a problem in any of these places-in Gokarna. Carry snacks and water with you. Jog Falls is a temporary halt.
Expense:
A 3 day trip to Gokarna, Udupi, and Murudeshwar will cost(Giving an extra day at Gokarna for having real fun!)
Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X3
Transport: Shared transport will be there to connect these places.INR 500 is what I assume from Gokarna to Udupi maximum. You will ideally trek the hills to cross over beaches in Gokarna.
Lodging: INR 700/day X2
Entry Fees include various places: Nil
Total: 2800 INR
Nearby Attractions(Gokarna)
- Pune(540 km)
- Hyderabad(700 km)
- Ooty(600 km)
- Munnar (730 km)
- Cochin(650 km)
- Mysuru(480 km)
- Bangalore(490 km)
- Mumbai(690 km)
- Udupi(180 km)
- Murdeshwar(80 km)
- Ponmudi(730 km)
- Margao(120 km)
- Jog Falls(110 km)
- Sringeri(230 km)
- Bisle Ghat(350 km)
- Mahabaleshwar(500 km)
- Lonavala(600 km)
