Gokarna, a small pilgrimage town in Karnataka has grown into a tourist destination over the years, thanks to its stretch of beautiful, sandy beaches.With the advent of foreigners thronging it, it no longer remains a quaint temple town, but a thriving vacation spot that is as laidback as Goa, only less commercial. In fact, many Goa regulars have now moved on to Gokarna’s pristine beaches where the crowds are less and the beaches cleaner. In fact, this trend has divided Gokarna into two parts, one that is for the religious devotee who comes to seek blessings of Shiva, and the other of the carefree tourist looking for some peace and quiet in nature’s lap.
There are many tourist attractions and places to visit in Gokarna, and all of them tend to surprise the tourists at some point or the other during their visit. Om Beach, Kudle Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach, Namaste Cafe, Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna Beach, Mirjan Fort, Koti Tirtha, Nirvana Beach, Bhadrakali Temple, Baada Beach, Shiva Cave, Lalguli Falls, Mahalasa Temple and many more places together make Gokarna worth visiting.
Om Beach
Om beach is a popular beach providing boating facilities to tourists. The beach has a breathtaking view of the sunset. For someone who loves the beach, Om beach is a must visit. The long stretch of white sandy beach adjoining the rocky terrain is excellent and appealing to the eyes. Innumerable activities can be taken up on the Om beach while on holiday. Even perfect cottages are available to enjoy a perfect night stay at the beach. Relishing a perfect vacation on the banks of the beach would be an ideal vacation.
Kudle Beach
Kudle Beach in Gokarna is renowned for its unmatched beauty and mesmerizing charm. Flanked by tall coconut trees, this piece of land resembles a perfect ‘C'. Representing a vastly stretched piece of an isolated sea and land, Kudle Beach is the best option to try for those who seek solitude.
Namaste cafe
Namaste Cafe, the pioneer of tourism industry in Gokarna, as also the first restaurant of Gokarna, started unofficially in 1984 when there was no vehicular access to the beach, and was a 5 mile trek over the headland and across Kudle beach. It is one of the most picturesque cafes in Gokarna offering finger licking delicious food, situated right on the Om Beach. If you are in Gokarna, this place is a must-visit.
Mahabaleshwar Temple
With the granite architecture flaunting the classical Dravidian style of construction and design, be warned that the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple can lead a history and archaeology enthusiast into a time travelling experience back to the 4th century CE during the reign of King Mayurasharma of the Kadamba Dynasty when the temple was built.
Gokarna Beach
One of the most popular beaches in Gokarna, Gokarna Beach recently gained fame for being a surfing site. It is also famous for its scenic trekking excursion one can take from here. Located in close proximity to the Mahabaleshwara Temple, the Gokarna Beach is also known as the place where pilgrims first come to take a dip before visiting the temple.
Mirjan Fort
Located on the banks of River Aghanashini, Mirjan Fort is a royal reminder of our glorious history. It is situated about 11 km from the town of Kumta in Karnataka and is spread over an area of 4.1 hectares. The fort is also believed to be a site for many past battles in the 16th and 17th Century and was functional till 1785.
Nirvana beach
If you are looking for offbeat places to visit in Gokarna, then you should add Nirvana Beach to your itinerary for the trip. This beach is secluded from the throngs of crowds and offers recluse to those who wish to have some beach time to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Shiva cave
Tucked away on a hillside, Shiva Cave is an ancient sacred site called "gogarbha" or "cow's womb" by the local people. Offering views of the surrounding area and the neighboring beach, the small cave remains a home to a population of small bats.
Shiva Cave is a fascinating place to visit on your visit to Gokarna that is not much popular among tourists yet. Consisting of a Shiva Lingam, Shiva Cave is an interesting place that people should visit.
Mahalasa Temple
Also referred to as Mahalasa Narayani temple, the presiding deity of the temple is Shri Mahalasa Narayani. The temple is ornamented with many admiring wood carvings along with many Mahabharata and Ramayana episodes painted on the wall. The temple celebrates many festivals with great fervor including the Foundation day in the month of March/April.
Apsara konda falls
Apsarakonda is an beautiful waterfall near Honnavar, in the district of Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, India. Close to the Apsarakonda beach, this beautiful waterfall flows through the cliffs down to paddy fields and joins the sea. This falls is not very deep and around 10m high, making it the best spot to enjoy with family.
