Gokarna

Gokarna is a city located in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, and is etymologically translated to ‘cow’s ear.’ According to popular mythological belief, it is the place where Lord Shiva emerged from the incarnation of Mother Earth in the form of a cow. Interspersed with ancient temples, the town is home to one of the oldest temples since time immemorial known as Mahabaleshwar, enshrined with Lord Shiva. The town is about 59 km from Karwar, 483 km from Bengaluru, and 238 km from Mangalore.

Furthermore, the rustic outlook of the town has attracted the attention of a lot of travelers and foreigners. There are several beaches, pilgrimage sights, and waterfalls that are reverberating tourist attractions. In fact, the town is situated around the River Aghanashini, which is considered to be deemed and sacred site for devotees.

However, due to the recent tourist influx, the town attracts both adrenaline seekers and those looking for spiritual solace. It is the town of golden beaches named after the way they are shaped like Om Beach and Half Moon Beach. Paradise Beach does no injustice to its name! The tall palm trees, serene waves of the ocean gushing towards the rocks, and the evenings spent watching the sun melting into the ocean add a surrealistic appeal to the place.

Apart from beaches, there is the Mahabaleshwar Temple that attracts many devotees and saints. Yana is another dainty town located in the vicinity of Gokarna, whose lavish surroundings and rocky terrain is perfect for activities like cycling and trekking. Mountaineering is another popular sport.

The serene beaches pose as perfect sites for watersport activities like surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, and jet skiing. If you want to indulge in watersport activities, then the best time to visit the place is post-monsoon, from September to December. Winters in Gokarna are flamboyant, with a mildly cold climate and lush green surroundings. Summers in Gokarna are hot and humid, followed by the showers that cool the surroundings down with heavy rainfall.

Best time to visit Gokarna
Although Gokarna is accessible throughout the year to tourists, the best time to visit Gokarna is during the month of October- March. During this period, the weather remains pleasant and is best suited for sunbathing and outing on the beach. One of the best climates you can experience Gokarna, Uttar Kannada, Karnataka, India. From June to August Gokarna tourism experiences southwest monsoon and the weather becomes dry and sunny. During April- June the weather remains very hot and humid.
So the best time is October to March where you can experience the best weather at Gokarna. At this time the weather is warm and pleasant with temperatures averaging 32 degrees Celsius.

How to Reach Gokarna

By Bus: Wondering how to go to Gokarna by bus? A host of luxury, semi-luxury and budget buses terminate at the Gokarna Main Bus Stand. Facilitating tourists and devotees to enjoy a pleasurable Gokarna visit by bus, are simple booking procedures through online platforms. Thus, a Gokarna trip by bus features amongst the most convenient options for a group of devotees heading to the shrine on a pilgrimage or a group of students going to enjoy the beaches.

By Train: Distanced by about 20 km from Gokarna is the nearest railway station at Ankola. Additionally, there are many trains terminating at the Gokarna Road Station and the Mangalore Central, thus providing tourists with different schedules of a Gokarna train. With train timings subject to constant changes, it is a wise move to check the Gokarna train timetable as the best move towards time management. A train to Gokarna thus has the advantage of affordable rates if passengers confirm their reservations early.

By Flight: With the absence of a Gokarna Airport, there are no direct flights to Gokarna. Much to the attraction of frequent flyers, the nearest airport to Gokarna is the Dabolim Airport in Goa which can be reached by a drive covering a distance of 140 km.

By Cab/Car: Tourists trusting a great deal of importance on independence have the luxury of driving in their own car thus making the journey to Gokarna by car a pleasure to look forward to. Nature lovers who wish to enjoy the beauty of surrounding landscapes can avail the services of Gokarna car rental packages operated by a number of taxi services. These two options thus making the journey to Gokarna by road an exciting and fulfilling one.

Karnataka Tourism

Karnataka Tourism rich with scenic beauty, is located at the southern part of India. Resourceful with all kind of varieties including temples, wild life sanctuaries, water falls, cosmopolitan cities, valleys, hill resorts, beaches etc..., Karnataka is a must visit state in India for all tourist enthusiasts and will not get disappointed. The weather is very moderate at southern districts. The temperature remains ideal throughout the year. Most part of the Karnataka state are agricultural lands as the state is rich in rivers. The western part has Arabian see and then the range of Western Ghats follows. This is the eighth largest state in India both in area and population. This state is famous for its natural beauty, rich culture and pleasant climate. Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka and is famous as IT hub housing many small and large IT companies. Kannada is the official (spoken and public correspondence) language of the state. But, the accent varies from region to region within the state. We will discuss some important places of various districts to travel as destinations in Karnataka. Here are details of various districts on Karnataka tourism. Visit the individual district page for more details about important places to visit and the distances of each place from various other places.