Karnataka & Bengaluru - South India and Kerala - page 421

Gokarna
08386
A regular nominee among travellers' favorite beaches in India, Gokarna is a more laid-
back and less-commercialised version of Goa. It attracts a crowd for a low-key, chilled-
out beach holiday and not full-scale parties. Most accommodation is in thatched bamboo
huts set along several stretches of blissful coast.
In actual fact there are two Gokarnas. Foremostly it's a sacred Hindu pilgrim town, full
of ancient temples and important festivals such as Shivaratri ( Feb/Mar) and Ganesh Chaturthi
(Gokarna; Sep) . While its lively bazaar is an interesting place to visit, 99% of foreign
tourists don't hang around here, instead making a bee-line straight to the adjoining
beaches.
Sights & Activities
1 Temples
Foreigners and non-Hindus are not allowed inside Gokarna's temples. However, there are
plenty of colourful rituals to be witnessed around town. At the western end of Car St is the
Mahabaleshwara Temple , home to a revered lingam (phallic representation of Shiva). Nearby
is the Ganapati Temple , while at the other end of the street is the Venkataraman Temple MAP
GOOGLE MAP . About 100m further south is Koorti Teertha , the large temple tank (reservoir)
where locals, pilgrims and immaculately dressed Brahmins perform their ablutions next to
washermen on the ghats (steps or landings).
1 Beaches
Popular with local tourists, Gokarna's 'town beach' is dirty, and not meant for casual
bathing. A short walk north along here will bring you to a nicer stretch of sand with some
basic bungalow accommodation. Cocopelli Surf School ( 8105764969; www.cocopelli.org ) can ar-
range board rental (?750) and surf lessons (1½ hour ?1000).
The best beaches are due south of Gokarana town, with Om Beach and Kudle Beach
being the most popular.