Why Gokarna should be in your wishlist?

"When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?"- Ralph Marston

This feeling was mutual for me when I visited Gokarna. The calm pristine beaches, the local market, the local folks engaged in their daily activities, doing their chores, people bustling around the town, foreign tourists walking the streets with Om printed cotton kurtas, buses moving around in that small little town. That smell of fresh mud... All these memories are still imprinted on my mind whenever I think of Gokarna. It is a memory never to be forgotten but only to be craved for more.

The Beaches

Gokarna has some of the cleanest & beautiful beaches in all of western part India. There are five famous beaches which one must visit while in Gokarna. I must admit not all the five beaches are squeaky clean but you will get to see the clear water and clean sand from the third beach onward. Generally, tourists prefer to trek through all the beaches which can take almost an entire day.

I am one of those people who gets all pumped up thinking about trekking but doesn't really do it. Yet, I am going to share my advice like an experienced trekker. 🤫

Start your trek from early morning. Reach Gokarna Beach first because that's the only beach which is quite crowded and no one swims in there. Well, I mean at least not the ones with whom you would love to get into the sea. You know what I mean? 😂 And the beach is not like a hidden gem which you would save for later. FINISH IT FIRST. Chill out, have some tea, bun maska or pani puri in one of the many stalls set up on the beach.

After breakfast head towards Kudle Beach, the second in the list. Now, this is at a distance of ~4 km, so if you have already rented a scooter/bike, head towards it via your transport vehicle. Else, go for a trek. There are some shortcuts to reach over here, you will have to check from the local folks or see for directions. When you go via scooter/bike, you have to park your vehicle near a yoga center (don't recollect the name) and go downwards through a rocky, uneven way with boulders lying around. It takes around 5-7 minutes to reach the beach. I started panting & gasping for breath after I hit the beach. All hikers do pant & gasp after 7 minutes not-even-close-to-hike experience, right? 😒😃

Next in the list is Om Beach. People say the shape of the beach reflects 'Om' in its pattern. Something like this - ॐ but without the half-moon and dot pattern called chandrabindu in Hindi. My skepticism was at its peak while on the way to the beach but the moment I saw this beach I was sold. Clearwater, surrounded by mountains on one side, tourists taking a dip in the sea, some great restaurants lined up for you to chill down. You get the picture. The shape of the beach is not exactly like Om as described but almost like it if you run your imagination wild.