It was 2015 and I had randomly booked myself on a Jaipur to Ernakulam train and after spending a week or so enjoying the charms of monsoon in Goa decided to catch a bus to Karwar. From Panjim bus stand, it was surprisingly easy to find a KSRTC bus and it hardly took 2 and a half hours to reach Karwar bus stand. After hanging around in Karwar, observing the flower sellers and enjoying a quick bite at one of the numerous Iyengar bakeries in town, it was time to catch a bus from Karwar to Gokarna.
Deserted beach in Gokarna in the monsoon.
The distance between Karwar to Gokarna is 61 kms and it took almost 2 hours.
The sea in Gokarna is said to be quite dangerous to venture into.
In Gokarna, it was a lucky day to hitch a ride and get dropped somewhere close to Om Beach.
Surreal, cloudy afternoon to stroll on a beach in Gokarna. One of the most popular cafés in Gokarna : Of course I didn’t eat here! Rocky beach in Gokarna, perhaps the Namaste beach. Banana buns at one of the Udupi eateries in town; must have been Hotel Mahabaleshwar.
After a day or so trying to blend in to see or experience the so called hippie vibe of Gokarna, it seemed just natural to explore the town and perhaps live like a local. The food scene of Gokarna is quite legendary!
Staying in an old style lodge! Gokarna has an infectious temple vibe with multiple temples in town. Street art in Gokarna.
The rest of the days in Gokarna were spent just ambling around, eating satisfying meals at small eateries and relishing the essence of doing nothing and feeling great about it!
Beautiful entrance to a house in Gokarna. Cute moment on the way to the temple. Evening at Gokarna beach. Yes! These menu rates Maitreyee Juice Centre in Gokarna are true from 2015. Red bananas : I miss local travel in South India as I type this. Lunch thali or rice plate as they are called in Karnataka : at Pai Restaurant, Gokarna. Fluffy idlis at Dattaprasad Tiffin Centre; super cool eatery in Gokarna. Street art at Gokarna bus stand. Swaying palms saying goodbye. The red soil of Karnataka brings nostalgia to my mind.
Shrugged off asthma to travel. On a mission to see ‘the goodness of strangers’. Normally found solo hitchhiking in the Indian Himalaya. Interested in photography, food, culture & people. Also an Economics & Finance major. I have just quit my family business and wish to slow travel across India and then the rest of the world.
I think the Travel Shoebum article on a photo story from Gokarna is a great read. It’s informative, well-written, and full of beautiful photos. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about Gokarna.
