GOKARNA

The beautiful town of Gokarna is located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is a pilgrimage centre and a tourist hub because of its beautiful beaches. Gokarna is famous as a Hindu pilgrimage centre and lures large number of travelers from all over the country. The place has numerous temples designed with artistic beauty, which are known for its sculptures. The town also houses large number of beaches including Gokarna beach, Kudle beach, Om beach, Half moon beach and Paradise beach.

Attractions

This unexplored town is fast becoming a favoured destination among the tourists with its wonderful beaches. The Kudle Beach, Gokarna Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach and Om Beach are the five main seaside attractions here.
Gokarna Beach is the town's main beach. The beach is flocked by pilgrims when they visit the Mahabaleswar Temple. The Kudle Beach is the largest of the five beaches and it is crowded during the peak season— November to February. The beautiful coastline of Om Beach forms the shape of the Hindu symbol Om. Half Moon Beach is a twenty-minute walk from Om Beach and this beach resembles the shape of a half moon, hence, the name. Paradise Beach is a rocky beach which is a secluded and beautiful place to relax.
The town is also adorned with temples. The spirituality seeker can visit the Mahabaleshwara Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple holds high significance. The temple has what is called an atmalingam which is believed to be one of the most powerful lingams.

Maha Ganapati Temple is another famous temple of Gokarna. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the idol in this temple is interestingly in a standing position rather than his sitting form. Made out of black stone, the idol represents the young Ganesha who was successful in getting Ravana to let go of the lingam. Another thing that is different about the idol is that Ganesha has only two arms and not four. This has to do with the fact that he was disguised as a young, normal boy and not the son of Shiva when he ran into Ravana.

Best time to Visit Gokarna
Experiencing the southwest monsoon from June to August, the weather becomes dry and sunny after the rains. The best time to visit Gokarna is from October until March, when the weather is warm and pleasant with temperatures averaging 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). April and May are hot summer months and the temperature easily reaches 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) then. The weather gets humid during summers.

How to reach Gokarna
By Air – The nearest airport to Gokarna is Dabolim airport in Goa. Dabolim airport is well-connected with all the major cities of India and as well as from few foreign countries.
By Road - Gokarna is well-connected by road with the nearby cities. You can find direct buses from the nearest cities Goa, Bangalore, Mangalore and direct buses are also available from Delhi to Gokarna. You can also hire a taxi from the nearby cities for a more comfortable and convenient journey.
By Train - The nearest railway station to Gokarna is Gokarna road, at a distance of 8 km from main Gokarna city. However, being a small station it is not connected with the major cities. Another station, Ankola, railway station at a distance of 20 km from Gokarna, is considered as the nearest well-connected railway station to Gokarna.