Gokarna is a small pilgrimage town on the coast in the Karnataka state of India.

What is the word Gokarna means?

Gokarna, meaning cow's ear in Sanskrit, is a conservative Hindu pilgrimage town, home of several temples and festivals. The town itself is full of locals and pilgrims, and doesn't have much in the way of facilities for tourists, other than a handful of guesthouses and local restaurants.

Most foreign tourists come to stay on one of the 4 beaches just south of town. Kudlee Beach is the first, about a 20 minute walk, and they get more remote and less populated as you head south.

Distance from Madgaon : 125 kms, Dabolim : 140 kms, Mangalore : 225 kms, Karwar : 55 kms, Bangalore : 475 kms

Attractions of Gokarna:

Mahabaleshvara Temple is one of the largest in town, at the western end towards the beach.
Visit one of the four beautiful beaches to the south. Kudle (pronounced Kudlee) is the first that you come to, about a 20 minute walk, Om is another 20 minute walk, and an additional 20 and 40 minute walk brings you to Half-moon Beach and Paradise Beach. Kudle is popular with those that are staying in town but want to spend the day at the beach, while Om is popular with those wanting to stay a few days or weeks and stare at the sea. Accommodation and food are available in season on all the beaches from 80/- per night. The beaches are pretty clean, but ask locally about swimming, as the currents can be very strong and people die here every year.

Location and Transport:

Gokarna is connected by road and rail from Karwar, Ankola, Hubli, Mangalore, Kumta, Bangalore, Hampi and Mysore. The Konkan Railway passes through Gokarna - Kumta and Ankola (20 Kms) are the main railway stations. The Karnataka State Roadways Transit Corporation operates buses on these routes. There is one daily train from Gokarna Road station heading north which terminates at Margao (Goa) but stops at all stations en route. The cost is 24/- and the journey time approx 2 hours. Private buses also operate to/from Hampi/Hospet. National highway 17 is about 9 Km from the town. The Bangalore - Goa highway passes through Ankola which is 20 Kms from the town.

The nearest airport is in Panaji, Goa (Dabolim). (Rail link via Margao)

Best time to visit:

The most popular time to visit Gokarna is during the 4 day Shiva Ratri festival, where 2 giant chariots are pulled down the main street and up to 20,000 pilgrims descend on the town