Just before the curtains fell on 2014, we went on our last trip for the year, to make sure the year ended on a ‘high’ note ( read tipsy note).
Still in ‘Discover Karnataka mode’ and in road-trip mood, this time the plan was to drive along Karnataka’s coast.
Our road-trip-along the coast started in Gokarna but we drove up to Karwar, from there. And we went the whole nine-yards by driving up till the Goa border and then driving all the way down to Surathkal near Mangalore.
Between Karwar in Uttar Kannada and Surathkal in Dakshina Kannada, we made stops in Gokarna, Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Ottinane, made a quick mini trip to Kollur and got back to the coast and then set foot in Marvanthe, Malpe and did another drive into Udupi- the town.
Karnataka Coast: Points-of-Interest
Although we toured the INS Chapal, a warship docked in Karwar and did a walk through Mirjan Fort in Kumta, treated our taste buds to some Bhatkal Biryani and all that, this trip was mostly about beach-hopping along the Karnataka’s coast. It was about catching some sunsets and realising how much of the bounty that nature blessed the southernmost part of the west coast with, extended into the state neighbouring it in the north.
The coconut palms, the terracotta tiled roofs and even the countryside along the coast looked not quite unlike what we are used to see along Kerala’s coast. Now that Karnataka’s coast can be safely checked off the list, it was nice to drop some pins in the gap between Kerala and Goa as far as our ‘been-there travel map’ is concerned. Wasn’t that a holiday well spent!
Beach-Hopping along the Karnataka Coast
For a while now, I’ve been posting pictures ‘#FromTheRoad’ on Tipsy from the TRIP’s facebook page hoping to provide some vicarious travel for the followers. While we beach-hopped along Karnataka’s coastline, these were the pictures that went up on the page. Now these images are mobile phone photographs and so, not the best, but a quick-look at the stops we made along the route.
From North to South — that is — from Karwar to Surathkal, here they are:
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| Rabindranath Tagore Beach, Karwar, Karnataka |
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| Om Beach, Gokarna. |
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| Kudle Beach, Gokarna |
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| Murudeshwar Beach, Murudeshwar. |
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| Ottinene Beach, Udupi dt. |
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| Marawanthe Beach, Udupi dt. |
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| Malpe Beach, Udupi dt. |
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| Surathkal Beach, Surathkal, Dakshina Kannada |
Coming soon: More details and better pictures from all those foot-stops along the Karnataka Coast. Keep tripping with us. 🙂
From the road trip along the KA coast:
- Karwar – Karnataka’s picturesque Northwest
- Gokarna – A temple town and beach town rolled into one
- Glimpses of Honnavar and Sharavathi (river)
- Murudeshwar – Where everything seems MASSIVE
- A beach so unspoiled and ‘simply beautiful’
- Wave watching on Maravanthe Beach
- Another beach, an island and an beach on the island
- Catching sundown in Surathkal
Other posts from the ‘Discover Karnataka’ Series
- Road tripping across Karnataka
- Oh My! Jog?
- Trying to spot a tiger at Bhadra
- Amusing trees of the Bhadra wilderness
For pictures from the road, Like/Follow Tipsy From The Trip on Facebook.
Wonderful photos
Thank you, Rupam. 🙂
Very pretty sights! A pity I stayed in Goa for 2 year but could not see these places:(
It was awesome exploring Karnataka's coasts. One of the best trips in recent past. We've actually been doing some discovering in the state. The posts are coming up — soon, hopefully. 🙂
You should trip along this part of the coast sometime, Mr. Bhatia.
In Karwar, there's a warship that's been turned into a museum. A walk through that might make you nostalgic. 😉
Wonderful post, Nambiare! Re-kindled memories of my journey across coastal Karnataka a few years back. Such beautiful vistas all over. 🙂
Hey Nomad!
Thanks.
And thank you for your guidance before I left for the trip. 🙂 I swear — beautiful vistas. I'm so glad I planned this trip and happy it all worked out.
I almost touched Gokarna back in 2007. Those pictures bring back the memories of the time even though I never went there. Thanks for the quick virtual trip.
Oh cool.
You're welcome and Thank you for visiting. It's always great to see you here.
I'll be showing you Gokarna and then some as far as Karnataka's coastline is concerned. Stay tuned, USP.
And thanks, again.
how i love this drive. awesome pics Dee… thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you Archana.
There's lots more coming up. 😉
For once I can say yay i have done this trip too by road 🙂 the pictures are super and loved your post 🙂
Haha! I remember your mentioning this one.
Thank you so much, Shweta. And I enjoyed YOUR travel post. 🙂
Love the coastal drive of Karnataka…..we did a road trip from Bangalore-> mangalore-> udupi-> gokarna and back …
You guys went south to north. 🙂 I'm sure you loved it.
Nice to see you here, Sam/Swati (?) 🙂
Nice to read… Why no pic of Ottinene beach? I am yet to visit that Mirjan fort
There is one up there. Looks like you missed it. Never mind I have a whole post on that splendid place. It's become my favourite beach now. How could it not be?
You should check out Mirjan Fort, sometime soon. It's super close to the coastal highway.
Calling Bangalore my home city, I have never been to these places… Good to see them through your eyes. Hope to go for a long drive too!
There's always a next time. And this blog is going to explode with accounts and pictures from that road trip, Meoww. There's a whole lot coming up. Wait till you see it all. 😉
Nice trip. Nice photos.
Nice trip, it was.
Thank you, Arun. I have better pictures coming up. 😉
Your moon picture is simply awesome, btw. 🙂
Karnataka is one coastal state in India where I have not been to beaches, so to see these pics is so exciting.I have read so much about the OM beach that I am longing to go there. … so please give us more.. and also looking forward to some Udipi food pictures… 🙂
I'd only seen a bit of Mangalore and visited one beach there. Now, I saw lot more of the coast and I'm a happy girl. 🙂 I was amazed by the number of temples small and big on the KA coast.
I'm sure you'll do this trip sometime. You should see it all for yourself.
OM beach! It's on everybody's list, right? Either on the been-there one or the wishlist. 🙂
Sure Prasad, I've brought back loads from the trip. Not a whole lot on the food tho'
super cool 🙂
🙂
Hey Joshi.
That's awesome ! And helpfully informative Dee 🙂
First I got Malpe confused with Mahe (part of Pondicherry which is geographically in Kerela) .. later I read your caption Udupi district … All are looking beautiful and to know your personal favorite I guess I have to wait for the detailed posts 😀 with more pics 😀
Worth the wait it s gonna be 😀
Tell me, I've inspired you to go see the whole of KA coast. 😀 The kids will love the beaches. And you will be inspired to write a whole lot of poems, I'm sure. 😉
I haven't been to Mahe yet. 🙁 Only passed by sometime, I think.
I'm going to bombard you with pictures, Kokila. Just you wait. Oh my favourite will be yours too, even before you visit; of that, I'm sure. One beach was unbelievable. 😉
Thank you so much, my dear. 🙂
I am late in coming back dear friend .. its that phase at out home when all members fell ill one by one dutifully ..and its my turn right now 🙂 Well I am in the last leg of recovering , son has already recovered, hubby dear is in the fist stage of illness and daughter is still okay .Phew!
This family illness info is to apologize for a longer gap then intended …
I am going to find my posts now 😀 yes you have truly inspired me for this KA coast trip ..:)
love n hugs girl 🙂
Oh, I know what that's like.
It took me for ever to reply to this comment. I hope all is well, now.
Go do it. Have fun!!
Must have been a fun trip!! Lovely captures!!
It was. My older one was missing the seaside and this trip quite satiated the five year old. And the baby joined her big brother in playing with the sand this time. 😉
Thank you, Magic eye. 🙂
I have only been to Surathkal Beach among the fabulous ones you have clicked! I need to explore South India more!
You have to!
Time to head south, Mridula. 😉
You have inspired me enough to pack my bags & go there. Nice info & I can see you had fun. 🙂
Nice to see you back here, Nisha.
I'm so, so glad to hear that. And I'm already looking forward to hearing how you found the KA coast to be.
Ohhh I wish I had this ready reckoner of a Karnataka coastal road trip when I was thinking of planning something like this last year! My plan didn't come to pass, but I'm bookmarking yours for later. Thanks for this awesome post (route maps and all!) and I'm eagerly waiting for the next set of posts about each destination in detail. 🙂
Oh Ami…
Never mind, there's always a next time. I hope it works out soon.
You have to see what Karnataka's coast has in store for you. You too just might want to pack your bags right away.
The posts are on the way, Ami.
Thank you. Have a fab week.
Wonderful post…….
Thank you. 🙂
Excellent beach shots and I like the concept of this kind of travel. You are inspiring me to repeat this. 🙂
Thank you, Indrani.
Aww… that's so nice to hear.
I hope to see you go beach hopping, soon. Majja maadi, as they say in namma ooru. 😉
You gave us the idea for our next road trip. Thank you. Amazing pictures. BTW how many days did it take for the leisurely turn.
You gave us the idea for our next road trip. Thank you. Amazing pictures. BTW how many days did it take for the leisurely turn.
Thank YOU.
Oh, nice to know that you found a road trip idea here. We spent a week on the coast. 6 days, actually. We drove up to Gokarna and visited Karwar too. Then drove south and took the Shirdi ghats to get back to Bangalore. (I believe that route is closed for repairs, now.)
A great road trip around coastal Karnataka… I know the highway is good for a road trip… so which beach was the cleanest, I know Murudeshwar beach… those guys spit on the beach so bad):
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Amazing shots.
Thank you, Jyotirmoy. 🙂
Beautiful pictures..
Thank you, Trayee. 🙂
Took this coastal trip some two years back. Still fresh in memory. unforgettable moments.
It’s beautiful, around there. 🙂
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