Embarking on a journey through Karnataka's coastal towns is like stepping into a realm where the turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea meet the golden shores adorned with ancient temples and lush greenery. My recent adventure took me through the enchanting trio of Gokarna, Udupi, and Murudeshwar, each offering a unique blend of spirituality, natural beauty, and coastal charm. Join me as I recount the mesmerizing experiences from this unforgettable trip.
Our journey begin with flight from Delhi to Goa. One can also opt to reach these destinations from Mangalore airport. After then we took early morning train from Madgaon to Udupi and reached there by afternoon. The train journey too was one of the experiences as it passes through western ghats.
First thing I did is to rent a scooty as it give me freedom to navigates through the Udupi more easily and not to mention its pocket friendly too.
There is a place in Udupi which fantasize me to the extent that I booked my stay there to experience its beauty. Our resort boasted a prime location with a river on one side and the vast expanse of the ocean on the other.
We spent evening on the beach in front of our resort with one the most beautiful sunset that I haven't seen in ages and to my surprise it was all deserted as it was reserved for us only that too so clean.
Following sunset, we decided to explore the main town of Udupi and went to Malpe beach and took walk to Malpe Sea walk. It was already dark with very few people which was little scary, but we decided to go little further. It was river on one side and sea on other. Upon reaching the end of the point, we were greeted by a breathtaking sight: a cluster of stars twinkling in the night sky. The view was simply unimaginable, especially for someone accustomed to the bright lights of big cities. It was a moment of pure awe and wonder, a reminder of the profound beauty that exists beyond the urban hustle and bustle.
Our next day started with the visit to Shri Krishna Temple, a sacred place dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Following which we drive to Kaup Lighthouse beach which took us around 30mins to reach from temple.
Since it was afternoon, the sun was just on our head and the heat was beyond our expectation. We somehow manage to reach at base of Lighthouse and sat there enjoying refreshing sea breeze and the mesmerizing view.
After spending there about an hour we decided to come back to our resort.
One the same day we boarded a train to our next destination, GOKARNA.
Arriving at Gokarna station around 7PM, we took auto to main town where once again I rented scooty and headed directly to our beach resort. After satisfying dinner, we went to seaside immersing ourselves in the tranquil ambiance and embracing the coastal vibe.
Following day I changed my hotel. After settling down, we started our road trip to Yana cave, located roughly 40km. We don't want to rush so we drive slowly enjoying the route and eventually arrived after about 2 hours with break on our way.
We were not aware as there were two way to reach Yana cave and we took the longest one. This route includes trekking to Yana cave from parking with steep climb and it took us around one hour to reach. It was only later that we discovered an alternative route, which offered a shorter trek.
Upon our first glimpse of Yana Cave, its natural formation left us in awe. The cave's sheer height wondered me about its formation and how it stood so prominently in the middle of jungle.
Exploring further, we went inside the temple, worshipped and procced further to the cave marveling at its natural wonder.
After spending good amount of time, we start our trek back to parking. As sun began to set, we made our way back to hotel, concluding our day's adventure with memories of Yana Cave.
The following day, we set our journey to Murudeswar temple early morning as it was long road trip of around 70km which took us around 2.5hrs to reach. The road and view were treat for bikers.
Upon arrival, we took tickets to board a lift that whisked us to top floor of the building (21st floor), offering the breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding.
After coming down we proceeded for darshan inside the temple, following which we went to shiva statue standing 37m high.
There is one museum which vividly depicted the story behind the temple's origins and significance.
Afterwards, we had lunch before starting our journey back to Gokarna, where we arrive by afternoon.
After having some rest, in evening we decided to explore the Kundle beach.
Reaching Kundle beach include short trek as there is no direct road leading to the beach. We clicked some amazing photos there during sunset and take a walk along the sealine. People can also enjoy different water activities there.
I discovered a festival that occurs once a year, and coincidentally, it was taking place on that very day. We made our way to Koti Teertha, just a 5-minute walk from our stay, and were greeted by a sight that left me transfixed. Koti Teertha is a sacred pond surrounded by steps, with a Shiva temple nestled in its midst. The steps were lighted with lamps, while inside the temple, a vibrant pooja ceremony was underway, accompanied by fireworks.
I stood there for quite some time, completely absorbed in the celebration. The locals celebrate this occasion as "Kartik Deepotsav", worshipping Lord Shiva.
Following breakfast, I returned the scooty and then boarded the train bound for Goa, as our return flight was scheduled to depart from there.
This marks the end of our first experience to western coast with the blend of spiritual serenity and modern allure.