Day1

After almost 10 hours of overnight journey, I reached Gokarna check post at around 8:00. This is the last stop for all the private buses. The place was really calm and the cool breeze touched my warm cheeks. The locals stared at us, fellow tourists, with cigarettes in their hands. Although, it was an everyday thing for them, the lifestyle seemed very calm and relaxed to me. I had booked a bed for two nights at Zostel Gokarna. People usually rent two-wheelers to hop around places, here. But I had a different plan. I wanted to walk to all the places on all three days and didn't want to hire a two-wheeler. I walked my way to Zostel, admiring the streets and the culture of this place. The streets were narrow with small temples on both sides. The spiritual significance of the place was very evident. The walls were brightly colored at several places, with well drawn graffiti on them. After seeking help from the locals, I managed to reach my destination at 8:30.

Zostel Gokarna didn't disappoint. It is perfectly placed on a hilltop, offering a breath-taking view of the main beach(Gokarna beach). I sat there, on a bar stool in the common area for quite sometime, taking in the beautiful view. The sky was clear. The beach was flocked with devotees of Sabarimala, who had come to get blessings of Lord Mahabaleshwara. Fishermen boats whirred at a distance, as they continued their routine tasks. It was relaxing and peaceful. I had my breakfast at the adjacent Mantra Cafe. After getting a few tips about places and directions in Gokarna from the good people at Zostel, I set to Gokarna beach. It was 10:30 and the sun was on the high. After walking for a while on the beach, I decided to go on the well-known beach trek.

View from Zostel

I set out on foot to Kudle beach. Kudle beach and Gokarna beach are the most crowded beaches, here, both being the closest to town. People were already in the water -surfing, paddle-boarding and some, just relaxing on their floaters. A part of the crowd was sunbathing on the beach. I joined a group of people who were throwing a Frisbee around. I did some throws, walked along the beach and decided to head to Om beach. The path was rocky and dry, but very well marked. I reached Om beach in less than 20 minutes. Om beach gets it's name because it resembles the Hindu symbol "ॐ", when seen from the top. I sat at a place, gazing at the beauty of the turquoise waters. I continued to half-moon beach from there. The path is along a beautiful cliff, that gives you an amazing view of the ocean. I stopped at a few places, clicked some pictures and reached half- moon beach. On the way, I met a German guy- Alex. I was surprised to know he works as a miner and a construction worker for six months to save up for the next 6 months of travel! We exchanged our stories from Rishikesh and his experience in Northern India in the previous month. He had come on the beach trek for the third time, just to click a few pictures. He described me our next destination- paradise beach and I couldn't wait to be there. We continued our hike to Paradise beach. As we hopped beaches, the crowd was getting smaller and smaller. There were less than ten people in half-moon beach. After hiking along the tropical trail and sometimes, on the rocks along the waters,we finally reached paradise beach. The place was indeed a paradise. Hills on one side, ocean on the other. I took a dip in the waters, stayed there for a very long time. All the effort I put to be at that place, paid off. There were people in the shades, with hammocks and tents, camping. The hippie vibe was very clear. We clicked a few pictures and started our return journey. I stopped for a while on Om beach. There were frisbees flying all around. I taught how to throw a forehand to a few foreigners, relaxed in the water and then set out to Zostel without stopping anywhere. It was almost 18 km of hiking! Dehydrated and hungry, I freshened up at Zostel and headed into town for some food and tea.I had my refreshments at Shri Shakthi- a small place known for desserts and dosas. It was 17:10 and I knew I had to be at Kudle beach for the sunset.

Gokarna Beach

Kudle Beach (as seen from the staircase to parking)

Om beach (as seen from the top)

Cliff- side view (between Om and Half-Moon beach)

Half-Moon beach

Paradise Beach

I sat on the beach, watching the sun go below the horizon. The moment was perfect. I wasn't doing anything. I just sat there for a very long time, admiring the beautiful colors of dusk, the nature had to offer. After the sun set, the hippie vibe took a different turn. There was a faint music that came from a distance. It was a mix of Indian and international crowd. A group of people were sitting in a circle, chanting mantras and jamming with a variety of musical instruments. There were people practicing different arts- hula hoops, pois, contact juggling, slack-line, stick-fighting, and many more. The combination of the music and the sound, the waves made, was perfect- exactly what was needed. It made my day. I forgot about the dehydration and the fatigue I had due to the trek. I walked for a bit and then returned to Zostel for dinner. After dinner I lazed around in the hammock, reminiscing the events throughout the day. I was sitting in the common area, when I met a girl from Jodhpur- let's call her Neha. We conversed for a long time, almost past midnight. She wanted to watch the sunrise the next morning and go on the beach trek, starting from Belakan beach. Since I hadn't planned anything for the next day, I decided to tag along with her. We decided to meet up at 6:15, the next morning and dispersed to our dorms. A long and a beautiful day came to an end, with another adventure in store for us.

Sunset from Kudle Beach

Jamming at Kudle beach