Solo trip to Gokarna | Gokarna beach | Gokarna beach trek | Backpacking travel ideas | Backpacking trip | Offbeat beach destinations in India | Offbeat beaches near Bangalore | Travel tips

 Solo/Backpacking Trip to Gokarna

" Without any specific plan, 

when we plan to go 

an unexplored destination..

 we can touch our soul deeply. "

HOW TO REACH :-

Gokarna is situated below Karwar on the Northern Coast of Karnataka. The rail network and the road network can take you to Gokarna from all major cities like Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Mysuru, Kochi.

Nearest airport is Hubli (200kms).

Train station is Gokarna Road which is 10 kms from the beach. Local buses & taxis are available from station to the beach.

WHAT & WHEN TO DO :-

DAY - 1 

• Arrive at Gokarna Station. You can wait in the waiting room there till 6 am and then head to the beach.
• Take a local bus from the main road about 400 m from station gate. You’ll get them at 15 minute intervals.
• Reach main beach and have breakfast at restaurants around bus stand.
• Freshen up at pay and use bathroom at Main beach. Start the trek and head to the temple visible on the hill to the left.
• Go up the stone steps from temple and keep trekking along the shore till the point named "Labyrinth" on google maps.
• Keep trekking on the trail and you’ll arrive at Kudle beach entrance.
• Rest, relax and swim at Kudle beach and eat or drink till 12pm in the shacks.
• Continue trek towards OM beach. The trail starts with some steps, then you can follow the shoreline and reach Om Beach via a Park at the end.
• Have lunch at Namaste cafe at Om Beach.
• Continue Trek from Om Beach to Half Moon Beach.
• The trail is well marked but wild enough for an adventure.
• Reach Half Moon beach and relax for a while or continue to Paradise beach.
• Reach Paradise via the same trail and set up your camp.
• No restaurants, shacks or vendors here; so carry food packets of choice for your dinner.

DAY - 2

• Start your day with watching Dolphins early morning near Paradise Beach and take the first ferry to Kudle Beach.
• Have Breakfast at Uma Maheshwari Cafe just at the start of Kudle beach.
• Spend the whole day at Kudle beach playing Beach Games, Kayaking, Swimming, Trying food from cafes and relaxing till evening.
• Head to the sunset point near Kudle Beach, marked as the Labyrinth on maps.
• Watch the sunset. Camp at the same spot. There are no laws pertaining to camping at public spots in India in general, so wait till the crowd clears so no hindrances are caused.

DAY - 3

• Start with a beautiful sunrise view from your camping spot on the hill.
• Head to Main Beach
• Explore Local Market near the beach. Opens from 9 am onward.
• Head to Namaste Samudra Cafe on main beach. 
• Relax and enjoy sunset.
• Rent Local bikes after sunset from the shops outside bus stand.
• Take the bikes to Belekan beach and ask the last shack owner for the trail to Paradise beach.
• He let’s you park your vehicle in his shack for ₹20/bike for the night.
• Start your night trek from Belekan Beach to Paradise Beach via clearly marked trail (also on google maps)
• Reach Paradise and camp there for the night.

DAY - 4 

• Start your day with the trek back to Belekan beach and take your bikes to Vibhooti Falls.
• Reach Vibhooti falls with breakfast on the way.
• Swim in the Falls
• Go to Yana caves and check out the rock formations.
• Return to Gokarna and spend time on beach or depart from Kumta/Karwar via which ever means of transport you plan to take.

WHERE TO STAY :-

One of the best properties to stay on a budget in Gokarna is the Halfway Home, near Kudle Beach.. The place offers the best authentic South Indian Food. It is maintained perfectly with quality accommodation, bathrooms and facilities like good wifi! Highly recommended if you plan on not camping.

Go ahead and check them out if you’re in a dilemma of choosing the right property, it won’t disappoint!

Other than this, there are lots of shacks with rooms at Main beach, Kudle beach and Om Beach. Also 1 or 2 at Half Moon Beach. Belkan beach also, but not worth staying there.

The Zostel at Kudle is another great option if you want to like staying there.

Main bus stand has a few good luxury hotels around it as well.

For the ultra luxury lover a must stay place is – Kahani Paradise Resort with their infinity pool and beautiful atmosphere.

WHERE TO EAT :-

Namaste Samudra Cafe at Main beach had the best food .

Bhagwan cafe main beach

Halfway home, Kudle beach for good south Indian meal.

Uma Maheshwari cafe at Kudle beach had good view and decent breakfast of pan cakes and aloo parathas.

Namaste cafe at Om Beach seemed good place to eat.

HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND :-

• Gokarna is small place and you can choose to trek from one beach to other.
• Plus you can take ferry to all these beaches rather than taking your vehicle.
• Railway station and some other far off beaches are connected via local bus systems from the bus stand.
• Rent a scooter for travelling to other off-beat places a little away from Gokarna. Bike Rental starts at ₹300-400 for 24 hours. Ferry rides start at ₹100.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION :-

• Don’t carry alcohol or any other substances with you anywhere as there’ll be frequent checks at different places throughout Gokarna.
• Camping is good at Paradise beach. Other than that there wasn’t any clear undisturbed place in Gokarna area where you can camp.You can try camping it at Labyrinth.
• Use a refillable bottle with you and ask the shack owners to fill it. So you don’t have to spend money on buying bottles and don’t have to worry about the trash.
• There are great places like the Nirvana Beach and Honey beach nearby Gokarna that are worth the visit if time permits.

Feel free to mail me to hazraniladri1997@gmail.com for more information and sample itinerary.

Goa budget Trip | North goa vs South Goa | Travel Tips

North Goa or South Goa – Where Should You Stay?

The debate of where to camp in Goa has existed for a long time now and has given birth to many theories on why North is for party animals and South for peace lovers.

This cute-as-a-button state along the western coastline has two polar regions.. both famous for attracting exactly opposite crowds. To understand which suits you better, you need to decide what do you enjoy more and what will get your serotonin kicking. 

 

Beach Hopping :-

Vagator beach, Baga Beach, Anjuna Beach are the crowd-pleasers of the North.

North Goa hosts some of the craziest beach parties across the country. If you want to experience the Goa known for exuberant nightlife, head to North Goa no questions asked! You can also enjoy water sports such as jet skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, boat rides, paragliding, flyboarding and banana rides. Beaches will be relatively crowded and booming with friendly tourists. 

South Goa is your loyal companion if you love empty beaches and natural beauty, Golden sand, long stretch of clear blue water and melodious sounds of splashing waves will transport you to zen like state.

Palolem Beach, Benaulim Beach, Butterfly beach and Colva beach are must visit when staying in south. Explore South Goa Beaches for that much needed rejuvenation. 

 

Food Excursions :-

Goa has experienced cultural influences of Hindu, Muslim and Portuguese rule. 

Over the years.. cuisine in Goa has emerged as the perfect amalgamation of flavours from its colonial roots.

Majority of the top rated cafes and restaurants are found in North Goa. Delectable combinations of diverse ingredients from the top-notch restaurants to lip-smacking Goan street food, North Goa is the absolute paradise for food lovers. Since beaches in the North cater to larger audience, you can find some amazing beach shacks serving cheap and delicious local snacks.

Enjoy Goa’s local culinary tour with our forever-hungry folks.

South Goa on the contrary has fewer options that are popular for food binging. Even though the quality is as amazing as the North, you don’t enjoy the leisure of exploring new cafes everyday.

 

Nightlife :-

Goa is already known as the party power house of India. Every year many major music festivals and concerts are organised for enthusiastic crowds who travel to Goa for its amazing themed parties.

North Goa unravels a brand new side after sunset and is the perfect option if you love partying till dawn. Casino Palms, Crown Casino and Casino Carnival are your answers to Blackjack and The Bollywood Club- by Titos  for thrilling parties. North Goa is your saviour if the central plan for your vacation is partying all night long. Endless escapade of club hopping never gets boring when you’re on this side of the road. Bollywood Club- By Titos and Cafe Mambos are known for throwing mind-blowing parties. Party under the stars at Baga beach or rent a bike and drive to casinos for some dice action. 

South Goa is famous for exclusive parties in élite clubs. Extravagant resorts and luxurious clubs organise grand evenings that are usually private. Silent Noise Club is extremely popular in the area and worth the visit. Unlike beaches in the North, Palolem beach has the monopoly over silent beach parties on the relatively quieter South Goa. For blackjack lovers in the South, not many options are available but with the growing influx of tourists, new and luxurious casinos are opening every season. Casino Pearl and Casino Pride are the brand new options for you.

 

Stay Options :-

Most important thing when choosing where to stay are rental options. It’s better to finalize a budget and choose accordingly.

North Goa offers affordable options in the middle of a bustling city with amazing view and delicious food. 

Beach side shacks, backpacker hostels, pocket-friendly lodges, resorts and hotels offer incredible views without burning a whole in your pocket. Due to it’s popularity amongst young travellers, food and accommodation is relatively cheap and you get to experience best of Goa at reasonable budget.

 

South Goa rates more on the lavish scale. Luxurious resorts and hotels that believe in grand experience are perfect if you want to enjoy the tranquility that surrounds the party town of India. You can relax at a spa or enjoy an extravagant meal at one of many beach side resorts. Head to South Goa if you want to skip noisy streets and cramped up restaurants. This does not mean South Goa is all pricey. There are scores of options available across all budget ranges even in South Goa.

Both sides have a different story that attracts different travellers. North Goa scores more for first visit because of the popular beaches and clubs while South Goa is the dream vacation of explorers looking for untouched nature. 

Feel free to mail me to hazraniladri1997@gmail.com for more information and sample itinerary.

Serbia | Visa free for India | Serbia visa for Indian passport holders | Travel Tips

Recently.. Serbia announces free visa for Indians which is valid for 30 days for Tourism purpose. 

Many tourists reported about deport, huge questionings and long immigration process while getting it on arrival. But don’t worried about it.. I'll discus all methods the methods to get Serbia Visa easily. 

Three ways to get it..

First one is to get it on Arrival in Serbia and..

second is approved Sticker Visa from Embassy in India and.. 

Third one is getting Serbia visa based on valid USA & Schengen Visa.

Process 1 –

Visa Requirements for Free Serbia -

Visa on arrival for Indians..

1. Original Passport with minimum of 6 months of validity and 2 blank pages for visa stamps

2. Return Flight Tickets

3. Hotel/Accomodation Bookings

4. Health Insurance

    (must be at least EURO 30000)

5. Proof of Sufficient Funds

6. Passport Size Photograph 

    (3.5cm X 4.5cm) 

Process 2 –  

Visa Requirements for Serbia Visa from Embassy for Indians..

1. Original Passport with minimum of 6 months of validity and 2 blank pages for visa stamps

2. Photocopy of First and last page of

   Passport.

3. Visa Form.

4. Return Flight Tickets

5. Hotel/Accomodation Bookings

6. Health Insurance

    (must be at least EURO 30000)

7. Proof of Sufficient Funds

8. Passport Size Photograph 

    (3.5cm X 4.5cm)

9. Covering Letter

Process 3 – 

Visa Requirements for Serbia Visa for those who has valid USA & Schengen Visa..

1. Original Passport with minimum of 6 months of validity and 2 blank pages for visa stamps

2. Return Tickets

3. Hotel/Accomodation Bookings

4. Valid Visa of either United USA or any Schengen Countries

How to Apply :-

This Visa is approved on Arrival in Serbia..

you just have to provide mentioned documents to the immigration officer on arrival in Serbia and after some questioning they will stamp your Serbia Visa on passport.

Process to apply for Serbia Visa from Embassy for Indians..

This Visa is approved before travelling to serbia, you have to Visit Embassy and submit mentioned documents along with Fees. After Decision on your Application, you have to collect the passport from Embassy.

Fees - INR 4600

Click Here

for more details.

Feel free to mail me to hazraniladri1997@gmail.com for more information and sample itinerary.