Gokarna: Why does it attract so many foreign tourists?

Gokarna, can very simply be described as a small touristy pilgrimage town which receives visitors throughout the year. As it has several temples nearby, the town is virtually thronged by Hindu pilgrims most of the times. However, the interesting thing to note here is that besides the Indians, the foreigners including the Europeans and Russians frequent this place as well. “Why exactly do these foreigners visit this small town often? What exactly does this pilgrimage sort of a town have to offer these foreigners? Let us find out in the course of the post.

Gokarna: A touristy delight in Karnataka

Situated in Karnataka, Goakarna serves as a perfect retreat for pilgrims with all its Shiva temples with His original image (as is believed by the inhabitants of the town and perhaps even by the visitors). The place is primarily famous for the string of religious festivals held here. Shiva Ratri, observed at the end of February is celebrated amidst much jubilation here.

Talking about the sea of foreign tourists the town receives every year; let us tell you that the trend has been started by the European backpackers who primarily visited Gokarna for its warm climate in winter. Another major reason behind the foreigners thronging here is the much coveted isolation offered by this place.

Beautiful Beach of Gokarno

The role played by the beaches

The life styles of Gokarno are not solely revolving round beaches. It should be pointed out that the town is not only known for its temples. It is equally famous for its beaches. And who doesn’t know? Beaches are always a favorite of foreigners. Here is a rundown on the most exotic beaches of Gokarna.

Gokarna Beach

Though it is more popular with the Indians and less with the foreign tourists, it should be mentioned that it is visited by the latter – perhaps by a much lesser degree than what’s the case with the other beaches. It stretches for several kilometers long. Perhaps one of the reasons why foreigners avoid this particular beach is because of the consistent lack of hygiene. You can hardly find any locals cleaning this beach up. Things are in fact worse after Shiva Ratri. The beach is converted into a virtual garbage dump after a night of revelry.

Om Beach

Situated further along Kudle beach, this particular beach is divided by a rocky island. Foreign visitors are a regular sight here. A section of the beach is primarily occupied by restaurants offering cheap accommodation in the shape of concrete beach huts and bamboo. Come the monsoons and you will not really have access to many accommodation options here.

Kudle Beach

Kudle Beach can be reached by a brief walk downhill from the drop-off points right at the southern and northern end of the beach. Travelers are advised to stay in the southern stretch of the beach. Backpackers had always been a regular feature of this particular beach. Thanks to these backpackers – parties and jam sessions were held regularly as well.

Conclusion

So, as we were saying before, beaches also have to play a crucial role in bringing foreign tourists to the town. As you might have gauged by now, the place is practically brimming with a number of beaches. One of the prominent trends which can be noticed in recent times is the gradual thinning down of the backpacking crowd in recent times. Various sections of the town have stopped entertaining backpackers simply because they have started receiving affluent tourists (especially from the metro cities of India) and also because they have had to face several problems owing to the backpacking crowd. The backpacker, many a time were involved in theft, drugs and other anti-social activities.