As I was planning to find a getaway place for the weekend, I stumbled upon the images of Gokarna on Instagram. I was hooked immediately. Although I was concerned about it being too remote for me too. I researched & put my plan in motion by booking flight tickets first and the resort second freeing me of anxiety. The kind of troubles I faced during my research pushed me to write this post. Here’s my guide on some stunning places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days.
Don’t miss my Mumbai travel guide!
Planning the trip to Gokarna
Located in Karnataka this beach town can be reached by following modes. Since I plan short trips, my preference was to fly & then cab/self-drive. You may choose any of the following –
Flights
The closest airport to Gokarna is Goa – Dabolim airport, which is approximately 150 km from Gokarna. Goa airport is well connected from all parts of India, hence you will easily find the flights to Goa. Try to find the cheapest tickets available so as to not overspend your travel funds. On most of my trips, I book only cabin baggage which is the cheapest flight. If you too do the same, you may need to check out my detailed post on carry-on essentials.
From Goa airport, you may book a cab for Gokarna, this could be a bit expensive though. We hired a self-drive car which we picked up & dropped back at the airport.
The road trip from Goa Airport takes us through South Goa to Gokarna and is a mesmerizing drive amidst the beautiful western ghats. Don’t forget to pack these road trip essentials which you’ll find handy for this short yet alluring drive.
Trains
Gokarna has a train station with direct trains from a lot of stations, but not Delhi though. The second closest train station from Gokarna is Ankola, ~20 km, you may find some train connections to here too.
Related Post: The Ultimate Guide on How to Travel in India
Bus
There are a couple of bus connections to Gokarna from Goa, Bangalore & Pune. If you’re from these cities, you’re in luck. Anyone from North India, they’d have to choose a flight/train and then change for a bus.
What to pack for Gokarna?
If you’d think Gokarna is a beach town, then standard beachwear would be applicable here. I thought so too. But Gokarna is also known for a 4th-century Hindu temple – Mahabaleshwar temple. Gokarna is a religious place too, hence keep proper clothes keeping this fact in mind in case you’d like to visit the temple.
Gokarna Travel Guide – Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days
I chose to fly from Delhi to Goa and got a Zoomcar to drive from Goa to Gokarna. The drive is extremely beautiful, it takes us through the gorgeous landscape of South Goa, and the western ghats. It takes approx 3 hours or so, with breaks to reach Gokarna from Goa airport. Next, I will cover the numerous places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days, some are located slightly outside of Gokarna but are completely justified.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days – Yana Caves
If you’re a history buff and love hiking at the same time, I’d highly recommend visiting Yana Caves. Located in the Sahyadri mountain range, the two black limestone caves are a delight to witness first-hand.
How to reach Yana Caves?
Yana caves are a completely remote area, located almost 1 hour’s drive away from Gokarna. You can hire a cab or get Zoomcar to reach Yana. You can reach via scooty too, but it is a hilly drive, so you’d have to be careful while driving. To reach the caves, you have to park at the base area (parking fees 40₹) and entry ticket for the caves 5₹. Pack water & snacks as you won’t find anything on the hike. You would have to hike from the parking for approximately 45 minutes or so.
The Two Caves
The two hills are called Mohini Shikara and Bhairaveshwara Shikara. The hike is not difficult, but better to wear good shoes since there are small waterfalls and rocks on the way. You will reach Mohini Shikara first, and take a couple of minutes pit stop to explore these caves. Proceed towards the second cave and the Lord Shiva temple at the base of Bhairaveshwara cave. Pay your respects at the temple and move towards the final leg of the journey. These hilltop caves are so beautiful that I didn’t even want to come back down.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days – Mirjan Fort
Located ~21 km from Gokarna, the elegant Mirjan fort overlooking the Aganashini River dates back to the 1200s. The fort was supervised under the Vijayanagara Empire. The fort has seen war days, it had been seized by various empires including the Marathas too.
There is no entry ticket for the fort and is not as crowded as other touristy places. Outside the fort, there are stalls for snacks, fresh coconut water etc. Built with laterite stones, have huge walls and bastions. Some of the structures are not well maintained and dirty but the open areas are good to see.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days – Mahabaleshwar Temple
If you have good 3 days, then one of the best places to visit in Gokarna is the ancient 4th-century Lord Shiva Mahabaleshwar temple. Located near the Gokarna bus station, you should include this historical temple in your itinerary. With Dravidian-styled architecture, the temple will entice history buffs too.
Also known as Dakshin Kashi, (South Kashi) mirroring the Kashi Vishwanatha Temple in Varanasi hence a sacred place to visit in Hinduism.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days – Om Beach
Gokarna is known to be a beach town and Om Beach is usually one of the top places to visit in Gokarna. A variety of water activities can also be done here including surfing, jet skiing, speed boating etc.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days –Beach Hopping
The beach is located a few meters away from the parking area. You can also do beach hopping from here. Or take boats to visit Paradise Beach.
Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days – Kudle Beach
Kudle Beach is another top beach in Gokarna and a peaceful beach to enjoy the sunset to avoid touristy Om beach. There are a lot of cafes facing the beach where you can enjoy drinks & snacks.
What to eat in Gokarna
Wherever I travel, I try to eat local cuisine. Since Gokarna is a beach town, it was easy to get fish-based dishes. Although this is a small town, hence most restaurants are either on the beaches or in resorts/hotels. Since we were in South India, we had a variety of dosas, and I can tell you they were mind-blowing. I kept eating them again and again.
Where to stay in Gokarna
There are a lot of resorts in Gokarna, we stayed in a nature resort, and it tops my list of all the stays ever. My stay was at Stone Wood Nature Resort – where the best part was the greenery. The hotel is located close to Kudle Beach and Om Beach is almost 3km from here.
The resort also has a swimming pool, with different slots available so you may enjoy some time here too. The resort is really beautiful, hence you can keep some time spare to enjoy some time here too. Enjoy your vacation at this pretty resort.
Book Stone Wood Resort here
Tips to get the most out of your visit to Gokarna
Local transport is not efficient here. Hence choose either to hire a cab or self-drive. You may choose to hire a scooty to explore the town.
Try local cuisine
Fresh fish dishes are easily available here, so I’d recommend trying out local dishes in Gokarna
Have some cash with you
Although India is a now digital leader with UPI payments, it’s good to have some cash handy with you. As the town is slightly remote, network connections may be patchy in some areas, so cash will help you here.
HAVE YOU TRAVELED TO GOKARNA? HOW MANY DAYS DID YOU SPEND AND WHAT PLACES YOU VISITED? DID YOU LIKE MY GUIDE ON PLACES TO VISIT IN GOKARNA IN 3 DAYS? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
Also, make sure to follow along on my Instagram account for the latest updates and adventures.
Subscribe to TWC’s monthly newsletter – Promise, no spam! – and get your free download of my personally curated carry-on checklist!
Buy me Coffee?
Buy me a coffee?
Buy me a coffee?
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyMy Favorite Posts –
Here are some of my best travel tips
How to Save Money for Travel even with Debt
How To Choose a Camping Site in a Forest
Tips for the First Trip to Paris
These are my all-time favourite posts
Taj Mahal – The Mausoleum for the iconic love story
Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas and inspiration!
Found this post on Places to visit in Gokarna in 3 days interesting? Pin the post for reading again later!
– Shivani
Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Disclaimer – This article has affiliate links. If you click and buy via one of them, it will not add anything to the price of the item. And, I’ll receive a small commission to keep the blog running.
