Beaches in Karnataka attract tourists from all over the world. The western part of the land lies close to Arabian Sea. The beaches in Karnataka spans for 3 districts Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. Heavy rainfall, dense forest vegetation and paddy fields are common sights here. The coastline of Karnataka stretches for around 320 km and is known as the Karavali, it is located between Mangalore in Dakshina Kannada District and Karwar in Uttara Kannada District. The main centre is in Bhatkal with 8 popular beaches. Listed below are some of the important beaches of Karnataka:
Karwar Beach, Uttara Kannada District
The Karwar Beach is a collection of beaches in the city of Karwar. It occupies the region between the Sahyadris along the coastline of the Arabian Sea. The entire Karwar coastline is a set of 5 beaches - Devbagh Beach, Binaga Beach, Karwar Beach, Majali Beach and the Tilmatti Beach. The tranquil ambience and picturesque location of this beach makes it a popular tourist attraction.
Kurumgad Beach, Uttar Kannada District
Kurumgad Beach is located in Uttar Kannada district. Kurumgad is famous for its Narasimha Temple. The scenic beauty of this island remains unparallel to this day. Tourists can indulge into several water sports like sailing, snorkeling and others. This is one of the sea beaches in Karnataka that is an embodiment of history, charm and spirituality.
Gokarna Beach, Uttara Kannada District
Gokarna literally means `cow`s ear.` Such a name has its roots in legends. It is a village that is formed by the ear shaped confluence of 2 rivers. Having its roots in mythology, one of the beaches here has been named "Om", reminding one of Lord Shiva. Gokarna, Kudle, Half Moon and Paradise are the other beaches here. Gokarna is famous worldwide for all these five beaches. Its proximity to the Western Ghats has also made it popular as an adventure spot where people can go for rock climbing.
Maravanthe Beach, Kodachari Hills
It is a seaside town. On its one side lies the Kodachari hills and on the other side is the West Coast Highway that runs alongside the Arabian Sea. Saurparnika River is also a part of its landscape. The beautiful view of the sunrises and sunsets, the wide expanse of the seawater, the golden grains of the sand and the quietude of this beach in Karnataka has made it a popular destination of the tourists.
St. Mary`s Island Beach, Udupi District
The name of this island is said to be given by Vasco da Gama. Steeped in history this sea beach is also well known for its charming sights. This island is one of the many islands that are accessible from Malpe harbor. The cool shades of the palm trees and the isolated look is perfect for people who want a break from their busy schedule.
Murudeshwar Beach, Uttar Kannada District
Water sports are the best way of spending time at this beach in Karnataka. People can either sail through the waters or take in the cool breeze or they can simply sit on the golden beach and enjoy the sun. The serenity of the place is its USP. The beach is located in the Uttar Kannada district.
Malpe Beach, Udupi District
It is the oldest natural harbour in Karnataka and a famous fishing centre. The stunning views of the sea, sun and sand here make it a prominent tourist destination. The Malpe Beach is situated at the mouth of the Udyavara River, which is a small river that flows around this beach and is commonly referred to as the Malpe River by the general masses.
Kaup Beach, Udupi District
Located in the Udupi district this beach in Karnataka is adorned by yellow sands, azure waters and a sea beach. There is also a lighthouse located on this beach at a height of about 100 ft.
Mangalore Beach, Mangalore
Settled at the estuaries of the two beautiful rivers namely Gurupara and Nehtravathi, Mangalore beach is a laid-back destination for the beach lovers. This beach is a host to Yakshagana performance which attracts the most number of visitors.
Udupi Beach, Udupi District
Udupi beach is one of the important beaches in Karnataka. This sea beach is popular for the presence of temples.
Devbagh Beach, Karnataka-Goa Border
Devbagh beach is popular for the presence of hills. Devbagh Beach is a beautiful beach located nearer to the Karnataka-Goa border on the northern side of Kali River. This is a private beach and is an ideal place for the beach lovers.
Anjadiva Island Beach, Karnataka- Goa Border
Anjadiva Island Beach is located in the Arabian Sea in the border of Karnataka and Goa.
Koodi Bagh Beach, Karwar, Uttar Kannada District
Koodi Bagh Beach is located at the confluence of the Kali River and the Arabian Sea in Karwar. The word Kodi means shore in Kannada language.
Kurumgad Island Beach, Karwar
Kurumgad or Koormagad Island Beach is a popular beach in India. This tortoise shaped island beach is located very adjacent to the Devbagh Beach. It is home to the Narsimha temple which is a famous pilgrimage spot in the area.
Tilmati Beach, Karwar
The Tilmati Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches of Karnataka and one of the top places to visit in Karwar. At this little beach one can find coarse black sand of basaltic rock making the beach black in colour. Tilmati literally translates to sesame sand or the sand that looks like sesame. This stretch of black sand, spread over 200 m, is said to be formed when the waves hit the basaltic rocks that are concentrated in this area. It is also believed that the Arabian Sea dumps the fine black sand brought by River Kali to this place. Majali Beach and Polem Beach that are adjacent to this beach have normal white sand.
Tannirbhavi Beach, Mangalore
Located along the Malabar Coast facing the Arabian Sea, Tannirbhavi Beach is the property of Mangalore port trust. There is a Tree Park in the vicinity of the beach which is 15 hectares vast area dedicated to the protection of the tree species of the Western Ghats.
There are plenty other beaches in Karnataka but the above mentioned ones are few of the popular ones.
