Gokarna is a small town in the Indian state of Karnataka. It has around 20,000 people. The main temple there is dedicated to Shiva, who is also known as Mahabaleshwara. It is said to contain a representation of Shiva’s linga. In recent years, many Western tourists have come to Gokarna because of its peaceful atmosphere. People have opened shops and restaurants to cater to the tourists. The name Gokarna means “cow’s ear” because it is said that Shiva appeared from the ear of a cow at this location, where two rivers, the Gangavali and the Aghanashini, meet in the shape of an ear.
Gokarna is located approximately 60 kilometres from Karwar, 240 kilometres north of Mangalore, and 480 km from Bengaluru.
On National Highway 66, buses and maxicabs can travel to Gokarna from Kumta (30 km), Ankola (26 km), Karwar (59 km), and Bhatkal (88 km). Long-distance buses are operated by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) out of places including Panaji, Bengaluru, and Mangalore. Every day, private buses (Vijayanand Roadlines – VRL, Sugama, Sea Bird, etc.) run overnight trips from Bengaluru, the state’s capital, to Gokarna.
It is accessible through the Konkan Railway using the routes from Mumbai to Mangalore or Goa to Mangalore. The town is 10 kilometres from the railway station, also known as Gokarna Road. The station offers a retiring room for a reasonable cost. The daily local trains that halt here include the Matsyagandha Express, KSR Bengaluru Karwar Express, Poorna Express, Marusagar Express, Mangalore Local, and DEMU Local.
The closest airports to Gokarna are Hubli Airport in Karnataka, which only offers domestic flights, Goa International Airport in Goa, and Mangalore International Airport in Bajpe, Karnataka.
The journey up the twisting road to Gokarna is breathtaking, with the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats and rocky mountains on the other. The beaches of Gokarna are well-known. The main beach in Gokarna and the Kudle beach both face west. Om Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach, and Belekan Beach are some of the beaches that face south.