Here's Why You Should Ditch Goa This December & Head To Gokarna Instead!

Choose shacks over fancy hotels, meditating on the beach over partying in Tito's lane and head to Gokarna instead of Goa this New Year's!

Going to Goa is no longer on anyone’s bucket list, thanks to the overcrowded beaches and clubs that in no way give you the ‘getaway’ vibe. The only reason people love going to the beach is to escape the city life and to indulge in peaceful surroundings, serenading to the sounds of the waves at the beach. 

But Goa no longer offers that to us, so instead we decided that we are going to totally ditch Goa and head to Gokarna this New Year’s. Even though there’s still some time left till December and planning a vacation so soon is a far fetched idea, but hey, if you want cheaper tickets then we recommend ya’ll plan your Gokarna trip in advance and here’s what and how you need to go about.

The lesser known island that deems to be a quieter version of Goa has somehow gained some popularity over the years, but people still choose Goa instead due to easy accessibility. But trust us, Gokarna is so much better in every way possible, especially for people who love staying in beach shacks! The good news is that Gokarna happens to have a lot of them and they're comparatively cheaper than Goa too. Not just that, but you will also wake up to a clean and quiet beach rather than the garbage of an after party here. 

Beach hopping is a must for anyone travelling to Gokarna as it is home to some unbelievably beautiful and clean beaches like Om Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach, Main Beach, Kudle Beach and God’s Own Beach. You can even set up a camp at any of these beaches as long as the authorities don’t have an issue with it, or else find a deserted beach where you could lay under the stars in complete serenity.

Even though the beaches don’t have water activities as Goa does, there’s a lot of treks one can do when in Gokarna if you’re looking for an adventurous trip. You could trek through the forests or from one beach to the other and witness amazing views from the terrains. The trek from Paradise Beach to Half Moon Beach is one of the most famous ones but to reach Paradise Beach you will have to take a boat or trek through the forests. The views however are inexplicably beautiful!

What could you do during the rest of the time in Gokarna, you wonder? Well, don't worry because there’s a lot more to do here such as taking a yoga class, going for an Ayurvedic spa session or just waking up on a beach and going for a run. Honestly, you would literally not want to do anything but relax in the sun out at the beach while you’re here. Trust us!

If you still have more time to explore, then you could also go to Lalguli Falls, which is a two-hour journey by road but is definitely something worth witnessing. Make sure you pack some food before you head there, and find a nice picnic spot to spend your day.

So that’s what you do when you’re in Gokarna, it’s simple and easy and just the vacation you need to replace Goa with.

How to reach: Take a direct flight to Goa or Bengaluru and then take a bus or a cab to Gokarna

Distance from Goa to Gokarna: 135 km (3 hours 14 minutes approx)

Distance from Bengaluru to Gokarna: 482 km ( 9 hours 40 minutes)