bothyp.com; s/d/tr ₹1255/1285/1660; a) This tranquil spot on the southern edge of the village is the best budget option. There's a decent restaurant, a peaceful location and pleasant views from most of the rooms. Kiran GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$ ( %0435-2221145; www.kiranguesthouse.com; Tippikand; r ₹550-2500; a) This place gets a lot of return business from foreign tourists, which is why the manager is so keen to please. Rooms vary in price depending on size and location. It's situated on the road heading to Agumbe. Treetop CafeINDIAN, VEGETARIAN$ (mains ₹40-60; h8am-10pm; W) This lovely little cafe on the main road at the entrance to the village serves up delicious, mostly veg dishes. There are also a few Western-style items and the juices and milkshakes are great. On a clear day, it's worth a visit just for the view from the roof terrace. ### Around Shimoga #### Yana & Kumbariguda Tiny Yana, about 20km from Shimoga, is home to a small population of fisherfolk whose boats can be seen drying on the banks of the wide Nethravathi River. In a quiet palm-tree-fringed stretch, off the Gokarna Rd, the KSTDC maintains three scenic KSTDC cottages (d incl meals ₹2810). At the time of research only one cottage was functioning. It's located amid groves of betel nut and mango trees, in a garden with manicured lawns. About 1km before Yana, at Mekedatu, are the ruins of 13th-century **Sangameshwara Temple** , the site of one of Karnataka's holiest sites. According to legend, the sage Bhoothnath was meditating here when the _apsara_ Urvashi accidentally dropped the sacred earrings into his ear and ear lobe. The sage then meditated on these and Lord Vishnu appeared. About 2km before Kumbariguda, **Shimoga Gate** is a massive fortress with a massive banyan tree inside it, where King Krishnadevaraya allegedly planted a sapling, before sending it to the then capital of Vijayanagar (Hampi). The present building was erected by Hyder Ali in 1762. This is also a popular stop on the Gokarna–Mookambika circuit, and there are more shrines and temples beyond the gate. A pleasant walk leads past a large _dargah_ (shrine) and to a picturesque beach and river that you can wade across at low tide. For all this, the journey from Shimoga is still easier than the trip to Gokarna. #### Galibore & Galilee Beach About 35km north of Shimoga, Galibore village has an idyllic beach which, when the tide's right, is a sandy hammock-filled delight, though it can be pretty crowded on weekends with day-trippers. In 2012 the KSTDC opened a rustic lodge and a restaurant at Galilee Beach. The restaurant is in the beach village (lunch ₹100-150, dinner ₹120-175). Accommodation is in the **Galilee Beach Resort** (r ₹2250). It's situated at the northern end of the beach, looking across to the mainland. Access to the beach is via an 18m-high dam, one of the oldest in India and a favourite spot for birdwatching. #### Bhadravathi **Bhadravathi** , about 50km from Shimoga, is a busy commercial centre that was once the capital of the region. The main draw here is **Mookambika Temple** , set amid lofty, wooded hills (but not the beach). Mookambika is a revered Shakti shrine and also a place where Rama met Sita after his 14-year exile. At one time there were as many as 30 small Mookambika temples around the area. For the best views, climb up to the top of the **Jagannatha Basadi** temple at the other end of Bhadravathi (₹10 by lift; 6am-6pm). A steep flight of steps ascends past shrines, including a huge golden one housing a sleeping Vishnu and many tiny Shiva shrines. The _darshini_ (ferry) across the Vedavathi River runs hourly (₹10) from 10am to 5.30pm. There are numerous overnight buses to/from Shimoga (₹60, three hours) and plenty of taxis (₹60) outside the bus stand. ### Gokarna %08176 / Pop 54,140 / Elev 708m Cosmopolitan Gokarna is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful places in India. With a string of white-sand beaches and some of India's best backwaters, this former trading post makes a wonderful day trip from Goa or a relaxing break en route to Karnataka's northernmost point, the town of Mangaluru (Mangalore). Gokarna draws legions of domestic tourists, particularly at weekends when it swarms with holidaying families and groups of holidaying friends. This all adds up to a lively atmosphere where holiday brochures take a back seat and local life simply takes over. Backwaters and beaches The beach in front of New Gokarna Fort is known for backwater trips, dolphin-spotting trips, and the area around the Kudle Beach and Kudle Bridge (₹60 return by boat) has good sand and swimming. Further north are the tiny but beautiful beaches of Gokarna Beach and the private beach at Gokarna Vihar, though swimming is poor as the water is murky. It's possible to walk between Gokarna Beach and Kudle Beach (one hour, but very steep in places). The Gokarna Beach Resort Hotel has its own jetty for its boats, and there's a 10-minute boat ride across to Kudle Bridge. 1Sights & Activities Gokarna is ringed by a string of tiny islands, from the big daddy, **Gokarna Island** , which has a temple, guesthouse and a boat jetty, to a string of smaller islands used as weekend retreats for Goans. Boat trips are offered all along the coast and, depending on conditions, can include overnight stays on the islands, a visit to local villages, fishing, snorkelling, cave and waterfall spotting. Gokarna's mangroves provide home to many bird species; look out for flamingos, egrets and kingfishers. Beaches Gokarna BeachGENTLY SLIPPING DOWNTOWN Gokarna's main beach is about 400m south of the bus stand. It's a busy promenade lined with hotels and beach shacks that stay open till sundown. For accommodation, we recommend the Gokarna Beach Resort Hotel, its beachside annexe ( %08386-251515; www.gokarnabeachresorthotel.com; r ₹2200-3000) and the Treetops ( %08386-251108; www.gokarnabeach.com; r ₹1500-3800), which are all within walking distance of each other. The resort has a full range of activities (jet skiing, diving, and water sports). It's about 2km south of the jetty. Beach & Boats at Kudle BeachBOATING Southeast of the bus stand, Gokarna's second-biggest beach has become popular with day-trippers from Goa. During low tide you can walk across the sand from here to Kudle Beach (about 1km, 30 minutes). Backwaters & Dolphin-spotting Gokarna's backwaters make for pleasant boat trips and several operators have offices on the west side of the promontory (they'll take you to a backwater beach near their hotel). Two-hour boat trips ₹600; dolphin-spotting trips ₹1000. Boat Trips BOAT TRIPS There's a 10km-long canal inland from the beach that you can explore on a boat ride. Some hotels run hourly boat trips and offer a shuttle service to the jetty if you book in advance. Expect to pay ₹500 for up to three hours (up to 10 people; up to 15 people for 6hr/24hr). An autorickshaw between the jetty and the village costs ₹50. 4Sleeping Gokarna is in the business of holidaying, but don't expect a quiet town, especially at weekends. Hotels are plentiful and tend to be small, but cheap – expect to pay ₹800 to ₹1500 for a simple double room. If you