519 kms north-west of Bangalore is Karwar. The district headquarters of Uttara Kannada, this is an ideal place to relax. Karwar has sacred pilgrim centres, historical towns and some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It is said to have inspired Tagore to pen his first drama. The Devbagh Beach, is a must for beach lovers.

Around Karwar (Distances and directions from Karwar); Gokarna :

60 kms south of Karwar, this coastal town has, among other things, an ancient temple with the Atmalinga. Gokarna is also a famous centre for Sanskrit learning. The 0m Beach and the Kutle Beach nearby are also worth a visit.

60 kms from here is Yana - a deserted township with unique rock formations. Yana is also a popular rock- climber's haunt.

Bhatkal, 133 kms south, is a historical township. The ancient port town has temples ofVijayanagar times and many interesting Jain monuments. 16 kms away is the scenic holy place of Murdeshwar. The temple here attracts a lot of devotees and tourists. The Pigeon Island is off the Murdeshwar coast. The beaches at Gokarna, Bhatkal and Murdeshwar are undiscovered and thankfully unspoilt.

Banavasi. 140 kms from Karwar, is a temple town mentioned in the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Shivganga Falls. 140 kms away, amidst scenic surroundings, the river Souda falls into a deep valley from a height of 74m to form the falls.

Dandeli 93 kms from Karwar, is a popular holiday resort. The wildlife sanctuary here abounds with a variety of rare animals (for details, see last page). The cave with Shivalinga-like laterite formations is also well worth a visit.

Magod Falls a few kms from Karwar, is a scenic delight. The Bedti river plunges into a 180 m rocky valley in two leaps.

Lalguli Falls is a picturesque waterfall formed by the river Kali. The Mailmane Falls also deserve a visit.

Accessibility :

Karwar is well-connected by road to Goa, Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwar, Mangalore and Mysore.

Coastal Food Specialities :

Spicy sea food and vegetarian meals garnished with coconut.

Climate :

The monsoon in the coast is from June to October.