Sun, Sand, the Wind and 3000 people around – is that your idea of a lazy beach holiday? Neither is it mine. So a look at some quaint gems of beaches India has on offer, where you can hear the sand blowing, see the waters turn molten gold and the guy from the fishing village trudging back home.
- Andamans got some beautiful beaches – Corbyn’s cove, Radhanagar and Vijaynagar in Havelock Island are some of the
best tropical beaches. Harminder bay beach at Hutbay Island, Karmatang beach is a turtle nesting ground, Ramnagar beach in Diglipur Island is another serene, sparsely populated beach. - Lakshwadeep boasts of the Kavaratti Beach, Kalpeni Beach has the small islets Tilakkam & Pitti and an uninhabited island on the north – Cheriyam. A huge shallow lagoon encloses them. Bangaram Beach in an uninhabited island, Bangaram is the only one open to foreign tourists. The island has superb beaches and beautiful lagoons.
- Konkan coast has some of India’s most serene and quiet beaches Gokarna (Karnataka), besides being a religious destination is also famous for its beautiful beaches. The main beaches are the Gokarna beach, Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Half moon Beach and Paradise Beach. Kudle and Om are around 6 km from Gokarna, accessible by rickshaw or foot. Half moon and Paradise are beyond Om beach and are accessible only by foot or boat. Om beach is named so because its shape. Paradise and Half Moon – are smaller and remote beaches. The beaches in Uttar Kannada district have a peculiar landscape, near the Western Ghats, they are bound by hills. The Beach Trekking Route from Bellikere to Murudeshwar is exciting. Among the main rivers Kali and Sitanadi are also famous for river rafting. This list does not even includes beaches like Ullal, Kaupe, Baindur, Bhatkal, Honnavar, Kirki and Kumta.
- Goa beaches. Here’s a few along the path lesser trod. 20 km from Margao, Netrolim village is a serene and bountiful world
untouched by modernity. The facilities are rustic but ok. So is Candolim, the birth place of Abbe Faria, the Father of Hypnotism who counseled Napoleon Bonaparte and finds immortality as the mad monk in Alexander Dumas’s ‘The Count of Monte Christo’. Sinquerim near fort Aguada of white sands has a hiking route to Candolim beach and all the way to Baga. Bambolim beach is largely undiscovered, just before the mouth of the river Zuari. The entrance lies along the hill between Medical College and the University. Benaulim beach is more peaceful and isolated than Colva. Palolem beach, in Canacona distrct, also called “Paradise Beach” is popular for dolphin cruises and fishing trips. At the northern end of the beach is a tiny, island in the middle of a fresh water stream that can be reached by swimming at low tide. Agonda is a virgin stretch of beach off Palolem. Cavelossim is south of Colva. South of it is the Mobor beach that boasts five star resorts and a small lagoon and fishing village.Manaltheeram Ayurveda Beach Village, near Kovalam, Cherrai beach off Cochin on Yvpeen island, Kappil and Pallikere close to Bekal fort are quite beaches. Near from Fort St. Angelo, the Payyambalam beach is ideal for a romantic walk. Varkala is a quiet beach embroidered with rocky cliffs. Somatheeram – 15 acres of greenery sloping down soft, white sands that lazily stretch into an azure calm sea. A virgin and untouched beach, Poovar is surrounded by tranquil backwaters melting into the sea.
- Puri and Konark – no paeans remain unsung but the stretch between them still has undiscovered jewels of sandy stretches. If
you have visited Puri you would know there is a sonorous quality to the coastline. The Bay of Bengal, unlike the gentler Arabian Sea crashes around teh beaches with a deep rumbling sound. Just down the road from Puri is Toshali’s private beach – “Balighai” – The Casurina fringed beach is a treat – in solitude and expansiveness. Just laze around and see your worries melt away – the sunset is particularly attractive near the confluence of Nuanai River.
Come and discover them. Of course I was simply name dropping 🙂 what can I do? India has a coastline over 7500 kms long. There are hundreds of places which I haven’t even heard of. So next time you are cycling past some unknown seashore here and come across a sleepy beach village you know where to come and tell me all about it.
