Gokarna is a coastal area in Karnataka which is on the Arabian Sea. Gokarna is famous for Beaches and Temples as this is the pilgrimage destination for Hindus. There are multiple beaches and Temples close to the city like the Main beach (Gokarna beach), Om beach, Kudle beach, Mahabaleshwara Temple and many more...




Pre-requisite:
If you are travelling by bus/train then book your return ticket, also book the stay well in advance.
Get Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Beachwear, Caps, Cameras as per your convinience.

Day 1:
There are lot of Volvo buses available from Bangalore to Gokarna, so i prefer to take a bus which would be an overnight journey. As soon as you reach Gokarna bus station, there are multiple two wheeler rentals available right next to the bus station. You can hire the two wheeler and head to our rooms. I prefer to book a stay near "Om Beach" (The beach is called as "Om Beach" as the shape of the beach is like "Om" from the ariel view)

There is a stay available on "Om Beach" called as "Shanthidama Cafe" which is a located on the cliff, the rooms are compact however its very clean and very well maintained. The cost of accommodation is not expensive (1500 INR per day approx) and you will have a very good time. Please note that you cannot reach this place by bike/car, you have to park your vehicles near the entrance of Om Beach and then walk for 5-10 mins (Parking will be accommodated in Namaste cafe).



You can get into your rooms and get freshen up, have a great breakfast and begin your fun time. Take your bikes out and head towards the first destination which is "Kudle Beach". Kudle is below the cliff and this place offers lot of water activities along with the boat ride for near by beaches. This is one of the best beaches to have some fun activities in water.



I suggest you to opt for a boat trip which will take you to Half moon beach, Small hell beach, Paradise beach and back to Kudle beach.

1. Half Moon Beach: The beach is in the shape of half moon hence the name half moon beach. This beach is separated from Om beach by a cliff. You can reach this beach by hiking or by a boat. The beach is away from the crowd and this is a very tiny beach to spend some peaceful time with nature
2. Small Hell Beach: You can reach this beach by hiking or by a boat. Even this is a very tiny beach with dark rocks around. You can do camping here and enjoy the golden sand beach  
3. Paradise Beach: This beach was considered as a hippie location and there were lot of foreigners who used to visit this beach and stay here for months together. One fine day the Government officials restricted all the commercial activities in this beach and demolished all the shacks as per locals. Few locals say that this was done as the beach area belonged to the forest, few locals say that the foreigners restricted Indians to enter the beach however i do not know the exact reason. Even today you can see the remains of the shacks. This is one of the tiny white sand beaches in Gokarna surrounded by rocks and cliffs, if you love to camp, this is one of the beaches to camp.

The alternative plan is to trek from Om beach towards half moon beach, small hell beach and Paradise beach. There will be night treks organised by few, you can opt that as well if you are interested.

Once you get back to Kudle, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset and enjoy your evenings and then return to your rooms.

Day2:
Start you day with a two wheeler ride towards the other side of Gokarna i.e. towards Nirvana beach which is a white sand beach and its very long.
So travel towards Tadadi ferry point in your two wheeler which is around 7 kilometers, from Tadadi to Aghanashini ferry point you get into a ferry along with two wheeler and reach the other side of the water and travel towards Kagal post office and then reach Nirvana beach.

Nirvana Beach:
As there are no cafe/hotels around the beach, it is advised to carry some stuff to eat and drink. Also you should be careful while swimming as there are no life guards around. This is a beautiful white sand beach with clean waters and well maintained as most of the travelers do not visit this place. If you need to visit a place where you find no tourists or minimal tourists then you can visit this beach. This beach runs for kilometers straight which makes it even more attractive.



Once done enjoying then return Belekan beach the same way towards the ferry and reach Aghanashani and from there take a ferry and reach Tadadi. From Tadadi ferry point you can ride towards

Belekan Beach: 
Here you find few compact local restaurants which serve some amazing sea food near the corner (Try to have some delicious sea food) and also you find few fishermen's fishing around (If you are interested about fishing then you can spend sometime with them). Once done with sea food you can travel back to Gokarna main beach and enjoy the evening and sunset. There are lot of eateries available next to the beach, you can finish off your dinner and return to your rooms and relax.



Day 3:
Wake up with the sound of waves and get freshen up and travel towards to city to visit some holy places like Hanuman Janma Bhoomi, Shiva cave, Mahabaleshwara temple, Jatayu Theertha, Koti Theertha and have breakfast in one of the compact restaurants and head to om beach to spend the entire day in Om beach



Om beach: 
This is one of the best beaches of Karnataka, Om beach is named as the shape of the beach is in the form of Om which is a sacred symbol. The beach is backed with lot of greenery, huts, hostels and rocks. The beach is very clean and well maintained. This beach attracts lots of tourists from all over the world. You can even spot lots of foreigners staying here for months together. You can watch a beautiful sunset and head back to your rooms and pack up to return.



You find lot of buses returning to Bangalore at night, so you can board that and say a very good bye to Gokarnaaaaa!

I hope you guys like my blog. Please do comment if you need to know some more information or  details about Gokarna. Request you to share this blog with your friends and family to plan their trip easily.

Lets begin our journey to the land of Buddhism (Budget Travel)


Some Background:
Thailand is known for royal palaces, ancient iconic temples, tropical beaches, corals, canals, floating markets, islands, party streets and much more. The Thai people are very warm welcoming, local food is very delicious, cost of living is not too high, few of the beaches have crystal clear with white sand, the country is very well maintained and its too clean. I have to say it out loud that even the street foods are very hygiene and there will be millions of tourists visit Thailand every year. This is just the  background of Thailand in a nutshell.

Note: This blog is based upon my travel experience.

Recommended duration for vacation:
If you want to cover most of the well known destinations in Thailand then we suggest you to travel ten days at least so that you can cover most of the places during your visit.

Best time to visit:
Preferable time would be from November to April however you can travel throughout the year.

Itinerary:
Will provide you a day wise itinerary to make your travel easy and comfortable.

• Book the air tickets well in advance (at least two months prior) including domestic air travel
• Book the stays in hostels based upon the suggested location 

Day 1:
Fly down to Bangkok (DMK - Don Mueang International Airport), complete the immigration formalities and be ready for the vacation. Why this airport is suggested is because of the connectivity and the airfare. There are more number of flights arriving and departing from this airport and the air fare is quite cheaper compared to other airports. If you are ready to compromise with airfare and time then you can directly fly to Krabi International Airport. Else book the flight to Krabi from Don Mueang International Airport based upon your arrival time and the time you require to obtain the VISA.

Points to remember:

1. VISA On Arrival: You have to spend around 4 hrs for VISA if you are opting for on arrival VISA. There will be a very huge queue for VISA on arrival so be prepared
2. Sim Card: You can purchase a tourism sim card from the airport based upon your usage requirements
3. 7 Eleven Stores: Try to buy products from 7-Eleven stores which is available all over Thailand where you can save a lot of money
4. Local transport: Book taxis through app or use the shared taxi / buses, do not directly contact the cabs or Tuk Tuks, they charge a bomb
5. Food: You can easily try street food as they are very hygiene and very delicious. Try some of the local food like Pad Thai, Banana Pancake, Tom Kha Kai, Basil and Pork, Coconut Ice Creams, Squids etc

Once you reach Krabi airport you can either book a cab or take the airport shuttle to reach to the hostel. Find hostels (i stayed in slumber party hostel which is pretty decent) near Ao-Nang beach which would be the happening place with lot of stores, restaurants, super markets and much more.

Check in to your hostels and get fresh and step out to see the beauty of Ao-Nang beach, walk on the beach road, check out party places, food camps, hostel hopping etc etc but ensure you do the necessary bookings the islands hopping (Bamboo Island, Phi Phi, Monkey Island, Maya Bay) for the next day and get it confirmed. By this you can conclude day one.

Day 2:
Wake up a bit early and be ready around 8:00 AM local time to reach Nopparathara beach (from where most of the speed boats start for island hopping).
Inclusions would usually consist of soft beverages, lunch, snacks, boat ride, snorkeling, island tours, pick up and drop from the hostels and much more. The places would be covered are:

1. Bamboo island: which is a small island with white sand and crystal clear water which makes you watch the see bed from top. The island is usually crowded with lot of tourist, the island has lot of greenery which makes it a must visit
   
   

   Bamboo Island

2. Viking Cave: This is a limestone cave located at the bottom of the cliff, this provides shelter to lots of birds and the paintings can be seen on the sides however we are not allowed to enter the cave. We can watch these from the boat.
3. Maya Bay: This is a beach covered with cliffs on three sides, we get some time to relax in water. This place became popular after a movie was shot here.
4. Monkey Bay: This is famous for furry inhabitants and also famous for snorkeling and white sand covered with three sides of mountain
   
   

   Monkey Bay, Viking Cave and Maya Bay

5. Pileh Lagoon: This is one of the best places to enjoy crystal clear water and white sand. The boat will park here for sometime and we can get into water and enjoy the lagoon. it would be a wonderful experience. The lagoon is almost surrounded by mountains and a very small opening for the boats to enter
   
   
   

   Pileh Lagoon

   
   
6. Phi Phi island: This is one of the islands between Phuket and Krabi. The is the largest islands compared to other islands, the buffet lunch will be served here, there are lot of cafes, restaurants and souvenir stores around the pathway
   

   Phi Phi Island

7. Snorkeling: Post lunch there will be some time to relax in the beach post which there will be a snorkeling session to see some of the corals

After heading back you get freshen up and relax for sometime and then head out for local sightseeing, you can rent a bike and then roam around to the night markets for some local cuisine and drinks (The reputed beers are Chang and Leo). You can hire a two wheeler for a day and roam around (Note: You have to give your passport and then collect the vehicle, once you return the vehicle you will get the passport back). Return back to the hostels once you are done.

Day 3:
Wake up as early as possible and head to the Tiger cave (Wat Tham Suea) on a bike ride enjoying the country side for around 20 kms and some trek. Yes, you heard it right, once you reach the foot of tiger cave you can visit the temple at the foot of the hill, if you are fit enough to climb to the top of the hill to see the Golden Buddha statue then you can get started (There are around 1200 steps till you reach the top but you need a lot of stamina). The statue is around 250 meters elevated. The view from the top is so good and relaxing. There is drinking water facility available at the top of the hill. Once done you guys can head back to the hostel, return the bikes and checkout from the hostel post which you catch the cab to Phuket.

Tiger Cave

The distance is around 180 kms which takes approximately 3 hrs. There will be a pit stop near a gas station for some light refreshments. There might be a lot of traffic when you are nearing Phuket so the travel time might vary. Once you reach your hostels (i stayed in Bodega Party hostel, which is close to Bangla road and Patong beach), you take some proper rest and get ready for the night life.

Patong Beach, Bangla Walking Street, Bodega Party Hostel

The happening place in Phuket is Bangla road with lots of pubs, restaurants, night markets, disco bars, strip bars and much more which will be full of music with massive crowd. Based upon your interest you enjoy your night life and then head back to the hostel and have a good sleep.

Day 4:
Hire a two wheeler, there are lot of two wheeler rentals near Bangla road (You have to deposit the passport to take the bike). Now you begin your journey to explore Phuket (ensure you have a valid driving license) and move towards Karon beach, Kata beach, Kokchang safari, Karon view point, Nai Harn beach, Big Buddha, Wat Chalong

1. Karon beach, Kata beatch: You can pay a visit to these beaches and relish the beauty of white sand beaches with coconut trees and turquoise sea. The beaches are kilometers together with few water activities like parasailing, banana ride, skate board and few more
   

   Karon Beach

2. Kokchang Safari: If you like to see elephants and enjoy the safari then you can visit this place and spend some time with elephants
3. Karon View Point: From this view point you can enjoy the view of turquoise sea and see Karon and Kata beach. The view is mesmerizing
   
   

   Karon View Point Kokchang Safari

4. Nai Harn Lake, Temple and Beach: Nai Harn beach is at the southern part of Phuket facing Andaman sea, this is a very peaceful beach with less crowd. This is one of the best beaches to swim which has a very soft sea bed without stones, there is a temple next to the beach and also a fresh water lake which runs for a kilometer long
   

   Naiharn Beach, Temple and Lake

5. Big Buddha: Now you travel towards north for around 15 kms to reach big Buddha. Big Buddha is on the top of the hill which is visible from multiple places of Phuket. This is build using white Burmese marble. The view from the top of the hill mind blowing as you can see the other side of Phuket city as well as Andaman sea
6. Wat Chalong: Wat Chalong temple is one of the largest and most beautiful temples of Phuket. This was built in 1800s and there is no entry fee for the temple. The temple will be open from 8 AM to 5 PM
7. Rang Hill View Point: This is not a breathtaking viewpoint however you can visit the place during sunset and view the Phuket city during sunlight as well as night when the city is lit
   
   

   Big Buddha and Wat Chalong Temple

   
   post which you can return to the hostel and enjoy the night life by roaming around Bangla walking street and by enjoying some amazing food and entertainment you can end your day. 

Day 5:
Continue to discover the places like Kamala beach, Fanta sea, Tiger Kingdom, Flying Hanuman, Kathu waterfall post which you return to the hostel and return the vehicles back. Try to book a red eye flight to Bangkok in advance.

1. Tiger Kingdom: If you would like to spend some time with Tigers then you can visit this place however there are wide range of tickets starting 1200 Bhat, there are different packages if you want to click picture with different ages of Tigers
2. Flying Hanuman: If you like some adventure inside the jungle like god Hanuman then you can visit this place where there are activities like zipline, vertical descends, platforms and some more. There are different packages based upon your convenience starting from 1800 Bhat
3. Kathu Waterfall: You have to walk a bit to see the waterfall with rocks, this is not a very huge waterfall though however it would be a good visit
4. Kamala Beach: This beach is located towards the north side of Phuket, this beach is less crowded and calm where you can have some peaceful time
5. Fantasea: This is a cultural theme park where the price starts from 1700 Bhats, there will be live shows performed, the food will be arranged and there would be few small shops inside however this did not attract me too much

By this say good bye to Phuket and board the flight and arrive at Bangkok.

Day 6:
Once you arrive at Bangkok, reach Mo Chit Bus terminal or Ekamai (Eastern Bus Terminal) Bus terminal based upon your convenience and take a bus to Pattaya (You can take a bus from the airport to reach the bus station)

The distance from Bangkok to Pattaya is around 150 kms and it takes around two and half hours to reach Pattaya. I was staying in "Top Thai" hotel in a narrow lane connecting to walking street. Once you reach Pattaya bus terminal, try to take the shared local taxi which is very cheap rather hiring a taxi to reach to the hotel. Once you reach the hotel you should definitely rest for some time without which it would be difficult for you to enjoy the rest of the time. There are lot of massage centers around where you can get yourself a wonderful Thai massage which would cost you around 350 Bhat and you feel very relaxing post which get ready for the Pattaya night life.

1. Walking Street: This is street where there are number of bars and pubs with loud music all over the street. There are different types of bars, pubs, restaurants, live musics, strip bars, night markets and the street is lit well and its so lively. The distance of the walking street is 3/4 Km. Enjoy the night life of Pattaya
   
   

   Pattaya Walking Street

Day 7:
Have a good sleep after the wonderful nightlife at Pattaya and then wake up around 9 AM get ready and reach the Pier (which is next to the walking street), from the Pier there are lot of boats which takes you to Koh Lan island. This is a small island which is close to Pattaya and the speed boat will take 15-20 mins to reach the island. You can enjoy the water here as the island is clean and there are a number of view points. You can either walk and roam around the island or you can rent a bike and ride through the island. Once you are done, you can get into the boats (there are different time slots where the boats take you back to Pattaya) at your convenient time and return to Pattaya. Once you are back to Pattaya, walk towards Pattaya beach and see the beautiful sunset and spend some good time, try out different cuisines, ice creams and much more and have a lovely nightlife.

Koh Lan

Day 8:
There are lot of places in and around Pattaya which is based upon your interest. If you would like to visit then you can, the list of places are as below:

1. Sanctuary of Truth
2. Art in Paradise
3. Million Year Stone Park
4. Frost Magical Ice Of Siam
5. Mini Siam
6. Jomtian Beach
7. Underwater World
8. Cartoon Network Amazone
9. Ramayana Water park

If you are not interested with these places, you can return back to Bangkok from Pattaya.

Day 9:
I stayed in Playground hostel in Bangkok, from there begin your journey to Grand Palace (visit nearby museums, temple of Emerald Buddha nearby if you are interested) and opt for a canal ride and you would get the opportunity to see the city through the canal as well as floating market, overhead bridges and much more. Once you are dropped off, you can visit Wat Arun temple, Wat Pho (reclining Buddha) and visit Khoasan road for the nightlife post which you can return to your hostels.

Please note that there are lot of places in Bangkok to visit however i'm suggesting only the major attractions.


_

Bangkok

Day 10:
There are lot of markets in Bangkok where you can do budget shopping. Few of the markets are Chatuchak market, Pratunam market etc, you can visit these places if you are interested in shopping within the budget.

Once you are done, then you can head back to your hostels, checkout and return to your home saying a Sawatdii (Thank you / good bye) to Thailand.

Thai Cuisines

YouTube Videos:

Please check the videos on YouTube and know more about the places and plan your travel.

YouTube Channel: Crazy Funtubers

Part 1:




Part 2:

Part 3:


Part 4:



Part 5:


More videos are yet to come...

Please do share your response or comments about the blog and also share it with your friends and family.