Laid Back and Unspoiled-Gokarna

Laid Back and Unspoiled-Gokarna

With the summer at its peak along with mixed reviews from those people who have been to Gokarna, we were expecting a monumental let down even before we started our journey. Having done an Airbnb booking and reluctant to pay the cancellation fee, we decided not to change the plan which turned out to be one of the best travel experience that I had in life.

The Planning

Combining the Easter holidays, we had a long weekend in the month of March and myself along with five of my colleagues started planning for a perfect getaway. A road trip was all that we had in mind but the destination has to be finalized. A hill station will be less attractive due to the hot climate prevailing in the month of March and hence opted for a beach side destination. All of us have been to Goa, in fact several times and we were looking for a destination which is less crowded yet we can laze around and enjoy the unadulterated beach sides. The search ended up in Gokarna and within a couple of days we booked a sea facing facility.

Day 1- The Day

We started from Trivandrum by around 03:00 PM all set to cover the 850+ km by road. All of us were experienced drivers and planned to rotate our turn at the wheels every 4 hours. Roads at Kerala are usually crowded, especially in evenings and the case was not different the same day. It was a herculean task to cross Ernakulam and after driving for around 7 hours, our next plan was to have dinner. We halted at Angamali, a city well known for its pork dishes and after enquiring with the auto drivers, stopped in front of Hotel Bee Bees. We ordered pork roast, chapathi, pathiri and paratta. One plate of pork roast costs only INR 80 which is reasonable considering the quantity and taste.

Finally Go...Go...Gokarna……

We continued with the overnight drive and reached Gokarna by 11:00 AM the next day. There is a common misconception that Gokarna is a holy town and you won’t get to see wine shops there, the latter is totally wrong and the guy whom we met at Kumta told that alcohol is easily available at Gokarna.

We had booked our room at Shantidham cafe, which is located near to Om Beach. The drive to Om Beach is a good experience where we need to negotiate curves through undulating terrains. The drive offers a scenic view of the Kudle Beach which is on the right side of OM Beach.

Shanthidam Cafe

Shanthidam cafe is a great place and worth every penny you pay. The property is located amidst a pine plantation which slopes towards the sea and the cottages are constructed in such a way that you won’t feel the immense heat inside. The restaurant lounge offers a wide view of the sea and there are walkways which leads further down the cliff where you can get a spectacular view of the ocean.

Gokarna Beach

Gokarna beach is the most crowded beach and in close proximity to Mahabaleshwar temple. The crowd here are mostly pilgrims visiting the beach after the temple visit. The way to Gokarna beach is through an Agrahara or Agraharam as we Keralites call it (A lane with houses on both sides with a temple of Shiva on the extreme end and mostly inhabited by Brahmins). Never in my life have I walked through an Agraharam that opens its way into the sea. The street is perfect for shopping and bargaining plays a key role here. Local dishes are available in plenty which are cheap with no compromise on taste. There are lot of stray dogs and cows which are harmless. The local crowd have their own business to cater to and won’t interfere with yours.

Trekking

Since our accommodation was near to OM Beach, we had two choices, either head to the right and cover Kudle beach or trek towards left and visit Half Moon and Paradise Beach. We opted to trek towards left and cover Halfmoon and Paradise beach. Having seen a potential opportunity, couple of ferrymen approached us with their service for INR 300 per head. When you are at Gokarna, bargain like a pro and you will get things done way cheaper than what you would have imagined. In our case, finally the ferrymen agreed on INR 120 per head for a trip to Paradise beach.

The ride took 15 mins and on reaching Paradise Beach, we felt like we were at some private beach. There were some foreigners practising Yoga and taking sun bath, apart from them, the beach was completely isolated. The water was warm and after spending around 30 mins in water we decided that it was time to move on to the next destination, the Half Moon beach as the scorching sun was not showing any mercy on us. Half Moon beach lies between Paradise and OM Beach and the trekking is a bit tough considering the rocky terrain and narrow walkways. You will get to see a lot of breath taking views of the ocean on the way and a nice camera along with some photography skills can capture a couple of good shots.

The rugged terrain obviously had some impact on us and were literally dog tired on reaching the Half Moon beach. We took shelter on an abandoned hut around which we can spot a true hippie culture which was evident from the drawings on the wall.

After resting for around an hour, we started trekking back to OM Beach. The terrain is no different from what we have covered which later gave way to a dense cover of trees and at this point, the trekking path splits into two. You can either take the path adjacent to the cliff or trek through the forest to reach OM Beach. Namaste café is a must try on your visit to Gokarna. They serve excellent food and if lucky you can get hold of a sea facing table.

Travel tips

• Nearest railway station is the Gokarna Road which is not a major station and most of the trains won’t stop here. Kumta is the main station near to Gokarna from where public and private transportation are available
• Always carry sunscreen lotion with you as the sun wont spare you during hot climate
• Mosquito repellent is a must as you will be prone to mosquito attack wherever you go apart from the trekking paths
• Things are damn cheap here and one must learn the art of smart bargaining to make use of the same
• Shantidham cafe offers a nice stay at a reasonable cost
• Before going to Mahabaleshwar temple, try to have a sneak peek into its history else you will be confused and simply starring into the wall searching for the shrine

The delicacies of Calicut (Kozhikode)

Calicut is a port town and home to some of the tasty delights that one can find in Kerala. The cuisines which reflect a blend of Arabian, Chinese, Gujarati and local dishes are signs that it once attracted travellers and traders from all around the world, being a hotspot of trade during the medieval period.

Neither the serenity of the Calicut beaches nor its rich history didn’t fascinate me as much as the culinary specialities that I have read and heard about. A food trip to Calicut was there in my mind for the past few months but was not able to undertake the same due to many reasons. Finally planned my journey on the 10th of Feb 2017. Due to lack of time, I planned to visit only those joints which has gained a significant public opinion and thanks to Tastyspots, I had no issues in jotting down some beforehand.

I decided to try out the KSRTC Scania Garuda Maharaja series and booked a window seat. The premium class service of KSRTC stands out in the way the service is being offered. The staffs are well behaved and caters to all customer concerns. The journey was fine to an extend but the comfort level was not like what I have experienced from the Volvo service. The bus was on traction mode for most of the time and I assume that the driver was not that much experienced.

Reached Calicut half an hour late by 05:45 AM and after a tea set out to look for the dormitory where I can get freshened up since my room booked through MMT allows check in only at 12:00 PM. Finally after roaming around the great Mananchira Square, reached the dormitory, thanks to Google maps, I got cheated this time also. After a short nap, it was time to set out to my first destination.

Destination 1-Pillai's Snacks for breakfast

Pillai's snacks is located right at the corner of the road which turns to the railway station. I have heard of the tattu dosa, their most sought after dish and didn’t have to think twice before ordering the same. Four tattu dosas along with red chili and mint chutney, a strong tea and a hot vada were in front of me in no time. Believe me, the taste was distinctive, luscious and a perfect delight to my tongue. Ordered couple of dosas more and badly wanted to try their masala dosa but managed to spare a little space in my stomach considering the remaining cuisines that were in line for me ahead of the day. At the time of paying the bill, had a short chat with the owner and he said a lot of customers are coming from Ernakulam and Trivandrum. The rate was reasonable.

Since I need to spend 3 more hours before I can check in, I thought of going to SM Street (Sweet Meat Street, popularly known as Mithayitherivu), my second destination.

Destination 2- Sankaran Bakery, Mittayitherivu

Sweet Meat Street or Mitayitherivvu is only walking distance from Pillai's snacks. Search for Sankaran Bakery and the Google maps will direct you straight to the place. The old Sankaran Bakery is closed now and a new one with the same name has started just opposite to the old one which is run by the second generation of the family, as per my understanding. Anyone who have tasted halwa from Sankaran bakery earlier will be able to clearly distinguish its unique taste. It’s one of the best bakery that you can purchase Halwa from, if you are at Calicut. Make sure that you are purchasing small quantities from different varieties available and not a single one. Don’t expect much discount from them but no issues, you won’t regret as you are not compromising on the taste.

Completed my shopping at SM Street and it was only 10:00 AM. Still 2 hrs remaining for check in. Anyway decided to go to the hotel and ask for early check in. Took an auto and reached Metro Tourist Home by around 10:15 AM and they allowed early check in free of cost. About the hotel, it’s centrally located and got renovated recently. Rooms are small but clean and service was good. The hotel has got no restaurant on its own but nothing to worry about, some good restaurants are nearby. Decided to take some rest before going to my third destination. In order to beat the queue for which the restaurant is renowned for along with the food they serve, I turned up at sharp 12:00 PM in front of Hotel Paragon. 

Destination 3- Hotel Paragon

Reached Hotel Paragon by 12:00 PM sharp and although I had a number of options available in front of me, I opted for Chicken Biriyani. As I waited patiently for the food to arrive, I was a bit tensed as my expectation regarding the Chicken Biriyani at Paragon was high and had a doubt whether it will stay up to my expectation as Hotel Paragon was one of the prime factor that incited me to travel this far. What I have learnt is that expectations always kills the treat. If you are a foodie, don’t keep any expectation, just go in as if you are completely unaware of the comments mentioned in the reviews that you have read.

Finally my Biryani arrived along with dates pickle and salad. The rice is small grained and thin. Started slowly and I could feel the taste difference of the Malabari biriyani and I enjoyed the same as it was evident from the pace at which I was taking in the food. Nicely cooked chicken was very soft and when mixed with rice gave an awesome combination of taste. If the experience I had at Pillai’s snacks was real food delight, the one I had here was pure ecstasy. So finally the reviews were correctly tagged and my expectation didn’t spoil the treat. One plate of chicken biriyani will cost you INR 140 which is a nominal rate.

After Paragon, my next destination was Milk Sarbath Kada which is located opposite to Paragon and very easy to spot as one can see a crowd in front of the shop. Somehow I managed to get to the front and grab a glass of Milk Sarbath. Its good especially in the scorching heat but having tasted the milk sarbath from Buhari, this one was just ok. Maybe the difference is that it’s completely mixed with hand but Buhari on the other hand uses a mixer for a perfect blend.

My next destination was Alibhais tattukada which is near to Calicut beach.

Destination 4- Alibhais Tattukada

Calicut beach is nearby the place where I stayed and decided to walk so that I can explore some roadside eateries and shops. After walking for around half an hour, reached Calicut beach at around 5 PM. Before going to Alibhais tatukada, decided to try out some local items which were available at the beach. To start with I decided to go for sweet ice sarbath which is good but I doubt whether the taste has deviated from the one which I had 9 years back while at college. To add on, this was prepared by a North Indian and not a local vendor. Anyways I didn’t hesitate to check out the salty one which didn’t taste good though. 

Regarding the beach, it was nice, I am not including the details as this was purely a food trip, but the environment was fresh, free and romantic. The below image better illustrate the mood.

One of the most sought after destination, Alibhais tattukada turned out to be a big disappointment as the shop was closed for renovation. I was specifically looking forward to check out their “Kadukka Nirachathu”. So yet another food trip pending but Calicut is full of choice as far as a foodie is concerned. My second option was to reach the private bus stand, opposite to which one can find a series of tatukadas. I have heard about the egg peas being served there and decided to try the same. Based on the order, precooked peas and masala will be mixed with scrambled egg. The recipe is simple and straight forward but you won’t get that unique taste if you try the same at home (in fact I have tried and failed miserably). Don’t miss the tattu dosas and omelette, it’s worth the money and tastes great.

So the day finally came to an end and the coming day I was not having much options as I need to leave early. So decided to have breakfast at Dakshin- The Veg, after which I need to board the train back home. The next morning went to Dakshin which is only walking distance from my room. Regarding the food, its ok, you won’t get much options. I ordered Masala dosai with vada which was again just ok. The vada that I ordered was really nice, hot and crispy. Badly wanted to explore further and try out some more restaurants but due to lack of time and personal commitments, I was forced to bid adieu to the port town.

I should specifically mention the auto drivers who helped me a lot with suggestions regarding various food outlets that needs to be tried when you are at Calicut. Calicut is the only place where I have seen auto drivers charging less than what’s shown in meter when they don’t have change with them. They won’t charge you a penny extra from what’s shown in the meter. Overall the trip was awesome, enjoyed a lot and Calicut treated me wellJ. I should also mention the Tastyspots app from which I was able to sort out some destinations and plan the trip accordingly.