Murudeshwar is a small town on the sea-front of the western part of Karnataka which attracts both pilgrims and holiday-makers alike. It is situated on the NH 17 , 160 kms from the city of Mangalore.
Getting there
Murudeshwar is situated on the NH17, 160 kms north from the city of Mangalore.
By Road:
The roads are on of the best ones to drive on. Single lane though, but excellent roads in addition to the natural beauty all along the way from Mangalore to Murudeshwar.
By Car, the drive from Mangalore would take 2.5 hrs to 3 hrs. Though a speed of 100 kmph is possible, it is best to maintain a speed of 80 kmph on this stretch.
The buses would take a longer time (4 hrs) owing to stoppages and speed limitation.Most buses plying on the NH-17 between Mangalore and Mumbai stop at Murudeshwar. There are overnight buses also from Bangalore to Murudeshwar.
If you are travelling from Bangalore, you don’t have to go to Mangalore to reach Murudeshwar. The route would be as follows
Bangalore – Tumkur – Arsikere – Shimoga – Sagar – Jog – Honnavar – Murudeshwar.
The roads on this route are good to drive on. The drive from Jog to Honnavar is a very scenic one. The river sharavati flowing down can be seen from a point on this road.
A brief patch in this section is under repair, which is the only thing to look out for.
By Rail:
Murudeshwar has a railway station adjoining the national highway. Many trains stop at this station. One of the most picturesque and memorable experience would be to reach Murudeshwar from Mangalore or Goa by Konkan Railway.
By Air:
The nearest airport is also at Mangalore. Daily flights operate from Bangalore to Mangalore.
Accomodation
Murudeshwar has lots of staying options to suit every budget, right from dormitories to lodges to hotels. The popular and one of the long-standing place is RNS guest house and RNS residency.
RNS residency is a relatively recent one and has rooms overlooks the sea on one side and the beach on the other.The temple is at a stone’s throw distance. It also offers a good view of the sunset.
Food:
Murudeshwar being a popular destination, offers variety of options for the taste buds. Most of the eateries offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. For pure vegetarian option, Kamath and Naveen’s beach restaurant are good ones. Naveen’s beach restaurant is built on a pier on the beach and one can enjoy the meal with a sea-view.
Things to do
Most of the crowd that comes to Murudeshwar is a floating crowd. Since this is in the temple circuit of the western ghats, the pilgrims start to come in as early as 7 am , spend time on the beach , head to the temple, have a quick meal nearby, and back to beach till heart’s content.
The Temple
The Rajagopura at the entrance of the Temple is 249 feet tall. Inaugurated in May 2008, this mammoth structure is the latest addition to the Temple. The Gopura has 22 floors and is the only Gopura to be fitted with elevators. The ride to the top in the elevator costs Rs 10/- per head. The views from the top are not to be missed. The huge shiva statue is visible from the highway when you are driving from Manki to Murudeshwar.
The Beach
the beach is a major attraction here. There are a couple of options that one could do apart from having fun on the beach.
1) Take a ride on a speed-boat: Speed boat is a motor boat fitted with a powerful motor to ride the waves. The boats can accommodate 4-6 persons. Riding a motor-boat on a still water is totally different from riding a motor-boat on the sea. The “boatmen” are skilled and you can be rest assured that you are in safe hands. Adding to that , you would be strapped on to a life jacket before getting on board the boat.
2) Brave the waves on a water scooter: A water scooter similar to a boat , but the advantage is that its much faster than the motor-boat , which means it gives a greater feeling of adventure. Also, a maximum of 2 people can ride the water scooter. A ride for 2 costs 300 rupees.
The crowd begins to thin down as the sun goes down and by 8pm the small town of Murudeshwar becomes quiet and the only profound sound that can be heard is that of the waves. The lights come on the Temple facade and on the kanduka hill.
The town of murudeshwar pretty much shuts down at 8PM save for the eateries. One other option to exercise is to drive down the National Highway to the nearest town Bhatkal. Bhatkal is a good place if you are looking for imported stuff and clothes. The merchandise come here from Mumbai through ships. Bhatkal also provide decent options for food, both veg and non-veg.
A stay of 2 days would be ideal to explore and take in the beauty of the nature in Murudeshwar.
Dear Karthik, Very nice post and god pictures . I am planning to go to Gokarna and Murudeshwar from Mumbai. How many days are required to visit these both places ?????
Hi Vishal,
Thanks for the comment!!
Gokarna’s beaches are pristine less crowded than Murudeshwar. Ideal would be to spend 2 days in Gokarna and 2 days in Murudeshwar depending upon how much a “beach” person you are.
Regards
Karthik
Didn’t know about this one .Looks like a great option if one is driving from Mangalore to Mumbai (I remember your last post and my last comment about making to Mangalore some day :-).
Good to see you back and active.
Nandan,
There is a lot to explore down south. If you plan to visit Mangalore, let me know.. WIll plan out an itenerary for ya..
Hope u plan it soon :-)
Cheers
K
Dear Karthik,
A very good and detailed post with beautiful pictures. Murudeshwar is first in my wishlist. I wish to visit Goa and Murudeshwar in a single trip will it be good? I stay at Indore MP, please suggest me the route to complete both.
Thanks.
Hi Mukesh,
Thanks for the comment!!!
How are you planning to travel to Goa?
Goa to Murudeshwar is roughly 230kms .. Its a National highway all the way (NH17) .. Route would be Panaji-Karwar-Gokarna-Kumta-Honnavar-Murudeshwar
Ideal would be to reach Goa by train/flight and then take a taxi or Konkan railway to Murudeshwar
Cheers
K
Hi Kartik,
Can you suggest me some budjet hotels in Murudeshwar with telephone numbers . I and Mukesh Bhalse have planned this trip on 16 – 17 March 2011.
Hi
Does Kochuveli Bhavngar exp stops at Murudeswar.. I would like to catch that train from Murudeswar.
Please do let me know.
thanks