Murudeshwar is a coastal town of Karnataka, which has significance for Hinduism and has been an important place for staunch shiv bhakts. he first sight that catches your eye as you enter this peaceful and scenic seaside town is the majestic statue of Lord Shiva blessing you perched atop a small hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea. Though there are a plethora of things to do in Murudeshwar, the spiritual town’s biggest draws are the revered Murudeshwar temple and the heart-shaped Netrani island offering excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities. You can also walk along the serene beach, get great photographs at the Statue Park, visit a coastal fort, indulge in hiking and water sports, and spot some gorgeous waterfalls on your trip to this quaint town.
Coastal Karnataka Blog Article Links
| Coastal Karnataka Travel Guide | Udupi Travel Guide |
| Gokarna Travel Guide | Mangalore Travel Guide |
| Murudeshwar Travel Guide | Kayaking in Udupi |
| Article Content |
| Coastal Karnataka Blog article link |
| Itinerary for 2 to 3 days |
| Things to do |
| Stay Options |
| Visual journey of our trip |
Itinerary for 2 to 3 days
| Day 01 | Reached Murudeshwar at about 10:30am and checked into a heritage home. Immediately left darshan at Murudeshwar temple and Rajgopuram. Had lunch at Naveen Beach restaurant by the Arabian Sea. After some needed nap at the home, at evening left on motorbike to explore empty beach on our way to Alvekodi beach. Spent lovely evening at Matadahitlu beach of read, swim & chill. Had dinner at the heritage home |
| Day 02 & day 03 | Pre book scuba diving activity at Netrani island (17kms from Kurudeshwar). Scuba diving for day 1 & 2 |
| Day 03 | Spend rest of the day at one of the secuded beachs of Murudeshwar. Best way to find a secluded beach at Murudeshwar is to take your vehicle & drive either on left of Murudeshwar temple towards Udupi direction, & you are bound to stumble upon some gem. |
Things to do in Murudeshwar
- Temple Visit – Murudeshwar trip can not begin nor end without visiting the Shiv temple of Murudeshwar. The temple we see today was built in the 16th century by a local chieftain named Tuluva King. Later, the temple was renovated and expanded by several rulers, including the Vijayanagara Empire, the Keladi Nayakas, and the Wadiyar dynasty. However, the origin of Murdeshwar dates to the time of Ramayana and this temple’s deeper history ties Ravana, Lord Vishnu and Ganesh and there are many stories of its significance.
- Visit Lord Shiv statue – A gigantic statue of Lord Shiva stands tall on a hill named Kanduka, which is surrounded by sea on three sides. This statue is the second tallest statue of Lord Shiva in the world (the first being in Nepal). This majestic piece of art is 123 feet tall and can be seen from a long distance. Shivamoga Kashinath and several notable sculptors took 20 years to build this statue. It was financed by a renowned businessman named R.N. Shetty, at a cost of INR 5 crore.
- Visit Rajgopuram – The 22-storeyed Gopuram in Murudeshwar is the second tallest Gopuram in the world (the first being in Tamil Nadu, India). The Gopuram is 249 feet tall and is guarded by two big elephants at the entrance. The Gopuram has a elevator, dose not charge any entry fees and can be visited from 6AM-1PM; 3PM-9PM.
- Scuba Diving at Netrani island – Tucked away in the Arabian Sea, at a distance of 20Kms is Karnataka’s best-kept secret: the heart-shaped Netrani Island is one of the best snorkeling sites in Karnataka and is is home to amazing marine biodiversity. You can spot a wide variety of corals, parrotfish, butterflyfish, eels and triggerfish on your snorkeling and diving tour. The crystal clear waters allow visibility up to 25-30 meters and ensure you have an amazing Murudeshwar scuba diving experience exploring the underwater world. Scuba divind packages begin from INR 5500 inclusive of underwater photographs by Netrani Adventures. October to March is considered the best time to visit Netrani Island for water sports and to be avoided during rains due to obvious reason of low visibility.
- Beach bumming – Murudeshwar being a beach town, its a perfect place to beach bum. However, the beach closest to the temple is usually crowded by huge tourism, food sellers & adventure sports. So ensure to go away from the temple for some quiet time. Best way to find a secluded beach at Murudeshwar is to take your vehicle & drive either on left of Murudeshwar temple towards Udupi direction, & you are bound to stumble upon some gem. We spent many hours of the evening alone on the beach, reading, chilling, and swimming. Some of the best beaches in Murudeshwar for beach bumming are Alvekodi beach, Sanbavi beach, Nakhuda beach, Tenginagudi beach, and Jali beach.
Stay Options
While there are plenty of basic accommodation facilities, there are a very limited number of reliable and good options to stay in Murudeshwar. RNS group of hotels owned by Mr. R.N. Shetty provides good accommodation options next to the Murudeshwar temple complex but due to its prime location, it gets booked really quickly.
We stayed at Mavali beach homestay which is lovely homestay run by a couple who have painstakingly curated the home with antique furniture in tasteful manner. The food served is also great and they have many room size options depending on your group size. The room for 2 costed us INR 5500 per night including breakfast.
Other homestay options to look at in Murudeshwar are Avathi, Areca, and Praana Experience.
Visual Journey of our trip
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