Karwar is
on the northern most side of coastal Karnataka. Bordering Goa just a few
kilometers away, Karwar has what Goa has to offer. Be it the Konkani language
or the Konkan cuisine, Karwar resembles Goa in all ways. Only the Portuguese
influence is absent here, as it is part of Karnataka state.
Western
Ghats embrace Karwar beach on the eastern side and the Arabian sea on the west.
Karwar beach has all the making to inspire anyone. In Karwar, it is like
mountains are rising out of the sea. The Western Ghats emerge out in the
Arabian Sea. The river Kali joins the sea at Karwar. The backwaters here are
beautiful and the landscape is dotted with hill ranges, forests and deep
valleys.
Karwar is a
small town with one side of the road the narrow coastline hugging the Arabian
Sea and the other side with dark thick forest of the Western Ghats. Karwar is
sandwiched in between both mountain and sea, with its unique coastal beauty. It
is rich in flora and fauna.
There are
many beautiful places in Karwar. Some of them are Karwar beach, Devbagh beach,
Binaga beach, Tilmatti beach & Majali beach.
The bay
near Binaga, where the Indian Navy has its new base is called INS Kadamba as a
part of Project Seabird. The Casurina beach, now called the Kamat Bay, Agra
Beach, Anjidiv island are all occupied by the Indian Navy.
There are 5
islands off the coast of Karwar of which Devbagh is the largest and the most
beautiful.
Devbagh Beach is famous for the golden sands
and cool breeze, and it also provides a variety of water sports such as fishing,
sailing, and dolphin hunting. The Devbagh Beach is an island beach that faces
towards the vast Arabian Sea on one side and the dense Western Ghats on the
other. One can enjoy the beauty of dense forests and the rough Sea at the same
time. Taking a dip in the beautiful lakes, which are formed by the little
springs belonging to the Western Ghats, is worth experiencing.
Devbagh beach resort property is beautiful. The resort is in a casuarinas grove, and the scenery of the resort from a boat in the sea is beautiful. There is transfer to the Devbagh Resort by a ferry which is about 15 minutes. Behind the resort is a forest. It is very safe and is home to Indian foxes and the 2nd largest butterfly in India which is called Southern Bird Wing. One can walk for about 3 kms into the forest behind, and can reach the other end of the island. The island attaches itself to the mainland during low tide.
In the mornings, the waves are rough and in the evening, during the low tide, the waves disappear and the beach becomes like a shallow lake. Patches of sand appear in the water, as the sea level is low. Once can keep walking into the sea, and you will still find yourself standing in just knee deep water. This is great place to learn swimming. As this is an estuary, the salinity is also low.
Karwar
beach is said to have inspired the legendary poet Rabindranath Tagore to pen
his first play.
"The
sea beach of Karwar is certainly a fit place in which to realize that the beauty of nature is not a mirage of
imagination but reflects joy of the infinite and thus draws us to lose
ourselves in it." - Rabindranath Tagore
The Karwar beach is famous for its seafood and is prepared in different styles with coconut and spice. This beach is inside the city and in close proximity to the highway.
Binaga Beach
The beach
is located 5 kilometers from Karwar and a mile away from Anjidiv Island near
the Goa-Karnataka border. The famous ‘Our Lady of St Anne’s Church’ lies on the
Binaga Beach, which was built by the Portuguese. A naval base has been set up
by the Indian navy for its operations and is called the Project Seabird. The beach has a unique stretch of black sand and offers a range of tourist delights such as dolphin watching, rock climbing, river cruises, and visiting a ship wreck. There are a lot of resorts and tourism organizations that offer you the opportunity to take part in these activities
