[MarutiGuy1977]

Thanks to the advise from all, concluded bookings for our Coastal Karnataka trip during the Christmas vacations.
Bangalore to Sakleshpur (Sinnadorai) to Udupi (Country Inn) to Kundapur (UVA Meridian) to Karwar (Sterling) to Shimoga (Clarks Inn).
Multiple hotels but this is spread across 8 days and we have senior citizen and children. So didn't want to rush.

Now would also look for advise on places to eat. Both in the cities/ towns we are staying in, but also along the highway.

1. En route from Bangalore to Sakleshpur
2. En route from Sakleshpur to Udupi
3. En route from Karwar to Shimoga
4. En route from Shimoga to Bangalore
5. Within Udupi, Kundapur, Karwar

Food preferences are vegetarian and high on hygiene. Also any local places which are iconic and must try.

[rk_sans]

Folks, what's the best route to Gokarna. Is it still Bangalore - Haveri - Sirsi - Kumta - Gokarna ?

[Maverift]

Originally Posted by rk_sans

Folks, what's the best route to Gokarna. Is it still Bangalore - Haveri - Sirsi - Kumta - Gokarna ?

I took this route a couple of weeks ago and there were lot of road repair work going on in Sirsi to Kumta route. Rest was good. Even considering this stretch under repair, I heard that this is a better option compared to Bengaluru-Shivamogga-Sagar-Honnavar route and plan to stick to Sirsi route again tomorrow.

[mazda4life]

Originally Posted by Maverift

I heard that this is a better option compared to Bengaluru-Shivamogga-Sagar-Honnavar route and plan to stick to Sirsi route again tomorrow.

It might have seen your post late , I did post an update on the Bangalore - Mangalore thread on an alternate route to avoid the roadwork by taking the Manjugani route and join back the Kumta highway.

[hyper-VTEC]

Please advice decent food options around Chitradurga and Devanagere? Traveling with family this Saturday. Plan to start by 5AM from Bannerghatta Road and take the NICE > Nelamangala > Devanagere > Sirsi > Gokarna.

[sbr1304]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

Please advice decent food options around Chitradurga and Devanagere? Traveling with family this Saturday. Plan to start by 5AM from Bannerghatta Road and take the NICE > Nelamangala > Devanagere > Sirsi > Gokarna.

There is Apoorva on the highway just at davanagere.its decent especially if you want to use washrooms while travelling with family. I always stop there when senior citizens or kids are travelling.

Btw, any updates on Sirsi Kumta stretch?

PS: I am also travelling to Kumta on Saturday morning.. planning same route as above..haveri-sirsi-kumta

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by sbr1304

There is Apoorva on the highway just at davanagere.its decent especially if you want to use washrooms while travelling with family. I always stop there when senior citizens or kids are travelling.

Btw, any updates on Sirsi Kumta stretch?

PS: I am also travelling to Kumta on Saturday morning.. planning same route as above..haveri-sirsi-kumta

Thank you. I would be traveling towards this area (Kumta-Gokarna) for the first time, hence don't have any updates for the route. But when I read few previous posts it seems it should not be in very objectionable state.

[GeeTee TSI]

I did Bangalore - Gokarna via Hiriyur - Tarikere - Sagar - Honnavar, today

Once off Bangalore Pune Highway, you trade lanes for scenic views. In fact along the Shimoga route surface is not a patched up high speed contradiction like the former.

The stretch past Hiriyur turn off is sparsely populated for most part, also applies for eateries. Thanks to this forum, I had my breaks planned around Kamat Upachar (Sira), Aramane Vaibhava (Tarikere) and Hotel Anmol (Sagar); after which there's virtually nothing till you hit Honnavar.

But the best part from a driving standpoint is the lovely, lush green, swiggly stretch from Sagar to Honnavar

Stay at Gokarna was at Arthigamya Resorts - nice property, adequate parking (although there are narrow, winding stretches to navigate to get to the resort). Beach is a short walk through a shortcut (only for guests, whereas public parking close to Kudle beach is a nightmare)

Since this post is just after my onward journey, I am contemplating (rather reluctantly) the Kumta - Sirsi - Haveri route back to Bangalore. How good is this route to navigate under headlights initially, considering an early start from Gokarna? Any other options apart from retracing my onward journey?

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Since this post is just after my onward journey, I am contemplating (rather reluctantly) the Kumta - Sirsi - Haveri route back to Bangalore.

An update and quoting specifically from my previous post
AVOID Kumta - Sirsi route

The narrow Gokarna road (leading to the resorts as well as the beach was dug up, making it plain unsafe with two lanes of traffic unmanned. For this very reason I never drove back to the resort; but parked in town and took an auto for early check out (cutting my losses)


After a late breakfast at Pandurang restaurant, Kumta, I headed towards the Sirsi route. The Sirsi Kumta stretch for the most part is narrow with sharp turns, heavy traffic and patched up rough roads



Some stretches are plain un-motorable, crawling at not more than 15 kmph for as long as 30-45 minutes


It is after Sirsi that the route redeemed itself with a combination of twisty as well as straight streches but of good surfaces. Hotel Supriya International in the middle of Sirsi town looked promising, although I did not stop there; but there were hardly any decent options till Sirsi from Kumta



Parts of Sirsi Haveri road were straight two lanes roads which neither gave driving involvement nor felt relaxed enough to cruise due to slower traffic encountered (can imagine the effect of blinding headlights at night!)



In all, it took 3.5 hours to traverse the stretch from Kumta to Haveri. The access road to NH 48 at Haveri was the last hurrah of bad roads!


NH 48 all the way till Tumkur was a breeze with speeds being sustained the longest



The last leg from Tumkur bypass till Nelamangala was busy (back to 2 lanes and mostly poorly marked) with slow moving vehicles large and small impeding progress. Some stretches were unmarked, poorly lit compounded by occasional glare from oncoming traffic


It felt good at last to access Peenya flyover!

[Swapnil4585]

Is there a public transport service between Gokarna and Sirsee and vice versa? If yes, what is the frequency?

[raghu13uk]

Originally Posted by Swapnil4585

Is there a public transport service between Gokarna and Sirsee and vice versa? If yes, what is the frequency?

Not sure about the direct bus between Sirsi and Gokarna, but there are a lot of them between Sirsi - Kumta and Kumta - Gokarna.

You even get long haul buses between these routes (except between Kumta - Gokarna during night).

The frequency of these buses are good.

[shivendra2111]

What is the latest recommended route from Bengaluru to Gokarna? Travelling with family and plan to leave at 4:30 am from Bengaluru and visit Jog falls on the way to Gokarna.

[chaksjr]

Originally Posted by shivendra2111

What is the latest recommended route from Bengaluru to Gokarna? Travelling with family and plan to leave at 4:30 am from Bengaluru and visit Jog falls on the way to Gokarna.

Suggestion for Jog Falls would be to go till Shimoga via Hiriyur, Ajjampura & Tarikere. The road via Chitradurga is in a bad shape between Channagiri & Shimoga.

Post Jog Falls you can continue to Gokarna via Gerusoppa to Honnavar and onto Gokarna.

I am not aware of the road condition after Shimoga though.

[autoweirdo]

Originally Posted by shivendra2111

What is the latest recommended route from Bengaluru to Gokarna? Travelling with family and plan to leave at 4:30 am from Bengaluru and visit Jog falls on the way to Gokarna.

I went via Tumkur - Ranebebennur Bypass - Hirekerur - Shiralakoppa - Kavademane - Jog Falls - Murudeshwar in mid of June when rains had just picked up. Road is good throughout, in small towns there are speed breakers other than road was good throughout with less traffic.

[sbr1304]

Hi Folks,
Has anyone travelled to kumta after the monsoons? May be July end or August. I am worried about Sirsi to kumta stretch. Am planning to travel to kumta from Bangalore next weekend, so need some advice on the route. Blr-haveri-sirsi-kumta.
Thanks