INDIA ROAD TRIP – DAY 5 – KANNUR TO MURUDESHWARA [VIA MANGALORE]

On Day 5 of my road trip, I set out from Kannur with no clear expectation of reaching Murudeshwara the same day. The drive proved to be tough, especially as I had to navigate the ghat’s curvy roads. Travel was further slowed down within Kerala due to narrow and congested roads. Although I spotted Bekal Fort and roads leading to various beaches in Kerala, I resisted the urge to deviate from the highway due to time constraints.

After many hours of driving, I finally reached Kasarkod, the border of Kerala. Soon after, I saw a sign welcoming me to the state of Karnataka (Mangalore). As I entered the Mangalore district, I couldn’t help but notice that the culture and place looked exactly like Kerala. It was difficult to tell that I had entered another state, except for the “Welcome to Karnataka” sign at the border. Kerala and Mangalore merged so seamlessly that one couldn’t even realize the transition. However, there was one noticeable difference – and it was for the better! The roads widened from here and the highways actually looked like highways, despite the potholes all over the road. Nevertheless, the potholes didn’t matter to me – I just wanted some wider roads. I pushed the pedal as hard as I could. The route continued via curvy roads, so my eyes were wide open throughout the stretch. I was so alert that I ended up with a bad headache on the last leg of the trip. However, the travel through the ghat section was still a nice experience.

Although I was tired after many hours of driving, I was determined to reach Murudeshwara, Karnataka, the same day. After around 10 hours of grueling driving, I finally arrived in the small coastal city of Murudeshwara.

My experience in Murudeshwara was great. There was the famous Murudeshwara temple, Raja Gopura, and a huge statue of Lord Shiva located on the Kanduka Hill, surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides. As I entered the beach section near the temple, I found myself at a place worth a hundred visits. The sheer beauty of this place blew my mind. It was breathtakingly beautiful. With around 1630 KMs on my odometer, this place made me the happiest. I felt that this place alone made my road trip worthwhile. I have to thank a colleague of mine who recommended that I stop at Murudeshwara.

The Naveen Hotel group has done a great job here by constructing beach-facing hotels called RNS Residency, as well as a beach-facing restaurant. They have made the visit worthwhile, especially if you stay in RNS Residency (which you would obviously want to, once you reach this spot).

Unlike many other beaches, I noticed that this beach was safe for families to visit, as it didn’t have unwanted elements that don’t like outside visitors (which I’ve noticed at a couple of other beaches). There is even a boating facility which makes the visit to the beach more enjoyable.

I spent a few hours taking photographs from my beach-facing hotel room balcony, visiting the temple, the Shiva statue, and finally the beach. I took quite a few snaps at the location which I have posted in the Photo Gallery of this website.

I was really attached to this place and didn’t want to leave, but as a traveler, I knew I had to keep moving. Although I wasn’t supposed to be attached to any place or anybody, I also wasn’t supposed to be totally detached. The first and foremost rule was that I needed to keep moving. So, I packed my bag and bid farewell to this near-heavenly abode of Murudeshwara (with an assurance to myself that I have to visit this place soon with my family over a weekend).