Visitor Information
- Famous for: Clean Quiet beach, Sunset and sunrise viewpoint, Sightseeing, Adventure sports, Water Sports, Adjoining Engineering College, Photography, Mythological Significance, Experience Seeking and Wandering, Connoisseurs.
- Entrance Fee: You pay nothing to explore and admire the sea beach here.
- Visiting Time: From 6AM to 6PM, this beach is pretty much open throughout the day inviting the wanderers whenever they feel like getting a breath of fresh yet and a beautiful view of the tides.
- Visiting Duration: Between 2 to 3 hours is the average time of duration that you might spent here. But it totally depends upon personal interest and taste.
Beautifully caged between the Arabian Sea on one side, and the Western Ghats on the other, in the prime port city of the Dakshin Bharat state of Karnataka, lies the quiet little bustling town of Mangalore. The port land is outlined with numerous pristine, surprisingly well kept beaches and is visited by tourists in huge numbers. This friendly cosmopolitan city is also center of some of the most prestigious Engineering Colleges of the country and the beach of Surathkal, dotted with beautiful rocks, just 5 kilometers far from Mangalore, is reached by travelers primarily using the NIT Surathkal as reference location. Come down here to experience bliss walking along the pearly sands and feel your adrenaline rushing with the adventure sports.
Traveler Tips
- If you’re a budget traveler then you wouldn’t find a lot of options in Suratkal for staying the night. There’s just a single budget-stay available.
- The most affordable option for you would be to stay at a nice cost efficient place at Mangalore, and drive down to the Surathkal Beach for a day’s outing.
- Mangalore also has an array of options for accommodating travelers on petty notices and stringent budgets.
- The beautifully meandering outline of this seashore has a lighthouse at one end which remains open from only 4pm to 5pm. If you come to Surathkal, you must climb up this lighthouse to get a mesmerizing uninterrupted sight of all the surrounding countryside.
- The mornings on the beach are loaded with fishermen laying down their fishnets and catching surplus amounts of fish. So, it may remain a little crowded right then.
- You cannot miss to watch the sun setting across the sea and its rays touching Surathkal’s horizons.
- There aren’t a lot of good eating joints nearby so you should get along some snacks and water for yourself.
- There is a particular spot about 800 meters away, near the lighthouse, where the fishermen get out in the Sea. If you want to get away from the crowd and watch some baby crabs crawling about in silence, this is where you come.
Things to Do
- Take a walk down the beach as the sun sets to revamp your energies and remain spellbound for a long time.
- Build sandcastles or play with the starfishes or observe the crabs scuttering about.
- There are a few water adventure sports active here for the daring.
- Bathe, swim or surf in the very clean waters here.
- Catch a look of the whole city and its surrounding by climbing onto the lighthouse here.
- Nice to spend a day here with your family.
Availability of Guides
There are no guides available in the beach here focusing on narrating stories or conveying historic significance of the beach, but there will be people monitoring and guiding you through the adventure sports section at all times.
Best Time to Visit
Since Surathkal experiences very hot summers for most of the year, months between October to February provide respite to visitors and make up for a great trip.
How to Reach
Nearest airport is the Mangalore International Airport while the Mysore airport is 215 km from here. You can book a cab from Mangalore or opt for the regular buses plying to reach Surathkal. The roadways are more convenient option here than flights or trains.
Interesting Facts and Trivia About the Surathkal Beach
- The name of this beach came upon from the native word ‘Shiradakal’ in the Kannada and Tulu languages which would imply ‘headstone’ because of an old legend explained below.
- King Ravana had handed over a Shiva Linga to Bhagwan Ganesha to safeguard it until he returned from his bath which went on for a long time. Ganesha by this time grew impatient and placed it on the ground (of what today is called Gokarna). Furious to find his lingam on the ground on his return, Ravana tried removing it but couldn’t without breaking the lingam into little pieces which lay strewn across whole of present day’s Karnataka. Surathkal is where the headstone fell at. Hence the name .
- Sadashiva temple has been built around the headstone and the magnificent Murudeshwara temple was built enclosing a second peace that fell here.
Nearby Attractions
- Sultan Battery
- Kadri Hill Park
- Bejai Museum
- Pilkula Park and Golf Course
- Kudroli Gokarnath Temple
- Panambur Beach
- Tannirbavi Beach
- Aloysius Chapel
Nearby Restaurants
- Palkhi
- Gajalee
- Naivedyam
- Kadal
- Cochin Bakery
- Lalith Bar & Restaurant
You’ll be surprised at how clean the water is here and how much peace you chance upon the white sands of the beach here. If in Mangalore, get out with a bag of chips and a bottle to spend a beautiful day here.
