My favourite holiday is Karwar. It is a coastal plain of India and has the coast on one side and land on the other side.
It lies on the west coast of southern India at the mouth of the Kali river in Karnataka. It is also a Defence Naval Base.
I went there from December 26 to 30 December 2020 with my family.
We made a road trip from Bangalore to Karwar via Haveri, Ranibennur, Davangere, Chitradurga and Shimoga by car. It took us almost 11 hours and it was a beautiful drive through the Western Ghats.
Karwar has hot summers from March to May where the temperature may reach 37 degrees Celsius. Because of the very hot and humid climate, people wear light cotton clothes.
The major livelihood of the people of Karwar is fishing and fisheries, followed by farming of locally grown crops. Fishing villages concentrate around the wharfs and have their own community of fishermen and engage in deep sea fishing and fishery-related activities.
Konkani is the native language of Karwar. The currency used in Karwar is Indian Rupee. Seafood is the most common food eaten here.
Some of the amazing delicacies of Karwar are: Karle Ambat (Crab masala), Bangada fry, Oysters, clams, Masli kadi(Fish and coconut gravy), Sukhe Masli (dried and salted fish), Chilly Squid, Rice and dosa.
Some of the interesting places in Karwar are: Kurumgad Islands, Kali island, Kali River Bridge, Devbagh Beach, Fish Market, DudhSagar Falls, Rock Stone Garden, Warship Museum and Oyster Rock Lighthouse.
The fish market was one of the cleanest places. I saw a variety of fish, prawns, crabs, oysters and clams.
We went on a cruise on the Kali river. We visited the Kali temple on the Kali island. Karwar is famous for the Kali river estuary.
From the Kali island we went to the Oyster Rock Lighthouse and on our way we saw the Elephant Rock island.
Trekking up to the Lighthouse was fun and a new experience for me. The view from the top was breathtaking because there was so much water all around with islands scattered all around. On our way back we saw baby dolphins jumping up and down in the water! I was surprised because it was so close to our boat.
Fine muslin cloth is quite famous in Karwar along with carved sandalwood and incense sticks. You can also buy some colourful and beautiful silk sarees here.
This place is famous for under water diving and para sailing activities. Kayaking, nature walks and bird watching are very famous activities here.
Karwar is a beautiful place to have a fun filled holiday and spend time with family and friends.