Murudeshwar

What to see

Murudeshwar is a temple town on a small headland with the sea on three sides. The Shiva statue above it is about 37 metres tall and visible from far out on the highway. In front of the temple stands a twenty-storey gopura, and a lift takes you to the top floor for a wide view of the statue, the beach and the fishing boats.

The beach beside the temple is busy and cheerful, with boat rides and snack stalls. Operators in town also run snorkelling and diving trips to Netrani Island in the fair-weather months.

Getting there from the homestay

Murudeshwar is about 28 km south of Honnavar on NH-66, a four-lane highway, and the drive takes around forty minutes. Trains on the Konkan line stop at both Honnavar and Murudeshwar, but for a day trip a car or a bus from Honnavar bus stand is simpler. Pauli can arrange a car with a local driver.

How to plan the day

Go in the morning, before the heat and the tour buses. See the temple, take the lift, walk around the statue and be back in Honnavar for a late lunch. That leaves the afternoon for the beach at Kasarkod or a sunset boat ride on the backwaters, which is the combination most of our guests choose. Idagunji Ganapati temple is a short detour on the way.

A 2-day Honnavar itinerary A quiet homestay near Murudeshwar Rooms in Honnavar Photos of the house and the rooms

Good to know

Dress modestly for the temple and expect to leave footwear outside. The gopura lift has a small ticket. Weekends and festival days, especially Maha Shivaratri, are very crowded.