About Karwar Beach Karwar Beach, popularly called as Rabindranath Tagore Beach, is one of the famous beaches of India.

Located near Goa, it seems like a small island, as one side of the beach lies in the Arabian Sea while the other in the Western Ghats. This beach is located only 3 km away from Karwar town and has five other beaches nearby. The beach is popularly known for offering opportunities for various watersports such as fishing, boating, snorkelling, kayaking and dolphin hunting. Local guides are provided by the resorts that are situated nearby, to the tourists for enjoying these activities. Karwar Beach is also famous for its eateries serving plethora of seafood dishes, such as the Karwar fish curry. The seafood is cooked in various styles using spices and coconut. Many other delicacies are prepared using fresh water mussels and various fish varieties. The climatic conditions of Karwar are apt for tourism during the months of September to May. These are the months when maximum number of tourists can be seen sunbathing on the beach, along with enjoying cool winds from the Western Ghats. About Devbagh Beach Devbagh Beach is located on an island called Devbagh, which lies around 3 km out in the Arabian Sea. To reach the beach regular ferries are available from Karwar and are sponsored by various beach resorts, situated around the beach. The local resorts also permit tourists to enjoy varied exciting activities such as parasailing, snorkelling, banana boat rides, speed boat cruises and more. Visitors can also hire trained instructors in order to safely enjoy these activities. Children can be seen making sand castles, collecting seashells and chasing crabs all around Devbagh Beach. Sands of the beach are bordered by casuarinas. The most opportune time to visit Devbagh Beach is during the months of October to March. The weather during these months is pleasant and is apt for various water activities. About Binaga Beach Binaga Beach is another beach of Uttara Kannada District and can be found at a distance of 5 km from Karwar. This beach is mostly known for its exquisite beauty and widespread seashore. Binaga Beach is located a mile away from Anjidiv Island, a small island located at the GoaKarnataka border. Near this beach lies a famous church named Our Lady of St Annes Church. Built by the Portuguese, it was the first Latin Catholic Church of the region. Binaga Beach is located close to famous beaches like Devbagh Beach and Arga Beach. There are several major cities located in the vicinity of the beach such as Mangalore and Goa. Mangalore houses an air terminal along with transport options like ships and trains. A bay near Binaga has been designated as a naval base for the Indian Navy for carrying out its operations for a project called the Seabird. About Koodi Bagh Beach Koodi Bagh Beach is located at the confluence of the Kali River and the Arabian Sea. At this palm-fringed beach, various activities such as canoeing, kayaking, banana boat riding and many more can be enjoyed.

About Narasimha Temple Narasimha temple, located 6 km away from Karwar, is a famous temple on the tortoise- shaped island of Kurumgad. Placed on top of a hill on the island, the temple is home to the idols of Narasimha. Narasimha, according to Hindu mythology, was one of the reincarnations of God Vishnu. Tourists can reach this temple by climbing the hill. Numerous festivals and events are also organised at the temple during the month of January. About Naganath Temple Naganath Temple, a famous and unique attraction of Karwar, is protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958. This monument is maintained and conserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. In Naganath Temple, tourists will find thousands of devotees worshipping an anthill. About Venkataramana Temple Venkataramana Temple is a famous 300 year old temple that is located close to the town. This ancient temple is prominently known for its exquisite ochre paintings. This temple can be reached by hiring local transportation like buses and auto-rickshaws. About Sadashivgad Hill Fort Sadashivgad Hill Fort built on a 200 ft high hill-top, lies along the banks of Kali River near the Kali River Bridge at Karwar. Situated at a hill-top, this ancient fort was built in 1698 by Raja Sonde. The fort has witnessed the transfer of power between many rulers, including Portuguese, Marathasand British. Located 5 km to the north of Karwar, this fort is home to a famous Goddess Durga Temple. The top of the fort gives an aerial view of the entire village including the Kali River and the bridge running above it. The village in which the fort is located has derived its name from Sadashivgad Fort. Currently this fort is in ruins, as most of its structure was destroyed in 1783 by General Mathews, who belonged to the East India Company. Tourists can opt for the local government buses to reach fort, which holds historic significance. Many private buses and taxis are also available to reach the fort from Karwar town. About Oyster Rock Lighthouse Oyster Rock Lighthouse is a lighthouse situated on one of the islands located close to Karwar, Oyster Rock. Tourists can reach this island with the help of machine boats, which is available from Karwar Port. Constructed by the British during 1860s, the lighthouse became functional from 25th March 1864. The tower has a dome on the top, from where the entrance to the lantern room can be seen. The lantern was painted white rather than orange or red, in order to make the sunrise and sunset more apparent. About Kurumgad Island Kurumgad Island, located about 4 km from the coast is shaped like a tortoise. This island contains many attractions like Narasimha Temple and Kurumgad Beach. On Kurumgad Beach,

various activities like snorkelling, fishing, swimming and others can be enjoyed. Narasimha Temple is a famous pilgrimage spot, which witness thousands of devotees all around the year, especially during the month of January. Kurumgad Beach also offers opportunities for enjoying several activities such as trekking, fishing, dolphin and seal watching. The island is also home to a deserted light house, which has a historic relevance and is uniquely structured. There are many sea animals such as otters and dolphins that can be found near and on the island. Other popular activities at the beach involve swimming, beach volleyball and treasure hunting. The apt time to travel to this island is from the month of October to May. About Karwar Tourism Karwar is regarded as the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka in India. It is a well placed sea side town on the banks of the Kali River on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. Karwar is located about 15 km away from south of Karnataka-Goa border and 519 km north-west of Bangalore. 'Karwar' also refers to the word Taluk which means the surrounding villages. This is an ancient city majorly used for the sea trade visited by the Arabs, Dutch, Portuguese, French and later the British. A former settlement of the British and the Portuguese was done on the banks of the Kali River. The famous poet, Ibn Battuta also passed through this route during his journeys and has mentioned about the instances and the place in his poems. There is a significant site to be visited known as Sadashivgad Fort which holds great historical importance with a picturesque locale. It is now open for tourists to visit, as there confluence of the river Kali and the Arabian Sea. Karwars tranquil ambience had inspired the famous poet Rabindranath Tagore to write his first play. The place has beautiful beaches and clean areas attracting a number of people. This is also one of the major nature excursion regions. Out of these unspoilt beaches, Devbagh Beach is outlined by casuarina trees, offers good diving and snorkelling opportunities for adventure seekers in the Arabian Sea. Other beaches include Koodi Bagh Beach and Kaju Bagh Beach that offers scenic views. Karwar also accounts to a number of historic towns and sacred temples. Sadashivgad Hill Fort on the outskirts of Karwar provides great picturesque views during sunset. There is Durga Temple and Venkataramana Temple which is the ancient architectures found in the place exhibiting fine ochre paintings. Another tourist attraction is the Octagonal Church and the famous Dargah of Peer Shan Shamsuddin Kharobat. There is a Naganatha Temple where the devotees worship an anthill. Ivory Beaches are unspoilt and tourist throng in for a pleasant experience. There are many resort beaches offering finest of seafood and vegetarian cuisine. The place is regarded best for a perfect family holiday destination in the months of December through May.

Karavali Utsav: This is funfair celebrated at Karvar every year that last 3 to 4 days, many cultural programmes and stalls are put up during this time. Konkan Marathas Halakki Vokkaligas, a nomadic tribe, living at the foot hills of Western Ghats. They live in the tribal way and their headman is called Gouda. They decorate themselves in beads and necklaces with heavy nose rings. Another tribe is the Goulis from Maharashtra. They are mainly cowherds and shepherds. Now they have taken up agriculture. Kunabis are another backward tribe of the Uttar Kannada district living in the forest in bamboo huts built in rows sharing common wall. Many villages are in Karwar, government has scheme for the upliftment of these tribes. Apart from these Vaishyayanis, Bhandharis, Kobarpaiks, Kharvis/harikantras, halakki Vokkaligas, Kunbis Padthis are the natives of Karwar. There are great influence of Christianity and Muslims owing to the British, Portuguese, and Arab colonial establishments in the 18th century. There are many church and ruins of Portuguese settlements. Konkani, Marathi, Kannada are the main languages spoken. Industry The main industry is fisheries, carried out by communities like Harikanth, Kharvis, Gabiths, and Ambigas. Agriculture is also the very prominent. Other occupations are animal husbandry, sericulture, horticulture, beekeeping and leather works. Vintage cannons at Karwar port. The bay near Binaga, where the Indian Navy has its new base is called INS Kadamba as a part of Project Seabird. This is a part of the Project Seabird. The Casurina beach, now called the Kamat Bay, Agra Beach, Anjadiv island are all occupied by the Indian Navy. Kaiga, a nuclear reactor site is about 50 kms from Karwar town. Karwar and nearby Uttar Kannada have many beaches, island, waterfalls, and thick green forests.