Best Beaches in India
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Lagoons of crystal clear water and scenic beaches topped with a little bit of history make Andaman and Nicobar one of the most perfect choices for an enjoyable, laid-back holiday where you can go on long treks, laze around in the backwaters of the island, or if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, even go for a bit of deep sea diving. From the pristine, untouched beaches of Neil and Havelock Islands to the bustling town of Port Blair, the Andamans have something to offer to every tourist.
Goa
Goa is rightfully known as the most popular tourist destination on the West Coast of India, and not just because of its scenic beaches, but also because of its tropical climate and its rich Portuguese heritage, which you can still find lingering on in some parts of the town. Nestled in the Konkan Coast Belt, Goa has a coastline stretching for over a 100 kilometres and attracts millions of visitors both from within and outside the country all year round.
Lakshadweep Island
Literally meaning a ‘hundred thousand islands’, Lakshadweep has few of the most beautiful and exotic islands and beaches of India. Lakshadweep translates to ‘one hundred thousand islands’ in Malayalam. Home to a few of the most beautiful and exotic islands and beaches of India, Lakshadweep lies 400km off the southwest coast of the Arabian Sea. The smallest union territory of India has only 36 islands having a total area of 32 sq. kilometres. It’s made up of 12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks out of which ten Islands are inhabited.
Varkala Kerala
Popular for its natural fisheries and springs, and the samadhi of Kerala’s saint Sree Narayana Guru, Varkala is a coastal town with pristine beaches, hills, lakes, forts and lighthouses – all of this together makes this town a little paradise located on the uniquely formed Cenozoic sedimentary cliffs in Kerala. Varkala is a coastal town in the southern part of Kerala known for the unique 15m high ‘Northern Cliff’ adjacent to the Arabian Sea. It is popular for its hippie culture, shacks on the cliff serving great seafood and playing global music and the samadhi of Kerala’s saint Sree Narayana Guru. Varkala is also known for Jardana Swami Temple, also known as Dakshin Kashi.
Gokarna Karnataka
With its pristine beaches and breathtaking landscapes, Gokarna is a Hindu pilgrimage town in Karnataka and a newly found hub for beach lovers and hippies. Situated on the coast of Karwar, every year Gokarna welcomes hordes of tourists from around the world in search of sanctity and relaxation. The out-of-town beaches like Kudle beach and Om Beach are a different contrast to life inside the town. Palm clad beaches are dotted with foreign tourists in a majority and very few Indians are seen across. Gokarna is not very conventionally touristy. The beaches are meant for a slow, relaxed holiday and everything on the beach goes at the same relaxed place.
Kovalam Kerala
An idyllic village along the coastlines of the Arabian Sea, Kovalam is most famous for its three pristine beaches with shallow waters and low tidal waves where one can go surfing, wooden and motorboat riding.The beach town of Kovalam has three famous beaches – Lighthouse beach, Samudra beach and Hawah beach, which together form its majestic rocky crescent. Kovalam is an idyllic coastal town located around 13 km from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Famous for its three adjacent crescent-shaped shallow water and low tidal beaches, Kovalam is dotted with resorts and ayurvedic massage centres.
Tarkarli Beach
Known for its many beaches, Tarkarli is an instance of paradise for beach lovers located in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. Tarkarli Beach is situated almost 7 km south of Malvan, at the confluence of the Karli River and the Arabian Sea. With countless beaches such as Kolam, Tarkarli and Achra, you could spend your whole day walking and lazing around and enjoying the various adventurous sports available. Tarkarli is an instance of paradise for beach lovers. With countless beaches such as Tarkarli, Kolam, Achra, one could spend their whole day walking and lazing around and enjoying the various adventurous sports available. What makes the beaches truly magical are the occasional sighting of dolphins. Achra beach also has a 260-year-old Rameshwar temple.
Kashid Maharashtra
A Beach town, popular for its white sand and blue seas situated in Konkan region of Maharashtra, Kashid is the perfect destination for a quiet weekend getaway from Mumbai. Kashid’s spotless water and clean beach make it one of the most beautiful spots in the nearby areas. A drive through the area in itself is a great experience. Chaul, which lies near Kashid, has many Buddhist caves that are of public interest, and also famous churches and temples. The Korlai Fort is another beautiful attraction here.
Alibag Maharashtra
A little coastal town tucked away in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, Alibag or Alibaug is a very popular weekend getaway and has earned itself the name of ‘mini-Goa’, owing to the high tourist footfall all year round. Steeped in colonial history, Alibaug is a quaint little town located about 96 km from Mumbai and 150 km from Pune, and is replete with sandy beaches, clean unpolluted air and plenty of forts and temples, ensuring that despite being a small town, you never run out of activities to do. Alibaug is also home to Mandwa Beach, a beach famously known for the innumerable number of movie shootings that take place here. The beach offers a stunning view of the Gateway of India from its bay, and you can sit and sip on a cool drink on the sand under the orchard of coconut trees lining the beach.
Puri Orissa
Puri in Odisha is one of the four must-visit pilgrimage sites for Hindus because of Jagannath Temple that forms the part of Char Dham in India. Puri is a beach city located on the coast of Bay of Bengal which is one of the favourites among people of West Bengal for a short trip. Known as the resting place of Lord Shiva, the majestic history and heritage of Puri date back to the 3rd century B. C. Puri, Konark and Bhubaneshwar complete the Golden Triangle of Orissa, with their religious significance and cultural heritage being the centres of tourism in this state. There are a lot of places near Puri that one must visit, like the Chilika lake, Puri beach, Gundicha Ghar and the very famous Sun temple of Konark.