India is well known for its vast diversity in landscape ranging from the Thar Desert of Rajasthan to the mighty Himalayas in the North to the large Deccan Plateau of the South and the beautiful beaches scattered throughout the country. The beaches too vary from the very busy, chaotic beaches of Puri to the tranquil beaches of Pondicherry.
Here is a list of the 12 best beaches in India that you must visit.
1) Radhanagar Beach :- Radhanagar Beach, located in the stunning Havelock Island, is one of the very few white sand beaches in India. The beach is filled with palm trees and it offers a tranquil ambience to relax amidst the greenery and the crystal-clear blue water of the sea. Another attraction of Radhanagar Beach is Neil’s Cove. Neil’s Cove is a pristine lagoon. It is a less popular spot; it’s just a 10-minute walk from the beach. Radhanagar Beach is famous for its sunsets, so one should never miss that. Times Magazine has labeled this beach as the 7th best beach in the world.
2) Baga Beach :- Baga Beach is located in North Goa, about 20 km away from Panjim, the capital city of Goa. Baga Beach is bordered by Calangute and Arjuna Beaches. You can visit Baga Beach both during the day or at night, and you get to enjoy the beach vibes in two completely different ways. During the day you can enjoy different water sports such as parasailing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, etc. You can also go for dolphin spotting tours. Baga Beach is best known for its nightlife. It is filled with beach-side bars where you can enjoy a drink. At night, the whole beach is also decorated nicely with lights. You can also pay a quick visit to the nearby Tibetan Market, and buy some artifacts.
3)Om Beach :- Om Beach is located in Karnataka, in the temple town of Gokarna. It got the name from the “Om” shape that the beach resembles. The beach is surrounded by greenery and offers a splendid view of the lush-blue Arabian Sea. Just hike up to the Om Beach Viewpoint to get a full and proper view of the Om shape. You cannot miss the sunset at this beach, because that is when the magic happens. The water and the sand of the beach are filled with splendid hues of orange and everything starts to appear even more beautiful and magical.
The easiest way to reach Gokarna is by railroad. The nearest station is Ankola which is some 20 km away from the beach. You can also reach Dabolim Airport. It takes around 3.5 hours to reach the beach from the airport by cab.
4) Mariana Beach :- Mariana Beach, located in Chennai in the Coromandel Coast along the Bay of Bengal, is the largest beach in India. This is one of the busiest beaches in India. The hustle and bustle of the city reflect on the beach. However, if you are visiting the city you can definitely spend your evenings here and buy stuff like jewelry and other handicraft items and thereby support the local vendors. Several food stalls serve different Indian foods and also different local delicacies. You can climb to the top of a lighthouse located there for a better view of the beach. While visiting the beach you can visit nearby places like the Chepauk Palace, the Senate-House. However, just remember that swimming is not allowed on this beach.
It’s very easy to reach this beach. Once you reach Chennai (through train or airplane), just take a bus or an auto to the beach.
5) Palolem Beach :- Palolem beach is located in South Goa, away from the hustle and bustle of North Goa. It is a half-moon-shaped beach lined with thousands of palm trees. It is a perfect spot for swimming, sunbathing, and spending some time in tranquility. You can also go fishing by renting boats from fishermen.
You can reach here either through the airport (it is approximately 61 km away), o by train by reaching Canacona rail station and then taking a 15-minute cab to the beach.
6) Puri Beach :- Puri Beach is located in Odisha. Puri is one of the many pilgrim cities for the Hindus. The Shri Jagannath Temple(which is the pilgrim spot) is the main attraction of Puri. One must especially visit Puri during the chariot festival or Ratha Yatra. Puri Beach is a splendid beach for swimming in the Bay of Bengal. You can also enjoy horse and camel rides along the beach. Several shops are selling different handicraft items and seafood, Puri beach is a heavier seafood lover. Sand art is one of the main attractions of Puri beach. You can easily catch different sand artists making splendid works of art on the beach using sand.
The easiest way to reach Puri Beach is by reaching the Puri railway station by train and then taking an auto to the beach. You can also land at Bhubaneswar airport and then reach Puri by cab.
7) Tarkarli Beach :- Tarkarli Beach is located in Maharashtra in the coastal village of Tarakarli. This beach is the meeting point of the Karli River and the Arabian sea, plainly speaking it’s an estuary. This beach is famous for its marine life. You can go snorkeling and scuba diving and enjoy the splendid corals and other marine life.
The easiest way to reach here is by reaching the town of Malwan and then taking a cab to the beach. You can also land in Goa’s Dabolim airport and then take a 3.5 hours drive to the beach.
8) Lighthouse Beach :- Lighthouse Beach is located in Kerala along the Malabar coast in Kovalam. This is one of the very few white sand beaches in India. This beach is named after the Vizhinjam Lighthouse situated on the southernmost end of the beach. You can go to the top of the lighthouse either through a spiral staircase or a lift and catch a splendid view of the whole beach area. You can also swim on this beach and enjoy different water sports like surfing.
The easiest way to reach here is by reaching the Thiruvananthapuram railway station and then taking a 30-minute drive to Kovalam.
9) Alibaug Beach :- Alibaug beach is located in Maharashtra. It is one of the few black sand beaches in India. The beach is encompassed by lines of coconut and palm trees. Take a long walk along the shoreline and just soak in the beauty of the beach. One major attraction of Alibaug beach is a Marine fort called Kolaba Fort. This fort belonged to the Maratha kings and now it is a monument. Make a quick visit to this fort too. A number of Bollywood movie scenes have been shot on this beach.
Alibaug beach is a popular weekend destination. Just take a cab from Mumbai and you will reach there within 3 hours.
10) Rock Beach :- Rock beach is located in Pondicherry. This beach gets its name from the fact that it is adorned with vast black rocks along the shore. Pay a quick visit to the War Memorial situated on one side of the beach. This war memorial was built in honor of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the First World War. This beach also has a 13 feet long statue of Mahatma Gandhi and it’s worth seeing. Just take a walk along this shoreline and spend some time in tranquility and rejuvenate your soul.
This beach is located in the White Town and the easiest way to reach this beach is from the Pondicherry railway station. It’s just 2 km away from the station, so just take an auto to reach the beach.
11) Chowpatty Beach :- Chowpatty Beach is located in Southern Mumbai, at the end of Marine Drive. Since the beach is located within the city, it has become a part of the hustle and bustle of the city. Though there is not much room for spending some me-time on the beach, it is a very popular beach among the people living in Mumbai. You can always pay a visit to the beach to watch the sunset and refresh your mind. There’s a variety of roadside foods available on the beach. So just take a plate of pav bhaji or samosa chaat and enjoy the sunset.
It is very easy to reach this beach. Just take a bus or an auto or a cab from any part of the city and easily reach the beach.
12) Varkala Beach :- Varkala Beach is located in Kerala in the Thiruvananthapuram district. The beach is surrounded by mind-blowing charming cliffs. It is a silver sand beach. The main attraction of this beach is the natural spring located here. The water of the natural spring is full of minerals and is believed to have medicinal properties. Also, according to some people, taking a bath in this sacred natural spring cleanses your body and soul and rejuvenates your spirit. Another main attraction here is the Janardhana Swamy Temple. You need to go through a small hike and climb about 50 steps in order to reach this temple. It is a 2000-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and worthy of paying a visit. If you visit this beach then do not miss the sunrise and the sunset moments. Just climb up on the top of the mountain and witness the magic happen with your own eyes.
The easiest way to reach this beach is to hire a cab from Thiruvananthapuram which is about 48 kilometers away from the beach.
These are the 12 Indian beaches you cannot miss to add to your travel wishlist. Hope you got an idea about how to reach the beaches and what to do there. So why wait? Just pack your bags and set off to your favorite destination.
India Tourism
