Scuba Diving In Netrani - We did it!!

If you are planning to experience Scuba diving, it is time to pack up and go to Netrani off Murudeshwar before monsoon starts in June.

We didn't plan this adventure initially. Our plan was to go to Goa during the May day long weekend and finish off some personal work on the way back in Kundapur and Tirthahalli. We knew Dhiren Rawat of Dreamz Diving from a common friend who was encouraging us to try out Scuba diving in Netrani.

When we spoke to Dhiren and asked him if there was any chance for us to join the dive on 04 May, he said yes. We told him to block two seats for us. We would join straight from Goa on the way back to Bangalore.

Having arrived at RNS Residency on the previous day - we don't recommend this place to anyone ( see Poorna's review of this hotel in Tripadvisor here Review of RNS Residency) - we were up and ready in the morning at Dreamz Diving office in the same building. Completing paperwork, we picked up our life jackets and walked to the beach for boarding a boat to Netrani island which is 18 KMs away. Kishore, our dive master told us that it will take at least one hour and fifteen minutes to reach the island. We joined a group of other diving enthusiasts numbering thirty in all.

Lovely sunrise over the hills

First briefing before moving to the beach

@ the beach. About to board the boat.

We were split into two boats. Our boat was pretty fast. Kishore started his briefing session. A jovial Nepali, the guy spend eight months in Murudeshwar and remaining time trekking in Nepal. A good briefing wherein he explained how the SCUBA equipment works, do's & don'ts under water, signs to make as there is no chance to speak etc., made us realise that diving is quite technical. He peppered it with lot of humour helping many in the boat beat the seasickness. By the time he finished his briefing, we could see glimpses of Netrani in the horizon. But it was not before another 20 minutes of boat ride we reached the island.

We had never done such a long boat ride on the sea. It was exciting to see the shoreline fade away slowly leaving you at the mercy of water. You are actually at sea! As the boat chugged on, we could only see the large expanse of water all around us. We were looking around to see if we could spot dolphins. We were not that lucky.

Finally, Netrani was showing up on the distant horizon. We were all excited to do our undersea adventure which is a once in a lifetime experience. Thoughts of entering into an unknown territory brought butterflies in our stomach. It is a small rocky island with fair amount of vegetation. But we didn't see any sandy stretches on the island. The edges of the island jutting into the water was sharp and slippery. Kishore had clearly advised us not to venture to climb the island as it is risky. However, we could see local fishermen having etched their names on the rocks in the island.

Netrani........as we approach it.

Rocky edges of the island

The boat anchored close to the island. Kishore had told us that we would be transferred to a small boat in which we would be fitted with diving jacket and then jump into the water. Kishore called out for the first three to go. We waited for good swimmers to venture out first. The first three moved to the small boat. The team started fitting them with diving jacket and fins. After having tested and confirmed everything was in place, they were asked to sit on the edge of the boat and were gently pushed. All three rolled over into the sea. Each debutant diver was accompanied by a dive master.

This is the small boat from which we dived

After half an hour of disappearance under the sea, the three returned with "Awesome" "Mind blowing" "Spectacular" and other adjectives to describe the experience. We opted to go next. The fact that each person was escorted by a master helped us to brave it out. Fitted with diving jacket & fins, we were asked to bite and fix the pipe supplying oxygen. We were made to rehearse breathing technique through mouth and asked to sit on the edge of the boat.

Now there was no escape. With prayers on the lips, we said bye to each other and before we could realise we had rolled over into the sea. We started floating immediately. Kiran and Kishore, the dive masters were already with us. Kiran asked me if i am "All OK" in sign. I said yes. He removed the mask, washed it in seawater and put it back. He asked me to start breathing through mouth. "Take Long breaths" "Relax" "I will be with you, no worries". Kiran's words were reassuring. He asked me then to float and see underwater. The water was shallow and i could see the seabed clearly. It was the first WOW moment!

He again asked "All OK" and started leading me away from the boat. I lost bearing as we moved deeper and deeper. The world beneath was looking beautiful. It was like moving in a natural aquarium. I was one among the lovely fishes. Words fail me as i explain the beauty of life under the sea. How can i explain the thrill of spotting a lovely fish passing by you looking at you curiously who the hell this guy is? It is similar to seeing a tiger in wild. A whole family of mother fish followed by her babies surrounded us! A colourful fish in yellow and blue was trying to poke into a coral!  Tiny colourful fishes were flashing all around! The colours of these fishes amazingly beautiful. You will be taken by surprise by a lovely fish suddenly coming out from nowhere. We went deeper and now we were on the sea bed. On the rocks, we could see coral formations. Then, the sand banks at the bottom of sea! It was nature at its best. Take a look.....

Diving at midday made sense as the ocean floor was brilliantly lit and the view was crystal clear. The instructors brought us together. We were now moving together pointing our fingers at any new fish coming in our view. The instructors took pictures of us for keeps and we separated again moving with our instructor. We would have loved to remain underwater for more time appreciating the beauty. That wasn't to be. Slowly Kiran brought me up inflating the jacket. As i came out, i could see bright light and popped out of the depths. After few minutes Brinda also resurfaced on the water.

We both with the Instructor

All OK! (This is the sign to be used when we say "All OK")

We still had lot of time to spend as others were to complete their dive. We made use of the time floating around and trying snorkeling though there wasn't much to see near the boat. Kishore had clearly warned us not go too far from the boat.

It was time to leave when 15 of us completed the dive. We boarded the boat and started sailing back.

Returning back.......happily

It was a good day spent in the sun. A lovely day spent under the water. The life down under is just amazing. A beautiful world beckons you to visit again. We will come back. For sure.

The tag line of Dreamz Diving said it all "You have not lived if have not dived"!

Getting There

By Air - Mangalore & Goa airports are equidistant from Murudeshwar. Both are well connected to other parts of the country.

By Train - Murudeshwar has a railway station on Konkan railway route and well connected to other places in the country via Mangalore and Vasco in Goa.

By Bus - Murudeshwar is well connected by both Government and Private buses to other parts of Karnataka and Goa.

By Road - Excellent road connects Murudeshwar to Bangalore, Mangalore and Goa.

Stay options

Unfortunately, the stay options are basic though RNS group has hotels here including a beach resort. Our experience in RNS residency was bad. A new home stay has opened up which is worth trying. It was full when we checked it. Check out this link below

Mavalli Beach Heritage Home

Travel tips

a) This is whole day program. Keep one day dedicated for this if you are planning a dive. It is very safe and the Dreamz Diving team has well trained diving professionals. For more details on Dreamz Diving and their various programs, you may click this link below.

Dreamz Diving

b) Murudeshwar beach is one of the dirtiest and badly managed beach we have come across. The beach itself is very beautiful. If you plan to enjoy the beach go away from the crowd towards north. It is peaceful. The beach also acts as public toilet. Make sure you avoid the shit spots!

This is the stretch of beach you should move avoiding the crowd. Also avoid the side where the fishing boats are berthed.

c) There is no lifeguard on duty on the beach. No flags either. Be careful and do not take risks. Every Year deaths by drowning in the sea is reported from this place.

d) Visit the Shiva temple and absorb the enormity of Second tallest Shiva statue in the world here. Enjoy lovely sunset and get up early to enjoy lovely sunrise over the hills.

e) If you plan to stay more days, you can also visit the famous temples of Mookambika in Kollur and Ganapathi in Idgunji.

f) It is also worth spending another day visiting lovely waterfall at Apsarakonda near Honnavar and also take a boat ride on spectacular backwaters on Sharavathi estuary.

g) Regarding diving, it is safe as each one is accompanied by an instructor. Unless you have any health problem, you can have this experience. Pay attention to the instructor when he briefs you. Don't get panicky. There is no need for one to know swimming. Make sure you follow instructions of the instructors while you are on the boat and while diving.

For more option on Scuba and Surfing opportunities in Mainland India, you may click the post below.

Surfing, Snorkeling & Scuba diving in India

If you are interested in other adventure stories by us, you may read the following posts in this blog

Triund Trek - A Heavenly hike in Himalayas!

Trek to Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand, Indian Himalayas

Share the post

If you enjoyed reading this post, please take a moment to click on buttons on sidebar and tell the world! Thank you.

Karavali Vistas- Part 1 - Karwar, Gokarna, Murudeshwar

The first time i ever saw the sea was when i was ten years when my dad and i went to Madras for an international exhibition. There was chance to visit the ship and I was in awe as we entered it. Playing in the sands of Marina is the earliest memories of sea and sand.  After that i always loved the sea. It became apparent when i was posted in Goa during my Armed forces tenure for a year. Posting in Goa was god sent and weekends were spent on beaches with a beer! What else can one expect do in Goa of all places on the earth!!!

Devbagh beach from a distance

Thus, it was not a bad idea when we decided to do a road trip in our good and reliable Indica sometime in 2002 covering the entire stretch of West Coast - known as Karavali in Kannada - in Karnataka and Bekal. What a memorable trip it was!

The coast of Karnataka is less explored than its neighbours – Kerala (especially south Kerala) and Goa. It is good that way as the beaches are not spoilt and overcrowded.

Our journey started with the gem of Arabian Sea - Karwar. The drive to Karwar was via Shivamogga - Jog falls - Honnavar. We had booked our stay in Devbagh beach resort, one of the loveliest island resorts in this country. Run by Jungle Lodges, this is a small piece of land jetting into the sea. There is no road to this place and have to reach by a motor boat from a jetty across Kali Bridge in Karwar.

Sun Rising over Kali Bridge

A quick boat ride - 15 minutes - brings you to this pristine resort with ten log huts. The beach is unspoiled, sunsets and sun rises are awesome and to top it all, the place is so quiet that you would love to be there forever! To Get up early and go for a sun rise jog is a meditative experience. Ditto when you sit on the beach to watch the sun set in the horizon between two hillock - islands. 

Sun setting between the small hillocks in the sea

We also did boat rides to Oyster Rock to see British built light house. After Two days in Devbagh, we were on our way to Murudeswar.

On the way, we visited the famed temple at Gokarna and the OM Beach. The temple in Gokarna is regarded as one of Jyotirlingas in Hindu tradition. The temple is not great architecturally though. OM beach was another beauty waiting to be explored – which it is now. Silver sands and safe coast in winters makes this a good destination for beach holiday.

Magnificent Shiva Statue with sea as backdrop!

The drive from Gokarna to Murudeswar was smooth. We entered the tall welcome arch, and drove straight to RNS Lodge, the only accommodation apart from Naveen beach resort which was full. In a way it was a boon in disguise as the lodge is located on a cliff overlooking the sea. At night we could not fathom it. When we got up in the morning and looked out of our window, we were thrilled. A quick breakfast and we were off to Visit the tallest Shiva statue in the world. The setting is fantastic. The idol of Shiva in penance with sea as a backdrop is just out of the ordinary.  

When you drive in NH 17, you will love the scenic beauty of azure sea on the one side and rolling hills on the other. As you drive along, you will see numerous rivers with coconut trees on the fringe almost touching the water. A lone fisherman will be rowing away in the placid waters of these rivers. Any bridge on this highway is a treat as you can stop and fill in the beauty of the nature.

Mravanthe stretch - Sea on left & river on right

But nothing can beat a small stretch of two KMs when you near Maravanthe. Sea and untouched beach on one side, Swarnamukhi River on the other with hills as a backdrop! What a place! Stopping over for a sometime to wet our legs in the beach and collect shells, we drove to Turtle Bay resort for a beer. The setting was fantastic and beer was chilled. I felt the resort not great though and definitely not value for money. It touts beach eco tourism and looks quite basic. But what you get is unspoilt sands.

We had lunch in Kundapur. Being veggies, couldn’t go to the famed Shetty Lunch Home which is famous for Ghee Roast Chicken and Kane (A variety of Fish) Fry. They are supposed to be out of the world. As we reached the temple town of Udupi, it was around 4 PM.......... 

Reaching there

a) You can either start your your exploration of Karnataka coast from either Mangalore or Karwar.

b) If starting from Karwar as we did

     By Bus - There are overnight buses from Bangalore to Karwar both by KSRTC and Private operators

     By Car - You can reach Karwar by any of these two routes

           a) Bangalore - Shivamogga - Jog Falls - Honnavar - Karwar. Distance 520 KMs. Very good road till Jog Falls and

               decent road beyond. Check road conditions before start.

            b) Bangalore - Hubli - Yellapur - Karwar. Distance - 521 KMs Excellent roads. Check road condition between Hubli - Karwar

              start.

My recommendation is Option (a) which will help you see Jog falls and beautiful Sharavathi Valley on the way.

     By Train - Not advisable as there is no direct trains to Karwar from Bangalore

c) If starting from Mangalore

     By Bus - There are overnight buses from Bangalore to Mangalore both by KSRTC and Private operators

     By Car - You can reach Mangalore on this route

           a) Bangalore - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Mangalore. Distance Very good road except for a stretch of 20 KMs in Shiradi

                Ghat which is not good. Check road conditions before start.

     By Train - There is direct trains to Mangalore from Bangalore

Stay

Karwar - Number of resorts have opened in Karwar in recent times. Though expensive, Devbagh beach resort is the best.

Gokarna - Many choices including home stays available now

Murudeswar - RNS lodge or Naveen beach resort provide decent accommodation

Travel Tips

a) Best season to explore the coast is November till February. It is hot from March to May and monsoons are heavy during June - September. Start early so that you can spend time to see Jog falls as well as Sharavathi valley. Stop over at a watch tower to see Sharavathi river taking a bend. Check the picture in this link http://www.flickr.com/photos/aithals/2477857666/

b) If you are planning to reach Karwar or mangalore by bus or Train, it is recommended that you hire a cab to tour the different places on the coast. though the bus services in coastal Karnataka is very good, this will help save time.

c) When you are driving on NH 17 between Karwar and mangalore, stop over to savour beautiful sights. The beautiful drive between Karwar and Ankola is now marred by the wall constructed by Navy. Nevertheless stop over and view the see from a height.

d) Gokarna may be crowded during festival season. You will also be troubled by priests who will try to influence you to do special pujas etc. avoid them.

e) One can definitely spend a day in Gokarna itself and enjoy Om beach. Hippies who used to crowd Goa, have moved now to Gokarna!

f) Do the trip leisurely and savour the sun rises, sun sets, rivers etc.......

g) If you are sea food or Chicken lover, don't forget to visit Shetty Lunch home in Kundapur.

h) If you are interested in snorkeling, scuba diving etc Devbagh beach resort and turtle bay beach resort organises it.

i) If interested one can take detour from NH 17 to go to Kollur and Idagunji to see famous temples of Mookambika and Ganesha

Some good web links which are helpful.

a) Wiki entries on Karwar, Gokarna and Murudeswar provide good information

b)http://www.junglelodges.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=105

c) http://www.karnataka.com/tourism/gokarna

d) http://www.swaswara.com/

e) http://www.murudeshwar.org/