The chilled-out alternative to Goa
Raging trance parties, psychedelic drugs and plane-loads of eager tourists not quite your scene? Then head south to Gokarna - technically in Karnataka instead of Goa, Gokarna is made up of four isolated beaches that are a chilled-out paradise. This is the kind of place where you can string up your hammock and fall asleep for hours, only to wake up to the sounds of a far-off drum circle and the sight of poi-spinners on the beach. Travelers often find themselves here for weeks, drinking fruit shakes and playing cards without a care in the world. Only Om Beach and Kudlee Beach are accessible by road; to reach Paradise and Half-Moon Beaches, you'll have to either walk or hire a water taxi.
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