What to expect
Highlights
- A secluded half-moon cove.
- A quiet, few-shacks escape.
- The trek/boat approach beyond Om Beach.
Half Moon Beach
Half Moon Beach is a small, half-moon-shaped cove tucked beyond Om Beach, reached only by a cliff trek or a short boat ride. It is quiet and secluded, with just a handful of shacks.
Practical guide
Plan Half Moon Beach
Who's going?Tailor Half Moon Beach to your trip
Typebeach
Nearest baseGokarna
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed2 to 3 hours including the walk
EntryFree
Places to visit7→It is a place to escape the crowds — a swim, a hammock and a simple meal by the sea — best combined with the walk on to Paradise Beach.
Getting there
How to visit
- Trek over the cliffs from Om Beach (~30–40 minutes) or take a boat from Om Beach.
- Carry water and cash; the trail is exposed and there are few facilities, so return before dark.
Distance by road
- Panaji (Goa)100 km
- Hubballi165 km
- Udupi175 km
- Mangaluru270 km
- Bengaluru500 km
Road km to Uttara Kannada; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; boats and shacks stop in the monsoon.
Weather in Half Moon BeachSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Half Moon Beach
Sunrise6:21 am
Sunset6:44 pm
Golden hour best light5:44 pm–6:44 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:44 pm–7:09 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 64%
South-west monsoon. June to September is monsoon season: the sea gets rough, swimming is often unsafe and boat services can be suspended. Follow lifeguard and local warnings, and expect changeable conditions.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A remote cove with little infrastructure — carry water, watch the tide, and do not trek the cliffs after dark.
Photos
Half Moon Beach in pictures
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Top experiences around Gokarna
6 more places around Gokarna, each worth a day of its own.
templeMahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna
3.2 km · ~8 min by auto
An ancient Shiva temple at Gokarna enshrining the Atmalinga, one of the most sacred lingas in South India (a "Dakshina Kashi") — a classic Dravidian temple by the sea and the centre of the Maha Shivaratri car festival.
beachGokarna Beach
4.3 km · ~11 min by auto
The long town beach in front of Gokarna, used by pilgrims for ritual bathing and by visitors for a relaxed shore walk; the starting point of the cliff trail to the quieter southern beaches.
beachOm Beach
610 m · 8 min walk
A beach curved into the shape of the Om (ॐ) symbol south of Gokarna — the most popular of the town’s beaches, with shacks, water sports and a laid-back scene.
beachKudle Beach
2.0 km · 25 min walk
A crescent of sand between Gokarna town and Om Beach, reached by a short cliff walk — a mellow backpacker favourite for sunsets and yoga.
beachParadise Beach
720 m · 9 min walk
The most remote of the Gokarna beaches (also called Full Moon), reached by boat or a long cliff trek — an isolated stretch popular for camping where permitted.
heritageMirjan Fort
9.9 km · ~16 min by cab
A laterite-stone fort near Kumta on the Aghanashini estuary, with high bastions and stepped wells amid greenery, linked to the 16th-century pepper-trading queen Chennabhairadevi.
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Half Moon Beach — at a glance
TimingsDaylight; boats seasonal
Best timeOctober to February; no boats in the monsoon
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Half Moon Beach
Cliff trek or boat from Om Beach
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Half Moon Beach is easier to reach than to leave. We do not publish departure times: there is no official live feed we are permitted to republish, and a wrong time here would strand you. Check the operator directly on the day.
- KSRTC — the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries. Online booking.
- Indian Railways — live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Half Moon Beach
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Half Moon Beach
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Half Moon Beach
On the map
Where Half Moon Beach is
Good to know
Half Moon Beach — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Half Moon Beach?
October to February; boats and shacks stop in the monsoon.
What are the entry fee and timings at Half Moon Beach?
Entry: Free. Timings: Daylight; boats seasonal.
How do I reach Half Moon Beach?
Trek over the cliffs from Om Beach (~30–40 minutes) or take a boat from Om Beach. Carry water and cash; the trail is exposed and there are few facilities, so return before dark.
How much time do I need for Half Moon Beach?
2 to 3 hours including the walk.
What else is near Half Moon Beach?
Nearby you can pair Om Beach (610 m), Paradise Beach (720 m), Kudle Beach (2.0 km), Mahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna (3.2 km).
Read before you go
Half Moon Beach guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Half Moon Beach itself yet. These cover Gokarna, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Around Gokarna
Half Moon Beach sits in Gokarna, so these cover the streets, buildings and surroundings around it.
Heritage guide
Mirjan Fort: Laterite Walls, Pepper Routes and a Monsoon Visit
6 min read · Read →
Story
The Coastal Karnataka Road Trip: Gokarna to Mangaluru
9 min read · Read →
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Image credits
Photographs: Sourabh.biswas003, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), Sourabh.biswas003 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.