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
Sunrise6:24 am
Sunset6:11 pm
Golden hour best light5:11 pm–6:11 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:11 pm–6:36 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 45%
Retreating monsoon. October and November still see spells of rain from the retreating monsoon, though it is usually lighter than mid-year. Conditions are generally good but worth checking.
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
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Half Moon Beach
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Top experiences around Gokarna
6 more places around Gokarna. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
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
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- 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
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
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
beachOm Beach
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.
610 m · 8 min walk · straight linebeachParadise Beach
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.
720 m · 9 min walk · straight linebeachKudle Beach
A crescent of sand between Gokarna town and Om Beach, reached by a short cliff walk — a mellow backpacker favourite for sunsets and yoga.
2.0 km · 25 min walk · straight linetempleMahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna
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.
3.2 km · ~8 min by auto · straight line
backwaterAghanashini Estuary
The Ramsar-listed mangrove estuary where the un-dammed Aghanashini river meets the sea — rich in bivalve fisheries, birdlife and boat backwaters.
3.6 km · ~9 min by auto · straight linebeachGokarna Beach
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.
4.3 km · ~11 min by auto · straight lineheritageMirjan Fort
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.
9.9 km · ~16 min by cab · straight line
islandBasavaraja Durga Island
A 17th-century sea-fort island off the Honnavar coast built by the Keladi Nayakas / Vijayanagara — ruined ramparts and a lighthouse, reached by boat.
24.0 km · ~40 min by cab · straight line
waterfallVibhooti Falls
A multi-tier limestone waterfall in the forests of Ankola taluk near Yana, often paired with the Yana rock spires.
25.4 km · ~42 min by cab · straight line
trekYana
A pair of towering black karst rock spires — the Bhairaveshwara and Mohini shikharas — rising from dense Sahyadri forest, a pilgrimage and trekking spot with a Shiva shrine in a cave at the base.
26.6 km · ~44 min by cab · straight lineB
Benne Hole Falls
Place
waterfallBenne Hole Falls
A multi-tier forest waterfall ~25 km from Siddapur reached by a trek — its name means “butter pool”, for the milky look of its water.
31.6 km · ~53 min by cab · straight line
waterfallApsarakonda Falls
A tiered waterfall dropping into a pool near Honnavar, paired with an adjacent beach and a clifftop sunset point and Ganesha temple.
34.2 km · ~57 min by cab · straight lineOn 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 and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Around Gokarna
These guides explore Gokarna and the surrounding area. Choose a visit that fits your interests, allowing separately for travel between stops.
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.