What to expect
Highlights
- The heart-shaped coral island.
- Scuba diving and snorkelling with 20–30 m visibility.
- Occasional whale-shark sightings.
Netrani Island
Netrani Island (Pigeon Island) is a heart-shaped coral island about 10 nautical miles off Murudeshwar.
Practical guide
Plan Netrani Island
Who's going?Tailor Netrani Island to your trip
Typeisland
Nearest baseMurudeshwara
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeThe calm post-monsoon season when boats…
Time neededA full day with the boat and dives
EntryFree
Places to visit3→It is the only scuba-diving site on the Karnataka coast, with 20–30 m visibility and occasional whale-shark sightings.
Getting there
How to visit
- About 10 nautical miles off Murudeshwar, reached by dive boat; book with a licensed operator from Murudeshwar.
- A boat-and-dive trip — go with a certified operator, follow the safety brief and do not touch the coral.
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
The calm post-monsoon season when boats and dive operators run; the sea closes in the monsoon.
Weather in Netrani IslandSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Netrani Island
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🌔 Waxing gibbous · 59%
Sunset is in about 1 hour.
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
- Open-sea diving — only dive within your training and follow the operator’s instructions.
Photos
Netrani Island in pictures
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
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Top experiences around Murudeshwara
2 more places around Murudeshwara. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
templeMurudeshwara Temple
19.0 km · ~32 min by cab
A temple on a headland at Murudeshwara crowned by one of the world’s tallest statues of Shiva (~37 m) and a towering 20-storey gopura, washed on three sides by the Arabian Sea.
templeIdagunji Temple
54.6 km · ~91 min by cab
A much-visited Ganapathi (Vinayaka) temple at Idagunji near Honnavar — one of the most important Ganesha shrines on the Kanara coast.
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Netrani Island — at a glance
TimingsDay boats from Murudeshwar; weather-dependent
Best timeThe calm post-monsoon season; the sea closes in the monsoon
Entry: Free island; boat and diving charged
Getting here
How to reach Netrani Island
About 10 nautical miles off Murudeshwar, reached by dive boat; book with a licensed operator
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 Netrani Island
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 Netrani Island
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 Netrani Island
templeMurudeshwara Temple
A temple on a headland at Murudeshwara crowned by one of the world’s tallest statues of Shiva (~37 m) and a towering 20-storey gopura, washed on three sides by the Arabian Sea.
19.0 km · ~32 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.
27.0 km · ~45 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.
34.0 km · ~57 min by cab · straight line
heritageMirjan 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.
53.4 km · ~89 min by cab · straight linetempleIdagunji Temple
A much-visited Ganapathi (Vinayaka) temple at Idagunji near Honnavar — one of the most important Ganesha shrines on the Kanara coast.
54.6 km · ~91 min by cab · straight line
beachHalf Moon Beach
A small half-moon cove reached by a cliff trek or boat beyond Om Beach — quiet and secluded, with just a few shacks.
55.7 km · ~93 min by cab · straight line
beachParadise 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.
55.7 km · ~93 min by cab · straight line
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.
55.8 km · ~93 min by cab · 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.
56.2 km · ~94 min by cab · straight line
beachKudle 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.
56.9 km · ~95 min by cab · straight line
templeMahabaleshwara 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.
58.5 km · ~98 min by cab · straight line
beachGokarna 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.
59.5 km · ~99 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Netrani Island is
Good to know
Netrani Island — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Netrani Island?
The calm post-monsoon season when boats and dive operators run; the sea closes in the monsoon.
What are the entry fee and timings at Netrani Island?
Entry: Free island; boat and diving charged. Timings: Day boats from Murudeshwar; weather-dependent.
How do I reach Netrani Island?
About 10 nautical miles off Murudeshwar, reached by dive boat; book with a licensed operator from Murudeshwar. A boat-and-dive trip — go with a certified operator, follow the safety brief and do not touch the coral.
How much time do I need for Netrani Island?
A full day with the boat and dives.
What else is near Netrani Island?
Nearby you can pair Murudeshwara Temple (19.0 km), Apsarakonda Falls (27.0 km), Basavaraja Durga Island (34.0 km), Mirjan Fort (53.4 km).
Read before you go
Netrani Island guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Netrani Island itself yet. These cover Murudeshwara and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Heritage guide
Mirjan Fort: Laterite Walls, Pepper Routes and a Monsoon Visit
6 min read · Read →
Regional guide
Banavasi: How to Read Karnataka’s First Historical Capital
6 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Magod Falls and Jenukallu Gudda: One Careful Yellapur Day
5 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Day Trips from Karwar: The Whole of Uttara Kannada from One Base
6 min read · Read →
Story
Tagore in Karwar: Four Months That Gave a Beach Its Name
5 min read · Read →
Story
The Last Ward: How Karwar Got Its Name, and Its Language
6 min read · Read →
Image credits
Photographs: Subhas nayak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), AntanO (CC BY-SA 4.0), Chetansv (Public domain), Subhas nayak (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.