Workation in Gokarna- best places to stay

If you are planning to stay in Gokarna and work as well, you would need accommodation options with very good internet. Ideally any resort with good WiFi should work but usually this not reliable even if the resort promises they have WiFi. Reasons could be any of the below

• Their WiFi could be of low capacity or there could be lots of guests using it when you try to work

• Your room could be far from the router and has weak internet. WiFi might be good only in some select areas like reception and restaurant- hard to work from there

• If you are unlucky, WiFi could be under maintenance exactly when you check in

Thus if you have important meetings to attend, finding no signal to connect would be a frustrating experience, particularly when you have paid a premium to stay in that resort and Mobile signals are too weak as an alternative. Having to call your teammates asking them to reschedule and scouting for a alternate connectivity option when on holiday are all unwanted scenarios we want to get into.

Thus it makes a safer bet to stay in areas where mobile signal is strong, so that your mobile hotspot can be used as a backup in case resort WiFi is not reliable.

Recently I worked from Gokarna for sometime. Below are my observations.

• Mobile data is strong around Gokarna Main beach and temple. This is the area most people visit hence mobile companies do have towers nearby and signal is good.
• Signal was not strong enough near Om Beach and other far away beaches from Gokarna main city. If you stay here you might have to rely solely on resort WiFi. (SwaSwara is a popular resort near Om Beach with WiFi, 15000-20000 INR per day, Haven’t tried their service)
• If you stay indoors in any homestay/lodge inside or very close to temple complex, signal strength was not great. Just enough for normal usage.
• I went to Jatayu Theertha area- a small cliff- signal was great there and I could work from my car.

Following hotels/resorts are located very close to Jatayu Theertha. Many of them have WiFi. Even if resort WiFi is not reliable you can fall back to Mobile Data.

1 Prema Hilltop Rooms & Restaurant- They charge 2000 INR per day for a couple with WiFi included. Food extra.

2. The Coconut Tree Resort- 3000-4000 INR per day approx

3. Zostel Gokarna

4. HosteLife

Please be advised that hotels around Jatayu Theertha mentioned above need a longer route to access by car (7-8 kms) while easy access is available on bike/auto from Gokarna town through a narrow passage.

What all to do in Gokarna during workation?

When you are held up at work, your family can possibly rent a two wheeler and explore around. Gokarna has dozens of attractions including beaches (Om Beach, Paradise Beach, Belekan beach, Kudle Beach, Gokarna main beach etc), cruise (try sunset/dinner cruise on Paradise Cruise or a ferry ride to Kumta side across Aghanashini river), hiking spots (Jatayu Theertham, Paradise Beach etc). If you can start early in the day you can explore one or two of these before beginning your work at say 9 or 10 AM.

If you have half a day to spare, you can also explore destinations nearby

• Yana Caves- 50 kms
• Kirbele fort - 12 kms by bike (with ferry ride), 50 kms by car
• Murudeshwara temple-80 kms
• Mirjan fort -22 kms
• Vajra Gundi falls (till December, 30 kms)
• Donne falls (till December, 25 kms)
• Karwar- 60 kms
• Honnavara - Mangrove walk, beach, Apsarakonda falls, boat ride and more- 50 kms
• Half a dozen beaches in Ankola (30 kms)

Best season to visit Gokarna:

• October to December is Best due to less rain, lots of greenery
• Jan to March is OK- not too good, not too bad.
• April to May too hot
• June to August Heavy rains

Disclaimer: Based on personal observations and experience as of March 2022. Situations may vary from time to time