Om Beach – A Vacation In Paradise

From Munnar, I moved to Om Beach. Om Beach is a part of a coastal strip in Karnataka state. The beach is in the shape of the indie sign – OM and is surrounded by green hills that can be hiked. Through these hills you can reach more secluded beaches or ‘the lonely tree’, a point up in the hills where all the strip unfolds before your eyes, from which I got to see dolphins. The water is crystal clear and the shape of the beach creates a kind of wave pool where you can spend hours.

It took me two days to reach Om Beach from Munnar.

 Luckily for me, at Bangalore (the transit city) the riksha driver was kind and helped me find the right sleeper (night bus) through all the chaos that was in the area. I shared my bed on the bus with an Indian girl that I didn’t know. When I arrived at Gokarna I took a riksha to Om Beach and after a 15 minute drive the driver deviated from the path and instead of continuing straight with the sign to Om Beach, he turned on to a gravel path in the woods. Honestly I was afraid, but I knew that there was  nothing that I could do, except hope that he knew the way better than me, and so he did. He took me to the area of the guesthouse instead of the beginning of the beach and spared me a long walk. The whole experience was empowering and I was glad to know that at any given moment I could manage on my own.   

When I arrived I found that all the guesthouses along the beach were fully occupied and I could not find any available room. Luckily during my search I met friends who let me put my things in their room and change into more comfortable clothes. After I gave up my search, one of my friends updated me that she was leaving Om Beach that day and that I could take her room. For the first time on this trip, I finally had a room to myself. I remember the feeling of freedom I felt that I did not have to update anyone on my location or consider anyone else.

The next day I found out that I was actually sharing my toilet with 2 spiders.

The truth is we lived together in harmony, they took over the sink so I used the shower tap whenever I had to use water and so they stayed in one place. My situation was better than my friends who shared their rooms with toads, mice, snakes, lizards, etc.. In fact, the recommendation to close the toilet door in order to prevent smells of sewage coming into the room took on a different meaning. Beyond the above mentioned animals that occasionally visited the rooms, monkeys and squirrels came to visit in my backyard too.

 Every day on the Beach was fun and magical.

The small beach strip consists of several guesthouses, each fronted by a restaurant. Next to which there is a small grocery store and that’s it. Every day I spent long hours in the water, swimming or jumping over the waves. One day I reached the shore and the waves were stronger than ever and the water was deeper than usual. I went to the grocery store to purchase a sea mattress but there weren’t any  left in stock. The seller told me that if I was prepared to wait he could go to town and fill up the inventory. I was very happy and waited for him to come back. He returned with the mattress and from the moment that it was filled with air until the darkness fell, I spent my time in the water. Friends came and went, but I stayed, sometimes all by myself, enjoying the clouds floating in the sky, relaxed, peaceful, grateful for my inflatable piece in the water.

 Day after day there is a spectacular sunset and during this time there is a juggling ‘party’ on the beach, everyone practices with his favorite accessory. Beyond the beauty of the colors, the whole beach is filled with joy and fun. At night we would come to the beach to watch green platoons glowing between the waves and a sky full of stars rediscovered as the lights of the restaurants were turned off at ten o’clock. I had to change clothes quite a few times during the nights because suddenly a high wave would come that washed over me, but the spectacle was worth every moment.

 One day while I was in the water I saw an eagle flying with a snake between its legs. I wanted to see it up close and I started swimming towards it, but it decided to make a U-turn and head back towards the jungle from where it had come. I was hoping it would come back and suddenly after ten minutes it did just that, flying right over my head and low enough for me to admire its beauty. For a moment I even feared that if the snake was released from the eagle’s grip it would land right on my forehead.

 I really enjoyed Om Beach. I enjoyed the proximity to the sea, the amazing sunsets, the delicious food, the landscapes and walks in the area, the simplicity, tranquility and the little magic that happens during the day. If you only have a limited time to spend in magical India, I can’t recommend enough that you visit this amazing piece of paradise, it’s a must.