Guide to Water Sports and Activities in Karnataka

Quick Travel Guide to Karnataka Water Sports Destinations (Beaches of Karnataka, Lakes of Karnataka and Rivers of Karnataka)

Water Sport destinations while usually near Sea Coasts or Beaches of Karnataka (HolidayIQ quick take on Beach & Sea Water Sports), the many Lakes and Rivers of Karnataka are hot spots for Fresh Water Sport Activities (HolidayIQ quick take on Fresh Water sports).

Karnataka is among the Top Water sport destination with a large coast line it has some of the best locales for water enthusiasts. Most Water sport destinations would invariably also be great beach destinations. Some of them are large lake based or backwater water bodies. To enjoy the thrills of scuba diving, coracling, surfing, canoeing, kayaking or windsurfing you are looking for, explore the places below.

Water Sport Equipments

The major Water Sport sites in Karnataka are well equipped with excellent quality surf boards, Kayaks, canoes and other facilities. These places also offer expert training for those who are new to these sports. Some types of Water Sports need special equipment, in most cases these are provided by the Resort but it is a good idea to check before had if there are any special charges and or equipment that you may have to carry yourself. The major Water Sport resorts or destinations in Karnataka listed below are usually are well equipped with excellent quality surf boards, Kayaks and canoes. Some of these places also offer expert training especially in the case of Snorkeling and Scuba for those who are new to these sports. They all have trained professionals who guide you and supervise your activities. subject to suitable weather conditions

Best Times for Water Sports in Karnataka

For Fresh water sports (Lakes and Rivers) best times are in the monsoon months of July, Aug, Sept and Oct. (One exception being Kali River which is year round except July, Aug and Sept))

For Sea and Beach bound water sports it is all months other than the monsoon months of July, Aug and Sept.

Types of Water Sport activities

Water Sport activities are categorized below by type of Water sport, wherever possible links are provided for Popular Accommodation options and more detailed information on the destination:



Boating (Rowing and Motor Boats)

Pleasure boating is a family sport and is growing in popularity as age is no barrier and it is a easy way to enjoy water. In this form somebody could be powering the boat by rowing or it could be a motor boat maneuvered by experienced driver. Locations for pleasure boating

Kabini Backwater – Wildlife Safari on a boat. – (Jungle Lodges & Resorts, Cicada, Water Woods and Orange County Kabini Resorts)

Brindavan Gardens Mysore – View the park’s fountains while cruising around on a boat.

Malpe (Close to Udupi)– Boat or Ferry ride to St. Mary’s Island - Vasco-da-Gama landed in 1498 on one of these islands, it is one the unique spots in India where basaltic rocks show up such peculiar formation. Popular Resorts -

Ranganthitu Bird Sanctuary Near Mysore - Ranger-guided boat tours of the isles are available throughout the day, early mornings and evenings are best times to catch all the birds. You can also get to see crocodiles, otters and bats.

Near Dandeli – Moonlight Boat ride at the Bison River Resort

Near Karwar – Speed boat rides at Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort



Banana Boat Cruise

A Banana boat is designed to be pulled by a larger boat where the riders sit astride a large tube. It provides some of the same thrill experienced during water skiing but is a lot easier.

Quite a few of the resorts across the west coast (Udupi, Karwar and Mangalore) offer Banana Boat rides. Popular Resorts - Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort



Snorkelling and Scuba Diving

Snorkeling much simpler than Scuba diving is sport where a using a tube the diver floats on the water’s surface. One end fits in the diver's mouth(Who is below the water surface) and the other end extends above the water.

Scuba which stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) requires intense training at least for a couple days. Scuba divers carry a tank of air that allows them to breathe while deep underwater. Divers while underwater explore fish and corals. Diving is usually a ocean sport but some divers also explore lakes, rivers, and ponds.

Resorts near Udupi (Turtle Bay Beach Resort)
Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)



Coracling

A Coracle is a small, lightweight boat that looks like a walnut shell. They are used for fishing or just have a River rafting joy ride.

Resort near Bheemeshwari Location – (Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp and Lodges)
Resorts near Kabini Back Waters – (Jungle Lodges Kabini)
Resorts near Dandeli – (Jungle Lodges Kali Wilderness Camp, Bison River Resort, Jungle Camp Resort)



Rafting (Still water rafting)

Raft is the simplest type of watercraft. Modern rafts called rubber dinghies are in use today. The rubber dinghy is a boat consisting of a rubber shaped tube filled with air.

Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)
Resorts near Dandeli – (Jungle Lodges Kali Wilderness Camp, Bison River Resort)
Resorts near Udupi (Turtle Bay Beach Resort)
Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)



Canoeing

Canoeing is a sport where the paddler propelling a canoe through water, sometimes down a stream or river. Requires advanced training and great stamina. If done in a Whitewater river environment it requires significant expertise and skill to navigate the canoe through rapids.

Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)
Resorts near Dandeli – (Jungle Lodges Kali Wilderness Camp, Bison River Resort)



Kayaking

The kayak is propelled by a double-bladed paddle and requires both stamina and the paddler to keep balance while maneuvering the Kayak. Canoes are also made of fiberglass, plastic, and sometimes hard-rubber. This sport is usually enjoyed in pairs.

Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)
Resorts near Kabini Back Waters (Cicada)
Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)



Water Surfing (Surf Boards)

Surfing which is Riding on waves using a Surf Board toward the shoreline takes skill, stamina, and agility. This requires significant practice before being able to maneuver the Surf Board and learn to stay afloat.

Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)
Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)



White Water River rafting

White water river rafting location in Karnataka include the Kali river at Dandeli. Kemphole, Sitanadi (near Agumbe) and Netravati. Parts of Cauvery at starting at Bheemeshwari is also popular with White water rafting enthusiants.

Near Dandeli - All through the year except monsoon months of June, July and August

Conducted by Southern River Adventures and Ozone

Organized or Self Contanied white water rafting expeditions at Dandeli - Aquaterra

Near Bheemshwari at Bheemshwari Fishing Camp and Lodges (Conducted by CARE India) - monsoon months of June, July and August

Near Agumbe or Sitanadi which lies in Shimoga district or 105 Km from Chikmagalur (Conduced by Venture Adventure Club or Adreno ) - monsoon months of June, July and August

Near Coorg

At Barapole River (Conducted by Southern River Adventures Coorg) - monsoon months of June, July and August with Rafting base at Ponya Organic Coffee Estate

Organized or Self Contanied white water rafting expeditions at Coorg - Aquaterra Coorg

Near Shimoga or Sagar

Honnemaradu (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)



Windsurfing

The basic skill required here is to get on and off the board with falling. The basic equipments for windsurfing are a board and rig. In addition the surfer required buoyancy aid windsurfer boots and wet suits. Going in a straight line or going backwards could be quite challenging.

Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)
Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)



Water Skiiing

Originally called "aquaplaning”, in this sport the skier holds on to a rope attached to the front of a ski board. Ski boards are usually 6 to 10 feet long and 3 feet wide. The skier has to use their body weight to stand up and manipulate the board., with a rope tied to the front.

Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)
Honnemaradu Near Shimoga or Sagar (Mr. Swamy, Ms. Nomita - The Adventurers - Ph: 080 3409712/3305508, E-mail - honnemardu@satyam.net.in)



Water Scooters

Water scooters accommodate two people on a ride. This action sport provides all the thrills of a motorbike and is usually easy for even amateurs to get started.

Resorts near Karwar (Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort and The Great Outdoors Karwar Island)

New Home Stay options in Mysore for Dasara 2007

Home Stays are accommodation options that help the local community to showcase the ethnic culture and heritage to Tourists both domestic and international. Home Stays were launched during the last Mysore Dasara to help bridge Mysore's peak Tourist season accommodation crunch. Unfortunately Mysore Tourism has not been as fortunate as Coorg or Kodagu when it comes to creating sustaining affordable Home Stays which have become symbols of Eco-Tourism in Karnataka State. The Mysore Tourism dept.’s initiative derived from the age old Indian tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava (the guest is an embodiment of God) has never really taken root in this Tourist friendly town. The reason reasons being clearly linked to the new Boom town that Mysore is fast transitioning into very similar to the Bangalore of the early 90’s. Unlike Coorg where there are few options to monetize one’s house or space, in Mysore Home Stays are less sustainable when compared to other commercials options available to property owners. Most of last year's Home Stay property owners in Mysore have rented/converted their Home Stays to Corporate Guest Houses.

Mysore’s peak Tourism is just from October to February unlike Coorg which is popular round the year. This results in property owners having to sustain the long tourist lean period when there are few takers for Home Stays. There is tremendous short fall in accommodation during the Dasara period and Atithi or Home stay options are a boon for budget travelers. Here are few functioning Home Stay options in Mysore that will let you experience the local culture and authentic Mysore food. Home Stays for Dasara 2007.

In addition there are more expensive Top Rated Hotel and Resort options at Mysore for this year’s Dasara.

Wind Flower Resort & Spa, Mysore

Royal Orchid Metropole, Mysore

Regaalis Hotel, Mysore

Ginger Hotel, Mysore

Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel, Mysore

Have a great Dasara.

Coorg Home Stays and not Destination Resorts key Tourism driver in Karnataka

If you think of Coorg Tourism today, after coffee estates and misty hills what comes to your mind are the 100’s of Home Stay options that are fast becoming the new Signature of Coorg Tourism. (There are around 300 Home Stays at last count in Coorg).

When you think of a Coorg Resort, you first think of Orange County. Orange County is the benchmark for a Destination Resort that all new upcoming Resorts would have to measure up to or differentiate to create new destination properties in Coorg.

Destination Resorts are those which are not near a large town or tourist attraction but instead contain all the ingredients and attractions to become destinations in their own right. (All the entertainment and activities required to keep you engaged are built into the Resort). Club Mahindra, Coorg is a recent addition to the Destination Resort category in Coorg. In a very short period of time the Mahindra property has been able to match the benchmarks set by Orange County.

While quite a few new Destinations Resorts with attractions such as Golfing are in the offing, surprisingly Home Stays are stealing the thunder from Destination Resorts and fast becoming the poster child of Eco-Tourism in india.

Home Stay’s in Coorg, while sharing a common lineage in that they are usually formed by re-purposing some portion of a family owned Coffee Estate, they have come a long way from these simple roots. Home Stays today have evolved beyond this simple premise, offering various formats and variations to cater to an emerging trend where travelers demand personalization and not mass tourism.

Coorg Home Stays have achieved an additional objective of promoting eco-friendly tourism in Kodagu and set a role model for Eco-Tourism in Karnataka. This has helped protect the eco-system from degradation through invasive or mass tourism.

Here are few variations of the Home Stay format that have evolved to carve a unique niche for themselves in the competitive Coorg Tourism market. Quality, Standards and themes they cater to vary widely.

• Type of Activities – Estate Walks, Fishing, Birding, Boating and Trekking.


• Target Group – Different Home Stays specialize their offering ranging from Kid Friendly activities to Corporate Team Building and special interest programs.


• Luxury Levels – From being very basic back to Nature Living to full-fledged Spa facilities they vary in the level of create comforts provided

Top Home Stays in Coorg as rated by Holiday IQ and Enjoy Images and Photos from Coorg Tourism

• Rainforest Retreat,Coorg,Karnataka - Reviews, photos, packages

• Polaycad Bungalow,Coorg,Karnataka - Reviews, photos, packages

• Jade Hills,Coorg,Karnataka - Reviews, photos, packages

• Cicada Trails,Coorg,Karnataka - Reviews, photos, packages

Home Stays are here to Stay and hopefully spread beyond Karnataka's Tourism circuits and create multiple success stories for sustainable Eco-Toursim in India.

How many names does Coorg, Karnataka Tourism’s top destination go by?

Described by the Lonely Planet as the most under rated destination of India, Coorg has fast become synonymous will both Eco-Tourism in Karnataka and HomeStays

A multitude of superlatives and names are used to describe both Coorg the place and the “Coorg Experience”. For starters Coorg itself is an anglicized derivation of its traditional name Kodagu is derived from “Kodi-male-nadu” which in the local dialect means “Higher Forest Land”.

If we were to catalogue a list, here are a few that would surely come to mind.

• Kodaimalenadu (Meaning Higher Forest Land)
• Kodagu (Local name for Coorg)
• Scotland of the South India (The British dubbed it so because of its misty hills, picturesque towns and breathtaking views)
• Land of Coffee, Honey, cardamom, pepper, coffee, oranges (Well known for its coffee and tea estates, Coorg is one of India’s largest Coffee production region.)
  Land of the Kodavas (A book by Jeannette Isaac, According to the Puranas the word Kodava means the people blessed by Godmother Kaveri. Where ‘Kod’ means give or bless and 'avva' means mother i.e. Kaveri)
• Kashmir of Southern India
• Switzerland of India
• Land of the Brave and the Beautiful (The Kodagu people, especially men have always stood apart. Their martial tradition has produced many generals for India)
• Home of the Cauvery (Birthplace of the River Cauvery, it is considered to be the abode Goddess Cauvery)

Have heard or can you think of anymore?

Two Decades of Eco-Tourism in Karnataka - Wildlife Safaris, Island Living, River Rafting, Angling and Organized Treks

Karnataka is endowed with most magnificent forests (which are around 20 percent of its geographical area) in the county ranging from majestic evergreen forests of the Western Ghats to the scrub jungles of the plains. The Western Ghats of Karnataka (about 60% of the Western Ghats are located in Karnataka) are one of the 25 global priority hotspots for conservation and one of the two on the Indian subcontinent. Several economically important species such as Sandalwood, Rosewood, Teak, White Cedar grow naturally in these forests.

Karnataka boasts of the highest elephant and Gaur bison population (greater than 6000 & 8000 respectively) in India. Its forests hold some of the largest remaining populations of the endangered tiger and leopard.

Eco-tourism has been extremely popular in Karnataka, it was one of the first states in India along with Kerala which tapped the potential of Eco-Tourism. Jungle Lodges and Resorts, setup as a unit of Karnataka Tourism was established two decades ago with the vision of tapping the vast potential of Eco-tourism within Karnataka.

Major Eco-Tourism destinations in Karnataka cover a wide range of Eco-tourism options including Wildlife Safaris, Island Living, River Rafting, Angling and Organized Treks. Eco-tourism options for both Budget and Luxury options have progressively Two to three new eco-tourism circuits and or destinations are being added every year providing new avenues for travelers to experience Karnataka’s rich eco-diversity.

Eco-tourism provides the Urban Dweller an opportunity to experience various facets of Karnataka’s bountiful nature and wildlife. This has resulted in wider participation in conservation efforts from travelers who have experienced what nature has to offer.

Eco-Tourism Hotspots in Karnataka

• Widlife - Nagarhole, Bandipur and Kabini Backwaters - Near Mysore


• White Water Rafting, River Sports - Kali River at Dandeli Near Hubli, River Tern Near Chickmaglur


• Fishing Camp on the Cauvery – Bheemeshwari Near Bangalore


• Island Living – Devbagh Near Karwar


• Wilderness, Hill & Plantation Living – Coorg, Chickmaglur, Hassan


• Beach and Water Sports – Devbagh (Diving), Honnemaradu(Near Shimoga) Karwar, Udupi, Malpe and Gokarna