India – Page 4 – Bon Voyage

A quick guide

As I was touring Uttara Kannada, I decided to take a boat ride on the mighty Sharavati River in Honnavar, a port town in Coastal Karnataka. I took a bus from Kumata (where I was staying) and reached Honnavara after approximately 40 minutes. After getting down, I immediately approached an auto driver, who agreed to take me to the River, where boating takes place. He charged Rs100 for one and half km distance. Once I reached the river, I met a guy, who quickly arranged a boat for me. After mild negotiations, I agreed to give Rs1,100 for one hour journey. The first time I saw the river, I felt like I was in heaven. The sky was crystal clear and there were hundreds of coconut trees welcoming me on the banks of river Sharavati. It was a hot and humid day but I was prepared for it because it is expected to be so during summer in Karnataka. Slowly and slowly, I started to enjoy the ride. The whole one hour journey took me to many beautiful spots of the River. It is a must-do activity if you are planning to visit Honnavar.

Points to be noted

1) One can find accommodation in Honnavar as the auto driver told me. I also spotted a couple of small hotels in the town. So no need to stay in Kumta.

2) Winter season is the best for a boat ride. However, one should keep in mind that the prices will go up significantly.

3) Summer could be harsh but one can get an excellent deal.

#KarnatakaTourism #NammaKarnataka

All these images have been taken from the boat.

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For photo blog http://deepakacharya.wordpress.com/

Thank You

Recently, I was reading an article on how photographers and Instagrammers are ruining Panjim’s famous Fontainhas, ignoring locals’ requests not to disturb them. This reminded me of my own trip to Panjim, where I saw hundreds of photographers armed with their mobiles and DSLRs creating a nuisance for local residents in the beautiful Fontainhas area. In our fun moment, we conveniently ignore that our actions might go against the culture and way of life of the locals. What kind of pleasure do people get by ignoring local people’s requests? Even a “no photography” request sign fails to deter the tourists. I myself
have witnessed it. We should always respect the local people and their culture while on our trips.