Karnataka is situated towards southern most part of India. It has huge coastal line and it shares major seaside with ‘Arabian Sea’. Capital of Karnataka is Bangalore and this city is also called as Silicon Valley of India. Karnataka a very rich state in tourist places. You have lots and lots of temples like a temple in Hampi and best cuisines to try out. On a whole Karnataka will provide you with complete entertainment you can think of. The plethora of fauna and flora is immense here and due to the presence of Eastern Ghats, biodiversity is large here. Let’s see what the places we can roam in Karnataka are.
Top Tourist places to visit in Karnataka (A brief data of top places)
Cubbon Park in Bangalore
This is a very beautiful park situated in the heart of Bangalore city and it spreads in 120 hectares of land. Everyone in Bangalore wants to visit this place to beat the stress, to find peace etc. from fast paced city life. Also there is a central library in this park. A very large Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technical Museum is present inside this park. You have to give Rs 15 as the entry fees for this park.
Bangalore Palace
This palace was the living place of King Wodeyars. You can enjoy watching the palace and all the old stuff displayed there, and from my side a must place to visit. Rs 100 is the entry fees for entry into this palace.
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore
This place is spread in 96 acres of land and was built by King Hyder Ali in 1760. There is a large collection of plants and some of them are old. Whole Park filled with different varieties of flowers.
Iskcon Temple in Bangaluru
This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and maintained by International Society of Krishna Consciousness.
Maharaja Palace in Mysore
This palace is among the best and biggest buildings that are still standing in India. Built by King Wodeyar, this is a place where you can see the true craftsmanship of Indian culture. There are a lot more things which you can see here and entry fee for this palace is Rs 20.
Devaraja Market in Mysore
This market dates back from the Tipu Sultan reign and is very famous whole India. A perfect medley of ancient architecture and modern architecture can be seen here.
Chamundi Hill in Mysore
This place is famous for its Sri Chamundeswari Temple and this temple is situated at a height of 1062m. Gopuram which is an entrance gate is also a thing to see here.
Srirangapatnam near Mysore
This fort has a bloody history as Tipu sultan fought with the Britishers and he was killed by the Britishers here. But still this fort stands strong and you can visit this place to see ancient art and architecture.
Brindavan Gardens near Mysore
This place is ideal for beating the stress and having a silent place to sit here. Best time to visit this place is in evening timing.
Sonathpur near Mysore
Famous for its Keshava temple which was built in the year 1268 A.D. this is among the best architecture of Hoysal period.
Shivasamudram
Barachukki and Gaganachukki are among highest waterfall in Karnataka. The plethora of flora and fauna is immensely here.
Belur and Halebid
These two places are famous for their temple. The art and architecture of these temples are the finest in the whole world and lots of people come here to offer their prayers.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserves
This Biosphere comes under the some of the largest and well maintained Biosphere reserves in India. This biosphere reserve spreads in 5200 square kilometers and has very large flora and fauna. So a must place to visit in Kanrantaka.
Sravanabelagola
Situated near Vindhyagiri hills, this place is famous for Gomateshvara statue. This statue is 17.5m height and situated on a top of a hill and a lot of Jain people come here to visit this place.
Kabini Lake
This lake is sutured 70 KM from Mysore city. This lake is fed by a river called as Kabini River. This place is famous for its flora and fauna. This place is surrounded by thick forest, so you can organize camping here.
Kodagu Region
Although this place is covered with mountains and forest, but still this provides an ideal platform for trekking. Lots of tourist comes every year to attend the trekking expedition organized here.
Ullal beach near Mangalore
This is a clean and properly maintained beach in this region. Lots of people come here to beat the heat of the sun. There are various food outlets, games, boat rides etc. are present here.
Dharmasthala
This place is situated 75 kilometers away from Mangalore city. This place is famous for its Jain temples and around 10000 people pass every day from this place. The most awaited festival of this place is Laksha Deepotsava and the main temple to visit here is Manjunatha temple.
Udupi
Although this place has a lot of religious importance because of the presence of Krishna temple which was built in the 13th century, but art and architecture of this place are a thing to see. There are several monasteries here and lots of people flock here every year to offer their prayers.
Malpe
This place is famous for its serene beaches and there are various types of facilities like surfing boards etc. are organized here.
Devbagh
It is a small island near the cost of Gokaran. This is a very silent, calm place and you can find lots of restaurants here. Lots of water sports like kayaking are organized here.
Jog falls
This place is famous for its highest waterfall. The whole view of this place is fantastic and you will love to come here.
Gokarna
This place is situated near Karwar and it is famous for its temples. But the temples are not the only thing which attracts the people to come here, art and architect, culture of this place attracts crowds. This place is busy during Shivratri and Ganesh Chaturthi.
Hampi
This place in Karnataka is a world heritage site. The plantation of banana and monuments build here are fantastic. This place is very busy in the month of November and March.
Badami
This place was the capital in the era of Chalukya empire. This place is gifted with some of the finest temples, caves etc. Caves built here are famous in the whole world.
Bijapur
This palace was built 600 years back and holds the ambience of the Islamic era. You can visit lots of mosques built here. Most famous festivals of this place are Lingayat Siddeshwara Festival. Golgumbaz is surely a place you want to visit.
Bidar Fort
This fort is among the most visited forts in Karnataka state. This fort spreads in 2 Km area and situated at the top of the hill.
Aihole near Badami
This place is famous for its temple. You can see fine temple here built in the 15th century.
Pattadakal
This place was the second capital of Chalukya Empire. This place is also full of temples and Rs 10 is the entry fees. All these temples are world heritage site.
Kakkbe
This place is famous for its Nalakund palace. This place is situated at a large height and hence this place is has lots of flora and fauna.
Dubare Forest reserve
This forest is among the largest forest reserves that are present in Karnataka. This forest reserve comes with the route of Kaunshalnagar.
What to eat and where to eat
There are various places like Karavalli, Koshy’s Bar & Restaurant, Mango Tree, Malgudi Café, Namaste Café where you can have good dinner or breakfast. In Karnataka you will get dishes mainly made from rice. If you are not Indian then you will like the dished served there.
Where to stay
There are a bunch of hotel in every place. Your budget will depend on your choice of hotel. Price can range from as minimum as to Rs 400 to Rs 20000 for one night in any hotel or guest house. It is advised to you that book your guest house or hotel in advance to avoid last minute hassle.
How to reach
Karnataka is well connected by air, railway and bus service. You can also opt for sea route, if you are living in a state having a sea boundary. There are various national flight carriers who provide regular access to this place. If you really want to explore this state, then go for a motorcycle and you will enjoy better as compared to any other transportation.
Tips for Journey
Best time to visit Karnataka is in the month of November to January. During this period various festivals are celebrated across the whole state. Carry fewer amounts of cash and go for an ATM card. Carry change money as much as possible. If you are travelling in the summers, then keep a Sun cream because this place has a higher exposure to the sun. Mosquito repellents are advised if you are visiting any forest area. Wear comfortable clothes because humidity is a big factor in this state.