Apsarakonda Falls near Honnavar enjoys the benefit of being easily accessible, near a pristine beach, and has a garden to enjoy a view of the sunset. Apsarakonda Falls on the way to Gokarna is a hidden gem (not anymore) for those of you making a pitstop on the way there. It is about 470 kilometers from Bangalore. You can either drive down or take a flight or train to Hubli and hire a cab or take a bus down to the falls. It is believed that angels used to bathe here and hence is known as the pond of angels.
Around eight kilometers from Honnavar town, off the highway is the 40-meter waterfall that ends with an emerald green pool. Between two and seven feet deep depending on the season, bring along swimwear or a change of clothes to take a dip (but stay family-friendly, please!). A 15-minute hike to the top of the falls overlooks the nearby beach (and a 20-minute walk down is the beach). The beach is clean, relatively untouched and is great for some good ol’ frolicking, and photoshoots of course! With a cliff, and a river joining the sea, it makes for quite the view.
Since the area is maintained by the Forest Department, there's a garden (With an INR 10 entry fee), some basic washrooms and a canteen (though we would recommend that you take your own food and make a picnic of it). The park above also is a part of the viewing point from where you can enjoy a more or less 360-degree view of the surroundings (and the diversity of the landscape) during the day, and dramatic sunsets over the Arabian Sea come evenings. The park is open from 6am to 6pm through the year.
