Best time
October to March is the season: clear skies, a calm sea and the Netrani boats running, with the clearest water for diving from December to March. April and May are hot and humid but quiet. June to September is the monsoon - the temple and the gopura stay open, but the sea is rough, the boats stop and swimming is unsafe.
- October to March, 20 to 32°C: The season: clear skies, a calm sea and the Netrani boats running, with the clearest water for diving from December to March. Christmas to New Year is the busiest and dearest fortnight.
- April and May, 26 to 35°C: Hot and humid by midday. See the temple early or late, keep the middle of the day indoors, and expect the quietest stays of the year.
- June to September, 24 to 30°C: The monsoon: heavy rain, a rough sea, no boats to Netrani and swimming unsafe. The temple and the gopura stay open, and this is when Jog Falls inland is at its best.
What to pack
Light cotton, a hat and sunscreen — the headland has almost no shade and the walk from the gopura to the statue is all in the open. A dhoti, saree or salwar if you want to go inside the temple, and clothes you can change out of for the beach. Shoes you can slip off easily, since the temple is barefoot and the stone gets hot by midday. A swimsuit and a towel for Netrani, a rain shell from June to September, and a dry bag if you are diving.
Getting there
Murudeshwar is about 750 km from Hyderabad. The fixed-date group trips leave on Friday night and travel overnight by road to the coast, so the weekend starts at Gokarna and comes down to Murudeshwar. Travelling independently, the usual route is a train or flight to Mangalore and about three hours north up NH66, or the Konkan line to Murudeshwar's own station.
About 500 km from Bangalore, a 9 to 10 hour overnight journey by road, which is how the Bangalore group departures travel. By rail the usual way is to Mangalore or Udupi and up the Konkan line to Murudeshwar station, which is a few minutes from the temple - one of the few places on this coast where the train sets you down at the sight itself.
Chennai to Murudeshwar is about 900 km, so most travellers fly to Mangalore and drive about three hours north, or take the train to Mangalore and continue on the Konkan line. A private trip can start with a pick-up at Murudeshwar station, Mangalore airport or Goa.