Maravanthe Beach: The Highway Rider’s Favorite Pit Stop
Many years ago, when it used to be a 2 lane highway, it used to be everybody’s favorite pit stop. It didn’t matter whether you were a truck driver, a motorcyclist or a family traveling by car, you wanted to stop here, feel the breeze, hear the sound of waves thrashing next to the road and soak in the stunning views of two water bodies straddling either side of the national highway.
Today, the 2 lane highway has been replaced by a 4 lane highway. And in spite of the change, this place still continues to be the highway rider’s favorite pit stop. I am talking about Maravanthe beach located by the National Highway 66 on the West coast of India.
To the West of the highway lies the Arabian Sea and the sound, smell and breeze of the ocean. And to the East lies the Sowparnika river that runs parallel to the highway before it travels south and joins the Panchagangavali river and dumps into the Arabian Sea. While hues of blue greets you on the ocean side, the river side greets you with hues of green with swaying palms and lush greenery, thus making for an interesting diversity in panorama.
While you might not be able to walk on the beach here as there are rocks here to prevent sea erosion, you can certainly enjoy the amazing sea breeze and the sound of the waves hitting these rocks. During the monsoons, it becomes more magical as the waves turn rowdy, the winds start howling and the rains pick up in intensity. While the ocean side is always in motion, the river side is a calm sight unless the river is in flood or it has turned brown after some fresh rain.
If you feel like a beach, there are sandy stretches to the south of the highway (towards Kundapur) where it looks even better. Olive ridley turtles still come by to lay their eggs every year.
There are a few shacks serving hot beverages and some biscuits and/or chips in case you want some food for company. These shacks are on the beach side and are located at one end of the highway.
NH 66 is one amazingly scenic highway that winds its way all the way from Panvel to Kanyakumari via mountains, rivers, waterfalls, villages, cities and beaches. And Maravanthe is like a jewel in its crown. Don’t miss to stop here on your next road trip on National Highway 66. 
Other nearby tourist attractions:
1) Kodi beach – This is a beautiful beach where the Panchagangavali river mees the Arabian Sea.
2) Udupi Krishna temple – This is one of the iconic Krishna temples of India.
3) Hulikal Ghat – This is one of the wettest places in Karnataka and is known for its waterfalls, forests, views and flora and fauna.
4) Agumbe – This rainforest, also one of the wettest places in Karnataka is famous for its waterfalls, sunset points and the King Cobra.
5) Kollur – This quiet town in the Western Ghats is known for its Mookambika temple and the Kodachadri hill that offers gorgeous views of the Linganamakki reservoir.
6) Hebri – This place is known for river rafting on the Sita river during the monsoons and for the trek to Kudlu Teertha waterfalls.
7) Ottinene Beach – This pristine beach is formed at the place where the Sumana and Byndoor rivers join the Arabian Sea.
8) Murudeshwar – The sea side temple town that is known for its large Shiva statue and for its beautiful Shiva temple.
