Nirvana Beach

Kilometres of golden sand on the far bank of the Aghanashini estuary, dense casuarina groves standing close behind it and almost nobody on it: a few locals, a few campers, some country boats drawn up on the sand. The other shore is a short way across the water, but by road it is 45 km of rough lanes and an hour and a half, which is exactly what keeps the beach this empty. Boat transfers cross the estuary in season. Campers come for the sky, and Karnataka Tourism points to new-moon nights for bioluminescence. No cafés, no facilities: bring water, carry your litter back.

The escape hatch when Gokarna's own sand fills up: casuarina shade and no one around