Island Cities of Karnataka are the cynosure to the national and international tourists. These island cities are located along the continental shelf region of eastern shore of Karnataka.
Netrani Island
Netrani is a small coral island in India located in the Arabian Sea. It is off the coast of Karnataka situated approximately 19 km from the temple town of Murudeshwara in Bhatkal Taluk. The pigeons and many migratory birds are the residents of this island.
St. Mary"s Island
St. Mary`s Islands are a set of four small islands in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Malpe in Udupi District of Karnataka. These islands are known for their distinctive geological formation of columnar basaltic lava. The northernmost island has a basaltic rock formation in a hexagonal form, the only one of its type in India. St. Mary`s Islands cover an area which is about 500 m in length with a width of 100 metres. St. Mary`s Islands has prominent coconut trees, its cover reflecting an azure south sea colour. This island is also called Coconut Island.
Karwar
Karwar is an island city in Uttara Kannada district in the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative centre of Uttara Kannada district. Karwar Island lies on the west coast of Southern India at the mouth of the Kali River. The geography of Karwar Island creates a natural harbour with protection against monsoon weather. Karwar is a centre for agriculture, industrial manufacturing and tourism. Most of the people in Karwar are Hindu. Christianity was introduced to Karwar by the British East India Company and by the Portuguese in Goa in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Muslim seafaring traders migrated to Karwar from the Deccan kingdoms. Indian Navy operates a naval base at a bay near Binaga township. It is the navy`s third largest base. The base was founded as part of Project Seabird. Casurina beach near Binaga (now called Kamat Bay) and Arga beach were incorporated into naval property. The tourists have access to the base during Navy Week in December and in visiting educational groups from all over the world.
