Travel
Airports, visas, and the practical notes if you are flying in.
If you are joining the Kumta week, plan to reach Goa by the afternoon of 12 December. If you are coming only for the Bengaluru reception, fly straight into the city for 20 December. Once you know your flights, tell us on the RSVP form. Visa, vaccines, cash, and a working phone are further down this page.
Flying inTwo airports
When to arrive in Goa
Be in Goa before the evening of 12 December. A shared coach leaves Goa at about 5:00 PM that day and takes guests straight to the resort, ready for the Sangeet on the 13th.
Goa (Dabolim / Manohar)
About 160 km from the Kumta venues. Fly into Goa if you are joining anything from the Sangeet through the Pooja. Cabs run the coast road; the shared coach on 12 December is the simpler path.
Bengaluru
About 460 km from the Kumta venues. Fly out of Bengaluru after the 20 December reception. Flying into Bengaluru makes sense if you are coming only for that evening, not for the coast.
Suggested routing
Fly into Goa on the way in, and out of Bengaluru after the reception on 20 December. You avoid doubling back across the peninsula.
Trains
Kumta sits on the Konkan Railway. Trains from Goa (Madgaon or Karwar) are a slower alternative to the coach. From Bengaluru the rail journey is long; flying or driving is usually easier.
Goa to the resort, and on to the venues
Goa → the resort
If you fly into Goa, join the 5:00 PM coach on 12 December. Land before then. A day or two in Goa first is a pleasure, not a problem: the coast is worth the extra night.
If you land in Bengaluru
If you fly into Bengaluru instead, you are on your own for the drive or flight onward to Kumta, unless you are coming only for the 20 December reception. Tell us your plan on the RSVP form so we can help.
During the Kumta days we will run cars between the resort and each venue. Pickup times will follow once we know who is coming.
Visa, and a word on vaccines
Visa
You arrange your own visa. For most nationalities, India's e-Visa is the simplest route. Apply at least a few weeks before you fly; a month is kinder to the paperwork.
Vaccines
Check with a travel clinic where you live, in case you need any vaccines before you fly. We are not doctors; the advice depends on where you are coming from. Do this early — some courses take weeks.
Cash, cards, and a working phone
Cash and cards
Most people in India pay with UPI, which usually needs an Indian bank account, so it will not help most guests from abroad. Visa and Mastercard work in Goa and Bengaluru, at hotels and larger restaurants. In Kumta, expect more cash. Withdraw rupees in Goa or Bengaluru; ATMs in a small town can run dry. Tell your bank you are travelling.
SIM and eSIM
Buy an eSIM before you leave, if your phone supports it, or pick up a tourist SIM at Goa or Bengaluru airport. You will need your passport. Jio and Airtel cover the coast well enough. Hotel Wi-Fi in Kumta is not something to count on.
Warm days, cooler evenings
Kumta and the coast
On the coast, December is typically about 19–30°C (66–86°F): warm afternoons, a breeze off the sea, cooler nights, little rain.
Bengaluru
Bengaluru is cooler, especially in the evening — about 16–27°C (61–81°F). Pack a layer if you are staying on for the reception.
- Pack light, breathable clothes for the day, and a layer for the evening.
- Festive Indian wear for the Sangeet; traditional Indian wear for 14–17 December; cocktail attire for the Bengaluru reception. The dress page has ideas, and where to order from abroad.
Shop before you travel, if you can
Goa
A day in town before the coach is enough time to find festive Indian wear, if you land early.
Kumta / Gokarna
Smaller shops. Fine for a last piece or a repair; thin for a full outfit.
Bengaluru
The widest choice. Useful if you are in the city for the reception, or if you live there already.
Ordering ahead
If you are flying in, have your outfit before you leave home. Shopping in a new town with jet lag is a poor plan. Shops that ship abroad are on the dress page.
The Kumta stay is already booked. The dates are on the Stay page.