Auli Beach 2

Auli Beach 2 is the sort of three‑kilometre strip that looks good on a postcard but will test your patience if you arrive at the wrong hour. The pale sand, littered with the inevitable plastic‑topped tin shacks, stretches from the surf‑battered promontory of Drive‑In Road in the north to the faded signposted “Sunset Point” in the south; the best spot for a quiet drink is the modest wooden bench tucked behind the coconut‑leaf canopy at 10 am, when the tide is out and the wind is still. Avoid the weekend afternoons of July and August – the monsoon turns the sea into a churning mess and the shacks swell with day‑trippers from the nearby hill stations. The sole decent eatery is “Mango Breeze” on Khadi Lane; order the smoked fish thali with tamarind rice, but skip the advertised “fresh coconut water” – it’s usually just sweetened paste. Accommodation is limited to the budget‑friendly “Sea Breeze Bungalows” on Coral Street; they’re clean enough for a night, but the Wi‑Fi is intermittent, so plan your work‑calls for the early morning. Auli Beach 2 is worth a single day if you’ll tolerate the noise of cheap music blasting from the shacks; otherwise, give it a miss and head to the quieter Pebble Bay further down the coast.

• Go early; crowds peak by 11am
• Local guides charge ₹500 — worth it for the stories