Home › Devbhumi Dwarka Festivals › Bet Dwarka Yatra
ISLAND PILGRIMAGE · KRISHNA · BOATBet Dwarka Yatra
A pilgrimage across the sea — the Bet Dwarka Yatra carries devotees by boat to the island where Krishna is said to have lived, a beloved part of the Dwarka pilgrimage circuit.
The island shrine of Krishna
Bet Dwarka (Beyt Dwarka, also called Shankhodhar) is a sacred island off the coast at Okha, and the yatra (pilgrimage) to it by boat is a cherished part of the Dwarka pilgrimage circuit. By tradition, Bet Dwarka is the place where Lord Krishna actually resided — his residential abode, as distinct from Dwarka the kingdom — and it is associated with beloved legends, including Krishna’s meeting with his devoted friend Sudama. Pilgrims take a short, joyous boat ride across the turquoise waters from Okha jetty (often amid wheeling gulls) to reach the island, where the main temple enshrines Krishna, and other shrines and the Hanuman Dandi temple are visited. The sea crossing, the island temples, and the sense of reaching Krishna’s own home make it a special and atmospheric pilgrimage. The Bet Dwarka yatra is especially thronged during Janmashtami and other Krishna festivals, but the boat pilgrimage is a year-round draw for devotees completing the Dwarka darshan. For the visitor, the Bet Dwarka yatra offers a memorable island pilgrimage — best combined with Dwarka and Nageshwar, with attention to boat and tide timings. (The boat pilgrimage to the sacred island of Bet Dwarka, off Okha; Krishna’s traditional abode; part of the Dwarka circuit.)
Bet Dwarka coast. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Krishna's island home
Bet Dwarka. Wikimedia Commons.
Tradition holds that Bet Dwarka, not the mainland town, was Krishna's actual residence — Dwarka was the kingdom, this was the home.
It is where Sudama is said to have come with a handful of beaten rice, the story of friendship the island is most loved for.
For centuries the only way across was by boat from Okha, and the crossing was part of the pilgrimage.
The Sudarshan Setu bridge has since connected the island to the mainland, and you can now drive across.
Why come
Boat ride
The water in the strait is a genuine turquoise, shallow and clear, and the crossing is the best part of the trip either way.
Krishna
The main temple houses Krishna as Dwarkadhish, and this is held to be where he actually lived.
Bet Dwarka
The whole island is treated as sacred ground, with several shrines beyond the principal temple.
Sudama
The Sudama story is what most pilgrims come for — friendship honoured above wealth and status.
Gulls
Gulls follow the boats across in numbers, and feeding them has become part of the crossing.
Island temples
Hanuman Dandi, the other shrine on the island, marks the meeting of Hanuman and his son Makardhwaja.
What to see
THE ISLANDBet Dwarka
The island held to be Krishna's own residence, off the Okha coast.
THE COASTThe crossing
Okha jetty, the boats, and now the Sudarshan Setu bridge across the strait.
How it's celebrated
Take the boat
Cross from Okha — by ferry from the jetty, or by road across the Sudarshan Setu bridge.
Visit the temple
Take darshan at the main Krishna temple, the reason almost everyone makes the journey.
Recall the Sudama tale
Hear the Sudama story on the island itself; it lands differently standing where it is said to have happened.
See Hanuman Dandi
Walk out to Hanuman Dandi, the island's other significant shrine, a short way from the main temple.
Enjoy the sea
Watch the gulls over the strait, which follow the boats the whole way across.
Mind the tides
If you take the ferry, check the last return time before you cross. Missing it means staying the night.
Bet Dwarka. Wikimedia Commons.
An island pilgrimage
Bet Dwarka, a sacred island off Okha, is by tradition the residential abode of Krishna (as distinct from the kingdom of Dwarka), linked to the beloved legend of his friend Sudama. Pilgrims take a short boat ride across turquoise waters to reach the island’s Krishna temple and other shrines — a special, atmospheric part of the Dwarka pilgrimage, especially thronged at Janmashtami. (The boat pilgrimage to the sacred island of Bet Dwarka, off Okha; Krishna’s traditional abode; part of the Dwarka circuit.)
It sits within Devbhumi Dwarka district — browse more places to visit in Devbhumi Dwarka.
A boat pilgrimage to the sacred island of Bet Dwarka
Krishna’s traditional residential abode
Linked to the legend of Krishna and Sudama
Part of the Dwarka pilgrimage circuit
Timing
November to February is the best season on this coast — calm water, clear crossings and comfortable days.
Janmashtami is the great peak, when the island is at its fullest and accommodation anywhere near it disappears.
The monsoon brings rough water and ferries can be suspended; the bridge makes this less of a problem than it was.
⏰ A year-round boat pilgrimage; busiest at Janmashtami. Mind boat and tide timings.
Getting there
By Air
Jamnagar (~130 km).
By Rail
Dwarka station.
By Road
On the coastal NH.
More in Devbhumi Dwarka
AUGUST
Krishna Janmashtami
Dwarka’s biggest festival — the whole town celebrates Krishna’s birth. Explore →
DAILY
Flag & Aarti
The flag that flies for Krishna — at Dwarkadhish, the great temple flag (dhwaja) is ceremonially changed several times each day, a unique, moving ritual that, with the aartis, is the heartbeat of the temple. Explore →
COAST
Fishing Life
Life by the Arabian Sea — beyond the temples, the Dwarka–Okha coast is a world of fishing harbours, boats and the hardy fisherfolk whose sea-bound culture shapes the everyday life of the coast. Explore →
FULL MOON
Sharad Purnima
The full moon of Krishna’s dance — Sharad Purnima, the luminous autumn full moon associated with Krishna’s raas-leela, is celebrated at Dwarka with devotion, song and the cool moonlit beauty of the sacred coast. Explore →
What to eat
THALIGujarati Thali
Pure-veg temple food.
PRASADTemple Prasad
At Dwarkadhish.
SEAFOODCoastal catch
On the fishing coast.
CHAASChaas
Spiced buttermilk.
Bet Dwarka Yatra FAQ
What is Bet Dwarka?
A sacred island off Okha, near Dwarka, held in tradition to be Krishna's actual residence — where he lived, as distinct from Dwarka, which was his kingdom.
How do I reach it?
Two ways now. Ferries still run from Okha jetty and the crossing is part of the pilgrimage for many, but the Sudarshan Setu bridge means you can also simply drive across.
What is the Sudama link?
Bet Dwarka is where Sudama, Krishna's poor childhood friend, is said to have come with a handful of beaten rice as a gift — and been received as an equal. It is one of the best-loved stories in the tradition.
What's on the island?
The main Dwarkadhish temple, Hanuman Dandi — which marks the meeting of Hanuman and his son Makardhwaja — and several smaller shrines around the island.
When is it busiest?
Janmashtami above all, and the Krishna festivals through the year. Expect very large crowds and book accommodation in Dwarka or Okha far ahead.
What to combine?
Dwarka and its Dwarkadhish temple, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Shivrajpur beach and the Okha coast — all within a short drive.
Across Gujarat
Devpara Mata
A revered local Mother-Goddess shrine
Ramnath Mahadev
An old and revered Shiva temple
BAZAARGreen Chowk Clock Tower
The bustling old market square
Khambhat Jain Cluster
A constellation of historic derasars
Bhadra Fort
Where Ahmedabad began — the royal citadel of 1411, its clock-tower gate watching over the old…
STEPWELLRegional Vavs
Carved stepwells scattered across the district
WHERE TO STAY
Find your stay in Gujarat
Compare live prices across the big booking sites and reserve in a few taps. Booking happens securely on the partner's site — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Book directly on our partner sites — tap a provider to see live Gujarat hotels & prices:
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.
Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 3 July 2026