Udupi is best known for its South Indian fast-food restaurants. Few people know that Manipal, the education hub is in Udupi. The coastal area is quite distinct from rest of Karnataka in terms of weather, food, education levels, economic prosperity. Dakshina Kannada, the erstwhile combined district from which Udupi separated is very similar in most aspects except food. Udupi cuisine is solely vegetarian, while the sea food cuisine is more popular in Mangalore. There are enough places to visit in Udupi that you can easily spend a week. Prominent places to visit in Udupi include Krishna Mutt, Malpe beach, St. Mary’s island, Padukere, multiple beaches at Kaup, Padubidri, Kodi Bengre
Best time to visit
Shoulder monsoon months and winters from September- March are best times to visit. April- May is insanely hot and humid, while June- August faces one of the heaviest rains in India. Beaches and islands are closed in most of monsoons
Getting In
Mangaluru is the closest airport, about 60 minutes away. You can take prepaid taxis costing 2k INR to reach the city from the airport. Bus connectivity is pretty good from other districts. Durgamba, VRL Sugama and many other companies connect Udupi with major cities like Bengaluru with overnight journeys
Getting around
Autos are the most convenient option, although bit expensive. Private bus infrastructure exists, but timetables and routes are not published well in advance. You can get to town centre, ask around and take the next available bus to your destination. Mangaluru is connected by express buses with departures every 5 minutes
Places to visit in Udupi
Udupi is famous for temples, beaches, waterfalls in the Western Ghats and restaurants. Sri Krishna temple, Beaches at Malpe, Kapu, Padukere, Maravanthe, Kodi Bengre, St. Mary’s islands, Waterfalls at Koodlu Theertha, Jomlu Theertha, Jain temples at Varanga, Moodubidri, Karkala are the most prominent places to visit
Sri Krishna Temple
Established by Madhwacharya, this black idol turned to give darshan to its devotee Kanakadasa. There are eight mutts that take turns every two years in Paryaya to run worship of the mutt. There are several temples in addition to eight mutts in Rathabeedi (Chariot Lane) area- Anantheshwara Temple, Chandramouleeshwara temple, Raghavendra Swami mutt. Rajangana area hosts spiritual, cultural programmes regularly
Varanga Temple
Jain temple in the middle of a lake, about 9 km from Hebri. You have to take a boat to reach the temple. The area is calm, green, apt for self-reflection and worship
Basadis of Karkala and Gomateshwara statue
The Gomateshwara statue was established in 14th century and stands 42 feet tall. Mahamastakabhishekha is held every 12 years where the idol is washed with water, milk, coconut water, sandal, Kumkum water and many more offerings
Falls- Sita, Jomlu Theertha
Sita falls/Koodlu Theertha is nestled amidst the Western Ghats in the forests of Hebri, with river river Sita flowing across the trail. You can see loin tailed macaques on the way if you are lucky
Jomlu Theerta: Again, a falls in between a forest reserve. It has a cave-like structure beneath the waterflow which is entered on festive days
Beaches
Malpe for standard beach. Kodi Bengre, Padukere, Maravanthe for having backwater on one side and sea on the other. You can find houseboats to spend an evening or night at Kodi Bengre
Padubidri beach is popular for surfing, has a “Blue Flag” certification now.
Kapu beach has a light house that can give you an aerial view. Details on a in a separate post here
An island about 45 minutes from Malpe. Online bookings available at agencies like these here
Temples
There are numerous temples in the region, even beyond Udupi. You will find one every 500 meters. If you are intersted in spiritual journey, visit Temples of South Canara
Cultural performances
The region is rich in culture, very distinct from rest of Karnataka and India. It is difficult to plan your travel around these events since they are not widely published. You can check out banners/ local travel agencies once you reach here
- Yakshagana- Typically performed at temples during annual festivals
- Kambla- Buffallo racing in paddy fields
- Nagaradhane- Serpent worship. Every family as a “Bana” or forest protected for worship of serpent lord
- Bhootaradhane- Worship of demigods
Head next to
Architectural Jewels of Karnataka