Like most costal towns in South India, Udupi city also juxtaposes the spiritual and the ancient with leisure and beach and the two mix seamlessly. Legend has it that Lord Krishna reclaimed Udupi from the sea and the town has an old and very important Krishna temple with intricate stone carvings at the entrance. There are quite a few important temples and the spiritually minded would not like to miss out on any of them. The Kaup Beach is another attraction but swimming here can be rather dangerous during the rains because the sea turns rather choppy.

How to Reach Udupi?

By Air : You can also take a plane from Bangalore to Bajpe in Mangalore. Travel time is 1 hour + 1 hour by road.

By Rail : Udupi is a major station on the Konkan railway route. There are connections with Mumbai and Mangalore. Major trains including Rajadhani Express stop at Udupi Railway Station. A night train is available from Mangalore to Bangalore.

By Road : Take NH48 to Mangalore via Hassan, Sakleshpur and Mani and then drive on NH 17 to Udupi. Driving time is 9 hours.

Best Time to Visit Udupi

Udupi is best visited during the winter months starting from October to February when the temperatures remain cooler and pleasant.

The summers (March-May) are too hot with temperatures rising above 39 degrees Celsius and the monsoon months from June to September are not considered good to enjoy the beaches.

Things to do in Udupi

Udupi is known as a pilgrimage destination. The list of things to do in Udupi consists of visits to various temples and admiring the artefacts in Hast Shilpa. Don’t forget to try the popular wheat and banana halwa and take some banana chips and mango pickles back home. Lie back on the Kaup Beach and enjoy the sea view. Climb up the old lighthouse to have a lovely view around. Make sure you try the spicy local food while in the city. Make a trip to nearby Malpe beach or St.Mary's beach for some solitude.

Places Near Udupi

Some of the interesting places near Udupi you can visit are St Mary's Isles and Malpe Beach.

St Mary’s Isles is just 14 kms away from Udupi and the beach here is lined with coconut trees like a curtain. The beach is littered with some unusually shaped rocks and it is rumored that the great explorer Vasco da Gama first stopped in this island before his ultimate entry into India. Malpe Beach is another lovely beach just 7 kms out of Udupi and is not crowded at all, offering solitude and bliss.

Hotels in Udupi – Choice is Yours

There are numerous hotels in Udupi ranging from 3-star, 4-star and 5-star deluxe to budget hotels.